Page 52 of Can We Try?

I take a minute to get my composure before standing and nodding to Sandra. She’s smiling at us before she turns her attention back to the screen. She points out arms, hands, legs, his heart, and I’m overwhelmed with love for this tiny little man I’ve never met before.

I focus on everything Sandra is saying, and when she’s done, she hands me some towels and I help Maggie wipe up her belly.

“This is for you.” Sandra hands me a strip of images. “Baby boy’s first pictures.” She smiles.

“Thank you, Sandra.” I hold the strip up to show Maggie, and tears form in her eyes again.

“I’ll take you to your next room to see Dr. Holmes.”

I lift Maggie from the exam table and crush her in a hug. My chest feels tight, like it could burst at any moment, for the love I have for my child and his momma. I freeze and step back, staring down at her.

“You okay?” she asks, her hand resting against my cheek.

I place my hand over hers and smile. “Perfect, Momma. Come on. Let’s go see the doctor.” I take her hand in mine, lead her out of the room, and follow Sandra to the next exam room, where Dr. Holmes will check over her to make sure everything is going great.

Meanwhile, I’ll be sitting there in the chair, watching, listening, and wondering how in the hell I’m going to tell the mother of my child that I’ve fallen in love with her.

“Want to swing by my new place? We can pick up something to take back there and eat,” I ask Maggie once we’re in the truck after her appointment.

“Yes. I’d love to see it again. How was the closing?”

“Good. I wish you could have gone with me, but I know how dedicated you are to your job.”

“I took a half day. I have paid maternity leave, but I feel bad that I’ll be leaving them short while I’m off.”

“They’ll miss you, but they’ll manage. They did fine when Emerson was off after having Lilly.”

“I know, but that’s just me, you know? I don’t like to be a burden to others, even my coworkers.”

“You’re not a burden, Mags. You’re having a baby. It’s not like you’re missing weeks of work to go backpacking across the world and leaving them high and dry.” I laugh.

“You’re right.”

I want to tell her that I’m always right but think better of it. Instead, I pluck the key I made her after the closing this morning from the cupholder and hand it to her. “This is for you.”

“What’s this?” she asks.

“That’s your key to my new place. I didn’t have one made to the old one because I knew that I was moving.”

“Is there a reason you’re giving me a key to your new house?”

“You’re the mother of my son.”

Maggie chuckles. “That’s your reason.”

“Yeah. What if you need me or need to come in and I’m not home? What if our little man needs something at my place, and I’m not there?”

“Then we wait for you to get there.”

“No. I want you and our son to have full access to me at all times.”

“Lachlan, that might be nice right now, but what happens when you meet someone? When you move her in?”

“I won’t.” My voice is clipped. The thought of any other woman in my world besides her makes me ill.

It’s Maggie.

She’s my family. Her and our son.

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