Page 78 of Fearless Bond

“I’m very well, thank you. I’m happy.”

“I have to go now. Have a good evening.” The brisk, abrupt goodbye was more like him.

“You too.”

“Yes. Um. Good night.”

And he ended the call.

For a while, I remained outside, just staring at the lights dotting the slopes of Beauville. It was starting to snow. A few fluffy flakes drifted toward the ground gently like feathers through the still air. Covered with a white blanket, the townlooked like a winter wonderland. This was now my home—I couldn’t stop marveling at that.

I hadn’t been the least bit nervous talking to my father, and he must have noticed the change. Was that why he had acted so weird? Maybe one day, we could have a decent relationship after all. He would never be a loving parent—he didn’t have it in him. But I would settle for polite acceptance.

When I returned to the pub, Barclay gazed at me questioningly. I assured him that I’d explain everything later. I didn’t have to fake my laughs and pretend everything was fine. While I had no idea what was going on in my father’s head, the phone call reassured me about one thing: I was healing already.

23

CALVIN

Ten weeks pregnant

“Barclay, you’re crushing my hand.”

“Oh, sorry.”

We stared at the fuzzy gray image as it moved and morphed. I couldn’t see anything until Hunter pointed at a small, darker shape in the center.

“There he is.”

“That’s him?” Barclay asked, leaning closer to the screen.

“Yes.”

“Only one baby, right?”

Hunter chuckled. “Yes, there’s only one.”

My mate let out a relieved sigh. “He’s so pretty.”

I almost laughed, but I wasn’t supposed to move. “Barclay, um, you can barely see anything in there.”

He frowned. “Sure I can. Look, that’s his leg.”

“Don’t touch the screen,” Hunter grumbled.

Barclay threw him an icy glare. “Can you at least print the picture?”

“I can.”

Hunter took a few photos from the ultrasound and handed them to Barclay in an envelope. Barclay carefully tucked them into the inner pocket of his jacket.

“Do you want me to email them to you?” Hunter asked me.

“Thank you. That would be great.”

After we left Hunter’s office, Barclay gave me a ride to the daycare. Phil knew I’d be late today and why. It was my second week there, and I was loving it.

I’d been uneasy about starting work and had come equipped with a list of strategies from my therapist: recognize symptoms, challenge negative thoughts, find an anchor, breathe and relax your muscles, repeat your mantra, plus, as a last resort, call Barclay. I’d practiced the exercises and knew them by heart, but I’d written them on a cheat sheet anyway because I’d been sure that once I started freaking out, I’d forget them all. I almost had freaked out at the door to the daycare. But then Phil had ushered me in, and the kids had provided more than enough distractions. Once in the middle of it all, I’d forgotten all my reasons to worry. Now I was looking forward to going to work every day.

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