Page 59 of Capitally Unexpected

I nod. “Every fucking day.”

“Then go in there. And be better. One thing I’ve learned about life is most people have no idea what they’re doing. But as long they’re not doing it alone, they can make it through.”

I pull Jax into a bone-crushing hug, hearing her “oof” seconds before she wraps her arms around me to squeeze me back, patting me between the shoulder blades a few times before breaking my hold.

“Thanks, Jax.”

“Don’t mention it. I owed Michelle breakdown support. You guys are a package deal now.”

Part of the wall next to us opens, revealing a door into the exam room. A young doctor with tan skin, teal scrubs, and his hair covered in a tie-dye cap walks out and stops short when he sees us.

“Oh, hi. Dad?” His eyes meet mine. I nod. “I’m Dr. Munoz. I’m waiting for a second opinion on the sonogram, but I’ll be right back to talk to you both momentarily. You can head on in.”

I look at Jax, unsure if she wants to go in first. “Go,” she shoos me, turning to walk out toward the waiting room.

One more deep inhale and I knock on the door, pushing it open slowly.

“I’m not really sure why he made you leave. You could have stayed up by my head ...” Michelle’s voice trails off as her head turns and spots me in the doorway instead of Jax. “Oh, hi.” Her uncertainty is written all over her face.

I take in the scene in front of me. The charts and numbers flashing on the screen from the monitors hooked up to Michelle. The way the blanket covers her now popped baby bump, the contrast against the bright white sheets of her red hair. Her skin is paler than usual, but her blue eyes are clear.

“Baby,” I say, crossing the room in an instant, grabbing thehand without an IV in it. I place a kiss on the back of it before gripping our clasped hands to my chest. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Her eyes fill, a few tears spilling over. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispers.

My body bends forward over the railing of the bed so my forehead meets hers. “I shouldn’t have been anywhere else. You and Cumulus . . . you’re the most important things in the world to me. I know I’ve been shit at showing it lately, but no more.”

“You’ve been so distant. I thought I did something wrong, or you didn’t want me, want us, anymore.” The pain in her voice threatens to break me in two.

I draw away enough to be sure she can see my eyes, read my sincerity in them. “You didn’t do anything wrong. That was about me. After the cruise, when I put you in danger . . . it shook me. What if I couldn’t hack it? What if you and Cumulus were better off with me? So, I threw myself into the business. If you can’t count on me to do the right thing, I could at least provide you with security.” A line of moisture trails down my cheek. She reaches up to wipe it away, her hand lingering on my face.

“Hunt, my job is literally trying to use science to predict the future. If I needed certainty in my life, I would have been an accountant.”

A laugh bursts from me, surprising both of us. I spent the last thirty minutes in hell unsure if I would ever laugh again. “I will spend every day for the rest of my life making sure you know I’m here for you, I’m in this.” She inhales sharply, surprise on her face at my declaration. I decide to go for broke. “Michelle, I?—”

“Knock, knock,”

Dr. Munoz enters the room, breaking the moment. We both turn to look his way.

“Sorry for the wait, folks. Like I said after the sonogram, her heart rate is strong, and she’s doing okay. I wanted to speak to one of my colleagues about recommendations for next steps.”

“She?” I ask, plopping into the chair conveniently placed behind me. Probably for moments like this one.

Anxiety crosses Michelle’s face. “Sorry, I know we were waiting to find out, but when everything was happening, and I wasn’t sure what was next, I wanted to know more about Cumulus, about her. So, I asked.”

“That’s amazing. It’s a girl. I’m so fucked,” I say, a laugh-sob breaking free from my chest as tears flow freely now. Michelle squeezes my hand.

Dr. Munoz laughs softly. “I’m a girl dad too. But my wife and my husband get to be the fun ones, while I have to lay down the law or else they’d never eat anything green, and we’d need a bigger house.”

We both laugh along with him.

“What happens next?” Michelle asks.

“We recommend you get in touch with your OB and set up weekly visits from now until you deliver. Take it easy for a few days. We can write you a note for work if you need it. And”—his eyes dart between us—“I would recommend pelvic rest until you’re back with your doctor and able to get their final recommendation.”

Michelle and Dr. Munoz talk about getting the information to her doctor while I pull out my phone and run a quick search. Pelvic rest means what I thought it did—no penetrative sex. Michelle’s and Cumulus’s health is way more important than getting my dick wet. I’ll swear off orgasms for the rest of the year. Hell longer, if it means baby girl comes without any further complications. But I’ve only had one chance to worship her body since our first night together. If she lets me touch her again, I want to be sure we’re being safe.

“We’re going to get the discharge paperwork finished up, and you’ll be on your way shortly. Let me know if you have any questions before you go.”

---