Page 51 of Billionaire's Accidental Marriage
“Lord, don’t do this. Just open her eyes. I can do the rest. Just open her damn eyes.”
“I don’t think God appreciates you cursing at him.”
As if the heavens above had parted, Maggie’s voice graced my ears. At first, I thought it was a hoax. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. But, when both Margo and Guadalupe started giggling, I knew it was real.
And when I opened my eyes, I found her staring back at me. “Maggie,” I whispered.
She cleared her throat. “Really, don’t curse at God. Not cool.”
I snickered as tears rushed to my eyes. “You have my word; it won’t ever happen again.”
“Good,” Guadalupe murmured.
Margo and Maggie started belly laughing, and it caused me to smile. I leaned up and wiped the tears away from my face, simply glad that her eyes were finally open. I took both of her hands within mine and brought her knuckles to my lips. I kissed every single one of them, trying to flood her ice-cold hands with a bit of warmth to give her skin some color.
But Maggie’s laughter soon faded away, and she focused on me. “You know, don’t you?”
I went to answer, but the doctor cleared his throat behind me. “We drew some blood when you came in for tests, so our next step is an ultrasound. I want to make sure your fall didn’t compromise the fetus.”
Her eyes moved up toward the doctor’s face. “So, it’s real? I’m really…?”
“Yes, Miss Shackleford, you’re pregnant.”
The idea of her being pregnant with my child filled me with a joy I couldn’t express. And for a split second, I thought Maggie was so happy that she started to cry. However, when I focused on her face and read the worried furrow of her brow, I realized she wasn’t crying out of happiness. She was crying out of fear.
“Maggie, we’ll get through this, okay?” I asked.
She shook her head quickly. “Out.”
I paused. “What?”
“I need everyone out. Now.”
I squeezed her hands. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Now!” she exclaimed.
“No!”
The stark contrast between our reactions told me everything I needed to know about how difficult this would be. I was elated that she was pregnant, and she was obviously distraught. But, if she thought for one second she could kick me out, she was sorely mistaken.
“The girls can leave. The doctor can leave. But I’m not going anywhere. Not like this. And you’re just going to have to deal with that.”
I held Maggie’s gaze until she sank back against her hospital bed, relegating herself to my decision. And as Guadalupe giggled behind me, I heard her quietly ushering Margo and the doctor out of the room until the door closed, leaving the two of us alone with the news that had just been brought down upon our shoulders.
“Mike, please. I just—”
I leaned forward, blocking her view of the room so she could only see me. “I know you’re overwhelmed.”
She scoffed. “That word is an understatement.”
I cupped her cheek. “I know that, too. I know your life isn’t panning out how you wanted. I know things aren’t going according to the plan you set out for yourself. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. That doesn’t mean your life is going downhill. Yeah?”
She sniffled. “Yeah, sure. I see what you’re getting at.”
“And if we’re completely honest? I don’t hate the fact that you’re pregnant.”
She blinked. “You—you don’t?”
