Page 6 of Spring Surprise
“Fine. I need to go to Missoula. TJ needs some things.”
“You needed to take all your luggage with you for a trip to Missoula?”
“Well, as you pointed out, the resort is booked for the weekend. Missoula is the only place that has anything available, thank you very much. I also need to pick up some diapers and new bottles. I meant to do it yesterday, but you distracted me, and the situation, if not handled soon, will cause global nuclear fallout. That boy has a wicked ass… He must take after you.”
“Language,” Tobias sing-songs, causing me to roll my eyes. “Anything else?” he asks.
“Yeah, I need to find a clinic for TJ. I think he might be sick, and he’s having problems with his formula. My doctor back home said there are some prescription ones that are better for preemies. It’s just a matter of finding one that sits well with his little tummy.”
“Alright, we’ll do that first. I have a friend who’s actually a pediatrician. He can do a DNA test at the same time. It just so happens he’s in Missoula for the next couple of days. Let me call him, and we’ll get on our way.”
“Okay, thanks. And thanks for driving, although I’m not sure how you’re getting home later because I’ll be staying in Missoula at least for the weekend, and you’re not stealing my car.”
“It’s an SUV, not a car, and we’ll worry about that later.”
For the next two hours of the drive, we argue back and forth about everything. I swear, if I say ‘black,’ he says ‘white,’ but the trip goes quickly, and honestly, I’m happy for the adult conversation even though I’m worried about TJ.
Gazing out the window during a lull in our ‘get to know you better’ sparing match, I fall in love with the mountains and terrain. I bet these mountain views would be gorgeous on my bike. Some wind therapy with everything that’s been happening sounds really good right about now, but that’s on hold for a while, too.
My stomach clenches. God forbid something happens to me. Little TJ would be on his own and at the mercy of strangers. Sure, he has my club, but with all the crap flying around us, I haven’t had time to take care of a will or a trust for him, although it is one of the reasons I came looking for Tobias. Looks like I need to call my attorney while I’m here in Montana, too.
“Hey, we’re here.”
I jump when Tobias interrupts my thoughts.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just a lot on my mind, I guess.”
Isway,theroomtipping sideways, and suddenly, Tobias is there. I cling to the arm he wraps around me.
“Oh, hey, it’s not as bad as all that. Admitting TJ to the NICU is largely precautionary,” Dr. Sulivan, or Brady, as Tobias introduced him, advises. “Jaundice is pretty common, especially in newborns and preemies. We’ll draw some blood. I’ll write the order for the paternity test so Toby can have his drawn at the same time. It usually takes a couple of hours for the bilirubin results to come back. It’s TJ’s stomach upset and weight loss that has me most concerned.”
“O-Okay.”
“We have an excellent breast milk donor program here. With your approval, I’d like to get him set up with that while we figure out which formula will agree with him best.” Dr. Sulivan types his orders into his computer as he explains where we go from here.
I can’t help but feel like a complete and utter failure as a mother. Shoving up my glasses, I pinch the bridge of my nose to keep myself from bawling.
“When will we have the results of the other test? And how long will TJ be in the NICU?” Tobias asks.
“It will depend on how busy the lab is, but it usually takes a couple of weeks, although I have seen results come back as early as forty-eight hours. As for the length of stay, that all depends on this little guy.”
Chapter 6
Tobias
Ah, fuck.I’ve never done well when a woman is in tears, but listening to Neely crying through the bathroom door for the last twenty minutes is almost more than I could take. I mean, what is a man supposed to do? Let her cry? Offer comfort? Not knowing makes me feel helpless, and that isn’t something I have felt in a long-damned time. I’m a man of action.
Instead of standing around with my thumb up my ass while Neely sat next to TJ in the NICU, I found us a place to stay for the night, shopped for some clothing and toiletries for myself, and grabbed a little stuffed bear to keep TJ company.
When the shower cuts off, I sigh in relief. She must be all cried out, but that’s wishful thinking. Another sob, followed by a thump sound from behind that blasted door. Well, shit.
“Sugar, are you okay?” I ask through the barrier, only to get a muffled reply. When I try the knob, it turns, so I push the door open a couple of inches. Steam billows out of the opening, making it hard for me to see, but there she stands, face blotchy, body barely covered in a towel, looking like she’s hanging on by a thread, and absolutely beautiful in her vulnerability.
“Hey, hey, hey, shh. Come on, it’s going to be okay. Tell me what I can do?” I wrap my arms around her, and she leans into me. I’m surprised at how small she is. When she isn’t going toe-to-toe arguing with me, she seems a lot taller.
“I’m so stupid. I forgot my suitcase in the car, and now I don’t have anything to put on.”
