Page 43 of Doctor Mile High
“Here he is.” As slow as I can, I place baby Winston into her arms, watching Dove’s face light up with a smile the moment she sees our son.
Without her seeing, I tug my phone out of my pocket and take a quick picture, needing this moment to last forever.
“I needed to hold him before I got too loud and angry when I tell you about Landon.” She keeps her voice soft, careful not to wake him. “Landon was very demanding with my time. If I wasn’t at the office, I had to be working at home. He didn’t care that I couldn’t see my feet and my work production decreased because of how tired I was. He worked me until I couldn’t feel my feet. I’d get home and my best friend Hanson would rub them until I could walk again. Landon barked orders at me, uncaring if anything happened to me on the clock while I was pregnant. I could have taken my maternity leave earlier, but I needed the money since it wasn’t paid leave. I knew I needed to work at least until the baby was born because of health insurance. He offered me five thousand dollars to come to this conference, and I needed the money. I had made my mind up after Costa Rica to quit, but then the positive pregnancy test came and I knew I couldn’t.”
“I’m sorry, Dove. I’m not sorry for him.” I press my hand against my son’s chest and my palm is wider than his entire body. He’s so small. So fragile. He seems so delicate. “But I am sorry thatI wasn’t there and you had to change your plans due to my carelessness that night.”
“It takes two, Winston. I was there too. I was just as careless and honestly—” She sighs, but it’s dreamy, filled with happiness as she smiles. “It was all worth it. I would do it all over again if it means I get this guy.” She lifts the baby to press a kiss to his cheek.
“Well, you won’t have to worry about working for him anymore. I won’t allow the mother of my child to work for such a vile, hateful man. You deserve better than that, and so does baby Winston. You can work for me, or you can be a stay-at-home mom. Whatever you choose, I’ll support, and you won’t have to worry about money ever again. What is mine, is yours.”
“You don’t have to do that, Winston.”
“Yes, I do. You deserve it, Dove. I missed every doctor’s appointment, every time you got sick, or cried, or even if you ever got angry. I missed it all. I missed those milestones with you and Winston that I’ll never get back. I want to be there for you, and if it means you no longer work for that asshole, then that’s even better.”
When she looks at me, I finally see how tired she is. She has dark circles under her eyes, and the twinkle that I saw in them while we were in Costa Rica isn’t there. The shine is gone and I blame Landon for sucking the life out of her soul just so he can make a dollar.
I’m going to take care of this. I’m going to take care of her. And there’s nothing Landon will be able to do about it. I’m going to heal my woman from the inside out. I’ll bring her back to life. The stress of the world will no longer weigh on her.
“I’ve got you now, Dove. You aren’t alone.”
“I know, and I need to do better at remembering that. I have a bad habit of taking everything on all at once. I don’t ever want to burden other people with my responsibilities, not even my own parents. I thought this journey was one I had to do on my own, and I realized the other day that I have such a great support system, I don’t know why I’m pushing them away. I guess I didn’t want them to feel like they had to support me? But I realize theywantto. Actually, that reminds me, we need to send photos to our families and friends.”
“Not yet,” I tell her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I like that it’s just us right now. The moment we pick up our phones, the real world comes barging in. I’m not ready for that. The conference isn’t for another few days. I know the moment we leave here tomorrow, we’ll be bombarded. Let’s enjoy today with him, okay?” I ask her, knowing that I’ll do whatever she chooses.
If she wants to tell everyone right now, that’s fine. But I know when I announce that I’ve had a child, it won’t just be a family matter, it will be a news matter. The heir to the Warrick Group had a child. When that happens, this moment, this peace, this love that we’re feeling, it won’t be ours anymore.
It will be everyone’s.
“You’re worried,” she states, pressing her fingers between my brows when they wrinkle together.
“A little.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re going to get a lot of attention from so many people when this is announced to the public, and so will he.” I rub my knuckle down my son’s chubby cheek, horrified that the world will want to sink their teeth into him, to turn my beautiful family into a story.
Good and bad, because that’s what the press does.
“I understand.” Her hand settles on the back of my nape and gives it a slight squeeze. “Then I think staying in our bubble is worth it. I love that idea.” She leans her head against my shoulder and both of us gasp when Winston yawns. “Oh my god, isn’t that the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? I want him to do it again. Make him yawn again, Winston.” She nudges me in the side and I pretend to grunt from the pain.
It didn’t hurt at all.
I chuckle. “Dove, I can’t make him yawn again. I’m sure he’ll do it any minute now.” My thumb brushes against her arm, back and forth, hoping it brings her some comfort.
“He’s perfect, isn’t he? I can’t believe how amazing he is. I didn’t know what to expect, but I never knew I could love someone so much without them saying one word to me.”
“I know what you mean. I feel the exact same way.” I kiss the side of her head, loving the peace in my soul.
We sit in comfortable silence, staring at our son sleeping.
“Oh, I meant to tell you,” I begin to say. “When you were in surgery, it was just me and Winston. I had my shirt off and the nurse said skin to skin was best. I was holding him in the chair and he was pissed to be out of the comfort of your belly. He was crying at the top of his lungs, and I started to speak to him, andDove, I’m serious, he stopped crying when he heard my voice. It was like he knew I was his dad. It was the best feeling. I know he doesn’t know, but it felt so good to see my voice soothe him. I wish you could have seen it.”
Dove turns to me, her bright blue eyes swimming with tears as she smiles. “Oh my god.” She covers her mouth when a sob breaks free. “No, Winston, he does know who you are. He knows. Another reason I never reached out about the videos was because I didn’t want you to stop making them. I played every video for him at night. I would turn the volume up and press my phone against my belly so he could hear you, and that’s how we fell asleep every single night. I wanted him to know what you sounded like, even if he never got to meet you.”
My breath catches in my throat. I don’t hide the emotion swimming in my eyes. I cup her face, press my forehead against hers. Her presence and her warmth fill the void I’ve always had in my heart.
She’s my purpose that I have worked so hard to achieve.
