“They kept her for observation,” I say, hating every word.
“They admitted her to the hospital?” Beckett whips out his phone. “Which one? New York South, where Jane has clients?”
“Let’s let her have space, okay.” I can’t let him get involved.
“At the very least, Scarlett or Mia should be with her tonight.”
“Dr. Wells told me no one will be admitted but family, and she doesn’t have any in New York.” I take another drink from the glass the waiter has just brought.
“Scarlett endured so much. She experienced money issues and the potential loss of her job as a dancer for the New York ballet to keep Rayne. She gave up her dream for our kids, but she loves them and loves working with children as a dance therapist.
“And I love our children. Rayne is me. One hundred percent. She’s feisty and strong-willed; she keeps me young. Skye is her mother, beautiful, enchanting. Storm is both of us and his own person. I’m so excited to see who our next kiddo is going to be.
“It’s fun, Griffin, it keeps you alive. You may even discover that you love Selena after she gives you a child. Seeing Scarlett with the kids makes me love her more every day.” He’s so fucking misty-eyed. “But it’s not just that. Scarlett is fierce, beautiful, patient, kind…I see a lot of those qualities in Selena. If you fuck this up, you’re never going to meet another gem like her.”
“I know. I know that, but you’re an anomaly, okay? You’ve always been nice to your little sister, Mia, even when your dad treated her like garbage. You have a heart. I don’t. I don’t really have any tragedies, and my mom is still alive—we both hate my dad—but she and I just don’t care for one another. I have no siblings, no strings, and I like it.”
My crappy food finally arrives, and I dig in.
Beckett gives me a look that says Cut the bullshit. “Then why didn’t you just fight your firm to get a partnership without marriage?”
“Because I saw Selena and had to have her. The minute that blond beauty walked into the bar, I noticed. Some creep was trying to get her into a bed, and I played knight in shining armor to do the exact same thing. I fucked her hard that night, twice. After that, I figured a fake marriage worked for my parents; it could work for me. My father still has my mother on his payroll.”
My parents tolerate one another at best. My mother has her group of friends and a lover, and my father has a mistress, and while they were still married to one another, they never lived together. I have absolutely no role models whatsoever outside of Beckett, who just five years ago was just like me.
Beckett takes one of my onion rings and drags it through the lake of ketchup I poured onto my plate. “I’ve only just met Selena, but I can tell she deserves better. If you’re going to be a shit father, let Selena come to our house. Hire nannies and allow your wife to raise your kid. She can come and visit you. The baby will have plenty of cousins to play with. You aren’t really married to Selena anyway and don’t plan on being her husband, so let her make a choice that gives her heart some joy.”
“Oh, right, what does that look like on me, having my wife live with you? Be realistic.” I huff and shove an onion ring in my mouth.
“If you force her to have an abortion, your marriage isn’t going to last the weekend. I started out just like you, and I have to say, Beckett, before my family, I was a pathetic person. Me now…fuck, I’m happy. Maybe this baby isn’t our last. I love making babies with my wife, but it’s hard on her. That being said, we have sex every night. We only take a break when she’s about to give birth and just after. It’s our way of deeply connecting.”
I understand that.
I had sex with Selena the night before our wedding and then once afterward because she and I both just couldn't resist one another. All she asks is that I care about her, and I do this.
After two glasses of whiskey and an entire plate of fried crap, I feel sick and need to go home. I wouldn't admit it to his face, but Beckett did give me something to think about. I could possibly agree to having a child and hire nannies, nurses, and staff to take care of it with Selena.
If she's pregnant, I'm sure people will talk about that being the reason for our marriage, but it would show that I'm an upstanding person. I can prove that I’m a stable family man and make a big deal out of having a child.
I go home with the decision made that I'm going to at least discuss this a little more open-mindedly with Selena. I say goodbye to Beckett, and he gives me some parting words of encouragement.
“Start seeing her as a partner, Griffin. Her’s is the only partnership you should really care about.” I don't want to admit it, but he has a valid point.
Upon walking into the loft, I feel an eerie silence. It's already almost ten, and past time for any staff to be there.
I bet the night nurses at the hospital will at least tell me if she’s okay or not. What if she’s still having heart palpitations? I call the nurses' station on her floor and speak to someone there.
“I’m Griffin Calloway. I’m just calling to check on my wife. She was admitted this afternoon. She’s pregnant.” I can feel myself tearing up. What the hell did I do to her? She’s in the fucking hospital because of me.
“Last I checked on her, she was sleeping. Let me see if she’s awake.”
Would they let me talk to her? Maybe the night staff didn’t know I’m not allowed to talk to her. I wait for what feels like hours.
The nurse comes back. “Apparently, the doctor gave her the all-clear about fifteen minutes ago. They said she could leave, but recommended she stay the night.”
“Does she want to come home?” I ask excitedly. “I can be there in—"
“She’s already left.”
