She just went through a major trauma, and now we’ve been given this information. It’s a lot to take in all at once, but I can’t help but be excited about the news of her pregnancy. Is it unexpected? Yes. But not that unexpected. I’ve been coming inside of her without protection for over a month now, so I expected this at some point.
I nod my head and lean in to kiss her lips. “I’m more than okay with it.”
“You ready to hear your baby’s heartbeat, parents?” the doctor interrupts.
It’s Penny who responds this time. “We are.”
Chapter 35
Penny
Ididn’t watch the monitor when the doctor turned it towards us to look at the baby. Instead, I watched Declan.
Tears welled in his eyes as we listened to the heartbeat, and I could feel tears stream down my cheeks too.
I can’t believe we’re going to be parents, or that we’re twelve weeks pregnant.
They say your whole life flashes before your eyes when you’re on the brink of death, but that’s not what happened to me. When that bullet hit my shoulder, I turned to look at Declan, who was protecting Autumn, andall I could think was that Autumn was safe and so was he. I might have done something different if I knew I was pregnant, but I’m glad it happened this way. And now our little family is growing, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Once the doctor leaves the room, Declan says, “We should tell Autumn when she wakes up. She should know before everyone else.”
I nod in confirmation. “I agree. We should also tell her that we’re married.”
Declan nods and swallows hard. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you. But I didn’t know when to bring it up, or when it would even happen… if it would happen because we hadn’t told anyone we were married–”
“Declan,” I interrupt. “What are you trying to say?”
He lets out a breath. “Right. I want to talk to you about the possibility of adopting Autumn. I know we just got married and don’t even live together, but now that we’re pregnant, I don’t want Autumn to feel left out. I don’t want her to think that we’re having this baby together, and she doesn’t get a dad either. I was going to ask you eventually, but I don’t want to wait.”
My nose starts to sting, and I blink a few times before I say anything. “I think… I think you should ask Autumn.”
His face slightly falls. “Oh. Right. Yeah. That’s a good idea. She might not even want that.”
Shit. He misunderstood me. I’m about to say as much when Autumn’s doctor takes the moment to interrupt us. “Yourdaughter is up. She’s asking for you both. Why don’t I get you a wheelchair, and I’ll take you to her.”
I nod my head, and once I’m all set up in a wheelchair, Declan rolls my IV as the doctor pushes me down the hall to my daughter.
“Mommy!” she exclaims as I enter the room.
“Hi, baby girl.”
The doctor locks my wheels next to the bed, and I stand to plant a kiss on my daughter’s forehead. She wraps her arms around my neck as much as she can without ripping out her IV, and tears start to well in my eyes. Now that she’s here in front of me, I can’t hold back my emotions.
“Declan,” she says a moment later and reaches an arm out for him.
Declan moves in and grabs her hand, and I untangle Autumn from my neck and let Declan move in for a hug.
“How are you doing, baby girl?” I ask when she pulls away from Declan.
“I’m fine. The man let me sleep a lot and fed me a cupcake and a sandwich.”
I nod my head and let out a breath. “Did the man hurt you?” I ask. Even though the doctor said she’s physically fine, I want to make sure.
Autumn shakes her head.
I let out a breath and give her an encouraging smile. “You were so brave.”
“I know, mom,” she says confidently. “He told me his name was Declan, too, and that he was friends with you, mommy. But I knew he was lying when he started to drive far away.”
