I glance to my right. Warren’s emotions are harder to read, but from the way his rigid posture is crammed into the small plastic chair, I’d bet he’s feeling the same. He wasn’t here for the first scan, and I’m equally eager and curious to see how this vault of a man reacts.
“Okay, Mom and Dad, let’s see how baby’s doing today,” the sonographer says cheerfully.
She places the probe below my belly button and starts gliding it over my skin. My eyes are glued to the black-and-white screen.
Badum. Badum. Badum. Badum. Badum. Badum.
My heart catapults in tune with the racing heartbeat filling the room.
Button.
A much bigger, wriggly version.
In the last week, I’ve felt more little pops and taps, each one causing me to grin wildly.
“You’ve got a live wire in here.” She laughs. “We’re not finding out the gender?”
“Yes, we’re keeping it a secret. Unless you’ve changed your mind?” I turn to Warren to gauge his reaction.
He’s hunched forward, half out of his chair, as he stares intensely at the screen, lips parted in utter awe. I wore the same expression at the first scan, and seeing the unfiltered wonder take over his face fills my chest with a new type of happiness. There are times he seems distant when we talk about the baby, as if the news hasn’t sunk in yet. This isn’t one of those moments.
“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” I say softly.
He can’t drag his gaze away. “That’s…that’s our kid.”
His voice is barely above a whisper. I let him have his moment, knowing the reel of emotions playing through him. Watching him is equally wonderful.
“Hey there, Button. This is your dad.” He clears his throat and scrubs a hand down his jaw before turning to me.
Those dark irises shine bright with unshed tears. He doesn’t swipe them away or hide his emotions. This is Warren, cracked wide open, heart open, raw and exposed. It’s beautiful to witness. There are times I want to rip back his layers to expose more of him. This unguarded version is so rare, I don’t think even Warren knows what to do.
“Thank you, Harriet,” he whispers hoarsely.
“For what?”
“For so much.” He shakes his head gently, his attention returning to the screen. His hand rises as if he wants to reach out and touch the baby. “But this…this goes beyond anything I ever thought possible. I swear to you, I’ll treasure and care for our baby with my life.” Those somber eyes find mine again. “Both of you.”
TWENTY-NINE
WARREN
“O’Connor, a minute,”a familiar voice calls through the equipment bay.
I lower the clipboard and pause my inspection of the rigs. “Yes, Captain,” I holler and head toward the back of the station to his office.
There’s no sarcasm between me and Marcus. I respect his rank, as he does mine. I’ve never taken our personal or professional relationship for granted, and while there have been times he hasn’t agreed with my decisions, I know he has my best intentions at heart.
Once in his office, I shut the door and lower into a chair opposite his desk.
“You’ll need to tidy this mess for the fit testing next week.” He circles my face.
“I haven’t forgotten,” I grumble.
If there’s one positive about being suspended, it’s not having to keep my facial hair trimmed. Everyone at the station is due for an annual fit testing of our breathing apparatus, and I’m not exempt, meaning the beard has to go.
Marcus taps the edge of his desk as he studies me closely, making it clear this isn’t about my facial hair. “How are the sessions going?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Isn’t Doctor Brunswick reporting back to you and the chief?”
