CHELSEA
“Do you want us to call anyone?” the nurse asked, resting a comforting hand on Chelsea’s shoulder.
Chelsea gritted her teeth and shook her head. “There isn’t anyone,” she said. “My mother lives in Portland.”
“And… the father?” The nurse didn’t look embarrassed at the question. Chelsea supposed it was one she had to ask a lot.
“He won’t be joining us,” Chelsea said.
Unlike the nurse, shedidfeel embarrassed. A part of her wanted to offer explanations — to clarify that she hadn’t been abandoned, that she hadn’t had a one-night stand, that her pregnancy had been intentional and that what was happening now was… well, it wasn’t what she had planned. But it wasn’tthatfar off.
I said I’d do it alone. Right from the start, I told myself I could do it on my own.
But she hadn’t really been prepared for how it would feel to be in this hospital room on her own, gritting her teeth throughcontractions with nobody’s hand to hold. Knowing that by the end of the day, her baby would be in her arms, and that she would have no one to smile and celebrate with.
“All right.” The nurse had clearly taken Chelsea’s situation in stride. “That’s just fine. I’m going to have the doctor come in and do a quick examination so we can see how far along you are. Can I get you anything?”
“Water?” Chelsea asked hopefully.
The nurse smiled, sympathy in her eyes. “I’m sorry, but no,” she said. “Nothing to eat or drink until after the delivery. Although, once that’s over, you can have whatever you want — if you’d like to make a list. When I have mothers who are flying solo, I like to help them out by bringing in a meal for afterward.”
Chelsea’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s… unbelievably kind. And you really don’t have to do that.”
“Nonsense. Write down what you’d like on that notepad.”
“What’s your name?” Chelsea asked.
“Ellen,” the nurse said, smiling. “And it’s an honor to be with you and your baby today.” She gave Chelsea a quick nod and stepped out of the room, presumably to go and find the doctor.
Chelsea was overwhelmed by the kindness. To have someone here who was willing — eager — to do nice things for her, it meant the world. It made her feel less alone, which she was sure had been Ellen’s intent. She looked over at the notepad and tried to think of what might be a good post-delivery meal.
But no thoughts came.
If she could have had anything she wanted right now, she realized, it wouldn’t be food. It would be Miles. She had imagined this moment a thousand times, and in her head, he had always been by her side. Even after she had moved out of his house, she’d pictured doing this with him — never on her own.
It broke her heart that he was missing it. She knew she probably should have told Trudy where he could find her. But what if she’d told her and he hadn’t bothered to come? It would have crushed her, and she didn’t need that kind of pain.
Better to keep control of the situation. Better to know that he isn’t here because I gave him no way to be here.
She heard the sound of the door opening and dabbed at her eyes, which had begun to water at the thought of Miles. She didn’t want to cry in front of the doctor. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Give me just a moment.”
The voice that came back was deep, rich, achingly familiar. “I’ll give you whatever you need.” Her head jerked up, and she gasped.
Miles Aspin stood in the doorway. His hair was windswept, less orderly than she had ever seen it in all the time she had known him. He was dressed in a suit, and she was sure he had come here from the office.
But this had to be a daydream. An illusion. “Miles?”
His jaw clenched almost imperceptibly. “You made me work for this, didn’t you? You couldn’t have told Trudy where you were?”
“I… how did you find out?”
“She called every hospital in Austin. You didn’t think I’d give up easily, did you?”
“I don’t know,” Chelsea admitted. “I didn’t know what you would— Oh!”
A contraction had seized her, making it impossible to carry on the conversation. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, waiting for it to pass, breathing the way she had learned from watching birthing videos online.
And then Miles was there, his big, firm hands on her shoulders. “Just relax,” he murmured. “You’re doing great. I’m sorry, I know I’m supposed to tell you how much longer, but I haven’t been here to time them…”
