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That was when I lost it.

I pulled over on the on ramp, “Chloe, I am taking you and staying with you. I won’t fucking do anything until I know you and the baby are okay!”

“Why?” Chloe asked. “This is what I didn’t want. I didn’t need you to drop everything out of obligation⁠—”

“It’s not obligation, Chloe! Jesus Christ! Why won’t you ever let anyone take care of you? Why are you so goddamn independent to the point that it could harm you?” I demanded.

She burst into tears. I checked my mirrors and blind spot, then merged onto the expressway. The sound of Chloe crying filtered out as I focused on the mission. She couldn’t make sense and I couldn’t rest until I knew she was okay. In a few minutes, she dabbed her eyes as we pulled up to the labor and delivery doors. She insisted on going alone, but I ignored her.

“I’m fine, really,” Chloe said.

“No, you aren’t. I will be right back,” I promised.

After finding parking in the boonies, I raced through hallways to make it back to Labor and Delivery.

There, a nurse put two and together.

“You’re our emergency patient’s birth partner?” She asked.

It dawned on me her brother’s status made an accidental pregnancy politically risky. I wondered now if her family knew anything about this pregnancy.

I nodded. “I am yes.”

“Alright, follow me.”

I kept up time behind the woman’s fast gait until I was led into a dark room where Chloe was. There she was, belly exposed and staring at a screen while an ultrasound tech scrolled for the baby within. Chloe appeared transfixed as I watched from the back, not interfering. I held my breath, hoping for good news.

“He’s just kicking away in there,” the tech said.

Relief washed over me. I stepped towards Chloe who may not have known I was present. Her eyes hadn’t left the screen.

“Wait a second… did you say… he?” Chloe piped up.

“I thought… oh God,” the tech slinked back, setting the probe aside momentarily. “I saw in your chart that you had genetic testing. I am so sorry. I thought you knew.”

“She didn’t want to know,” I said.

Chloe’s face turned towards me, jaw slacked. “I didn’t. But I know it’s stupid to care. I just wanted a surprise.”

The tech looked ready to expire as I squeezed Chloe’s hand for assurance. “Chlo, it will be okay. I’m sorry. It’s not stupid, but he will be loved either way. The thing is, he’s okay.”

“I wanted a girl, but you’re right,” Chloe sniffled.

The tech made eye contact, mortified. I nodded reassuringly. Chloe was disappointed, but not angry. He returned to his job.

“You can pull up one of those stools over there, Dad,” the tech assumed I was the father.

I was used to being nothing other than “dad”. It had been the case for over sixteen years, but now, it meant something else. I wasn’t just dad to Piper. I was a dad to this baby boy neither of us knew—the one I didn’t think I ever wanted or could have. Now, I knew he was ours. Relieved, I scooted over on a wheeled stool.

“I want to measure a few things,” the tech said. “Nothing to worry about, just more pictures for the doctor.”

“Cervical length, yes,” Chloe read the pictures intently.

“Yeah, actually,” the tech chuckled. “Are you a doctor?”

“No,” Chloe answered.

“We breed horses,” I explained. “And Chloe is incredibly well-versed in embryo transfers and all that goes with them. Even transplanting embryos across an ocean.”