It’s funny how the threat of losing her can put everything into perspective. Just last month, I was hiding in her bathroom at the mention of the word. Now, the words are stuck inside of my body, and all I want to do is announce them to her, to everybody we know.
I want to be with her. She is the only thing that matters anymore. The empire I’ve been trying to build is insignificant compared to her. I would walk away from all of it just to have her and our baby be okay.
I’m going to be a father. I was never able to picture myself as one. Truth be told, I wouldn’t allow myself to picture it. The mere idea of destroying my family stopped me from letting myself believe that I deserved one. But I don’t need to dream one up. I have one. Here. Now.
And they are both out of my sight and fighting for their lives.
I rest my elbows on my knees and let my head fall into my hands as my chest feels like it cracks open. A guttural sob tears from my heart, ragged and broken, like something that has been buried for far too long.
My chest heaves in and out as the emotions take over every ounce of my body.
When a hand grips my shoulder, I look up through the thick of my breakdown. Lincoln and Sawyer are standing there.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice shaky and weak.
They each take a seat in the chairs next to me.
“We aren’t going to let you go through this alone,” Lincoln says. “Tell us what’s going on.”
I lean back in my chair and rub my eyes with the palms of my hands. “I don’t know. They kicked me out.”
“What was happening that made you bring her here?” Sawyer clarifies.
“When I showed up at her place, she was screaming in pain. Her stomach. She just found out she’s pregnant … with my baby.”
“She’s in good hands,” Lincoln says softly.
“That doesn’t always mean everything will be okay,” I choke out.
Neither of them responds. They know I’m right. Nobody can promise me that both will be safe. They get comfortable in their seats, and we sit together as the emergency-room hustle and bustle plays out in front of us.
I don’t know how long we wait, but they stay by my side. It helps. Knowing I’m not alone in this.
I’m lucky that both of them are still willing to support me, knowing that I’m betraying one of our best friends. They could have decided they wanted no part of this secret.
It dawns on me. Walker’s sister is back there, possibly fighting for her life.
“I need to call him,” I say out loud.
“It’s probably best. That’s his sister,” Sawyer agrees.
“He’s going to hate me.”
“He’s hotheaded. He’ll get over it,” Lincoln replies.
There’s a possibility he won’t. Especially if something happens to his sister. It would be all my fault. I would be the reason hissister lost her life. At least, that’s exactly how he would see it. I wouldn’t blame him.
I reach into my back pocket and pull out my phone. There’s no way I can text him. I’m not a coward.
“Don’t tell him about the baby or your relationship over the phone,” Lincoln adds.
I glance up at him. “Why not?”
He shrugs. “I just think you can save that part. It’ll be better when you’re face-to-face. Right now, he just needs to know you found her in extreme pain and you’re at the emergency room.”
“I agree,” Sawyer inserts. “There’s no need to have him rushing here in a fit of anger anyway. It’s not safe for anyone.”
I nod my head, then dial his number.