“I was so scared, Chase.” Her voice is soft and I feel her words down to my soul.
“It was just a freak accident. I’m going to be fine.” My fingers run through her hair. It’s so damn soft.
“I know, but you were late, and you’re never late, and you didn’t reply to my messages or my calls, then Colton tried and you didn’t answer him. I knew… I could feel it that there was something wrong.”
“I’m sorry. I left my phone at the gym. It was in my hand when I tripped, and honestly, I’m not exactly sure where it went.”
“I just had all these things running through my mind. I just got you, and now the baby, I can’t do this without you.”
“Hey.” I wait for her to look up at me from where her head is resting against my chest. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” Her mouth tilts up at the corner and her head settles back into what I like to call her spot. I continue to run my fingers through her hair. Eventually, her breathing evens out and I know she’s asleep. Only then do I let myself succumb to exhaustion.A few hours later, I wake to find Colton and Milo sitting in the chair next to my bed. Gabby is still curled up to my side, my arm holding her close.
“Gave us a scare, brother,” Colton says, keeping his voice low. He nods toward Gabby. “She was pretty torn up.”
I nod. “Yeah, I can’t imagine how I would have been if the roles were reversed.” Honestly, I don’t want to think about it. I want to put her and our baby in a bubble and protect them from life, but I know that’s not feasible.
Milo whines and Gabby stirs. Turning her head, she looks up at me. “Hey, how are you feeling?”
I don’t tell her my ankle hurts like hell. “I’m good. You get rested?”
She nods and sits up. “Hey, sweet boy,” she coos to Milo. Before I can stop her, not ready to let her go yet, she’s out of bed and disappears into the small bathroom. A few minutes later, she comes back out, looking more awake and has her eyes set on our nephew. “Did you sleep good for Daddy?” she asks him, taking him from Colton’s arms.
“Tell Aunt Gabby you slept six whole hours.” Colton smiles at his son.
She freezes. “Aunt Gabby,” she whispers. She looks to me, and her eyes are welling with tears. “All this time, I thought he was your son, and I was prepared to raise him with you, and then we found out he was your nephew, and I was glad he was going to remain close to you, close to us.” She snuggles him close. “Aunt Gabby loves you,” she whispers softly.
My mind flashes forward to a few months from now. Gabby standing in our kitchen, holding our son or daughter. She’s going to be an amazing mother and I can’t wait to live this life with her. I can’t wait to watch her grow as our baby develops, the late nights, the early feedings, all of it. I want all of it, with her.
My future wife.
My Gabby.
“So when are you getting out of here?” Colton asks.
“Sometime today, right, babe?”
“That’s what the nurses told me last night.” She comes to sit next to me on the bed, Milo still in her arms. She leans into me and I rest my hand on the small of her back. If Gabby is near, I need to touch her. It’s not sexual. I mean… it is—nothing compares to making love to her, to having that intimate connection. However, it’s more than that. I just want to be close to her, as close as I can always.
“Knock, knock,” Harrison announces and peeks his head around the door. “Good, you’re awake.” He steps back and lets Gwen step through and he follows her into the room with Sophia on his hip. She immediately points to Milo and grins.
“How you feeling, champ?” Gwen asks, stopping at the foot of my bed.
“Not bad.”
“Looks like you have a full house,” the nurse says, entering the room. She goes through the motions of checking my vitals and then tells me that as soon as the doctor makes his rounds, he’ll sign off on my discharge papers and I’m free to go.
“I’m ready to get out of here.”
Harrison chuckles. “It’s not even been twenty-four hours.”
“I know, but I’m antsy.”
“I hope you don’t think you’re going to go home and try to be Superman?” Gabby gives me a stern look.
“No, but I was hoping you could be my nurse.” I wag my eyebrows and she rolls her eyes, all while smiling at me.
“Not in front of the children.” Harrison laughs. He hands Soph to Gwen and takes Milo from Gabby. “I’m sorry, little man. Uncle Chase is inappropriate. You’ll get used to it,” he tells my nephew.