Chapter 21
With Christmas being over and her time with Bryce coming to an end, Samantha was left to truly face her reality. She was pregnant. So much time and disappointment trying for a baby when it was considered acceptable, and she got pregnant by her brother-in-law by accident. Talk about Murphy’s Law.
Bryce was able to take a couple of days to go back to New York with her so he could make her first doctor’s appointment, but their little bubble was over. The first appointment had to be scheduled during the lunch break of their first rehearsal back because it was the only time she could get in and bring Bryce with her.
They had decided she shouldn’t say anything to the director until she had her first doctor’s appointment and had the pregnancy confirmed. They knew she was pregnant because she’d taken at least four more tests to make sure.
“You heading out?” Brittney asked in surprise as Samantha rushed to grab her coat as soon as they were dismissed for lunch.
“Yeah, I have a doctor’s appointment. I should be back in time. If I’m not, can you let them know I’ll be back?”
Brittney looked confused but nodded in agreement as Samantha raced out the door. Bryce was waiting for her when she reached the sidewalk. Even wearing a heavy Carhart jacket and a hat, he was sexy enough to keep receiving second looks from passersby. The fact that he was the father of her unborn baby made him that much more attractive to her.
“You ready?” he asked, reaching out a hand to take her gloved one.
Beaming up at him, she didn’t feel the need to respond. She’d been so excited for the doctor’s appointment, she barely slept the night before. They walked quickly to the building a block away. It seemed like fate that the practice she went to for all her fertility treatments had an office so close to the theater. She wasn’t able to see the same doctors, but since they were an affiliate, they got her in as if she were a current patient.
They walked through the glass doors leading into the lobby, and she had to smile at Bryce’s excitement to check them in. He walked straight up to the window, announced their names, and signed the sheet. The receptionist probably assumed they were married since they shared a last name, and she wasn’t about to correct her.
She had barely settled into her chair when a nurse stepped through the automatic door and called her name. The nurse eyed Bryce before asking Samantha if she wanted him to come back with her.
“Yeah,” she answered, looking down at their joined hands. “He’s the father, of course, he can come back.”
“We have to ask,” the nurse said before turning to lead the way.
As they walked into the small exam room, the nurse handed Samantha a pink gown. “There’s a bathroom down the hall. We need a urine sample, and you need to change into this gown. You can leave the sample in the bathroom, and we’ll get it. Did you have any questions for me?”
“Nope,” had barely left their mouths before she disappeared down the hallway.
“Okay then,” Samantha said mostly to herself. “I guess I’ll be back.”
A few minutes later Samantha walked back into the exam room carrying her gown. There was no way she was walking to the room in a tiny pink gown that would cover next to nothing. For some reason, she felt strange changing into the gown in front of Bryce. As if sensing her discomfort, he turned to give her privacy.
“Are you nervous?” he asked once she was on the exam table and covered by the blanket.
“A little,” she admitted. “What if something is wrong? I’ve been dreaming about this first appointment for so long…”
“Hey. It’s okay to be nervous. But whatever happens, we’ll get through it.”
Three taps followed by the door swinging open interrupted their conversation. Samantha would never understand why doctors even bothered to knock when they just opened the door anyway.
“Hello, Mrs. Tate. We confirmed a positive pregnancy test, and your urine was fine. When was the first day of your last period?”
Samantha thought for a moment. Her periods were irregular, and she’d quit tracking them when they stopped the fertility treatments. “I’m not sure, but I can tell you about when we conceived.”
The doctor looked over her glasses at them as she spoke. She reminded Samantha of a sweet grandmother, with her gray hair pulled into a bun and her red-framed readers. She decided she liked her.
“We’ll schedule you for an ultrasound to check the dates so we can be accurate,” she said while looking at the computer. “I see an opening next Tuesday at 7:00 am. The notes say you prefer early mornings or late afternoon.”
Bryce hesitated. She knew he would be busy trying to finish up the job site over the next few weeks. The ultrasound wasn’t a big deal. The baby didn’t even look like a baby yet.
“That’s perfect,” she answered.
“Are there any Fridays or Mondays open?” Bryce asked.
Samantha covered his hand with hers. “It’s okay. I’ll bring Meka with me. They are just going to look at the size. It won’t even look like a baby yet. By the time the next one comes around, you’ll finished working in Delaware.”
“I don’t want to miss any appointments,” he said quietly.
Samantha didn’t want to argue in front of the nurse. They weren’t arguing, but still. She already felt awkward knowing they probably all assumed Bryce was her husband. She would have to tell them at some point, so they didn’t assume from her chart that Bryce was Brandon… but that’s not something she wanted to think about.
“Bryce,” she said, pleading with her eyes. “It’s fine. You’re here at the first appointment and I won’t be alone for the ultrasound, which isn’t a big deal anyway.”
“We don’t have any more early appointments for several weeks,” the doctor chimed in. “Not that I’ve been paying attention to your conversation.”
“I just really want to be here for everything,” he repeated.
“I know you do. It’s fine, I promise.
“Okay, then I’ve got you scheduled,” the doctor continued. “I’ll have the instructions at the desk on your way out.”
Samantha looked at the time and stood, realizing she’d be late if they didn’t get going soon. “Thanks. Do I need to do anything else? I have to get back to work.”
“Nope. When you pick up the instructions, just take a moment to schedule your next appointment. I’ll see you in a month.” With that, she walked out of the room leaving Samantha to get dressed.
Ten minutes later they were walking back to the theater, hand-in-hand. Samantha never thought the day would come when she would be scheduling OB appointments. She definitely never expected to be scheduling such appointments around her rehearsal and performance schedule.
“Are you going to talk to them today?” Bryce asked as they reached the stage entrance of the theater.
“Yeah, I think I should. There’s no reason to wait for the ultrasound. A few weeks won’t make a difference. Everything will probably be based on when I start to show, anyway.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you here after rehearsal.” He captured her lips in a kiss before turning in the direction of the subway station.
With her hand on the doorknob, she took a slow breath and prepared herself to walk in and utter the words that could potentially change everything. All she could do was hope it all worked out. It had to work out.
Samantha was still living in the house she’d shared with Brandon. Bryce hoped to change that, but with her working on Broadway, it wasn’t as simple as convincing her to move in with him. It felt wrong being at her place without her being home. Without her being there, it was Brandon’s house. It made him feel like he was there to take his brother’s place, and that’s not what he wanted. There was a way to keep his relationship separate from her relationship with Brandon, he just had to figure it out.
More than once, she had cooked him a delicious meal. Since she had a long day of work and also had to inform them that she would be missing some performances due to being pregnant, he thought he would surprise her with dinner. He wasn’t an amazing cook like Samantha, so he picked up a meal kit from a local restaurant. All he had to do was heat it once they got home. With her long and stressful day, he didn’t want to make a dinner reservation.
By the time he picked up the food and did some work on his laptop, it was time to head back over to the theater to pick her up. Sure, she was more than capable of getting herself home, but walking her home was something he never got the chance to do.
He arrived at the theater just as they were letting out, and his chest swelled with pride at seeing her walk out of the theater with the other actors. She had made it. She was finally living her dream. She wore black leggings, brown slouchy boots, and a black pea coat with a brown scarf that matched her boots. Her braids were pulled into a bun, and she was effortlessly beautiful. The gym bag she carried just completed the theater district look. There was no stopping the smile that tugged at his mouth.
“Hey, you,” she greeted, grinning up at him before wrapping her arms around him in a hug he barely had a chance to return before she was stepping back. “Bryce, this is my friend Brittney. We auditioned together.”
He recognized the look of appreciation she gave before returning her attention to Samantha. Brittney’s look of appreciation didn’t bother him the way Lizzy’s had before they talked. Brittney had an innocent look about her. She could probably ogle him all day and manage to not make him feel uncomfortable.
“Hi, Brittney. I’m Bryce.” He reached out a hand while keeping the other arm around Samantha.
Brittney shook his hand before giving Samantha a look. That look. The look that said “well done”.
“It’s nice to meet you. I have somewhere to be, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.” She turned and walked away, casting a final glance at Samantha.
“She seems nice,” Bryce commented as he led them in the direction of the subway station.
“She is a sweetheart. I told her about you, and she’s been dying to meet you. I was so worried that she’d judge me for dating so soon, but she didn’t. She didn’t even bat an eye when I told her who you are.”
He chuckled. Samantha needed to get comfortable with people having an opinion about their relationship. Once they found out she was pregnant, she was going to get all sorts of opinions and comments that she didn’t ask for. For once, he was glad all his family members were dead. Explaining everything at Christmas dinner and family reunions didn’t sound like anything he wanted to do.
The subway was packed with the after-work crowd. Samantha needed to save her voice, and shouting to be heard over the crowd was the last thing she needed. They sat in comfortable silence amongst the noisy heard of commuters. She leaned against him and he could tell she was nearly asleep when they arrived at her stop.
They were less than a block away from her place when she finally snapped out of the haze of sleep and spoke. “What do you want me to fix for dinner?”
“I have dinner handled.”
She stopped walking and looked at him. “You what?”
Chuckling, he placed a hand on her lower back, pushing her to continue walking. “I have dinner handled. It’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”
Apparently shocked into silence, she continued walking. Her inability to believe someone could do something nice for her was something he was determined to change. They had a reason to celebrate, and she didn’t have to be the one to put it together. It was her turn to be taken care of and he was the person to do it.
While she showered, he heated dinner up. It wasn’t anything fancy, just pasta and fresh bread. He lit candles and filled two glasses with sparkling grape juice. They were celebrating. She hadn’t caught him up on her conversation at work, but she was happy as she walked out of the theater, so he’d assumed it went well.
When she walked into the kitchen, she stopped short, gaping at the table. “What’s all this?”
He pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit. “Our celebration dinner.”
“Celebration?” Her face was filled with confusion.
“Yes,” he answered slowly. “A celebration.”
Maintaining the look of confusion, she sat at the table and waited for him to join her. He gave her a few moments to speak, but she stayed quiet.
“Samantha, I know none of this was planned. When I showed up at the hospital, the last thing I expected was to meet someone like you. The last thing I expected was to feel an immediate connection to my late brother’s widow, but here we are.”
Samantha continued to watch him, her eyes as wide as saucers. Covering her hand with his, he continued what he was saying. “When we talked in the basement of the community center, there was no missing how much you wanted kids. Your whole face and energy changed when you were talking about it. You finally have everything you wanted. We are celebrating.”
She swallowed hard before giving him a slow nod. “I talked to them today.”
“And? How did it go?” He placed a healthy serving of pasta on their plates as he waited for her to continue.
“They are going to let me perform the role until I’m too big to comfortably move about the stage. And once I can’t pull off the role of Joanne, they’ll have the understudy take over and put me in the chorus. That way I won’t be out of practice.”
“That’s amazing,” Bryce said. “I knew it would work out. They chose you because you were the best for the role. That doesn’t change just because you’ll need to take some time off.”
Samantha’s smile was content as she picked up her fork and started eating. Bryce was beyond happy for her. One of his first thoughts after finding out she was pregnant wasn’t what it would mean for him, but what it would mean for her. She’d worked so hard to get where she was despite her circumstances, he would have never forgiven himself if he took part in her having to pause her dream, or start over.
“Thanks for dinner,” she said once she was nearly finished with her food.
“You might as well get used to me taking care of you. I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.” And he meant every word. He would take care of her as long as she let him. And probably even after that.