Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Harrison
I paced around my office with my hands tucked into my pants pockets.
“You need to calm down, Harrison,” Athena spoke as she sat staring at me.
“I can’t calm down. Tonight is the biggest night of my life. What if she says no?”
“Don’t be an idiot. She will not say no. She loves you.”
“But we never talked about marriage. What if she’s happy with the way things are right now and doesn’t want to get married?”
“Every woman wants to get married. Relax. You’re driving yourself crazy.”
“Maybe you’re right. Okay. I need to calm down and stop overthinking it.”
“Yes. You do. Now I have to go. Peter is taking me to lunch. After you propose, I want all the juicy details, so you better call me.”
“I will,” I said.
I took in a deep breath as we entered Giorgio’s.
“I can’t believe you wanted to come here. We haven’t been here since that night. You know, the night you told that poor girl that there would be nothing between you two.” She smirked.
“You mean the night the waiter dumped his entire tray of drinks all over you?”
“Touché, love.” She held up her glass of water.
“You look beautiful.” I smiled as I took hold of her hand from across the table.
“Thank you.” The corners of her mouth curved upward into a beautiful grin.
I took in a deep breath. It was now or never.
“I bought something for you,” I spoke as I reached under the table and pulled out a small, wrapped box.
“Wow. Mr. Grant. You’re just full of surprises tonight.”
She took the wrapping off and opened the box. Inside sat a navy-blue onesie with the words, “Of course I’m handsome. Haven’t you seen my daddy?”
“Oh my God.” She laughed. “This is so cute.” She looked down at the blue velvet box underneath the onesies and then back up at me.
I got up from my chair, took the box, flipped the lid, and got down on one knee as I held her left hand in mine.
“Adalyn, I love you so much, and all I see is us together forever. There will be no one else in my life that I will love more than you. You are my heart and soul, my day to my night, and every breath I take. Will you marry me?”
“HOLY SHIT!” she yelled as she placed her hand on her stomach.
“What? Was it too much?”
“Oh God, Harrison. My water just broke, and I think I’m in labor.”
“You’re not due for another week.”
“Aren’t all you Grant men impatient?”
“Well, yes, we are. Come on. We need to get you to the hospital.”
I grabbed her hand and helped her up. Instantly, she doubled over in pain.
“I’m not going to make it.” She sat on the floor.
“What do you mean you’re not going to make it? Come on, Adalyn. We have to go.”
“I can feel it, Harrison. The baby is coming now. Right now.” She began to panic, as did I.
“Sir, what can we do?”
“Call a goddamn ambulance, NOW!”
Suddenly, a man and a woman ran over to us while everyone in the restaurant was staring.
“Hi. I’m a paramedic, and she’s a nurse. We need to move her out of the restaurant's main area.”
“We have a small room over there that we use for parties. You can move her in there,” our waiter spoke.
“I have blankets and a medical kit in my car. I’ll be right back,” the paramedic spoke.
We moved Adalyn to the other room and shut the double doors.
“Harrison,” she spoke as she grabbed my shirt. “I am not having our baby on the floor of a restaurant. Oh god!” she screamed.
“It looks like you don’t have a choice, sweetheart.”
The nurse lifted Adalyn’s dress, removed her panties, and examined her. All while I tried to keep Adalyn calm.
“By the way, my name is Charise.”
“And I’m Kyle,” the paramedic spoke as he rushed in with his medical kit and blankets.
“I’m Harrison, and this is Adalyn.”
“She’s dilated to ten, and this baby is coming fast.”
“Harrison, I need you to get behind Adalyn and hold her. Adalyn, I need you to push.”
With every push, she let out a scream.
“I see the baby’s head.” Kyle smiled. “Adalyn, if you can give me one last huge push, your baby will be out.”
“I can’t. I can’t.”
“Adalyn Banks, you heard the man. You can do this. I got you, baby.” I pressed my lips against the top of her head.
With one last scream, she gave everything she had, and I heard my son's cries. Christian Bradley Grant.
“It’s a boy!” Charise smiled.
Just then, the paramedics came rushing in with the stretcher and equipment. They wrapped Christian in a blanket and handed him to Adalyn. Tears filled both our eyes as we stared at our newborn son.
“He’s beautiful, Adalyn.”
“He looks just like you, Harrison.” She smiled as she looked up at me.
I walked over to Kyle and Charise and shook their hands.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done. I truly appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. Congratulations, Dad.” Kyle grinned as he patted me on the back.
The paramedics took Adalyn and the baby to the ambulance, and I followed behind. Before walking out of the restaurant, I stopped and looked around. This place was where it all started.
I climbed into the ambulance and took hold of Adalyn’s hand.
“Yes.” She smiled. “I will marry you.”
I had a son. A son to carry on the Grant name and legacy. He filled my heart with so much love—more love than I ever thought possible. When I thought about the events that led me to where I was today, and as crazy as it sounded, I was a true believer that my grandmother’s ring sent Adalyn to me. We were each other’s destiny that needed to be fulfilled. All the trials and tribulations we went through to get there was part of a greater plan. She freed me from the guilt I’d harbored all those years and slowly chipped away the pieces of me that weren’t real. I was only half a man when I met her; now, I am whole. Thanks to one woman and the ring that completely changed my world, I’d become the man I was always meant to be.
Thank you for reading The Ring.
I hope you enjoyed it!