Chapter Twenty
CHAPTER TWENTY
GARRETT
Pulling up to the hospital, I park my truck and release a long breath. I can’t wait until I don’t have to come here anymore. This is one of my last physical therapy sessions. Part of me doesn’t really think I need to anymore; I feel great and am ready to finally put the accident fully behind him. At the same time, I don’t want to do anything to mess up my recovery, so I get out of my truck and trudge up to the hospital’s entrance.
Check in is fast and I make my way toward the PT offices. On the way, I pass by the closed door to the maternity ward. A familiar figure suddenly turns the corner ahead of me and I come to an immediate stop. Haven is walking slowly, her head ducked as she looks through some sort of pamphlet in her hand.
“Haven?”
She looks up, startled, and comes to an immediate stop.
“Garrett? What are you doing here?” she asks, looking more anxious than happy to see me, which puts me instantly on alert. Something’s wrong.
“I’m here for physical therapy,” I explain cautiously. “What are you doing here? Do you have an appointment?”
Why isn’t Christian here with her?
She blinks and seems to take a moment to comprehend what I’ve just asked.
“Oh… oh, yeah! Yeah, that’s why I’m here. Just a regular check-up. That’s all.”
I arch a brow. I’m definitely not buying that. She’s visibly nervous, her leg bouncing up and down, and she keeps glancing around as if afraid someone’s going to spot us here together.
“Haven, what the hell…?”
Before I can finish my sentence, a nurse appears at my side and looks between me and Haven.
“Excuse me, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she says before focusing solely on Haven. “I knew you went down to the cafeteria, so I just wanted to let you know that they’ve finished Marie’s exam if you want to go back to her room.”
Haven’s face drains of color as she says, “Great… thank you.”
The nurse turns and hurries away, leaving Haven and I alone again. I stare down at my sister, confused and stunned.
“Haven… why is Marie here? Why is she in the maternity ward? What’s going on?”
Haven swallows and fidgets with her pamphlet, which I can see is about something called hyperemesis gravidarum. Her eyes go wide with anxiety.
“Garrett, look… there’s a good explanation for all this…”
“Haven,” I say in a firmer voice. “Don’t try to give me any bullshit excuses. I can tell when you’re lying. What’s wrong with Marie?”
She stares at me, and I can practically see her internal struggle playing out in her gaze. I don’t break eye contact with her, not willing to give her an inch right now.
Finally, she releases a long sigh and her shoulder slump, as if in defeat.
“Marie… Marie is pregnant.”
Everything around me seems to slow to a crawl. Pregnant? No… no, that can’t be right. Marie can’t be pregnant. If she’s pregnant, then that would mean I’m…
“Where is she?”
“Garrett, you need to take a beat here,” Haven says. “I know you’re upset…”
“Haven, for God sakes, take me to Marie, now!”
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
“All right,” she replies at length. “Come with me.”
She turns and leads me through the doors to the maternity ward. We make our way down the corridor until we reach a half open door and she pauses to look back at me.
“Just… be gentle with her, okay?”
I don’t say anything as she pushes the door all the way open and we walk inside. When I cross the threshold into the room, I freeze at the sight of Marie lying in the hospital bed. She’s hooked up to an IV and heart monitor. She looks pale, her brown hair spread out on her pillow. Weak. Like the life was literally being drained out of her.
Marie turns her head when Haven and I walk into the room, and when her dark eyes land on me, they go wide and she struggles to sit up.
“Wha-what are you doing here?” she gasps, looking around frantically, as if searching for an escape.
I cross to her bed and gaze down at her, my brow furrowed.
“Marie, why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”
She freezes and visibly tenses, her shoulders going rigid, and her fingers curling into her blankets. Clearing her throat, she looks up at me, attempting to appear nonchalant as she shrugs.
“Why do you assume it’s yours?”
That pisses me right the fuck off. I narrow my eyes at her.
“Don’t bullshit me, Marie,” I growl. “We both know I’m the only one you’ve been with lately, just like you’re the only one I’ve been with. I wouldn’t lie to you about that and I know you wouldn’t either.”
She looks irritated, dropping her gaze as her cheeks turn a light pink, not the same vibrant color as usual, though. She fidgets with her blanket.
“Fine,” she murmurs. “There hasn’t been anyone else but you.”
My temper dissipates at her softly spoken confession, and I place a finger under her chin to tilt her face back up to mine.
“Marie, why are you in the hospital? Is something wrong with the baby?”
My heart twists at the thought, but I maintain a calm demeanor as I wait for her to respond. She releases a long sigh, slipping her chin from me.
“I’ve been having debilitating morning sickness,” she confesses. “I’m exhausted and dehydrated. The baby is fine.”
A mixture of relief and concern floods through me. I lay my hand on her forehead. Haven frowns at me.
“What are you doing?” she asks, while Marie stares up at me in confusion.
“I’m, uh… checking her temperature,” I say, quickly dropping my hand. “That’s what Mom always did when we were sick. Sorry.”
Marie jerks her eyes from mine again. “The doctor has been keeping track of all that. Don’t worry.”
I nod, but I hate feeling useless, and I don’t know how to help her right now.
“How long have you known?” I ask, my eyes dipping to her flat belly, hidden under the blankets.
“A couple weeks,” she confesses.
Whirling on Haven, I say, “And you knew this? You’ve known all this time?”
She shrugs, looking unapologetic. “Pretty much, yes. I promised to keep it a secret, and if you weren’t such a brute, I wouldn’t have spilled the beans. If you’re expecting me to be sorry for holding onto the secret for as long as I did, I’m not, so take that scowl off your face right now. You look like Mom when she’d get angry.”
“You're so annoying sometimes,” I grumble before turning my attention back to Marie.
“Go easy on her,” Marie says. “She was only doing what I asked her to do. Besides, it wasn’t like you were around.”
I flinch at her cool tone and bitter words. She’s right. I disappeared on her again, running from her when I should’ve just talked to her like a fucking adult.
“Look, Marie…I’m sorry.” I run a hand through my hair, taking a deep breath. “I can understand that you’ve been pissed at me and have been keeping this to yourself, but I know now.. No more secrets, okay? At least when it comes to the baby.”
Marie hesitates before nodding. “Okay. No more secrets.”
A tense, awkward silence falls between us. Marie looks at a loss for words, and I don’t really know what to say either. This is all so overwhelming. Not only did I get a woman pregnant, but I got Marie pregnant. I’m supposed to take care of her, but instead, I’ve gotten her into a huge mess and thrown her life into chaos.
Fuck, how disappointed would Mom be in me right now? She would tell me I have to do the right thing. The responsible thing. I put Marie into this situation, and I’m not going to make her go through it alone.
“Um, what are you planning to do when you get out of the hospital?” I ask.
Marie shrugs. “Go home. Go to work. Basically, go back to normal.”
“Normal isn’t an option right now,” I declare. “I’m going to help take care of you and you’re going to take it easy until you are feeling better.”
“Garrett!” Haven exclaims. “You can’t just come in here and go all caveman on her like that.”
Marie’s jaw drops, and she shakes her head. “No, that’s not necessary, Garrett. I’m already feeling a lot better since they’ve given me some fluids. I’ll be fine.”
I have no doubt that she’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She’s been doing so for a long time, on top of taking care of everyone else—her demanding father and stepmother, and stepping up to look after her siblings even when she should be focusing on herself. Things are different now. She’s pregnant… with my baby.
“I need to take responsibility for all this. For you, and for the baby. Besides, you helped me when I needed it. Now I’m returning the favor… sort of.”
That sounds too transactional, given that I’m the father of her child. Still, I’m not sure how else to approach this situation.
Marie gazes up at me with an expression that’s difficult to read and Haven lets out a low growl next to me.
“Garrett, you are so stupid,” my sister grumbles.
I shoot her a frown, confused. Before I can question her, Marie sighs.
“Is that the only reason you want to be involved?” she asks me softly. “Because you feel responsible? Obligated to do so?”
Looking between the two women, it’s clear I’ve made a mistake, but I don’t know what it is. I’m doing the right thing, aren’t I? Stepping up so Marie isn’t doing this by herself?
How am I the bad guy right now?
“I… I mean, yeah.” I shrug. “What other reasons would there be?”
“My God,” Haven groans, throwing up her hands and turning to walk right out of the room.
I watch her leave and turn back to Marie with a frown.
“What? What did I say?”
“It’s nothing,” she says under her breath. “Nevermind.”
Lying back down, she rolls onto her side so her back is to me and doesn’t say another word.