“Good, we like to keep family together. What they will need from you is proof of identification and residence, and you should be free to go whenever you’re ready.” She sagged in Casey’s arms.
“Thank you, Doctor.” She couldn’t remember his name.
“If you need anything, just let me know.”
“Actually, there is one thing,” Casey began, running right over her as she tried to stop him. “Ev has been feeling sick since last night. She claims nerves, but I’d be grateful if you could check her out?”
“We sure can. I’ll have a nurse come in here and run a few simple tests, draw some blood, and collect a urine sample.” He left before she could protest.
“I told you I was fine, Casey.” It was hard to be annoyed when he became so caring.
“I know you did, Kitten.”
He hadn’t expected Ev to be squeamish when the nurse come in with her needle tray and wound up having his fingers nearly crushed even though she’d never felt the needle going in her arm. He suppressed a laugh when she squealed at seeing the blood fill the vile, but her glare quickly shut him up.
She finally fell asleep in his lap with Andy curled up in her legs, two hours ago. Apparently, that was enough time for her test results to come in.
“Mr. Risley?” the nurse called softly from the door. Looking up, he waved her into the room. “We have her results back.” Ev had given permission for him to know everything where they were concerned. “It’s very early days, yet, but she’s expecting. About two weeks along. Congratulations!” She was excited for them.
He would be, too…In a few minutes, when he could breathe again.
Calculating the days back in his head, he knew that had to have been the first time they’d been intimate.
“Holy shit,” he whispered.
She was having a baby. His baby.
He was going to be a father.
“Don’t tell her yet?” he asked the nurse, who was understandably shocked by his request.
“Oh, sure.”
“I want to surprise her.” He was already thinking up ways that he could tell her. The nurse smiled as she left the room.
Staring down at the woman in his lap, he couldn’t be happier. Children weren’t something they’d talked about, and he had no idea if she even wanted any. He did know what he was getting into when he’d taken her repeatedly without protection. It was always a possibility. He just hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
Another soft knock interrupted his thoughts. “Jesus, what is this? Grand fucking Central Station?” he mused to himself.
Three people entered the room, and he knew immediately that they were from the DCFS. He suspected that because of Lacey’s background, they might have a fight on their hands to bring Andy home.
Lightly laying Ev down on the couch, he stood to greet the social workers. “Hi, Casey Risley.” He shook each of their hands. “I’m Evelyn’s fiancé.”
“Sorry it took so long, Mr. Risley. There was an accident on the way in. I’m Helen Fletcher, the social worker assigned to Lacey and Andrew’s case. These are two of my colleagues, Martin Hunt and Liberty Reyes.”
“A pleasure,” he replied shaking their hands in turn.
“How is Andy doing?” Helen asked. She seemed caring enough.
Gazing back at his world sleeping on the couch, he told her sadly, “He’s got a tough road ahead of him I think. We don’t know how long he was with her before he went outside and someone had noticed him. As soon as he saw Ev, he flew into her arms crying. He’s been asleep since.” Case watched their expressions for any cues of judgment, to see how they would react to him being so blunt.
“The doctor said he was inconsolable until you both came. He also said Lacey hasn’t woken from the anesthetic yet, and there might be cause for concern.” Nodding, it wasn’t anything they didn’t know. “Is Miss Moore up for meeting with us, do you think? I know she must be emotionally exhausted, but the sooner we can get some papers signed the sooner that’s one less thing for you both to worry about.”
“Before I wake her, is there going to be any issues with us taking custody of him until Lacey is back on her feet?” He wanted to be prepared for whatever reaction Ev would have, to know what information he would need to find in order to bring him home.
“For Evelyn to take him, no. I just need her ID and basic contact information so we can check up on how you’re all doing. I will be honest. If Lacey gets herself cleaned up, it’s going to take more than just a drug test for us to award him back to her. She is going to have to prove herself stable. Have a clean life. This is going to be a long process, Mr. Risley. So please be sure you and Evelyn are prepared to have Andrew for the long term.”
“We are. He’s family.” To Casey it was simple. Family was family whether by blood or by choice. He wouldn’t abandon them.