Baby Makes Three

“He is family,” Joanna said again.

The EMT turned toward me. “What is your relation?”

“He’s…he’s the baby’s father,” Joanna said to the EMT.

I felt another powerful wave of lightheadedness. “I’m…I’m the what?” I said, sure that I must have misheard her. “Joanna, what did you just say?”

Joanna’s bottom lip trembled as she stared up at me. She took a deep breath. “I…I have to check on the b-baby. I wasn’t sure how to tell you. But…but…” She paused and took another deep breath. “Anderson, I’m pregnant.”

CHAPTER 27

Joanna

Anderson opened the door to his apartment and escorted me inside. After I’d been released from the emergency room, and it was determined that the baby was all right, he had insisted that I go home with him.

“I don’t want you alone tonight,” he had said. “And I don’t want you back at Libby’s, no offense. I know that’s probably the last place Zander will show up to again, but still…I just want you with me. Is that all right?”

I’d nodded. “Yeah. That’s all right.”

“By the way, you should know that everything is fine with your brother now. We talked. He’s okay with us.”

At that, I couldn’t help smiling despite how freaked out I still felt about everything. That was at least one weight lifted off my shoulders. “Then it’s even more all right.”

“Here, sit down. Relax,” Anderson said, walking me over to the couch in the living room.

“I’m fine, really,” I said. “You don’t have to keep pampering me like this.”

Anderson smirked. It was the first time I’d seen him smile over the past few hours, which had honestly had me quite worried. I couldn’t recall ever seeing him so angry before, although I knew his anger was strictly toward Zander rather than the other circumstances around us. But it was hard, for both of us.

“You better get used to it. After all, you’re carrying my child. I’m going to spoil you rotten from now on.”

I smiled and shook my head, although that felt like the second weight that had been lifted off my shoulders. “What am I going to do with you?” I said.

He winked. “I have a few ideas. Maybe I’ll show you in a little while.”

I shook my head and chuckled.

“Do you need anything?” he asked, his tone turning serious once more.

“Um…yeah, hand me my phone. Let me call Tobias.”

Anderson nodded. “Yeah. I know he’s dying to hear from you by now. I told him you’d call once I got you settled in,” he said as he brought my purse to me.

“Thanks,” I said.

“I’ll be right back.”

I watched Anderson disappear farther into the apartment, and then I took a deep breath and called my brother.

“Joanna! Are you all right?” he said the instant he answered.

“Hi, Tobias. Yeah, I’m all right.”

“I’ve been so worried about you,” he said after a long pause. “And…I have to tell you that I’m sorry for the way I acted. For the way I overreacted. I was out of line. I’m sorry.”

I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “Thank you,” I said.

“So, you sure you’re okay? Everything else is fine? You can disagree with me if you want, but it’s time to do something about Zander now.”