A Baby Affair (Parent Portal 2)

“We’ve only got a couple of weeks left of safe riding,” he said, thinking about her stomach. Her balance. For the previous two days he’d done all he could not to think of Isabella. Of his daughter’s tiny touch.

“Yeah.”

“I guess we settle into a place where you call me if you need me after that,” he continued. He had to take control. Move on, even if he didn’t know quite yet where he was going. Ahead, he knew that. The practice was going well. He still felt passionate about his job. He just needed to start getting out more. Getting involved in things that weren’t work related.

For the first year after Tricia’s death, he’d been consumed with fighting for Gavin. And during the second, while he’d been waiting for state supreme court dates, he’d come out of his grief enough to start dating.

Now, he could get on with finding the love of his life. Starting a family. He had to do so for his own sanity. He could not spend the rest of his life loving Amelia.

“I’m happy to stay in touch, Craig.”

Her words could mean anything from thrice weekly meets as they were doing now, to once every couple of years, as he’d at first envisioned.

“I’m really going to miss these rides,” she added.

He’d still be riding. But he was going to miss her—and still love her—despite his silence.

* * *

Something was bothering Craig. Amelia was driving herself mad trying to figure out what it was. Because that’s what she did...made life about another person.

Because it was the right thing to do.

The non-selfish thing to do.

Because if she didn’t please, others weren’t going to love her.

Words from a counseling session years ago came back to her out of nowhere. Her therapist had told Amelia that her mother acted in a similar way when it came to the men in her life. Amelia had learned from her.

Amelia had done everything Mike had asked, even when it had seemed wrong to her, to prove her love. To earn his love. She knew all that.

But she didn’t love Craig. And didn’t expect his love.

Did she?

She just cared about him as a person. Because he was decent. Kind. Generous. Patient. Gentle. And there was some extra connection there because his donation had given her the ability to live her best life. To have her family. To be complete.

And he really just needed to be at peace with Isabella’s future. Like his other female recipient, the ten-year-old in Oregon. He’d move on to his own life when this was done.

Thoughts swirled around as she circled with Craig back to the parking lot where they’d left their vehicles. She was heading to Angie’s for dinner and to look for baby things on the internet, things they’d then order in bulk from manufacturers for apparel and amenities to add to the infant division of Feel Good. And if she found some cute outfits, she might have to get them for Isabella.

By the time they’d stopped at his SUV, she knew she couldn’t just leave, in spite of the fact that Angie was waiting.

“Would you please tell me what’s wrong?” Hands at her sides, she stood directly in front of him.

He shook his head, as though he was going to deny being bothered, and it occurred to her that it might not be about her at all. He could have a patient with a scary diagnosis. Something he wasn’t at liberty to share. What a self-centered little girl she was, making everything about her.

“Monday night changed things for me.”

Talk about her worst nightmare coming true. Well, not the worst. Not by far. She had her family. Isabella was thriving. They might be adding a baby division to the business...

“Okay.” She had to handle this. She’d started them down that path. “How do we fix it?”

He put his bike up, secured it, leaving her hanging there.

“I don’t know that we do,” he said when he was facing her again.

“Wow.” She met his gaze, and then couldn’t. “Okay.” She could handle this. She would handle it. “Are you breaking up with me?”