Every Way (Brush of Love 4)

remove her uterus, Mr. McBride.”

The force of that realization didn’t hit me as hard as it probably should have. Hailey didn’t have a uterus, but she was alive. That meant no more natural kids, but with the way Hailey hated being pregnant, she would probably adopt anyway. I had no idea how she was going to process that piece of information, but the only thing that was important to me was Hailey.

And the fact that she was alive.

“Thank you, doctor. For everything you did,” I said.

“They’re going to wheel her in here in a little bit. The mother and the baby need some skin-to-skin contact. For both of their sakes.”

And like clockwork, I heard wheels rumbling down the hallway.

I turned my head and saw Hailey’s pale body stirring on the bed. I gripped her hand as she came rushing by and kept holding onto it as they directed her into the room. I took our son from my mother’s arms and unwrapped him. Then, I helped settle him on her chest as I peeled back her surgical gown.

Hailey groaned and tried to open her eyes, but her hand came up and held her son close to her.

“My baby boy,” she whispered.

“You were right,” I said as I kissed her forehead. “I still can’t believe you were right over all those doctors’ insistence.”

“Mother’s intuition,” I said.

My mother and father came and sat at her side as I perched on the edge of her bed.

“Hailey, there’s something I need to tell you,” I said.

“What?” she asked.

Hailey’s eyes peeled open as I looked at my parents.

“The surgery went well, and everything’s fine with our son,” I said.

“Good,” she said. “How’s he eating?”

“Well,” my mother said. “I fed him for a fourth time while Bryan was talking with the doctor.”

“Oh. Hey there, guys,” Hailey said. “Have you called Anna? And Drew? They’ll want to know about everything.”

“If you want to give me your phone, Bryan, I can call them,” my father said.

I slipped my phone out of my pocket and handed it over to my father.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Not a problem. Want me to call Hailey’s parents too?” he asked.

“I don’t have their numbers,” I said.

“We’ll video them later. They won’t be in town,” Hailey said.

“Well, we’re here,” my mother said as she took Hailey’s hand. “Bryan, what did the doctor say?”

“I think they had to remove my uterus,” Hailey said.

“Wait, you know?” I asked.

“It’s my body. The moment I woke up, I knew something was off,” she said.

“Oh my gosh. What happened?” my mother asked.