Hush (Just This Once 1)

“So you’ll be able to do the paternity test without having to get near the baby?” I rub my stomach. There’s still nothing there to speak of other than a small roll that I’ve been trying to work away with sit-ups for the past six months.

“We can do it with a simple blood test once you pass the eight week mark.” Dr. Bergstein glances at the calendar hanging on the wall in the exam room. “You’re going to hit that milestone soon, Chloe, so you can talk to the baby’s father and arrange for him to call in so we can set up a time for him to have his blood drawn. We’ll require a sample from you too.”

Since her office is across the street from one of Manhattan’s busiest hospitals, I have to wonder whether Evan is close.

“Evan Scott said that you two know each other,” I say because maybe she’ll put two-and-two together and realize that my potential baby daddy is her friend.

“Evan Scott?” she repeats back with a furrow of her brow. “Oh, yes. We met years ago. He’s a great guy. I take it you two are friends too?”

Technica

lly, we aren’t friends at all. We’re two people who are having a baby together.

“I know him, “ I admit because I don’t know how to classify what we are.

She turns her attention to a prescription pad in her hands. “I’m going to give you a prescription for pre-natal vitamins. You should take one daily.”

“I can do that.” I scoot forward on the exam table. “I’m good to go?”

“You are.” She looks over at me. “If you see Evan anytime soon, tell him I said hi and that I hope his little guy isn’t running him ragged.”

There’s no way in hell that’s a euphemism for Evan’s penis. It’s not a little guy. I need clarification because I only have sparse details about the man I’m about to share a lifelong connection with in the form of a living, breathing human being. “His little guy?”

She moves toward the closed door. “His son. Kim switched doctors before the birth but I was there the day they found out it was a boy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a happier man than Evan that day.”

I slide off the table and pick up my purse before I take the prescription from her. I follow her out into the corridor and as she leads me back to the reception area her words ring over and over in my head.

Evan is already a dad.

That’s a surprise I didn’t see coming.

***

Dealing with everything that’s been thrown at me lately on my own was a good plan until I realized just how overwhelmed I am.

After I saw Dr. Bergstein I went to the pharmacy and dropped off my prescription. I listened as the pharmacist explained the benefits of the vitamins to the baby. She had kind eyes and when she asked if I had any questions, I almost blurted out that I needed advice about how to talk to my baby’s dad about his son.

I didn’t because it would have obviously been highly inappropriate and also because there’s someone else who will give me the advice I need.

He’s sitting across from me now.

“When you invited yourself over I didn’t think it was so we could have a staring contest, but I’m game, Chloe. You know I can beat you any day of the week.”

I laugh. “I didn’t come here to stare at you.”

Rocco looks around his modest apartment. “Was it for the ambiance? As you can see none of that exists here.”

I dip my chin down. I called him on my way home from work. I told him that I had something important to discuss with him and by the time I stepped into his building, I was already filled with doubt.

“I need someone to talk to, Rocco.”

That draws him to his feet and over to where I’m sitting on a leather sofa. He takes a seat next to me. “I’m here. You know I’m always here.”

He’s the same age as Evan but they couldn’t be more different. Rocco lives his life day-by-day, exploring new adventures whenever they present themselves. He travels on a whim and sometimes leaves New York for weeks at a time.

Evan’s life is confined to a hospital where he devotes himself to bettering others.

“I wish my mom was still here,” I say through a sob. “I love you, but I just wish she was here.”