Destined To Be With You

Prologue

Benjamin Stratford was speeding down the highway in a hurry to pick up his girlfriend Emily Collins from the airport. She was coming back from a 2 week business trip to New York. She is currently a public representative for 2 up and coming actors. While Ben is a lawyer. Ben and Emily have never spent time apart in the 5 months they’ve been together. Ben was so excited to finally get to see her astounding blue eyes, smell her long auburn hair, and kiss her pink lips. Even though they’ve been in touch several times a day everyday while she was away, it wasn’t enough for him. He missed her so much. He smiled just thinking about what it was going to be like running to her in the airport. He would immediately scoop her up in his arms and twirl her around.

Then his thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone ringing. The caller id read, ‘Katelynn Lennox’ Why is she calling me, he thought. But he was too excited to see Emily to care how weird it was that Katelynn was calling, so he answered his phone happily, “Katelynn Lennox, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Katelynn was panicking, she spoke almost too fast for Ben to understand her, “ Ben, you have to go to the Los Angeles Holy Cross right now. Liv’s in labor!”

“Why me-”

He was cut off by Kate’s still panicked voice, “Ben, I can’t be there because I’m in New York and Liv’s family is away for vacation. You’re-”

This time he cut her off, “What about the father of her baby? Why can’t he be there? Why me?” he asked

“Ben just fucking listen to me. We don’t have time. You’re the baby daddy, okay?” She waited for him to interrupt again, but he was silent so she continued, “Now I know once you fully register what I just said you’re gonna ask a billion questions but right now I can’t explain everything. Just head over to Holy Cross, okay?”

He immediately hung up on her and took the nearest exit and headed towards the Holy Cross. The thoughts in his mind were running a hundred miles per second. Liv was pregnant with his baby and he didn’t know why he didn’t doubt it was true. He didn’t object to the idea, he just felt that it was the truth.

Once he got to the hospital, he asked the elderly nurse at the receptionist area for Olivia Bergdorf. The nurse calmly checked the board for Bergdorf and told him she was to be placed in room 3. On his way to the room he heard a familiar voice begging and pleading, “Isn’t there something you can give me to stop this pain? Please! It’s excruciating. I can’t handle it!”

It was Liv, she was in a wheelchair. The nurse was pushing her towards room 3. Liv looked miserable. Her right hand was grasping her now huge stomach and the other was grabbing the nurses hand. It’s been 4 months since he’s seen her. The last time he saw her, she was the petite, hazel eyed, brown haired girl. But now, the only thing different was the basketball shaped stomach.

The nurse tried to speak to Liv in a comforting tone, “Mrs. Bergdorf, I’m sorry but we can’t give you any drugs until we know exactly how far along into labor you are. And since you’re only 6 months pregnant we need to run extra examinations and tests. By the way, where is your husband? Is he on his way?”

Before Liv could answer Ben answered the nurse, “I’m right here.” The nurse smiled warmly at the two. Shock was written all over Liv’s face. She didn’t expect Ben to be there holding her hand while she suffered through every contraction.

“Why hello Mr. Bergdorf. You must be excited. We’re headed to room 3.” the all too happy nurse replied.

Liv tried to explain that he wasn’t her husband, “Oh, he’s not my-” then she had another contraction, “OWW! Dear God. How long is this going to last?” The pain was so sharp she was nearing tears. She grabbed Ben’s hand with so much force he yelped from the pain. He didn’t know how such a tiny girl had so much strength in one hand.