𝔸 𝕃𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 ➁

49. Time For Arrival - ✭SEAN✭

✩✩✩

Several hours, a few pushes, and a fuck load of screaming later, a healthy beautiful baby girl was born. Seth had come with Rhys but Katie didn't want him in the room while she was delivering the baby. She just wanted me. So, I'd stayed with her.

I'd held her hand and coached her the best I knew how from what I could remember. The last time I did this was twenty-five years ago with the potential father of this child; my son. At least this time around I wasn't being cursed personally. I just listened to her scream the word fuck more times than I think I've said the word in my whole life, which is a lot.

I'm sitting in the corner of the room now, watching her as she sleeps. The baby is asleep in a bassinet next to her. I get up from my seat and check on the little bundle before leaving the room to go see Seth. After walking down the hallway they buzz me through a set of doors to the waiting room.

There he is, head in hands, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently. Once he looks up at me I say, "Katie delivered a healthy baby girl. Seven pounds, eight ounces. They're sleeping."

"Can I see her?" He asks. "I feel like I've been sitting out here forever."

"Uh, let me go check back in on her. I'll see if she's awake." I walk over and get buzzed back into the room. When I walk in she's speaking with a doctor in hushed tones until she spots me. "Where are you taking her?" I ask the doctor when she begins to pull the bassinet away.

"Just for some routine testing." She gives me a smile and walks away.

I turn back to Katie and ask, "is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." She's fiddling with her hospital bracelet and I can tell there's something on her mind.

"What is it?"

She blinks a few tears back before saying, "can you send Seth in please."

"Of course I can but what's wrong?"

"I want to get the paternity test over with."

I don't say anything else I just nod at her. I feel bad for her. I feel bad for Seth. I feel bad about this entire situation, for my grandchild, if it actually is my grandchild.

"Hey," I call out to Seth. "She wants to see you." He runs his hands through his hair before standing up and blowing out a long breath. "She wants to do a paternity test."

"So do I."

"Be nice." He nods before heading to the back. I don't follow. I just take a seat in the waiting room. This needs to be between them.

I'd already been asked a handful of times if I was the father. I guess it's a valid assumption since I'm the one who brought her in. She asked me to stay, so I have a hospital bracelet on as well. I'd been the one she wanted with her and it was my hand she held while she brought life into this world.

I think back to a time that I had been in this same hospital doing this exact thing with Monica. It had changed my world, my universe. There was something about this entire situation that felt the same way.

✩✩✩

I walk into the room with a cup of coffee for her. I'd gone home and gotten a shower before coming back to get her. It's discharge day for her and the baby. They're coming home today and I've got a surprise for her when she gets there.

"Got your favorite." She gives me a sad smile that throws me off a bit. "Is something wrong?"

"It's not Seth's baby."

"What?"

"It's not Seth's baby, so you can bring me all my stuff. You don't have to take care of me anymore. I'll figure it out." I feel a deep ache inside of me and I'm not quite sure why.

"No, you can still stay with me. Until you figure something out." I set the coffees down and walk over to her as she shoves some things in a duffle bag. "Katie, stop. You can stay with me."

"Why? It's not your son's baby. You don't have to feel obligated to take care of a complete stranger and her baby anymore." She's not looking at me, she's avoiding eye contact.

Monica used to do that when she was upset...

The baby starts fussing and she goes over to her. She coos down to her and tells her it will be okay. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I have no right to say anything to her at this point.

"I don't feel obligated. I never felt obligated to have you stay with me. I asked you because I couldn't see you living in that fucking dump. Someone so beautiful shouldn't be living in that filth." She finally looks at me. "Over the past few weeks I've gotten to know you, Katie. I care about you. I just want to help."

"I'm not a charity case." There's a sternness in her eyes, a defiance. It's a look that reminds me of myself.

"I never said you were, Katie."

"Are you sure, Sean?" She looks at me with an unsure face. "You can't really want this."

"Listen, there hasn't been life in my home for a long time." I give her a sad smile. "Ever since my wife passed away and my son moved out it's just been me. It's been..."

"Lonely." She finishes for me and gives me a look of understanding. "When both my parents died I was tossed around the foster care system. I've never really had a home or a family."

"I know you barely know me. I know I'm just some guy who showed up one day but I've got a home, it has four bedrooms and only one of them is being used. So what do you say?"

She gives me a tentative smile, "okay, Sean."

"Good. Because I've already set up your rooms and it would really suck to have to return everything."

She lets out a small laugh and I give her a lopsided grin. I want to ask her who the father of the baby is since it's not Seth but right now isn't the time. One day I'll ask. When the time is right.

A/N:
So now we know.
How are we feeling about this chapter?