Chapter 30

Heart

“Doc, Marc’s just found out she’s pregnant and she’s fainted. She didn’t even know she could get pregnant. She fuckin’ freaked out. Could you come see her?”

“Yes,” I answer him, with my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose. “I know you’re only an Army medic. But you’ve got medical knowledge.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know you can dig out a bullet and stitch a wound. But my ol’ lady’s fainted.” I need help.

“The emergency room?” My hands brush back my hair. “Yeah, I should have thought of that.” Fucking stupid not to take her to the obvious place. I’m just so used to calling Doc for any and all medical treatment.

“Yeah, if there’s anything you can do I’ll let you know. Thanks, Doc.”

I ring another number. “Hyde, need you here, man. Bring a cage. Marc needs to go to hospital.”

Pulling the phone away from my ear, I look at it in amazement. Fucking prospect’s swearing at me? “What the fuck? No. I did nothin’ to her. No, she’s not fuckin’ hurt. She fainted.”

“You threatenin’ me, Prospect? Just get your ass here and I might forget you said that.”

Fucking prospect. Accusing me of beating her up. I didn’t, and never would, lay a hand on her.

She went out like a fucking light when she saw the results of the tests, scaring the shit out of me. She’s so still and unmoving, if it wasn’t that I can see her breathing I’d be worried the shock had killed her. Such an adverse reaction, another pointer she was telling the truth. And there, in that flat stomach of hers, she’s incubating my baby, and has been for two months.

Thank fuck, she’s starting to stir. I’m at her side in a flash. “Just lie still, sweetheart. Do you want some water or something?”

Her eyes are flitting one way then the other. “What happened?”

“You’ve fainted, darlin’. Didn’t fall or nothin’, I had hold of you. Prospect’s bringin’ a cage so we can get you checked out.”

Her brow creases as if she’s trying to remember, and I see the moment she does. She sits up so sharply her head must start swimming as she cups it in her hands and groans.

“Stay still. You want anything I’ll get it.”

She’s waving her hands toward my cut. “The tests. Give me the other tests.”

“You’ve already taken two, you won’t have enough pee for more.”

“I need to take them.” She sounds frantic.

I kneel in front of her, taking both of her hands in mine. “We’ll get you to the emergency room. Doctors will do the tests there. That way you can be certain.” I place my hand over her stomach. “But I know, I feel it. You’ve got my baby growin’ in there.”

Looking down at my hand, she places hers over it. “It’s impossible, Heart. I’m sorry. I don’t know why, but somehow the tests are showing a false positive. I’ve heard that can happen. Maybe I’ve got something wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re going to have my child.” I don’t know why I’m so certain, I just am. And then the implications hit me. “Amy will have a brother or sister.” We haven’t spoken about it, haven’t talked at all for two months. But I’m going to be right there beside her. Coming here today, seeing her again, has made me realise a piece of me has been missing, our time apart caused by my anger which had been fuelled by my reluctance to admit how much she means to me. I don’t want her to have crept into my heart, to have kicked that organ back into life, but somehow she has. And it’s time now to man up and own it.

Resting my chin on the top of her head, my thoughts are whirling. How the fuck is this going to sort itself out? I’ll have to leave the club, or she’ll have to leave her job. One way or another, we will make this work. If she’s having my miracle baby, then something must have guided me that night. Before Crystal I always gloved up. I could say I’d got out of the habit when she went on the pill, but it’s more than that. Fate, or…

For the first time I don’t feel like I’ve been punched in the gut, but instead I get a warm feeling when I think of the wife who I lost. Crystal, you guided me so fucking often, reckon you might have had a hand in this too. Bound me to the ideal woman to be my old lady. Today being the kick up the backside to make me realise exactly what I want.

Now I’ve just got to persuade her. But I’m in a good place. Everyone already knows she’s my old lady. I’ll kidnap her if I have to, and take her back to the compound. But she’s a cop.

She’s softly crying. I put my arms around her and hold her close. “Will you come with me to the hospital? I don’t want to be alone when I find I’ve got cancer or something.”

I laugh quietly. “You haven’t got cancer, babe. You’re havin’ my baby.” But she still won’t fucking believe it.

“This is one day I should never have got up.”

“Darlin’,” I gently raise her face, “I’m so fucking sorry I came in the way I did, for the things I said. I didn’t mean to hurt you, I wasn’t thinkin’ this through.”

She grasps my cut with her hands and sniffles into it. “It’s not just you, Heart. I’m home early as I lost my job.”

What? I might not like her profession, but I know she was good at her job. Why would they let such a dedicated cop go? I want to hear everything that happened, but doubt now’s the right time, so I settle for a few inadequate words. “I’m so sorry, Marc. So damn fuckin’ sorry.”

I hear a truck pull up. Before I can get up to open the door, Hyde lets himself in. The fucker’s got a key? His eyes go to Marc, he sees she’s been crying. He pulls back his shoulders and prepares to square up to me. Oh fuck, not again. Before he can make an attack, I sweep Marc up into my arms, making her give a startled gasp.

“We talk about this later,” I warn him. “But for now, let’s get her checked out.”

Marc’s prodded and poked, made to pee again, and has blood taken. She explains to anyone who comes near her she can’t be having a baby, and to test for whatever else it could be. Eventually a doctor appears.

“Hmm.” Doctor Cassidy is a middle-aged woman. She has a glint of humour in her eyes as she regards the woman sitting next to me, who’s biting her nails. She nods slowly, then smiles. “Marcia, you are definitely pregnant.”

Marc goes still, the blood rushes from her face, leaving her looking so white I’m worried she might faint again. The doctor must be concerned too, as she immediately stands and gets her a drink of water before sitting back down and asking in a concerned tone, “Are you alright?”

“Yes, no. I don’t know. I can’t be.” As alternating expressions of confusion and joy come over her face, I pat Marc’s hand, and as the doctor meets my eyes we exchange amused glances.

“I take it this is good news to you both.”

A few hours ago my answer would be different. Now I beam, and answer what I hope is true for us both. “Yes.”

She studies Marc carefully, picking up a pen and rolling it through her fingers. “Okay, so this is what we do. I can see you still need some convincing, Marcia, so I’d like to do an internal ultrasound in a moment. But first, please tell me why you were so certain it was impossible?”

I watch as she gives herself a little shake and tries to pull herself together. Again I reach for her hand, this time to squeeze it, knowing it’s still hard for her to talk about, especially after this already emotional day. After clearing her throat she begins. “I was in a bad car accident, eight years ago. A piece of metal pierced me, here.” She points to her lower stomach where I already know she has scarring. “It ripped across and caused internal injuries.” Marc stops and gasps. “If I’m pregnant, what if I can’t carry a baby to term?”

“Hmm. I’d like the details of the hospital where you were treated, and then I’ll get your notes. How old were you?”

“Eighteen.”

“Okay. Let’s see what I can tell about what we’re dealing with. We’ll get you undressed and on the table, and I’ll call the technician in. I will need your full records to see if there’s any extra care that needs to be taken until you’re at term.”

I help her undress, put on one of those despicable gowns, and then lift her onto the bed. She gives me a look, saying drily, “Apparently I’m pregnant, not dying. I could have got up myself.”

“My baby.” I tap her stomach, and then tap her forehead. “My woman.” I turn away to hide my smile at the incredulous look she gives me. You’re mine.

Then the technician wheels a machine in, and I wince and turn away as the invasive procedure begins. Marc clasps at my hand, and I give her both, holding hers between my palms. She’s staring at me, but my eyes have been caught by the screen.

“There’s the baby,” the doctor says, pointing to a tiny bean-like shape. She fiddles with a knob, and a sound fills the room. A fast thumping, swishing noise. But the doctor’s not smiling, she’s frowning instead.

Seeing her expression, Marc’s hand grips mine so tightly she almost cuts off the blood circulation. “What’s wrong?”

“Hmm?” The doctor, having been intent on the screen, now turns her attention away and catches the expression on Marc’s face. “Well, I don’t know if it runs in your family, but I can see two gestational sacs. That means there are two babies. Congratulations, my dear. You are going to have twins.”

Fuck me! Amy was enough to look after on her own. Two babies? At once? Now it’s my turn to feel faint. Marc, once again, has gone white as a sheet.

I help a stunned Marc to sit up. While the doctor’s making some notes on a tablet, Marc doesn’t say a word, just sits completely shell shocked, and I admit I’m feeling the same. When the doctor has finished, she looks at Marc.

“I can see why your doctor thought you’d have difficulty conceiving. Your fallopian tubes have clearly suffered major damage, and you’ve had one of your ovaries removed.” She rubs her forehead. “In fact, I’m surprised you conceived at all. At the time the doctor you saw was quite right to warn you. I’d probably have said the same thing myself. But somehow, it’s happened. You’re definitely pregnant, no doubt about that. And, with twins.”

So that’s it, confirmed. She didn’t lie, hadn’t misunderstood what she’d been told. Fucking miracle babies.

Marc’s gone completely pale with the news that not only is she carrying one baby she never expected, she’s carrying two. Her voice is quiet as she responds. “Now I’ve conceived, what are the chances of me carrying the babies to term?”

The doctor nods as though she’s asked a pertinent question. “That’s why I need your full notes to be sure. From what I’ve seen, there shouldn’t be any problems, but you’ve clearly had surgery, so I want to check how invasive it was.”

Marc looks down, as if she knew this is too good to be true.

“Now, Marcia. I think the likelihood of you having a normal pregnancy is quite high. We’ll just monitor you carefully. What I must warn you both is, if you want to extend your family, that might not happen. As I’ve said, there was major damage to your tubes. So we’ll be extra careful about this one.”

What she’s saying is this could be Marc’s only chance to have a child. I squeeze the hand I haven’t stopped holding. The woman by my side seems incapable of saying anything at all, and it’s me who pockets the card for her next appointment and takes the prescription for prenatal vitamins.

She’s still in a trance as she gets back into her clothes, and remains that way when I walk her out.

Hyde’s waiting by the truck and steps forward, giving one look at her, and addressing himself to me. “She alright?”

A wide grin splits my face. “Better than fuckin’ alright.”

A glance at her, and then at the smile on my face. “Goddammit. I was right, wasn’t I? She’s fuckin’ pregnant.”

I shoot him a look of caution, but I can’t bring myself to deny it. He slaps his hand on the truck. “Fuckin’ hell.” He looks as happy as if he were the father.

“I’m takin’ her home.”

“I’ll follow you. Want me to stay?”

I laugh like a loon. “Nah, she’s not going back to that fuckin’ insecure house. She’s comin’ with me. Home.”

At last he gets my intention, and slaps me on the back, nodding as though I’ve done something he approves of. Well he might, but I’m not so sure what Drummer’s reaction will be.

It’s not until it’s obvious that I’m not heading toward her house that Marc comes out of whatever reverie she’s been lost in. “Heart,” she squeals. “Where the hell are you taking me?”

“The compound.”

Her face turns to me in horror. “I can’t go there!” she exclaims.

“Ain’t got a choice, babe. Not havin’ the fucker Hyde babysit ya anymore. That house you’ve rented isn’t secure enough for my woman on her own, and certainly not now you’re carryin’ my kids.”

“Heart, look, we need to talk about this.”

“Nothin’ to say.”

She turns to look at me, her mouth dropping open. Then she lets me have it full blast. “Nothing to say? Nothing to fucking say? You had plenty to say to me earlier. In fact, you spat it at me, didn’t you? What happened to you thinking I was going to steal your baby girl from you? Oh my God.” Her hand covers her lips and her eyes are wide. “You don’t want me. You want what you think I’m carrying.”

“Are carryin’,” I correct her. “Look…” Knowing what precious cargo I’ve got with me, I keep my eyes on the road but reach across and put my hand on her thigh. Although she tries to pull away, I hold on firmly. “You are pregnant. There’s no denyin’ that now. And yes, as the father, and your ol’ man, I’m involved. I said some shit, I can’t deny that.” I break off, trying to analyse it all in my head in just a split moment of time. “I’ll put this a way you can understand. I’ve been lost in my head, babe. Gonna take more than a minute to get you to understand that, but this?” I touch our clasped hands to her stomach. “This has put me straight.”

There’s silence for a moment, and then she says, “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“We’ve got a lot of talkin’ to do, and much more than that. And we’re not going to put things right if we’re apart.”

“I don’t like this, Heart. I don’t trust you. After the way you pushed me away. You showed me another side of you, and one I didn’t like. Said some cruel things…”

“I was a fool.” I speak over her. “Couldn’t see further than my own fuckin’ nose. Thought there’d never be room for anyone other than Crystal. But she’s gone, I’ve accepted it. She’s never comin’ back, and I’m done with pushin’ you away. I want you, babe. Want…”

“Stop! Stop the truck.”

What?

But her free hands pointing to a car that’s just pulled off the shoulder, and says desperately, “Heart, stop the truck, now!”

Wondering what the fuck’s going on, and whether she’s intending to run, I pull over. Perhaps she needs to be sick? Her seatbelt’s unfastened and she’s out of the damn truck faster than I can get down my side. She’s running back along the hard shoulder. Incensed that she’s trying to get away, I run after her. I’ve got longer legs, but she’s fitter than me. I’m closing the gap slower than I want, when she suddenly drops to her knees, her hand reaching out.

“Here, fella. Here, boy. Or perhaps you’re a girl.” Her cajoling tone catches me off guard.

“Oh come here, you poor little thing.” As she hears my footsteps crunch in the gravel she shoots out her arm, her hand held up warning me to stop. I do, and then see where she’s pointing.

It’s a puppy of some sort, she must have seen it being dumped out of the car we’d seen pull away. Marc with her cop’s sharp eyes had seen it, I’d been too focused on getting her home.

It’s a grey bundle of scraggy hair, some sort of mutt, only a few months old by the look of it. Slowly Marc inches closer. The thing’s shaking, but looking at her with trusting eyes. Yeah, even a dumped puppy knows it can trust her, while I accused her of so much she didn’t deserve.

She’s close enough now. The little pup reaches out its nose, touches her hand, and then, on its belly, inches cautiously closer. When she scoops it up into her arms I see the enormous paws attached to a very small body. Christ, that thing’s gonna grow big.

Slowly Marc stands. She holds it away from her and examines it carefully. “Doesn’t seem hurt, and it’s a boy. Looks like a wolfhound mix.”

Hell, what do I do now? I’m still getting my head around the fact that I’m going to be a father again. I wipe my hands through my hair, then decide, “Okay, bring it along, we’ll find a shelter to take it.”

“What the fuck, Heart? Not going to give him to somewhere that might kill him if they can’t find him a home. No, I’m going to keep him.” Her determined eyes meet me in challenge.

I’m looking at her face, seeing she’s already set on it, and suddenly I’m laughing, rolling back my head on my shoulders while her eyes stare wildly, as if wondering what I’m finding amusing in all this. It’s only then I’ve noticed Hyde’s parked up behind us, and he puts into words precisely what’s making me lose my shit.

“Prez is gonna go crazy, Heart. You returnin’ with a pregnant ol’ lady and a fuckin’ dog as a pet.”

“Grunt.”

“What?”

Marc seems more able to accept that she’s gained a puppy than the knowledge she’s carrying twins. She looks up to me and her eyes sparkle. “You want me to come back to the compound, Heart? Well, Grunt’s coming too. That’s my condition.”