Everything was moving too fast; my mind didn’t even have a moment to catch up. The moment I felt something wet flowing down my thighs and realized I was ready to give birth, everything had gone a little blurry.

I was scared. The doctor's visits had projected I’d be giving birth at least a week later. I’d hoped my mom would be there to get me through the moment. Of course, Zach was there, but he was probably the reason I was going into labor early, and in spite of what he’d told me, I wasn’t sure I wanted him there.

The ride to the hospital was frantic, and if Olivia hadn’t been there, I might have choked on my breath. I had a vice grip on Zach’s hand, and I had to admit it helped a little. But then we got to the hospital, and pain as I'd never known was suddenly piercing me, starting from between my thighs and rising over my stomach. I knew what it was, of course. Thanks to Olivia taking me to pregnancy classes, I had a better understanding of the whole process.

Suddenly, there were people there, pushing my friends away from me and taking me away. I was put in a wheelchair and I was glad to be off my feet. But then they were rushing me away, and I heard Zach call out to me, but he was too far away. I’d only just caught my breath and opened my mouth to complain when another painful contraction had me doubling over my stomach.

Things were moving fast again, people rushing around, voices I didn’t know shouting things I didn’t understand. I was put in a bed and left there for the moment as people rushed around me, setting up equipment.

Then a nurse stopped at my head, shaking my shoulder a little to get my attention.

“Ma’am, we have a man named Zach asking to be allowed in here with you. He claims to be the father. Can we let him in?”

My eyes welled up with tears. Was Zach admitting to being the father of my baby? After he’d accused me, I’d assumed it was because he didn’t want to be associated with the child or me. I wouldn’t have forced him into taking a DNA test, but I’d been angry when he said it so carelessly.

I could have wept and did as I nodded my head frantically. If my mom couldn't be there with me, then I wouldn’t want anyone there but Zach. I hadn’t forgiven him completely, but suddenly I very much wanted him there.

It seemed like he was there almost instantly, covered in scrubs with a cap over his head, a mask over his mouth, and gloves on his hands. But I could see his eyes, and I recognized them. I reached my hand out for his, and he took it gladly.

“Shh, Scarlett,” he murmured, trying to calm me as I continued to cry. “Don’t cry, baby. You’re fine.”

I shook my head and looked up at him. “Zach, I’m scared,” I told him, deciding on honesty.

I heard his breath hitch and his hand tightened around mine. He pulled the mask off his mouth and pressed a quick kiss to my lips, and on my cheeks, under my eyes, wiping away the tears. I let him comfort me, my crying reducing to hiccups.

Then he put the mask back on his face. “It’ll be fine, Scarlett. Just a little longer, and we’re going to hold our baby, right?”

I nodded, smiling a little at the way he said ‘our baby’.

Another contraction pierced through my body, and my scream caught the attention of everyone else in the room. I knew I would have to endure the pain, and I wasn’t sure I could. I strangled Zach’s hand in mine, and he didn’t complain, just murmured words of comfort to me.

That time seemed to go on forever. I barely understood the instructions the people around me were barking at each other. I kept most of my focus on Zach, even as my knees were raised and my legs spread.

My brain seemed to white out at the pain that attacked me in waves so much fiercer than before. I was in so much pain I thought something had gone wrong, but I could hear the encouragement in the doctor’s voice and continued to do as he instructed.

After what felt like ages, I gave a final push and fell back on the bed in exhaustion. I was pretty sure if I needed to do it again, I’d pass out. But it was unnecessary. Somehow, I’d missed it, but then I heard a loud, shrill cry. It took me a moment to realize it was the baby crying. I blinked the tears out of my eyes, frantically looking for Zach’s face.

He still had his hand in mine, his other buried gently in my hair. He had the mask over his face, but he was looking away. He stared at where the sound came from, a blank look of shock on his face. I waited for him to realize I was looking at him, and he blinked down at me.

“Zach?”

I wanted to raise one of my hands from the bed and touch his face, but I didn’t think I could move in that moment, I was so exhausted.

Then Zach smiled at me—he grinned, as if he’d just seen the best thing ever, and his eyes shone. Suddenly, he was kissing me. I was a little confused, but I gave in eagerly, dragging my hands to circle his neck. He kept the kisses soft and chaste, his hands cupping my cheeks delicately like he feared I would break. I didn’t know how I looked right then, but it must have been bad. I tightened my hands weakly around his neck, but eventually he pulled back.

“Scarlett,” he whispered my name roughly, and I blinked up at him.

There was alarm when suddenly tears started falling from his eyes, and now it was my turn to comfort him. But he was still smiling, even with an edge of pain on his face.

“What is it?”

“I can’t believe how much of an idiot I’ve been. I should have been here sooner! I should have—”

I pressed a hand to his mouth, cutting off his words. He took my hand in his and kissed my fingertips, making me smile.

“There’s no point in thinking about should have been,” I murmured. “You needed to go on the trip for work, I should have told you sooner I was pregnant with our baby instead of waiting for you to find out in the worst way possible. I should have been the one to tell you.”

He pressed a hard kiss to my forehead. “You should have,” he said sternly. “But I don’t blame you. Looking back, I acted like an ass. I practically blinded myself to the fact that—”

He cut off suddenly, looking uncomfortable. With my hand still held in his, I stroked his cheek.

“What?”

He glanced down at me, before looking off to the side and wiping at his eyes. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was acting shy. But then he met my eyes again, his own looking dead serious.

“I was hurt when I thought you’d betrayed me, and I couldn't get my mind off you. I didn’t fuck Abigail. I took her out a few times, but I couldn’t do anything with her. It was as if my cock only wanted you. I swear we didn’t do anything, Scarlett, only goodnight kisses on the cheek. I love you, and I’m so sorry for taking so long to realize it.”

I stared up at him, stunned. Then I felt tears leaking slowly out of my eyes, and I blinked them away. I was too exhausted for full out wailing, I’d had enough of that for a while. I smiled tremulously up at him, pressing the tips of my fingers to his cheek, laughing wetly when he kissed them again.

“I love you too. And you better not change your mind later, or I’ll hunt you down,” I warned weakly.

He laughed and pressed his forehead against mine.

“You don’t have to worry about me running away,” he murmured. “I’m not going anywhere. I haven’t had a good look at the baby yet, but I love it just as much as I do you.”

I smiled as tears continued to trickle down my cheeks, and he smiled back at me.

“You two are such a cute couple,” a voice said, interrupting us.

We both looked toward the voice, and my eyes immediately zeroed in on the bundle the nurse carried in her arms.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said, smiling at us. “But this little guy wanted to meet his parents.”

My breath caught and met Zach’s eyes, before turning back to the nurse.

I licked my dry lips. “You mean...”

Her smile grew wider, and she moved closer to us. She held the bundle out to me carefully, and Zach kept close as I arranged my arms to hold my baby.

“Say hi to your baby boy. And congratulations,” she added, then left us alone.

I moved the soft blanket wrapped around the baby so that I could see more of him. He was tiny and pale, with wrinkled skin and a tuft of dark hair at the top of his head. His hands were held in tight little fists, and his chest moved quickly up and down with his breaths. Zach, just as careful as me, brushed the baby’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“He’s so small,” he murmured.

I giggled. “Well, yeah. Any bigger and I might not have been able to pop the guy out.”

Our gaze met again, and suddenly all the time we’d spent apart, feeling hurt, and my torturous labor, fell away, and it was just the two of us and our baby, happy. We laughed together, and Zach wrapped his arms around both of us as we continued to stare down at our little sleeping miracle.