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“You’re a doctor, aren’t you?”
He shakes his head. “No, I’m a nurse. She’s with the doctor now. They’re getting ready to take her into surgery to deliver the baby. Someone will be back in a minute to get you.”
The baby? He’s not ready. She still has a month until her due date.
And then, before I can bombard him with questions, the nurse disappears behind the closed doors and leaves me standing here.
Ten minutes later, I’m back to pacing the floor.
“I don’t understand what’s taking so long. Why won’t they let me back there? That’s my kid. I should be back there when he’s born.”
Ami approaches me with her cell phone in hand. I’ve been so caught up in my own thoughts I don’t even remember her leaving. “I called Ed.”
“Why?” Mase and I ask at the same time again.
She gives us the shut-the-fuck-up look. “He needs to know. She’s his only daughter.”
“Like he gives a fuck.” I groan, throwing myself into a chair. It screeches with the movement and hits the wall with a thud.
I can’t imagine that Ed Pratt would even care that his daughter is in surgery or that his grandkid is coming into the world.
Somehow, or maybe I’m just that obnoxious, I convince the doctors to let me back when they deliver the baby.
Fifteen minutes later, Ed walks up to Ami. “What’s wrong with her? Is the baby okay?”
Ami swallows before answering. “She was attacked by the United Center. Mugged we think… and went into labor. They’re delivering the baby in a few minutes. Leo is going back there now.”
Ed looks at Mase and then Ami, his expression accusing. “Why was she alone by the United Center? You’re her friends… why was she alone?”
Mase goes into defensive mode at the accusing tone Ed was using with Ami. “You’re not going to accuse me of that bullshit, general manager or not. She left.” Mase gets right in his face, inches from it, hovering over him in height and anger. “Callie didn’t tell any of us where she was going. Don’t blame us for that. She’s a fuckin’ adult, Ed.”
Another doctor approaches. “Mr. Orting?”
I stand. “That’s me.”
“You can come back now. We’re ready.”
My heart races when Ed sees me. He doesn’t know I had any part of this by the look on his face. Figures she wouldn’t have told him I’m the father. “What are you doing here?”
“Getting ready to meet my son.”
He turns abruptly toward me, his face twisting in anger. I know Callie wouldn’t have told him who the father was. He never asked either.
“The fuck you are,” he argues. “I’m going back there. I’m her father.”
“This really isn’t your concern, Ed. It’s not like you know anything about her life.”
The doctor watches us with rapt attention, wondering what’s going on. “Who’s the father of the baby?”
“I am.” My answer holds pride for once. No hesitation. I’m going to be a father and a better one than him. I see my dad when I look at him, a man who never really knew his own flesh and blood.
Ed smiles unpleasantly, as though having to hear I’m the father of his soon-to-be grandchild had never once occurred to him. “We’re not finished, Leo,” he says.
I straighten my posture as Ami and Mase look uncertainly at one another, expecting an argument. “Oh, I think we are.”
“Mr. Orting…” The doctor urges me forward, his tone impatient. “We really don’t have time for this right now.”
Ed stares for a moment, regarding me with obvious disgust. “I’ll be back later.”