Page 114 of Clear Shot

“I asked for a trade,” I say slowly. “So I wouldn’t have been here.”

“Did you get traded?” she asks, eyes widening in alarm.

“I don’t think so but I didn’t have time to get into the details when I talked with Mr. Knight.” I pause. “He called this morning and wasn’t happy with me.”

“Yeah, he told me he was going to, but I didn’t believe anything would change.”

“He gave me some tough love, said some things I needed to hear. But mostly, he reminded me to fight for what I want. And what I want is you.”

“We’re going to have a baby,” she says, searching my face. “A biological child. Are you prepared for that?”

“About as prepared as any first-time father can be.”

“Did you go to the doctor?”

“I did.” I explain about the vas deferens growing back as best as I can.

“So God or fate or some other mystical thing we can’t explain took the decision out of your hands.”

“I guess so.”

“Just to be clear, I wasn’t thrilled about getting pregnant at this stage of my life either. It wasn’t in my five-year plan.”

“I know. I guess I owe you an apology about that too.”

“You had no way of knowing your vasectomy failed.”

“Yeah, but I still feel bad because I know you had plans.”

“I still do. Instead of a job, I want to go back to school.” She hesitates. “As long as it’s okay with you?”

“Babe, whatever you want to do is fine with me. We can afford help with the baby. And we both know damn well your grandmother is going to make a nuisance of herself when it’s born, just like she did with Joanna.”

I chuckle. “For sure.”

“You ready to go home?”

“I am. I better call my family, though, and tell them I’m not coming.”

“And we really need to buy a couch,” I say.

She laughs. “You realize three suitcases full of everything I own are on their way to Slovakia.”

“Not everything.” I wiggle my eyebrows. “There’s a really sexy pair of shoes on the shelf in our closet.”

She laughs. “I don’t know how often I’ll be wearing those in the next year…”

“I don’t care if you ever wear them out, but I kind of like seeing them on you when I’m inside you.”

“I’m looking forward to that.” She squeezes my hand.

“Me too. But first you need to feel better.”

“I will. But can we stop at the desk and see if there’s a way to send my luggage back?”

“I can buy you a whole new wardrobe,” I offer.

“It’s about more than clothes. I have other things in there too. Things I need.”