Page 38 of The Unexpected Lineup (Lost in Translation #2)

WE’RE GOING TO BE OKAY, HAISLEY. ALL OF US.

HAISLEY

T he hospital has become too familiar lately. I hate the smell of antiseptic, the constant hum of machines in the background, the shuffle of nurses and doctors moving around.

Because my dad was unconscious after the first seizure and had a second one during observation, they’re keeping him at the hospital for a few more days.

After running multiple tests, including MRI and EEG, the doctors have preliminarily diagnosed him with late-onset epilepsy. The diagnosis came as a shock; my dad’s healthy, under sixty, doesn’t smoke, and drinks occasionally.

Even if the diagnosis will change some aspects of his life, I’m glad he’s getting the help he needs. With the right medication and lifestyle changes, he might be able to live as normal as possible.

Mom and I have been staying with him, sleeping on the extra beds the hospital brought in after he was moved to a private room.

After the media frenzy, I decided to take some PTO to be with my family and asked my secretary at my day job to reorganize my calendar for the next two weeks. It wasn’t easy, but they made it work.

My brothers visit when they can, but with their schedules, they can’t stay long. Rasmus has popped in twice, bringing us lovely bitter almond cookies he baked last time. But it’s not the snacks that matter. It’s how he makes the effort to be here with us.

I sit in the corner of the room, watching him laugh with my dad about something that happened in the game last night before the doctor takes my dad to additional testing.

I can’t thank Rasmus enough for being my rock through all of this.

Always there to help me breathe if I feel like I’m suffocating.

No matter how badly I might have treated him.

And his support is not just here, in this room, but out there too, in the mess of public scrutiny.

When the pregnancy news leaked and people online had their opinions, he didn’t hide. He stepped up instead. He defended me publicly without hesitation, never once making me feel alone. He met with the Peacocks PR team and drafted a statement when I was at the hospital with my family.

Over the weeks we’ve been together, he’s made it clear again and again that he’s in this with me.

That we’re a team. And for the first time, I’m truly starting to believe him.

His actions have proved his words. I know I should’ve believed him earlier, but I needed time to process my feelings to get to the point where I can let him in fully.

Stretching my legs, I try to stand, but a wave of dizziness washes over me when I push myself up. My head spins, my vision blurring for a split second. I blink, trying to steady myself, but the odd feeling lingers .

Rasmus comes over to help me. “You okay?” he asks, his voice full of urgency.

I don’t want to admit I’m overwhelmed, so I only nod. He doesn’t buy what I’m selling and sits beside me. “You don’t look too good. Let me get the nurse.”

Before I can protest, Rasmus is already moving to the door.

I sit back down, trying to focus on my breathing, but it’s no use.

Everything gets heavier, the weight of all my stress and anxiety about the future crushing me from all sides.

The uncertainty about my dad’s health, the worry for my own well-being, and the baby inside me. It’s all too much.

A nurse arrives a moment later, clipboard in hand. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Lavigne?” she asks, her tone professional. “Your husband said you’re not feeling well?”

My what ? Oh, she must mean Rasmus. I do like the sound of the word husband when talking about him more than I expected.

“I’m fine,” I lie, trying to sit up straighter. “Just a little dizzy.”

The nurse, however, doesn’t look convinced. She gently places the cuff around my arm. Rasmus hovers nearby, watching us with an unreadable expression. I catch his gaze, and it softens.

The nurse does her thing, taking my blood pressure and checking the baby’s heartbeat, but all I can think about is the sudden tightness in my chest. I try to breathe deeply and calm myself, but it’s hard to shake the overwhelming fear that’s suddenly settled in my stomach.

“Everything seems stable,” the nurse says, studying the readings closely. “But to be sure, we can do an ultrasound.”

I don’t have the energy to argue, so I nod, still trying to control my racing heart. The nurse sets up the ultrasound machine, and I lie back. She spreads the cold gel on my stomach and moves the wand over my exposed skin.

The screen flickers to life, and for a heartbeat, everything around me fades away as I focus on the blurry image. I can barely make out the little shape on the screen.

“Everything’s looking great,” she says with a smile. “It seems you and your baby boy are both okay.”

I freeze.

A boy.

I blink rapidly, a rush of emotions flooding through me all at once. I hadn’t expected to hear the big news today. Not with everything else going on. My chest tightens, but it’s not from fear anymore. It’s something different. A sense of relief and hope. It’s joy amid all this chaos.

I look up at Rasmus, his eyes filled with something I can’t quite put into words. He gently squeezes my hand.

“A boy,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “We’re having a little baby boy.”

I nod, tears springing to my eyes before I can stop them.

“Our son,” I say quietly, the weight of the added information settling in. I hadn’t known how much I needed something to ground me until this very second. Our son was the one to do the trick.

Rasmus bends down, brushing a soft kiss against my forehead. “We’re going to be okay, Haisley. All of us.”

The nurse cleans up the gel on my stomach and excuses herself from the room. I’m stuck staring at the screen where our son’s image lingers .

Something inside me shifts, and for the first time after my dad’s seizure, I can breathe normally again. It’s because there’s still something to look forward to. Something beautiful, something that’s already ours.

“We’ve got a healthy son, Ras,” I whisper.

Rasmus smiles at me, the relief in his eyes unmistakable. “We do. Now, we need to get you to relax so you both stay healthy.”

My dad’s been resting for the past hour, the room silent except for the steady hum of machines. I sit by his side, watching his chest rise and fall, until his eyes flutter open. The matching set to my light green eyes finds mine, hazy at first but then focused.

“Hey, Princess,” he says, his voice rough with sleep.

I force a small smile. “Hey, Dad.”

He shifts, adjusting himself against the pillows. “How’s everything?”

The question is simple, but it nearly breaks me. I exhale sharply, pressing a hand to my stomach. “Honestly, I’m not sure.”

My dad watches me for a long moment. “You found something new about the baby? Is everything okay?”

The question brings a genuine smile to my face. “It’s a boy.”

A tired smile tugs at his lips in return. “A grandson, huh? That’s something special.”

“I should be happy,” I sigh. “I mean, I am happy. But I’m also terrified. Every single detail we learn makes it more real, and I don’t know how to handle all these feelings bottling inside me.”

His brows burrow, and he reaches for my hand. “Talk to me.”

I close my eyes, gathering my thoughts. “I have struggled to let Rasmus in fully.” Even his name is heavy on my tongue. “He’s been everything I could have hoped for and more. He’s been there every step of the way, and I know he wants to be there for me. Not only because we’re having a baby.”

“Then let him be there for you.”

“But I keep thinking what if something happens? What if I lose Rasmus or the baby?” I voice my deepest fear aloud.

My dad nods slowly, he understands exactly what I’m feeling. “Like you lost your mother.”

“Yeah.”

“Haisley, I know how much her loss shaped you even if you still had a great childhood. And how much you still carry all the emotional baggage with you. But do you know what I remember most about when your mother was pregnant with you?”

“What?”

“I was so freaking terrified, too.” He lets out a low chuckle.

“We were so young, barely in our mid-twenties, just starting to figure things out. Then one day we were looking at the small plus sign and knew our lives have forever changed. And she, oh God, your mother was the brightest thing in my life. She was so excited to meet you while there I was, scared out of my mind.”

I blink at him in surprise. “ You were? But I’ve never seen you scared of anything! ”

“Of course I was. I had no idea what kind of father I would be with my work schedule. It was a worry of mine to try to fit hockey life with family life. But your mother was fearless. She kept telling me love would be enough.” He looks away, lost in memories.

“She used to talk to you every night when she thought I was asleep. Whispering all the things she wanted you to experience. She would rest her hand on her stomach and tell you that the world awaited you. That you were going to do incredible things. How all those adventures, happiness, and love were waiting for you out there.”

Tears burn in the corners of my eyes. He grips my hand a little tighter.

“Losing someone you love is the hardest thing you’ll ever go through.

But do you know what can be even harder?

” I shake my head, unable to speak. “Being alone. After losing your mother, I could’ve shut down.

I could’ve locked myself away and got lost in work.

But I had you. And raising you is what saved me. ”

My tears spill over, and I wipe my cheeks with my sleeve. “I don’t know if I can survive that type of loss again.”

“You can. And you will. Because love is worth it. You’re worth it. Rasmus is worth it. And you two will have a beautiful life together. I have no doubt about it.”

A sob catches in my throat. “He says he’s all in. But what if something happens? What if he changes his mind? What if I lose him in a different way?”

“You can spend your whole life worrying about what ifs, Haisley. But what if he doesn’t leave? What if he stays? What if he’s exactly what you need in your life? Those are also what-if questions but hold a vastly different weight on them.”

His words remind me of the conversations I had with Rasmus at the cabin. I’m starting to understand what they mean about life’s what-ifs.

“Your mother used to say the best things in life are what scare you the most. And she was right. Loving someone is scary. But it’s also the most important thing you’ll ever do.”

My hands press a little harder against my baby bump. “I really don’t want to be alone.”

“You don’t have to be. But you have to choose to let love in.

Let him in.” His expression softens with his words.

“And you’ve never been alone. You have me, Gloria, your brothers, and all your friends.

Your extended families, both here in the States and in Spain, also care for you. We’re all here for you.”

“But I almost lost you.”

Dad smiles. “I don’t know if you remember this, as you were a little girl when I started dating Gloria. But I didn’t know if I could open up my heart again. But she made it surprisingly easy with her love for us both. She also showed me that her love didn’t replace what we had lost.”

I let his words settle in my heart. And I finally understand how Rasmus isn’t replacing anything. He’s only adding something new to my life. Something I need.

“I can see my words are getting through.” Dad’s eyes soften. “Your mother was so proud of her heritage. She wanted you to know where she came from.” He pauses. “I’m glad Rasmus will understand. It means your son will also have that special connection to your mother, and you both can cherish it.”

My throat tightens again. “You think so?”

“I know so.” His hand squeezes mine again. “And I believe your mother would be pleased. She’d love that you found yourself a man who challenges you to feel and think beyond your comfort zone. So, don’t let fear make decisions for you, Haisley. Love is always worth the risk.”

I exhale slowly, nodding. Maybe it’s time I start believing that, too.