moved ahead of him as he hobbled along, holding the screen door open for him. Night had fallen since they’d been discussing his son. He made sure to concentrate where he walked to keep from falling flat on his face in front of her.
Before getting in the car, the overhead streetlight revealed a car seat in the back. A stuffed animal lay beside it. Reality hit him a little harder in the gut.
“Are you okay?” Zoe asked from behind him. “Do you need help getting in?”
Mitch ignored the question and slowly ducked inside. Zoe closed the door for him, making him realize how her news, compounded by his injury, threw him more off balance than usual. He thought the accident was the only event to upend his life. How wrong.
As Zoe drove through Cypress Pointe, Mitch noticed Main Street hadn’t changed much. Some of the gift stores were closed for the night, but the local restaurants were hopping with customers. The wind flowing in from the window he’d cracked open carried the scent of burgers, making his stomach nauseous. After settling in at Wyatt’s place, he hadn’t had much of an appetite. Sometimes the headaches were so skull-crushing he couldn’t eat until the pain eased. Tonight was one of those episodes.
The sights grew more familiar the closer she drove to their neighborhood. When she passed by their street, a sense of confusion enveloped him. He closed his eyes, tried to visualize the location of their house. Finally, he connected the dots. “You missed the turn.”
She looked at him quickly, then back at the road. “No. I live at my mother’s house.”
He frowned, an action that brought on another round of pounding in his skull. The doctors had told him stress would aggravate his symptoms. He hadn’t believed them until now.
“Since when?”
“After I found out I was pregnant. I had a few...difficult months. I sold the house and moved in with her.”
“You sold our house?”
She bit her lower lip, never taking her eyes off the road. “I’m... At the time, it was a good idea. And living with Mom is a great help. She adores Leo.”
He started to nod, then stopped. The pain hadn’t abated. “I get it,” he snapped. With the pain came mood swings he hadn’t entirely learned to manage. “I wasn’t here to help you.”
“No. You weren’t.”
The tension rose between them and the remainder of the ride couldn’t pass quickly enough for Mitch. When they finally pulled into the driveway, he had the door open before she’d completely stopped.
“Mitch. Be careful.”
He pivoted out of the seat, ready to send a zinger Zoe’s way, just as Samantha came out of the house, joy written all over her face. She drew closer and he was afraid she might try to hug him, so he braced himself in anticipation. When she saw the cane, she slowed. Her eyes went wide at his appearance and she completely stopped.
“Oh, Mitch. Zoe said you were...”
The pity in her voice had him grounding his teeth. He leveled his voice. “Samantha. Good to see you.”
He hated looking so helpless, feeling so useless. A shell of the former man.
“Mom, Mitch wants to see Leo.”
“He’s still asleep,” Samantha said.
“We don’t plan on waking him.” Zoe rounded the front of the car to join them. She glanced at Mitch. “Ready?”
In response to her question, he took a halting step forward, then another. She turned and led him into the house, followed by Samantha. Thankfully, her expression had changed.
They entered the living room of the roomy ranch-style house. He’d spent most of his high school years here, visiting Zoe, but also putting some distance between him and his father. The memories were a bit fuzzy right now, but he would never forget that this was where Samantha encouraged his gift. Where he’d taken the first steps in realizing a career that had ultimately taken him away from his family and friends.
Your choice.
Yes, it had been. In pursuit of freedom and adventure, his life had taken a dramatic turn. The ultimate price to pay: nearly losing his life.
“This way,” Zoe said, leading him down the dim hallway. She pushed open a slightly ajar door and disappeared inside the room. Mitch hesitated. Once he went inside, viewed his son for the first time in person, his life would change forever.
Zoe stuck her head back out into the hallway. “Mitch?”
“Give me a moment.”
Annoyance crossed her face, then she was gone again. His world suddenly tilted out of control. He braced a hand against the wall, tried to wrap his mind around the fact that he was a father. Did he have it in him to act like one?
Even when they were trying to get pregnant, the thought of taking care of another life had frequently crossed his mind. He hadn’t taken the idea lightly, no matter what Zoe thought. But unlike most fathers, he hadn’t had nine months to prepare for his role. In his case, he’d had less than an hour to get ready.
Once the panic subsided, he hesitantly stepped through the doorway. A small lamp set on a dresser sent soft light over the room. The scent of... Was that baby powder? In the corner sat a shelf filled with books. Plastic toys littered the rug in front of it.
Zoe stood beside a crib. From across the room, he could see her leaning over. Attending to the baby? She looked at him, the fierce love etched on her face stopping him from moving. He’d always thought Zoe was pretty, but now, she took his breath away. Becoming a mother had transformed her. She was no longer just his high school sweetheart. Before him stood a full-grown woman, a mother, who had become more beautiful in the time he’d been away.
“Come see your son.”
Leaning on the cane, he made his legs move forward. When he came to the side of the crib, he gazed down at the sleeping boy, who had one thumb brushed up against his lips. Mitch’s breath caught and completely left him for a moment.
Zoe moved to give him better access. He stepped closer. Leo’s chest rose as he inhaled and exhaled. Mitch stared, then began taking inventory, like he imagined a father would upon the delivery of his child. Ten fingers and toes. Light colored hair, standing on end. Chunky little legs. Rosy skin. Spiky eyelashes caressing his cheek.
A longing, unlike any he’d ever experienced before in his life, pummeled him. This was his son. His flesh and blood. A miracle.
“He’s so small.”
Zoe fingered the downy soft hair sprouting from his head. “He’s actually at the correct weight percentile, according to his pediatrician.”
“So he’s healthy?”
“Ear infections have plagued him since he first came home, but the pediatrician is on top of the problem. He eats well. Babbles up a storm.”
Mitch tilted his head to get a different view. “What color are his eyes?”
“Blue.”
