Billy's Baby - Annie J. Rose Page 0,70

knew, the better chance I had of getting out alive. I remembered that much of my training from my service.

I heard beeping and the shuffle of footsteps. A lab? A warehouse? Muffled voices. I wasn’t alone. I forced my eyes open again. The pain from the brightness wasn’t so bad this time. “Light,” I tried to say. My voice was gravelly like I’d breathed in too much smoke. I couldn’t remember any fire though. The lights dimmed and someone gave a cry. My name.

“Billy!”

Slowly, gingerly I turned toward the sound, rolling my head on the pillow. Morgan. She leaned over me, beaming happily, but with tears on her face. She looked worried. I was trying to puzzle it together. There were more footsteps and voices. A team of people in white coats surrounded me. They took my blood pressure and my pulse and made me answer questions about what year it was and what my name was.

“It’s good to see you up, Mr. O’Shea. It was touch and go for a while there,” the doctor said.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“During the tropical storm a while back, you got sustained a head injury. You’ve been in a coma,” a nurse informed me.

“How long?” I asked, swiveling my glance to Morgan as soon as they finished shining a light in my eyes and checking my pupils.

“Three months,” she said.

“And this woman here hasn’t left your side,” the doctor said jovially.

“Three months? You’ve been here the whole time?” I asked, confused.

“I wasn’t about to leave you,” she said. “It’s okay. You can rest. We’ll talk later. I’m not going anywhere.”

When the doctors and nurses were satisfied with my vitals and I had sipped some water, they left us alone.

“Come here,” I said, patting the bed beside me.

“Only if you’ll rest,” she said sternly.

I nodded. She climbed onto the bed and stretched out beside me. She was being so careful like she was afraid to hurt me.

“Sorry I scared you,” I managed to say.

“You’re back. You’re here,” she said, leaning her head against my arm a little. I took her hand in mine.

“You stayed.”

“Yes. I did. Now rest,” she ordered.

I wanted to stay awake, demand answers, but I was so tired and weak that sleep dragged me under.

When I woke up, she was beside me. I struggled to sit up. She got me a sip of water and I found that I could move more easily.

“They unhooked some of your wires and tubes,” she said, and helped adjust the bed so I could sit up. She stepped out for a minute while a nurse came in to check me. When she came back, she was sipping tea and I got a good look at her. At her beautiful, tired face. At the swell of her stomach. My eyes shot to hers and locked on.

She smiled a little shyly. “I found out the week after the storm.”

Wonder coursed through me. I reached for her and she set my hand on the curve of her belly. I looked at her, my eyes stinging. A life, a beautiful new life born of what we’d shared.

“Please don’t leave,” I choked out. She sat on the edge of the bed.

“Don’t get upset. Everything will be fine. I’m taking care of myself, drinking plenty of water. I even did some freelance work while you were in here. Nothing has to be decided today. You can be as much a part of her life as—"

“Don’t,” I said harshly. Taken aback, she wrinkled her brow at me, pulled away from my hand. “I love you. Never say I can be part of her life. Like you’re not my life, you and this baby. Like you’re not everything to me. You know how I feel. It’s no less true than the day the storm hit, Morgan. I’m in love with you and that’s not changing. So before you play the courageous Madonna with me, remember who you’re talking to. The man who loves you more than anything. The man that’s going to marry you and take care of you and our baby.”

“You are still a bossy asshole,” she grinned and kissed my cheek. “A bossy asshole with a beard.”

“A beard? I have four fucking brothers and not one of them could take time to shave me?” I grumbled.

“Easy now. You sound like Connor. And I’m not marrying anyone till I’m good and ready.”

“Oh, and when will that be?” I challenged.

“When you ask me nicely,” she teased. I pulled her into my