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I force a smile and slow my steps, but as soon as she’s gone, I swerve around a corner and run faster, until finally I’m stopping in front of 403. Perfect. It took forever, but I’m finally hear. Just a few hours later than I should have been. I inhale deeply, trying in vain to calm my beating heart while I run my hands through my hair. Tidying myself makes me feel the tiniest bit better for not answering my phone and so I push open the door, finding Rachel in bed and Seth hovering over her.
Rachel turns toward me, her movements sluggish and her smile sleepy. “Hey,” she murmurs while reaching for me.
My fingers lace with hers and my heart stops beating as I take in the IV in her arm and the long sigh from Seth’s lips. “Hey, yourself,” I whisper before brushing my lips over her brow. “I’m so sorry. I came as fast as I could.”
Rachel’s smile widens. Her eyes can barely focus on me. She’s clearly drugged. Tears prickle my eyes as I wonder what happened, if we lost the baby, if she had to suffer through so much pain without me by her side.
“We had a little girl,” she says with a soft chuckle.
“Really?” I blink away my tears, my heart pounding so hard I worry it’s going to explode out of my chest.
Rachel nods and she turns to Seth. “You should go take him to meet her. To meet our little Maria.”
I glance over my shoulder, meeting Seth’s gaze. He isn’t scowling, but the way he’s looking at me makes it known he’s not the happiest with me. And I don’t blame him. I’m quite pissed with myself too.
“Can I meet her?” I ask while pulling away from Rachel.
It takes Seth a second too long until he finally nods and turns away from me. He opens the door, continuing through it without me.
“I will be right back,” I whisper to Rachel, brushing my lips over her wrist before following after Seth.
I find him in the hall, leaning against the wall opposite me. “It took you long enough,” he says while crossing his arms. “For a second, I didn’t think you would ever show.”
“I’m so sorry.” My shoulders slump and my hands hang uselessly at my side. “I have no excuse. I should have been there for her, and I wasn’t.” I hate the rasp in my voice, how my eyes sting with unshed tears. “I never should have left.”
Seth sighs. I wait for him to lay it on me, to yell at me for being a terrible boyfriend. God. For being a terrible father. This is how I am going to start the next part of my life? By missing out on Rachel giving birth to our child? Man, I really am my father’s son. I thought I was going to be better. Instead, I turn out to be just like him.
“You know what,” Seth says slowly while kicking away from the wall. “It’s not your fault.”
My breath stills and I watch Seth, wondering if he’s just saying that before punching me in the face. He lifts his hand and I brace for impact, but instead he lays it on my shoulder.
“We didn’t know Rachel was going to give birth this soon.”
“But, but—” I’m shocked. I have no clue what to say. Seth is never this…empathetic, or sensitive. “You’re not mad?”
Seth tosses back his head and laughs. “No, I’m pissed, but you look so pathetic, how can I rub it in your face? You’ve already beaten yourself up for it. What good will it do if I lay it on you as well?”
Seth wraps an arm around my shoulder, and I allow him to guide me down the hall, toward wherever our little girl is being held. “So,” I begin hesitantly, “everything went okay? The baby is healthy?”
“Maria is healthy,” Seth says with a bright smile. “But because she came a bit early, they’re running some tests, making sure she’s okay. Rachel will have to stay for at least a week. C-sections are no joke.”
“Oh, so they still gave her a c-section?”
Seth bobs his head. “It was scary, but we made it through. Honestly, it was probably better not having everyone here. You would be barking orders and agitating me, Hunter would have been freaking out, Alex would’ve… Well,” Seth adds thoughtfully, “Alex would have been perfectly fine. He can come the next time.”
“Next time?” I laugh. “You want there to be a next time? You? The one who was so angry he stormed off and didn’t come home for like…a week and a half?”
Seth smirks. “I’ve had a change of heart.”
“Oh, really?” I raise an eyebrow. “Did little Maria have anything to do with it?”
Seth shrugs. “Maria and Rachel.”
I lean into Seth, wrapping my arm around his waist. “So does that mean, you’re finally going to forgive me?”
Seth gives me a dark scowl, but his arm remains on my shoulder. “It’s kinda hard to forgive someone when they haven’t bothered to apologize.”
I roll my eyes. “Do you really need an apology?”
