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"Thank you," I say, offering my hand for the doctor to shake.
When we leave the room, we are led back out to the main reception area and are left to make our way out.
As soon as we are out, I grab Teal and hug her. The relief pumping through me is overwhelming. When she showed me the blood, I only feared the worst. I feel as if I have been given a second chance to live my life.
Am I really cut out to handle the stress of fatherhood? What will I be like if something does happen to our child? Will I be a big blubbering mess at every milestone? Our unborn child has awakened a feeling inside that I did not know was there.
"We need to celebrate," I say. "I know this place. The chef is excellent, and the place is never crowded on Mondays. They have these small candle lit tables, and we can take a moment out of our lives to be together and eat. What do you think?"
"That sounds amazing. That’s exactly what I want right now," replies Teal.
We hop back into the car that is waiting for us, and I instruct the driver to take us to Carlucci’s. I call the restaurant on the way, and the very best table is reserved.
When we walk inside the restaurant, I leave all my emotional and work baggage at the door. I need to destress and take a moment. We are shown to a hidden table near the back of the room. There are a couple of people in the restaurant, but we will be hidden away from them.
"What do you recommend?" Teal asks when we take a look at the menu.
"I would usually recommend the clams, but that’s maybe not the best choice for a pregnant woman. How about the lamb, but well done?"
"I don’t think I have ever tried lamb before. You go ahead and order for me. I can’t think about much right now."
I look through the menu and find a couple of starters we can share so Teal can get the full experience. I order us some mains, and then she orders soda water to drink. I take a breath and look at Teal. I take her in for the first time in a long time.
We have been busy and on the go almost since we met. It is nice to take a step back and remember what is important in life. Perhaps when the show is made, I can take a step back for a while. I have filled my entire life with things to do, but it has been a way to fill the void inside me. A void that I did not know needed to be filled until recently, and I know exactly what can fill it.
"What are you thinking about? You are staring at me weirdly, and it is starting to creep me out."
I take a breath. "I was thinking about the future, and the baby, and you."
"Yeah?"
"Today really got to me. I don’t know what I would have done if we had found out something was wrong with the baby or you. I only recently had the two of you come into my life, and I do not want to let you go."
"I’m not going anywhere."
I sip the soda water and lean forward in my chair. "I think it is more than that. When you discovered the bleeding, I was there with you. What if I am not there next time?"
"I can handle myself."
"I know you can, but it is not about you but me. I want to be there to offer help when needed, and if I am too far away from you, I will not be able to do that. Or if you are too far away from me."
"What are you saying?" asks Teal.
I take a moment. "I am not even sure I know. Each time I see you, I feel like I have a purpose in life. And when I got to feel the baby kid for the first time, it brought me more joy than anything ever has. I do not want to miss a second of my child’s life, but it is inevitable that it will happen if we are apart."
"I… what are you suggesting, Logan?"
"I do not want to be apart from the baby, and I do not want to be apart from you, Teal. It does not make sense for you to live in a small apartment when I have room for you in my home. We can give the baby everything he or she needs to flourish."
"You want me to come and live with you? And what? I’ll take the west wing, and you will take the east wing, and we can meet for supper in the evening?"
"No!" I blurt. "If anything, I will be the one taking the west wing. It is much bigger." I let out a chuckle. "I am joking, Teal. No, I do not want it to be like that, and that is the other thing I want to talk to you about. It’s something I have been thinking a lot about recently. We work well together, right? Like not only in our professional lives but our private lives too."
"Yeah, we do," asserts Teal.
"We owe it to ourselves to give it a shot. I am not being crazy, am I?"
Teal looks at me nervously across the table. "I don’t think you are being crazy. Not right now, anyway. I—" She shakes her head as she tries to make sense of it. "I think it is a good idea. I want to try and make this work with you."
