HAPPY FOREVER AFTER

It was the only word he could grasp as he looked at the tiny life on the screen. A whole new life, created from nothing but the urgent, overwhelming desire between the both of them.

And seeing that miracle, and the one on Emma’s face as she saw it, too, the undisguised incredulity and rush of happiness, he couldn’t help but be deliriously happy with her.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t stomach churning terrified still, he just realized that that fear didn’t have to be all consuming. He could be worried to his bones about what effect this little child would have on his life, but still be absolutely, unbelievably happy that they’d made their baby.

He squeezed Emma’s hand a little harder, and she turned her face towards him, her eyes and cheeks lit with happiness and wet with tears.

Her lips widened into a smile. “She’s beautiful!”

“Yes, she is,” Daniel said huskily in her ear.

“Or he,” she said quickly.

“Would you like to find out what you are having?” the doctor offered. “We can take a look.”

“No…no, I don’t think so,” she said. “I want it to be a surprise.”

The doctor took a few more minutes and then stood up, wiping her belly clean. He handed her a picture he printed out of the baby’s profile and returned to his clipboard. After a few scribbled notes, he looked back up at her. “You and the baby are healthy, that’s good. But you need to make sure it stays that way. It’s alright if you feel tired and nauseous sometimes, that’s normal. But I want you to make sure you get enough rest and try not to stress yourself much.”

Emma nodded and struggled to sit up. Daniel eased her into a sitting position.

“So you and your husband must ensure that you take good care of yourself.” the doctor concluded.

“He’s not my-” she began.

“Consider it done,” Daniel smoothly interjected.

The doctor nodded approvingly and shook both their hands. “I would like to see her back in a week,” he said and left.

“Come on,” Daniel said quietly. “Let’s go.”

She let him lead her out of the doctor’s office and to the car without protest. She sat mutely in the car as they drove away, refusing to even look at Daniel.

When they arrived at her apartment, she got out of the car before he could come around for her and she hurried up the stairs. He followed her up, extracted her keys from his pocket and opened the door.

He stepped aside, she walked in and when she tried to shut the door, he put up his hand and pushed his way inside.

“We have to talk, Emma”

She whirled around. “Yes, we do. You said you would give me back my keys and leave. Well we went to the doctor, he said I’m fine. I appreciate you taking me but I want my keys back now. And then I want you to leave.”

Daniel sighed. The intimacy between them just minutes ago at the clinic was lost.

“I will leave after we talk,” he said. “And you don’t sound so grateful to me”.

“What do you want me to say or do, Daniel? She asked.”Give you a hug?”

“Now that I think about it, A hug sounds nice,” Daniel replied.

“Well you are not getting it.. So go away” she said.

“Will you just calm down for once and just fucking listen to me?”

“Fine… What is it?” she asked impatiently.

He took a deep breath. “I think we should get married,” Daniel said.

————————————-

Her mouth fell open. She couldn’t believe her ears.

“You are insane,” she said. “Why the hell would you suggest that?”

“Because you need me. You and the baby need me.” he said simply. He said it like he was asking for something so simple. He was good at that. Making everything sound so simple.

The last time she agreed to something like this, she got hurt. She thought. Pain speared through her chest, robbing her of breath.

“When did you decide this?” she asked.

“I.. I don’t know…. during the scan” he said.

Emma sighed. “Well, thank you so much for the proposal, Daniel. It was very nice and romantic. But like I said before, I don’t need you.”

“Are you saying no because the proposal wasn’t romantic?” he asked grinning. But the smile faded from his face when he saw that she was in no mood for jokes.

“No,” she said. I’m saying no because getting married is not something you just decide to do out of the blue. It requires a certain amount of thinking and understanding between the two people involved. We don’t have that. It’s not something you just decide to do”.

She turned away before he could respond. She framed her belly with her palms and tried not to panic.

Behind her Daniel was silent. Disturbingly so. Then when he spoke there was an odd, strained tone to his voice.

“I know how it sounds.. ” he said.

“Do you?” Emma asked. It was ridiculously old fashioned to get married for the sake of a child. People don’t do it these days. There was no need to.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“Yes I do. But it’s for the baby. And I’m not just talking about financial support, but emotional security for the baby. Having both parents form a tight family unit for him…. Or her” he said.

“You don’t want to marry me,” she cried.

“I… I just want to help, Emma” he said softly.

“And I appreciate that, Daniel,” Emma said. “Honestly, I do. And I understand why you think marriage might be important, but it isn’t. There are lots of single mothers out there. And they are doing fine. My mom took care of Isabel and I after my Dad left.”

“I want my baby to have a father. A real, complete family” he said.

“I told you before that you can be involved if you want. So the baby is going to have a father. But I’m not going to marry you just because I’m pregnant. Actually, I need to be away from you right now. The last time I let myself get so close to you, I got hurt… When you left, maybe it wasn’t such a big deal to you. But it was for me, because I…” she swallowed hard and continued. “Because I fell in love with you. I made the mistake of thinking that we could be more… I know I shouldn’t have… But I did. I couldn’t help it”.

She was grateful she had her back turned to him. Because she wasn’t sure she would have been able to face him. “I fell in love with you… And right now I just want to be away from you. So please just… go”

She loved him.

Daniel blinked. Not knowing what to do with that piece of information. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth. But no words came out.

Then she heard him move. He dropped her keys on the table.

“I just hope you know that I’m here for you,” he said.

His footsteps were heavy on the floor and then the door shut quietly behind him.

After he left, Emma sank onto the couch and massaged her forehead.

Great. The stupid headache was back.