Lost and Found Husband. Sheri WhiteFeather

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      Chapter Four

      Eric couldn’t fathom why Dana had called and insisted that he come to her house to see her. She’d claimed it was extremely important. In fact, she sounded nervous, even a little frantic, not at all like the easy-breezy bohemian girl he knew her to be. Her tone of voice had worried him. But this whole thing worried him. He didn’t want to see her again. No, that wasn’t true. He’d been thinking a lot about her since their date, and he’d been tempted to go back to the diner. But how could he do that without wanting her again? And if they got together again, then a relationship might ensue that he wasn’t ready for. So he’d stayed away purposely, retreating to his cautious shell.

      But now here he was, after work, parking his car in front of her house and hoping this wasn’t a ploy on her part. A ploy for what? To seduce him back into her bed? No, he doubted that was it. Dana wasn’t the game-playing type. Something was wrong, something she obviously felt the need to share with him.

      He took the side gate to her place and found her sitting outside at her patio table, waiting for him. She looked pale and anxious. Fragile, he thought, his breath jerking from his lungs. She reminded him of Corrine when she’d first discovered that she was ill. Was Dana ill? Was that why she’d called him?

      He wanted to turn and run, but he moved forward.

      “Hi,” she said softly.

      “Hi,” he replied, and noticed that she had a pitcher of ice water and two glasses on the table. Obviously she wasn’t inviting him inside. Whatever she was going to say would be spoken here.

      He sat across from her, and she poured him a glass of water. She poured one for herself and sipped it. Eric didn’t reach for his. He wasn’t thirsty.

      “Tell me what’s going on, Dana.”

      “I...”

      His fear and worry increased. “Tell me, please.”

      She scooted in her chair, as if she were buying more time. “Okay, here goes.” A slight pause, then, “I’m pregnant, Eric.”

      A haze of white flashed before his eyes. Was she suggesting that the baby was his? No. No way. They’d used protection. They’d been careful. It just wasn’t possible.

      Was it?

      God, he hoped not. He prayed that the baby belonged to someone else. But if it did, then why was Dana telling him about it and not the other man?

      He grabbed his water and swigged, afraid of what she was going to say next.

      “The condom we used was expired, so I think that’s how it happened. It probably had a tear in it or something. I didn’t even think to check the date until...” Her words drifted into the breeze.

      Eric just sat there, his mind spinning. His heart was palpitating, too. “It was me? It’s mine?”

      “Yes, of course it was you. Who else would it be? I haven’t been with anyone since we were together. Or before that night, either.” Her voice hitched. “I’m five weeks along.”

      He drained his glass. Their date had been five weeks ago. “And you’re going to keep it?”

      “Yes,” she said again. “I haven’t told my mother and grandma. I just haven’t been able to bring myself to do that yet.”

      He nodded numbly. He didn’t know what to do or say. He was forty-two years old and was having a baby with a girl nearly half his age. He didn’t want to tell anyone, either.

      Finally he managed, “I’ll give you child support after it’s born. I’ll pay the deductible on your health insurance, too.” Then he stopped to consider the type of job she had. “Do you even have insurance?”

      “No, but I’m going to apply for state aide and see if I fall within the guidelines.”

      That sounded iffy to him. What if she didn’t qualify? Or only qualified for partial coverage? “I’d rather that you had insurance. Just choose a provider and get some online quotes. Then I’ll pay for the policy.” He would have to dip into the last of his savings to cover it, but at least he still had a little money put away. “I want to be sure that you get consistent care.”

      “Thank you. I figured you’d offer to help however you could. You’re a responsible man.”

      “Apparently not responsible enough. I feel terrible about being the one who did this to you.”

      “We really screwed up, didn’t we? Especially me. Inviting you into my bed and providing an old condom.”

      “It’s not your fault any more than it’s mine. But I can’t offer to marry you, Dana. I wish I could create the perfect scenario for you, but how can two people who barely know each other enter into a union like that? We’d be setting ourselves up for a really difficult situation.”

      “I know. I thought about that, too. How we hardly know each other. I didn’t expect you to propose to me. Marriage isn’t the answer.”

      He looked into the vastness of her eyes. Today they were a panicked shade of blue. He could see how scared she was of going it alone. “You vowed that you would never be a single mother.”

      “It’s strange, isn’t it? How life throws challenges at you? How a person’s worst fears can come true.”

      It didn’t seem fair, her being put in that position. He wanted to make it better for her, but short of marriage, which they’d just agreed wasn’t the answer, he was at a loss to help her. “I’m so sorry, Dana.”

      “I’ll be okay. I’ll do whatever I can to make the best of it. I just need to focus on being a mom.”

      Eric had no idea how he was going to focus on being a brand-new dad, especially at this stage of his life. “I’m going to have to figure out a way to tell Kaley, just as you’ll have to tell your family.”

      “I’m going to wait a while. I need time to build up to it.”

      “Have you told anyone else?”

      “Candy knows. She was with me when I took the home pregnancy test. She went to the doctor with me, too.”

      Was that going to be his responsibility later? He hoped not. He’d seen far too many doctors and labs and hospitals during Corrine’s treatment. He knew this wasn’t the same thing, but he still didn’t think he could deal with it. “I’m glad Candy went with you.”