“Kenna’s pregnant,” I snapped at Ford. His mouth fell open in response.

Bell held up a hand at Ford. “He’s right. We should’ve told him. I’m sorry, Crosby.”

I shook my head, not having time to deal with this right now. “Let’s go,” I told Dr. Castor.

She turned away from our dramatic scene, leading me through a maze of hallways and up in an elevator. When we finally reached the open door to a room, I froze. There she was, my fierce, tender-hearted girl. She looked so incredibly frail hooked up to a bunch of machines.

Dr. Castor cleared her throat. “Go on in. She’s just asleep, not unconscious.”

I nodded woodenly and slowly made my way to her. The chair screeched against the floor as I pulled it closer to the bed. I eased into it and took Kenna’s hand, careful to avoid the IV and the oxygen monitor.

I pressed her hand to my lips, just holding it there. “Brown Eyes…” Tears gathered in my eyes, spilling over and tracking down my cheeks. “You have to be okay. You and our little gremlin. We’re gonna be a family. And I’m going to be there for you every step of the way.”

I searched her face for any sign of wakefulness. There was none. I rested her arm back on the bed, keeping her hand in one of mine. With my other hand, I slowly reached out, careful to avoid her casted arm and any tubes, and rested my palm gently on her belly. “I love you, Kenna.”

Warmth spread up my arm and into my chest. We’d created a living being. And this little miracle was already so incredibly strong. “I love you, too, little one. I’m going to be the best dad possible. I’ll probably mess up a whole hell of a lot, but you’ll never have to question how much I love you.”

I let my eyes fall closed, sending up more silent prayers. Please don’t take my life away from me when it’s only just begun.

50

Kenna

We’re gonna be a family. I love you. The phrases floated around in my mind, but I couldn’t seem to grab hold of any of them. Behind it all was a faint beeping. That and pain. I let out a little moan.

“Kenna? Are you awake? Open those pretty eyes.”

Crosby’s voice tugged at me, but so did the call of sleep.

“Please, baby. I need to know you’re okay.”

The sheer agony in Crosby’s voice had me fighting to flutter my eyes open.

“There she is. God, you scared the hell out of me.”

He looked ravaged as if he’d lived a hundred lifetimes in the time I had been asleep. I tried to speak, but my throat screamed. “Water?” I could barely get the single hoarse word out.