Chapter 37

JAMES

“JAMES!” The sound of my name being yelled jolts me awake. Jack’s face is red with anger, and Anna and Becca are struggling to hold him back.

“What’s happening?” I mumble, sitting up.

“You got my Anna pregnant!” he bellows.

I roll my eyes. “Well, yeah. The evidence is right there,” I say, pointing at Olivia who is, thankfully, still asleep.

“No, you did it again! And the timing!” Jack shrieks.

I shake my head, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Anna is pregnant, you idiot!” he yells again.

I turn to Anna, who looks like she’s on the verge of breaking down.

“You’re pregnant?” I ask her, completely taken aback.

“I don’t know. But I am five days late,” she admits.

Oh, shit. And Jack just found out.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out for sure,” I tell her, getting out of bed.

“You’re not mad?”

I shrug. “Of course not. I’d be happy to be a dad again,” I assure her.

“I’m probably not pregnant. It’s not the first time I’ve been late,” she says, her voice shaky.

I raise an eyebrow. “You’re never late, babe,” I remind her. I probably know her body better than anyone else. Well, except for her.

“How…,” she starts.

“A, we were together for years. Do you really think I don’t know when your period is due—or how regular it is?” I say, rolling my eyes.

“So, not mad?” she asks again.

“Why would I be mad? It’s not like I've been holding back,” I say with a grin, making her blush.

“Enough!” Jack yells. He paces around the room. Becca shakes her head. “I really didn’t need to hear this,” he mutters, sounding disappointed.

“Are you mad, Dad?” Anna asks, her lip trembling.

Jack’s face softens, Becca glares at him. Anna’s body sags. She looks like she might faint from the shock.

“Fuck.” I jump up and rush over to her, hoping to catch her in time.

But I’m too late. She crumples to the floor. I kneel down and pull her into my arms.

“It’s going to be okay. I’m not going anywhere. You’ll see,” I whisper.

She buries her head in the crook of my neck and cries softly. I wrap my arms around her, feeling anything but angry.

Becca is practically yelling at Jack—scolding him like the child he’s acting like. I pick Anna up and carry her out of the room.

“Where are you taking her?” Jack asks.

“OB-GYN ward. I’m going to ask the nurse for a test before Anna decides that she’s all alone, and a failure, once again. Thanks for that, by the way,” I say, glaring at him.

He swallows as Becca smacks him on the back of the head.

“I’m coming with you.” she says. “I need a test as well.” She turns to Jack and says fiercely, “~You~ just stay right here. I don’t want you anywhere near me or my daughter.

“Stay with Olivia, and don’t you dare move or I’ll hit you where it really hurts.”

I walk, with Anna in my arms and Becca beside me, into the OB-GYN department. As we approach the reception, Becca speaks up.

“He’s just shocked, Anna,” she says, rubbing Anna’s thigh.

“I know, Mom. It just hurts,” she replies, sobbing.

“I’ll talk to him. But just know that even though he’s shocked, he’d never leave you. I guess it’s hard for him to see you all grown up like this.

“I struggle with it too, and I got to see you grow up. He didn’t have that. Give him a minute. Not being here with me right now to find out whether I’m really pregnant will be enough of a wake-up call.

“I know your dad—he’s devastated right now,” she assures Anna.

Anna nods, but all I can focus on right now is the bombshell she just dropped. “You’re pregnant?” I ask, stunned.

“What? I’m not too old to have another child,” she says as if that was what I was implying.

“That’s not what I meant!”

She punches me on the shoulder. “I know,” she admits.

We reach the reception desk. “Hi, we need to see a doctor,” Becca announces.

“Well, you have to have an appointment,” the receptionist tells her.

I sigh. “Do we really?” I ask her.

Her eyes meet mine. “James Brown?”

“Yes,” I confirm. “Now can we please see a doctor? It won’t take much of their time. We just need to confirm two pregnancies.”

The receptionist’s eyes widen as she looks from Anna, to Becca, and back to me.

“Of course,” she says, her cheeks turning pink.

“Mom?” Anna says, stirring in my arms.

“Yes, baby?”

“Is Dad really mad?”

Becca shakes her head. “If I really am pregnant, he’ll forget all about it,” she says with a laugh.

“And then he’ll kill me,” I say, a bit worried.

“He won’t,” Becca assures me.

The receptionist looks up from her computer. “Okay, so the doctor can see the three of you right now,” she says, raising her eyebrow.

The doctor comes out of her office—and I recognize her immediately. “Brittany,” I sneer.

“James?” Brittany’s voice rings out, her surprise evident. I can’t believe this high school queen bee turned into a doctor. Back in the day, she was the cheerleader everyone feared.

Her blond hair and blue eyes are the same as they were when we were teenagers. She was popular, but not for her personality. She slept with the entire football team, except for me.

She used to wear a ton of makeup in high school, but that’s the only thing that’s changed. I guess the cheerleader queen had a brain after all.

“Anna?” Brittany’s gaze lands on the girl in my arms.

“Yes, and I’m Rebecca,” Becca interjects, her tone sharp. “Can we get this over with?” She shoots a glare at Brittany.

I shake my head, turning to face her. “I’m not letting either of you go into her office. She made Anna’s life hell in high school, and probably middle school too.”

Brittany swallows hard. “James, that was a long time ago. I’ve changed,” she pleads, but I’m not buying it.

Becca steps closer to me.

“You’re Rebecca Johnson, right?” Brittany asks, her voice filled with awe.

Becca nods. “And you’re one of the girls who tormented Anna?”

Brittany stammers, “I...I’ve always admired you,” avoiding Becca’s question.

Becca rolls her eyes, closing the distance between her and Brittany.

Brittany swallows again. “I never tormented anyone,” she insists, her voice shaky.

“Mom, stop,” Anna interrupts, stepping out of my arms. I let her go and she straightens up.

“Hi, Brittany,” she greets, extending her hand. “My mom and I need pregnancy tests. Can you do that?”

Brittany’s gaze flickers between Anna and Becca. “I didn’t see that coming,” she admits.

“Neither did we. But we have other things to do, so can we just pee on a stick or something?”

Brittany shakes her head. “No, I’ll draw some blood.”

“Fine,” I mutter, taking Anna’s hand and leading her into the room.

Brittany draws blood from both of them and sends it to the lab. She also collects urine samples. It’s just a precaution—we’ll have the blood test results by tonight.

She dips a stick into each sample. Both come back pink.

“Anna, you’re definitely pregnant,” she confirms.

Anna’s crying stops instantly. “Really?”

I can’t help but smile.

“I’m going to be a mom again?” Anna asks, her voice filled with disbelief.

“Again?” Brittany questions.

“Yes, we already have a daughter,” I explain.

Brittany types something into her computer. “Ah, I see. Olivia Johnson-Brown. She’s a patient here?”

“Yes, she—” Anna starts, but breaks down crying again.

“She’s been diagnosed with cancer,” I finish for her.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Brittany says, her voice filled with sympathy. “But there’s good news. Umbilical cord blood has been very effective in treating cancer.

“I can talk to Jasmine—maybe we can adjust Olivia’s treatment plan. It could also help with her chemo.”

“So, having another baby could help my little girl?” Anna asks.

“Yes.”

“Wow,” she breathes, looking at me.

I can only smile.

~I’m going to be a dad again.~

And this time, I’ll be there from the start.

“As for you, Rebecca,” Brittany begins. “You’re pregnant too.”

Becca rubs her forehead.

“Dad is going to be so happy!” Anna exclaims. “I’m going to be a big sister!”

“Your dad is going to kill me!” I groan.

“No, he won’t. If Jack Williams does anything but support this, he’ll have to deal with me,” Becca declares.