This woman just doesn’t get it no matter how many times I try to make my point. I literally seize her shoulders and give her a small shake. Her head bobbles back and forth, and immediately, I let go.
“Regina. I love you. I want this baby. I want to be with you and the baby both. Anything I might have said in the past was just in jest. Yes, I’m a stressed single father, but everyone complains about their kids. Everyone says that they’re exhausted and have had it with their children. Everyone bitches non-stop about how they have no time for themselves anymore, and how they’re broke and defeated because of their kids. But now that you’re here, and you’re pregnant, I want this to happen. I love you, and I don’t know why you can’t seem to hear me.”
Finally, my words seem to get through and the pretty brunette’s mouth snaps shut.
I step forward and I point at her screen.
“If you want the nursery to look like that, then it will look like that. If you want an oak crib, we’ll have an oak crib. If you want a goddamned solid gold crib, then we’ll have a solid gold crib. If you want to me to import mahogany highchairs crafted by indigenous lemur herders from Madagascar, you’ll have those too. I want what you want, sweetheart. But most of all, I want you.”
She still can’t speak, and one hand rises up to cover her heart. I can see her pulse beating delicately in her throat and resist the urge to press my lips to it.
“Don’t you get it, sweetheart? I want to be with you. Please, Regina. Please tell me that you want to be with me too.”
At that, the beautiful woman flies into my arms. She throws her arms around neck and presses her face into my chest. Sobs erupt from her throat, and I stroke her curls.
“Sweetheart, don’t cry,” I murmur. To my surprise, my cheeks are wet as well. “We’ll figure it out, okay? I know this is your first time as a mommy, and it’s scary, but it’s going to be fine. You’re going to be a wonderful mother, and I’ll be there beside you the entire time.”
She sobs even harder then, and I pull away to gaze into her eyes.
“Will you tell me what’s wrong?” I ask, my own voice hoarse. “Having a baby is a blessing, sweetheart, and I’m sorry, but I can’t see it any other way. I want you, and I want you to be happy. Your happiness means everything to me.”
That only makes Regina cry even harder, but after a few minutes, she’s able to speak again.
“I just … well, I didn’t think you wanted us,” she hiccups. “Not me nor the baby. I figured I was just a nanny who got under your skin, and whom you had a few good times with. I didn’t think you’d want to keep us.”
“Oh, I want to keep you,” I growl, pulling her soft form close against me again. “You and the child both. I’m sorry I said all those stupid things about not wanting more kids, but I never meant any of it. Especially not if you’re the mother of my child.”
Regina pulls back for a moment, her face still tear-stained but beginning to show the first rays of hope.
“I just thought … well, you were so angry about what happened with your ex, and how your children don’t have a mother. I didn’t think you’d want to take the chance again.”
I pull her close and press my lips to her forehead, inhaling Regina’s sweet floral scent.
“No, baby. Don’t you see? With you, I get the best of both worlds. I get to be a father again, and my five children get a mother too. You’re wonderful honey, and the kids love you. They’ve been talking about you non-stop since we’ve been at my parents’ place, and even my parents are getting antsy to meet you.”
“They are?” she asks, looking at me with wonder and astonishment.
I chuckle.
“Yes. Ron and Margaret could tell that I was restless, and they intuited that it was the beautiful nanny whom they’ve been hearing about. They could tell that I wanted to leave, and finally, my dad gave me the go-ahead. The kids are totally fine,” I say. “My sister’s there with her family, so there’s more than enough adult supervision. But sweetheart, they were right. I’ve lost my heart to you, and couldn’t stay away any longer. I love you Regina.”
For the first time during this conversation, my beautiful girl smiles. It’s a gorgeous smile, shy and sweet, and yet so happy too. And then, she says the words I’ve been longing to hear.
“I love you too, Ryan,” she breathes. “I’ve loved you since the moment we met.”