Page 40 of The Doctor

I drive like a madman, speeding, running red lights (when I can) with my emergency flashers going the entire time. I park where I would if I were on call instead of the father-to-be, needing to get to Raine as soon as possible.

Sliding into the maternity ward, I check in, only to find Raine beat me to the hospital. Now all I can do is wait for the elevator.

I’m not sure what I’m more nervous about, becoming a father or seeing Raine after a month of her dodging me.

The second I step off the elevator, one of the labor and delivery nurses spots me and comes to direct me. “Dr. Winslow, your um… Miss Storm was just taken into a room and is asking for you.”

“Which room?” I ask as I start down the hallway.

“We put her in suite three.”

“How is she?” I ask, striding down the hall.

“They’re getting ready to take her to the OR, so you need to hurry.”

Not wasting any time, I jog to the suite. For a brief moment, I raise my hand to knock and then think better of it. Raine asked me to be here, and none of this is something I haven’t seen before.

Only this time, the energy is different when I step into the room. Tonight, I’m not the doctor in control but the father who must take orders from everyone around me.

“Kade,” Raine calls out in wonder, holding her hand out to me.

I’m by her side in less than a second, taking her hand in mine. “Hey, Rainbow. How are you feeling?”

“It hurts, and I’m scared,” her lower lip trembles. “Promise me you’re going to be by my side the whole time. I can’t do this alone.”

Picking up her hand, I kiss her knuckles. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

“Hey, Kade,” Lexie says, walking over to Raine’s other side. “I’m going to call Ryder and let him know what’s going on.” Her eyes flick to mine. “I’ll be sitting out in the waiting room. Let me know how she is doing once she’s out, will you?”

“Will do. Thanks for bringing her in and taking care of her for the last month.”

Lexie smiles back at me as she slips out of the room.

“How did you know?” Raine asks quietly.

“She’s your friend, and… I’ve been by your apartment enough times to know you’re never there. I thought about looking up where you work, but I took the hint that you wanted me to leave you alone.” I swallow my pride and add. “Thanks for letting me be here.”

Tears well up in her eyes. “I didn’t mean for it to go on this long. I was upset, and Lexie offered me work to make some extra cash, and I took her up on it.” She looks down at her hand that I’m still holding. “Then my mom came for a visit.” She rubs her other hand over her stomach. “It didn’t go well. She wants me to put the baby up for adoption. If I don’t…”

“She’ll change her mind once she meets her granddaughter.”

“Dr. Winslow, you need to change into your scrubs if you’re coming in for the delivery with her,” one of the nurses says.

“Thanks, Darcy.” Leaning down, I meet Raine’s eyes. “I’m going to get changed, but I’ll be right back.”

Her grip on my hand tightens. “Do you really have to change?”

“I can’t go into the OR in these clothes. It’ll be okay. I’ll just be a minute, and I’ll be out before you know it.”

She nods. “Is it killing you to not ask questions and look at my chart?”

“A little bit, but that’s okay. It’s interesting seeing it on this side of the room. It might teach me how to be a better doctor. Now stop stalling me, or I won’t be there with you.”

Raine laughs and then grabs her stomach, her eyes closing. “Hurry up and go before it’s too late.”

It doesn’t take me long to rid myself of my street clothes and don my scrubs. I’ve done this routine so many times I could do it with my eyes closed.

The nurses have Raine ready to wheel out by the time I step out of the bathroom.

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