A Special Summer (Love Conquers All) (16 page)

Nick had mad love for Kevin, but at times like now, he had no concept of time. Just because he was a night owl didn’t mean the rest of the world was. He should have known if Nick was up this late it meant he was most likely finishing some work and would be heading to bed. Sleep was important to Nick, even if it meant only a few hours. Nick figured he’d better answer his question so he could get to bed.

“Yeah man she’s going.”

“Word?”

“Word.” Nick said with a hint of smugness. Wasn’t nothing slow about him, he knew Kevin doubted Summer would go away with him.

“That’s what’s up brotha, do your thing.”

“Plan on it my man. Listen, don’t mean to be rude, but I gotta to get some shut eye.”

“Oh my bad, it is a little late, isn’t it?”

Nick shook his head. If he didn’t love Kevin like a brother he’d cussed him out like nobody’s business.

“Yeah dude it’s two in the morning.”

Kevin chucked. “A’ight, man I’ll check you later.”

“Later, Kev.”

“Nick?”

Here we go.
“Yeah man?”

“Be cool.” No further explanation was needed. Nick understood he was referring to his reckless temper.

“I’m already ahead of you man.”

Friday morning Summer padded between her bedroom and the bathroom as she packed last minute necessities and toiletries for her weekend with Nick. Hopefully the trip would be uneventful. She had finally convinced herself spending time alone with Nick wouldn’t be too bad just as long as he didn’t act like a fool. Hopefully, once they cleared the air, they could get down to what was most important…the baby.

Summer was anxious to know how they would go about raising the baby while living in separate households.

What would they name the baby? Would the baby be a Jackson or Stiles?

Humming her favorite song,
At Last
by Etta James, Summer moved over to the bed peering inside her suitcase to make sure she had everything. “I have my gowns, panties, bras, socks, slippers…am I forgetting anything?”

“Whoa!”

A sudden sharp pain in her lower abdomen stilled Summer. Easing down on the bed, she touched her swollen belly, which was now rigid from a contraction.
It’ll pass,
she persuaded herself.

Sitting motionless on the bed until it was safe, Summer gingerly stood and proceeded to close the small suitcase as if doing so rapidly would bring on another contraction. Deciding to play it safe, she left the small suitcase on the bed. “Nick can bring it down for me when he gets here.”

By the time her foot hit the last step it happened again.

“Ooooh, let me sit my butt down.”

Glancing at her watch and easing down on the step, seventeen minutes had passed since the last contraction. This was not happening now! Not when she had worked up the nerve to deal with Nick and the twenty million questions he had for her. Finally warming up to the idea of facing him head on, she had to go and start having contractions again. If Summer were a cussing woman, she would’ve invented a few choice words of her own. “Maybe this’ll be the last one.”

Willing the contractions to cease, she glanced at her watch again.
Good, thirty minutes since the last one.

Summer was starved, but was too afraid to move. Her intentions had been to fix breakfast and snacks for the long ride for herself and Nick. The ringing of the doorbell interrupted her thoughts of deciding whether she should attempt to do the tasks.

On wobbly feet, she stood taking baby steps to the front door. Hand on doorknob, Summer masked her worried expression with a pasted on smile before she opened the door.

“Hey Nick, come on in.” Nick frowned at Summer’s back as she turned and headed toward the stairs. She talked nonstop as her words came out rushed and hurried. “I’m all ready to go I just need you to get my suitcase I thought I was gonna have breakfast ready for us but
…
”

Confusion marred Nick’s features as he listened to her mouth move a hundred miles an hour.
What the hell is her problem?
“Summer, slow down, you’re talking too fast.”

Summer spun around to face him. “Huh? …Aaaawh, this one really hurts.” Summer moaned as she sank to her knees and doubled over from the pain. If this is what hours of labor was going to be like she definitely was not up for the challenge.

With a few long strides Nick was crouched down by her side. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been having contractions this morning.”

With one fluid move, Nick carried Summer over to the sofa and gently laid her down.

Kneeling down on the floor next to her, he hadn’t a clue what to do.
Is she about to have the baby now? Isn’t it too early?
Nick felt helpless at the thought of his child struggling to survive because he or she was born too early. It was that last thought that made him ask, “Shouldn’t we call your doctor?”

Summer nodded her head.

♥♥♥

Nick anxiously paced the floor as Summer lay in the hospital bed infused with IV fluids and attached to a fetal monitor. The rapid, rhythmic, pulsation of the baby’s tiny heart was the only audible sound in the room. It reminded him of one of those relaxation or meditation tapes that played sounds of nature, like waterfalls or birds chirping. Surprisingly the rhythmic sound soon began to have a calming effect on him.

That’s my baby in there. I’m going be a daddy.

That’s what he wanted his son or daughter to call him. Not father like he was forced to call his dad. The title father always felt so cold, so distant. He definitely, under any circumstances, did not want his child to call him father. He or she would call him daddy.
Daddy
. The very thought had elicit a lopsided grin. Funny how things change, last year this time the thought of being anyone’s daddy was the furthest thing from Nick’s mind.

What in the world is he looking at me like that for? And why does he have that goofy grin on his face?

Unconsciously, Summer matched his goofy grin. “What are you grinning for?”

“I was just thinking that I’m going to be a daddy soon.”

Turning serious the grin evaporated from her face “Are you okay with that?”

“I have
―
”

Nick was about to tell her that he had come to terms with his soon to be status of fatherhood, however, the doctor barging into the room interrupted him.

Summer wanted to scream. Dr. Neil had horrible timing

The doctor walked over to Nick and offered his hand, “Good afternoon, I’m Dr. Neil. You must be the soon-to-be proud papa.”

Nick accepted the proffered hand as Dr. Neil vigorously pumped his hand and smiled with much animation.

Nick eyed the middle-aged balding man who was slightly taller than Summer by an inch or two. He reminded Nick of a cartoon character. “That would be me. I’m Nick Stiles.”Turning his attention to his patient, Dr. Neil said, “Miss Jackson, I thought we were all done with these premature contractions. You were doing so well.”

Nick’s head snapped back as if he were slapped.
All done with these contractions? I thought this morning was the first time she had them?
Nick felt annoyance creeping into his bones. He cursed under his breath.
Here we go again.

Summer felt the stare emanating from Nick. Nervously she glanced at him then averted her eyes back to Dr. Neil. Nick’s disposition changed as quickly as the Chicago wind. Summer swore she heard him cursing under his breath.

“I was doing fine until this morning.”

Dr. Neil’s walk was animated as he bounced over to the fetal monitor to study the strip of paper that hung from it. “The medication has stopped the contractions for now.”

Summer breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, can I go home now?”

The little man pressed his lips together as if in deep thought. “Mmm, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

”Why?” Summer asked with tears filling her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to be in the hospital hooked up to a fetal monitor and IV fluids. Why should she have to when the contractions had stopped?

Reading her thoughts, Dr. Neil expressed his reservations. “Summer, I’m concerned about you being at home alone. If I were to release you home you would need to be on bed rest with very limited activity. That means no going up and down stairs and only getting out of bed to bathe, use the bathroom, and maybe sitting up in a chair for no more than thirty minutes at a time. I know you live alone and you would definitely need someone at home to help you.” He paused in giving his speech. He felt terrible because Summer was quietly sobbing. What was he

to do? His main concern was that of the health and welfare of the unborn child. Keeping the mother safe and contraction free was the best way to ensure the delivery of a viable infant.

Both men rushed to her side as she expressed being distraught. Nick stood by her side while Dr. Neil sat on the bed and took her hand in his.

“Summer, I’m sorry, but I have to do what’s best for the baby. As you know you’re thirty-six weeks pregnant, we have to get you to at least thirty-eight weeks so that the baby’s lungs are fully mature.”

Covering her face with her hands, Summer continued to sob. She felt like she was losing what little control she had. She’d never been sick a day in her life. The worse she ever experienced was having morning sickness during the first trimester of pregnancy.

As a nurse she comprehended everything the doctor was saying, she too wanted a healthy baby. However, there had to be another way to continue her pregnancy without being confined to one room for a month. At least at home, she’d be in her own environment. In between sobs she pleaded with her doctor.

“I know all of that Dr. Neil, but I want to go home. I don’t want to stay in the hospital for a month. I promise not to do too much.”

Summer’s mind ran wild thinking of someone, anyone who could sit with her during the day so she could go home. Starr and Ava couldn’t do it, they had to work. Maybe she could call her mom to come stay with her. When she learned Summer had begun to have premature contractions she’d been itching to get back to Philly. Summer frowned and nixed that idea. Her mother would drive her nuts!

Nick hated to see her so distraught over not being able to go home. He’d never seen one woman cry so much. Every time he turned around, she was crying for one reason or another. Guilt gnawed at him, he
was
the main source of her recent spells of weeping.

“Dr. Neil, I’m taking Summer home.” Before the doctor could object, Nick put his hand up cutting him off. “I’ll make certain she has around-the-clock care.”

A surge of relief flowed through Summer as she reached for Nick’s hand and squeezed it.

“Thanks Nick.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

It was settled, Summer was going home.

As Nick’s vehicle pulled off from in front of the hospital Summer felt a heavy weight lift from her shoulders. Thank goodness she wouldn’t be spending four weeks in the hospital. Unless she started to have contractions within the next two weeks Dr. Neil informed her she could stay home. If she went into labor after that, the baby would be fine.

Settling back into the soft leather upholstery of the vehicle, Summer began mentally rehashing the last few hours. Suddenly she felt foolish, downright simple.
I acted like a complete brat! Whining and crying like I was ten years old! And I have the nerve to soon be somebody’s momma. Nick and Dr. Neil probably think I’m a basket case carrying on like I didn’t have a bit of sense!
Shaking away the thought she gazed lovingly at Nick. He was so sweet, offering to have someone come to her house to watch over her so she wouldn’t have to stay in the hospital.

Concentrating on the road, he hadn’t paid any attention to Summer intently watching him, her thoughts turning from appreciation of his kindness to appreciation of his good looks.
Oh my goodness brotha is too fine!
Just looking at him had her body tingling all over settling dead smack between her legs causing her to squirm in her seat. It’s been months since she experienced such sensations. Only one man was capable of evoking such a reaction.

Summer wasn’t sure if he saw her squirming, she camouflaged the movement by maneuvering her body in the seatbelt facing him. She wanted to tell him how much it meant to her that he’d convinced Dr. Neil to let her go home. How she would have been totally depressed

if she had to be confined to one room for the next four weeks. Of course if she absolutely had to do it, she would’ve. However, she would have hated every single minute of it.

The movement of her body drew Nick’s attention; he could tell she was thinking about something.

“What’s up, Summer?” he asked as he brought the car to a stop at a red light.

“I just want to thank you for taking me home. It’s really sweet of you.”