Beyond the Breaking Point (37 page)

Cassidy glanced over her shoulders in their direction, but her gaze was on Max. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you don’t miss anything.”

Enjoy it while it lasts, old buddy, Phillip thought ferociously as he retook his seat.

Max returned the seat to its previous position, picked up the parenting magazine Cassidy had been leafing through, and sat with it in his hands.

Inwardly, Phillip snorted, knowing Max wouldn’t need the damn thing. Not with this child. This baby was his.

Phillip pulled out his cell phone and passed the time by checking his emails. It wasn’t long before their names were called. She led them to an exam room with a file folder with Cassidy’s name hanging on the door. Inside, Cassidy sat on the exam table, fully dressed.

“The doctor will be with you shortly.”

Other than the stool with wheels obviously used by the doctor, there was only one seat, a straight-back chair near the sink. Having entered the room first, Phillip snagged it, feeling smug until Max made a beeline for Cassidy and stood entirely too close. They murmured in low-voiced conversation while he fumed.

Phillip occupied himself with his phone again, feigning a calmness he didn’t feel. He was relieved when her doctor breezed into the office and Max moved away from Cassidy’s side.

“Cassidy, how are we doing today?”

“Good, Dr. Manning.”

“Uh-huh. Let’s take a look,” the older woman told his wife. She opened her laptop and scanned the information listed. Then she gazed up. “Still experiencing nausea?”

“It’s starting to taper off, but if I get stressed it comes roaring back.”

“Your weight’s lower than I like. We’ll give it another month for the first trimester to end. If it doesn’t come up then, we’ll have to take some measures.” She waited for Cassidy’s nod. “Your blood pressure’s higher than I like to see in my patients. What have you been eating?”

Cassidy gave her a rundown.

“Hmm, doesn’t sound like it’s your diet. You mentioned stress earlier.”

Cassidy glanced briefly at him and Max before saying, “Things have been a little stressful lately.”

Her doctor gazed at them speculatively. “I see.”

“Dr. Manning, you never met my husband, Phillip.” Cassidy waved a hand in his direction. “And this is Max. Based upon the date of conception, I couldn’t determine the father so both are here. Although Phillip and I are in the process of divorcing, both men wanted to hear the baby’s heartbeat.”

No, we’re not
.
You just think we are
. He kept his thoughts to himself and greeted the doctor politely. “Hello.”

“Let’s not keep them waiting.” She sat on the stool and rolled it over to the machine in the corner. It came on with a silent hum. “Pull up your top for me. I’m going to roll down the waistband of your pants and tuck a towel inside.” She seemed to catch herself and chuckled. “You know the drill.”

“It’s different on this side,” Cassidy told her.

Phillip watched the proceedings avidly.

“We did an ultrasound on the first visit, but I’ll do one again for the fathers. It never hurts to make sure the baby is developing properly,” Dr. Manning said.

Father, Phillip corrected silently. Only one of them was the father—him. He quickly forgot his irritation as the screen came to life. Unconsciously, he rose and moved closer.

“There he is,” Dr. Manning said.

He hopped on her statement. “It’s a boy?”

“It’s too soon to tell,” Cassidy said.

“I apologize. I tend to use the male gender until we know for sure. It’s a bad habit and very misleading.” She went on to describe what she was seeing, calling out measurements, and pointing out the baby’s various body parts. If she hadn’t shown him, he couldn’t have described what he was seeing.

Phillip couldn’t describe the emotion clogging his heart and throat at the first sight of his child. The only fly in the ointment was Max’s presence. This should be an intimate moment between him and his wife.

Then Dr. Manning flipped a switch and the sound of a rapid heartbeat filled the room. Phillip made a vow to his child.
Nothing and no one will keep me from you. I promise
.

Chapter Twenty

Cassidy lay on the inclined exam table, staring in awe at the image on the screen. That miracle of life was growing inside of her. As though knowing it were being watched, the baby began to wiggle and squirm, its little arms and legs moving rapidly. She caught her breath as a wave of love so intense it startled her, flooded her being. Even as she marveled, the medically trained portion of her mind was examining and categorizing the baby, ensuring all was well with its development.

Perfect. He or she was simply perfect.

Feeling her eyes dampening with tears, she glanced up at Max who stood at her side, one hand on her shoulder, the other holding her hand. He noticed her looking at him and squeezed her hand, the expression in his eyes telling her he too was in the grip of strong emotions.

“She’s beautiful,” Max said.

“She?” Cassidy questioned.

“Of course,” Max said.

Cassidy looked at Phillip, who also seemed enthralled. He appeared not to have heard Max.

My God, if both of them feel as strongly as I do about the baby, one of them is going to be devastated by time they discover the baby isn’t theirs
. The thought pained her, and she brought up her free hand to rub her chest right over her heart.

“Dr. Manning?” she called, getting the doctor’s attention. The doctor was finished with her measurements and was now simply allowing the soon-to-be parents a chance to look at their child. It’s something she did herself.

Dr. Manning turned from the ultrasound machine. “Yes?”

“We need a prenatal, non-invasive paternity test. Is this a service your office provides?” Cassidy asked.

“What the hell is that?” Phillip demanded.

“Cassidy, there’s no need,” Max told her.

Glancing back and forth between the two of them, she said, “There’s every need. Can either of you tell me that the sight of that doesn’t grip your heart?” She gestured at the monitor where the baby continued to gyrate. Her voice softening, she continued, “How much more are you going to be attached in seven months? We need to find out now who fathered this child, if for no other reason than to reduce the potential heartache of the one who’s determined not to be the father.”

“I told you, Cassidy, I’m the legal father and I’m not giving up my claim on our child,” Phillip said is a low, hard voice.

Max’s hand left her shoulder as he confronted his former friend. “And if the child is mine, which I believe it is, you think you’ll be able to keep me away? Steal my child from me? You should know better than that, Phillip.”

“What I know is the decision is mine and there’s not a hell of a lot you can do about it,” Phillip said, fists clenched at his side.

“That’s where you’re wrong. All Cassidy and I need to do at birth is write a statement saying I’m the biological father.”

Phillip smirked. “Go back and check the law again, Counselor. You missed something. I also have to write a statement, signaling my agreement that the child is not mine and give up my legal rights to it.”

“Phillip, Max, please! Dr. Manning, can you give us a minute?” she asked the fascinated doctor, whose gaze ping-ponged between the two men.

Dr. Manning snapped to attention. “Yes, of course, dear. Just let me know what you decide, and we can handle the test today.” She fiddled with the equipment. Cassidy heard the printer going and realized the doctor had printed a picture of the baby for her. Handing it to Cassidy she said, “Just open the door when you’re ready for me to return. I’ll go look in on my next patient so I don’t fall behind.” The she powered off the machine off and left the room.

Cassidy used the towel to wipe the gel off her abdomen and straighten her clothing before confronting both men. “We need to get this settled.”

Phillip opened his mouth. From his expression, Cassidy knew she wasn’t going to like what he said. She pointed her finger at him. “No! This whole not-knowing issue is stressing me out. Do you know what stress does to an unborn? No? Let me tell you. It alters their brain and not in a good way. The baby could be born underweight, or premature. Is that what you want?”

Max placed his hand on her neck and began a soothing massage. “If knowing will ease your mind, I’m willing.”

Phillip, however, narrowed his eyes. “If stress is that damaging to the baby, what about your job? You can’t tell me working at the hospital isn’t stressful.”

She closed her eyes, to contain her temper and to hide the knowledge that his comment hit home. “At this point, not working would be more detrimental. Can we get back on subject? Phillip, stop threatening Max. You have to know if Max is the father, there’s no way I’m going to deny him his child and if you can, you’re definitely not the man I thought I married.” Not that he was anyway, she thought, watching him. He’d changed.

“It’s no threat,” Phillip said grimly.

Max stopped his impromptu massage, his hand reflexively tightening on her neck. Cassidy lifted her hand and laid it on his, hoping to soothe him.

“With Max’s agreement, I don’t need yours but I’d prefer to have samples from both of you,” she said, as calmly as she could.

“Cassidy, if you knew about this test, why haven’t you mentioned it before now?” Max asked.

She sighed. “For one, you have to be at minimum ten weeks along. I just hit that marker this week, and the second reason is that it’s expensive. About three to four times the price of post-natal testing.”

“I’ll pay for it,” Max volunteered. When she protested he overrode her. “You know I can easily afford it.”

“I’ll pay for it,” Phillip said, stepping closer.

Before she could censor herself, she said, “Phillip, you don’t have that kind of money. Neither of us do.” Immediately, she regretted it. Now she’d pricked his pride.

Sensing a battle, Cassidy sat up straight. This wasn’t a discussion to be had while reclining like an invalid in a hospital bed. Max dropped his arm dropped to her waist for added support and she murmured a quick “Thanks” as she swung her legs so they dangled off the side of the table.

“You don’t know what I can afford. I’m going to take the damn test and I’ll pay for it. Keep your money, rich boy,” Phillip said coldly.

“You’re right. I don’t know what you can afford and I shouldn’t have said it,” she said, hoping to head off an argument. “The test runs from fifteen hundred to two thousand, depending upon whose doing it. Post-natal DNA tests are only five hundred. Because of the cost, I debated waiting, but I see now it wouldn’t be fair to any of us. It’s my doctor, and my body. I’m the one who thinks we shouldn’t wait, so I’ll pay for the test. If…” Cassidy raised her voice to be heard over both men’s automatic protests, “you want to contribute, I won’t complain. But no more than one-third of the cost, agreed?”

She arched an eyebrow, hoping they could tell from her expression on this one point she wouldn’t be swayed. She looked at Max first, knowing if anyone would be tempted to disregard her wishes and try to alleviate the financial burden this was going to place on her, it would be him. “Max, please?”

Cassidy could see he wanted to argue, but he slowly nodded his head. Cupping her cheek, he said, “If it makes you happy, no more than a third.”

She turned to Phillip, who stood on her right, a scowl on his handsome face. His gaze was focused on Max’s hand, which had slid from her cheek to her shoulder, its touch possessive.

“How soon until we know? The sooner you have proof I’m the father, the sooner he can butt the hell out of our lives,” Phillip said angrily.

“Phillip!” Cassidy said sharply.

“You—” Max broke off when the knock sounded at the door.

“Yes?” Cassidy called.

A nurse opened the door and stuck her head inside. “Dr. Manning wants to know if you’re done. Patients are backing up.”

“Tell her we’re finished and we’ve agreed to the test,” Cassidy told her.

“Will do.” The nurse smiled and ducked back out.

As soon as the door shut, Phillip whirled on Cassidy. “Don’t you ‘Phillip’ me! Look at you!” He jabbed a finger at her. “Flaunting your relationship in my face and I’m just supposed to lie down and take it?”

A spike of guilt consumed Cassidy. She hadn’t given it any thought. Taking in the way they stood, even now, she understood Phillip’s fury. How would she feel if she were the one who was holding on to their marriage, and Phillip had clearly moved on?

“You knew we were together, Phillip,” Max said, laying a proprietary hand on Cassidy’s thigh. “Hell, you confronted me about it weeks ago.” Cassidy’s gaze flew to Max at the revelation. “Why the big production?” Sarcasm dripped from every word.

Phillip’s dark skin turned a mottled purple. He stepped even closer until Cassidy was almost squished between them. “I’ll show you a production,” Phillip all but growled.

Cassidy quickly placed one hand on each man’s chest as they faced off. “Phillip, Max, get ahold of yourselves,” she pleaded, afraid they were going to brawl right there in the doctor’s office. Her biceps strained at the effort of keeping the two men apart.

Dr. Manning breezed into the office and stopped abruptly. “Gentlemen, I’ll have to ask you to leave if you can’t behave.”

Seconds passed in tensed silence. Cassidy held her breath. Then deciding she needed to be more proactive, appealed to the more rational of the two. “Max, please. For me?”

He slowly rotated his head and met her gaze, blue eyes almost navy with anger. She slid her hand from his chest to his cheek. “Please,” she said again in a soft voice, imploring him with her eyes.

“This time,” he told her, assuming a less aggressive posture.

One down, one to go
. She focused on her husband. “Phillip, I’m sorry. You’re right. It was inconsiderate of us, knowing how you feel, but you have to know our marriage is over.”

Eyes narrowing, he zeroed in on her. “How
I
feel?”

“If I may interject,” Dr. Manning interrupted, “it seems you three have a lot to hash out, but could you do so at another location?”