Hello everyone,

I will make this short and sweet—happy Father's Day to all the single mothers out there. I totally know what it's like to play both roles.

I will see you all soon for the Fourth. Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following.

Please review ...

Edward sat staring out the window. He couldn't focus on shit lately. The files on his desk went untouched as there were no pressing cases. Well, they were pressing; he just couldn't shake this fog that enveloped him.

Bella was going to have a baby. Correction. He and Bella were going to have a baby. He was going to be a father. They were going to be parents.

How the fuck had things changed so suddenly? When she'd appeared in that courtroom weeks ago, he had never been more tormented in his life. Edward had expected Bella to end their relationship due to lack of correspondence, his fault completely. She'd rocked his world with her earth-shattering announcement.

Leaning forward, he ripped his gaze away from the towering buildings surrounding the city he called home since graduation. All of his life plans flashed before his eyes as his metallic blues dropped to the carpet at his feet. Propping his elbows on his knees, Edward dropped his head in his hands.

Fuck. He couldn't imagine holding a child in his arms. He'd never actually planned on having children. But low and behold, Bella was pregnant, and despite his plans for the future, he was going to be a father. Now, in a few short months, his entire life would change. The child he took in his arms would be his. Holy fuck.

When had life snuck up and bit him in the ass?

Bella had told him she didn't expect anything from him, and if he were a complete bastard, he would've taken her up on that. To date, he'd left countless unanswered messages and several unread texts. If he weren't ankle-deep in this case with Bruce, he would've taken the car ride to Fort Wayne. Currently, he needed to put the bastard away, and delaying it any longer wasn't an option. "Shit."

Edward raked his fingers through his hair at a loss as to what to do. Glancing at the calendar, he counted the days until July fourth. In a handful of days, he would be able to take that road trip and find out everything he needed to know.

Taking his phone in hand, Edward thought over a few questions he had regarding the life growing inside Bella. According to Google, his baby—their baby—would be the size of a lime. The corners of his mouth lifted at the thought.

Edward looked at his surroundings as if he sat in a foreign country. Is this what he wanted for his life? Mountains of paperwork, endless cases, the gratification of solving one crime and putting away a bastard lasting only seconds before he was off to a new case?

Edward was still contemplating this when his office door creaked open, and Jasper came to stand before his desk. "Hey, man, you alright? You've been despondent lately."

"I'm good," Edward mumbled, pushing upright to look at Jasper. "You're a dad, right? What is that like?"

A look of surprise passed over Jasper's face as he studied his boss. "Wait a minute. Are you going to be a dad? In the year and a half I have worked for you, you've never asked about Devon."

"I-I," Edward mumbled, breaking for a moment. "Yeah, I'm gonna be a dad. You didn't answer my question. What is it like? How do you balance this career and that?"

"It's the biggest challenge I have ever had. Like anything else, there are good days and bad ones. Devon is my reason for being this," Jasper gestured around the office, "is just a job. Anyone can do this. Anyone can walk in here and take my place, but not everyone is capable of being a dad. I wouldn't trade Devon for anything."

"How old is Devon?" Edward asked, his fingers coiling around the coffee mug. Taking a sip of the lukewarm brew, he set the cup aside.

Jasper's hand ran through his brown hair. "He is three. I would have him more if his mother weren't a first-class b—."

Edward nodded, still deciphering what to do next. "How capable of taking my place here do you feel? Do you think you can handle the case with Bruce?"

Jasper's brow wrinkled as he considered his boss. Edward was the best prosecutor here in Indiana. Did he feel capable of taking his spot? "Um, why are you asking, Edward?"

Clearing his throat, Edward shrugged, not really sure what he was planning to do. "I think I'm gonna … I think …," shit, this was hard. He'd worked so hard to get where he was. Was he actually considering letting it all go? Shaking his head, he pushed up from his chair and paced the spot in front of his desk. Finally, he paused as he looked around. "I think I'm gonna take a leave of absence. I have some pressing business that really can't wait."

Even before Edward finished speaking, he was collecting his belongings. Shoving everything into his briefcase, he turned to Jasper. "Take all the files from my top drawer to the right. Everything to do with Bruce's case is in those files. I have a zillion notes in there, so you better start brushing up on them this weekend. Don't let that bastard get away with this shit."

Stunned, Jasper's mouth fell open as he watched Edward rush around to collect his stuff. His hand came up, not fully grasping what was happening. "Edward, what are you doing? Dude, this case still requires your attention. What the hell am I supposed to do? Where are you going?"

Edward stopped just before he would've exited the office. "Like you said, anyone can do this job, but not everyone can be a dad. I'm going to Fort Wayne, and I don't know when I will be back."

Please review ...