Even I was surprised with how I ended the last chapter….I hate cliffhangers too, especially if I'm invested in the characters, so decided to add this quick chapter.
Even as the words came out, she couldn't believe that she was saying them out loud. She shouldn't have said anything, not until she knew one way or another, but she was so tired and it had felt so good for Nico to hold her again. How could someone love and hate someone so much at the same time? She knew it was a fine line, had told many patients that it was very easy to confuse the two.
She had also talked about consequences, so many times with T.K that she felt like a broken record. Those actions had consequences, both good and bad. Standing in her foyer staring at a stunned Nico, she had no idea what kind she was now looking at.
She really needed to start taking her own advice.
"Pregnant? How's that even possible, I was so careful."
"I know, but that last time Nico, we weren't. It happened so fast. I should have said something, I should have stopped you, but neither of us was thinking..."
"I should have known better. Dammit Dani, we weren't a couple of teenagers in the back of your Dad's car, doing it on Prom night…..."
As soon as Nico said the words, he regretted them. He knew that's how Dani had gotten pregnant with RJ, why she married Ray so quickly in the first place.
Dani blanched at his words. "Nice Nico, really, really nice. It's a hell of a time to throw it in my face that maybe for a second time, I've gotten myself pregnant without being married."
Walking to the door, she opened it and looked down at the floor, "Nico, I think you should go now."
"Dani, I'm sorry, I know that came out really, really wrong. Dani, please look at me."
Something in his voice made her look up.
Taking a deep breath, Nico started. "Ok, I'll go. But Dani, first we have to find out if you are really pregnant. And then we are going to have some decisions to make, hard ones. But I'll be here to support you every step of the way."
Dani nodded. There were options. She may not even be pregnant. And if she was, she was in her late thirties. A pregnancy at this time of her life was more than just complicated as hell, it could be dangerous.
As if reading her thoughts, Nico paused before leaving. Using his finger to bring her chin up to look at him, he leaned down and kissed her long and hard, until she was breathless.
"But know this Dani, if you are pregnant, this baby, my baby is going to have a father and you Dr. Santino, will need to decide if you are going to take my name for your practice or just continue to use your professional name, But make no bones about it. If you are going to have my child, you are going to do it as my wife."
With that he turned and left her to think about what the hell she could be getting herself into.