by K E Osborn
Well, that’s great. Do you want me to throw you a baby shower or something?
“Okay?” I replied not knowing what else to say.
She exhaled. “Mike, think about it. What happened nearly nine weeks ago in this very barn?” she asked, and it was like a piano fell on top of head, a crushing force of weight pushing me down to the ground.
Holy hell!
As the realization hit me, I think I actually gasped. “I could be the father?” I asked hesitantly.
She shook her head. “No, Mike…” she stated, and a wave of relief washed over me, “… not could be the father. Mike, you… you are the father,” she stuttered, gripping onto my hands tightly.
That piano somehow dropped on me again, and I felt like my lungs were caving in. I stood and paced the barn dodging the baby chicks that seemed to be all around my feet for some reason. My heart was racing in my chest as a million thoughts went through my head.
“How do you know? How do you know that the baby is mine and not Niall’s?”
She bit her lip and wiped away a tear. “Because I didn’t sleep with Niall until our wedding night, and that was two weeks later. The doctor was adamant about the dates. This baby is yours, Mike,” she exclaimed.
My mind was wandering. Should I be angry or upset? But all I could think about was that I was going to be a dad, and it was with the only woman I would ever love. I was scared as hell, but I was beyond ecstatic. This meant Callie would divorce Niall, and I’d finally be with her—with her and our baby.
“Mike, say something,” she said, standing and walking over to me.
I smiled brightly and picked her up, twirling her around, and she giggled. I planted her feet back to the ground, and she smiled at me.
“We’re having a baby,” I said. She bit her lip and nodded at me. I couldn’t resist. I was so happy that I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers. Almost instantly, she pulled away and wiped her mouth.
That broke my heart.
Was I that terrible?
“I’m married, Mike. You can’t just go around kissing married women,” she argued loudly.
I was confused.
What did she mean?
Niall would want a divorce as soon as he found out the baby was mine and not his.
“I don’t understand, Callie. The baby’s mine. Surely that means you’re leaving Niall?” I asked, looking directly at her.
Callie started to cry again, and I had a terrible sinking feeling in my gut I wasn’t going to like what she had to say next and that this was not going to be our happily ever after.
“Mike, think about it. Niall will never give me a divorce even if he does find out. He’s made that way. If he found out we were going to be together and be a happy family, he’d make sure I could never divorce him. He’s vindictive like that. And if I told him and then stayed with him, he’d make sure you never get to see our baby. It’s better if I stay with him and let him think the baby is his. Then, if you stay working as a chauffeur, you’ll be able to see our baby grow up and be there for it. Be the second father the baby will always have. We both know that Niall won’t be much of a father. So the baby will need you, Mike. It’s the only way,” she said, infuriating me.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Seriously? You expect me to let Niall think he’s the father of my child, and for me to watch as the baby grows up thinking that fucking Niall is my child’s father. I don’t think so, Callie. No! You tell him, or I will,” I said, and she shook her head.
“Mike, there’s no way we can be a happy family. The moment I said I do to Niall is the moment this mess began. I don’t regret making a child with you, Mike. What I regret is going through with the marriage to Niall. However, as much as I regret that decision, it doesn’t change the fact that I stick by my word. I said for better or worse, and it doesn’t get much worse than this. So, I have to stay with Niall. I do like him, Mike, even though he’s bossy and inconsiderate sometimes. I thought I loved him once, but I’ll never love him the way I love you. That being said, I can’t… no, I won’t break up my marriage, but I can’t have a baby to another man either. So, Niall has to think this baby is his. There’s no other way, Mike. Like I said, if he knew you were the father, he would stop you from seeing it, and I don’t want that. I need you to be in our baby’s life, Mike. This is the only way. Please? You have to understand,” she spoke as she walked over to me and took my hands in hers.
I knew what she was saying was making sense, but it didn’t mean I had to like it. “Callie, this is ridiculous. How am I supposed to possibly go on knowing that he is raising my child? How can I sit back and watch that happen? How would you like it if the roles were reversed, huh?”
Callie started crying again. “Mike, I know what I’m asking is beyond ridiculous and terrible. I know how badly I’ve hurt you, and I know how much this will continue to hurt you…” She pauses with a heavy sigh. “I’m a terrible person, Mike, and I hate myself for doing this to you.”
I felt awful, and I didn’t want her upset. I wrapped my arms around her body and held her tight while she cried onto my shoulder. I wanted to take her and run away, but Callie always had a sense of duty, and she always stuck to her word. I knew no matter what I said or how hard I tried to convince her to leave him, deep down I knew she wouldn’t. The only way I was going to be able to see my child was to be in its life as just another person. I would have to keep this secret for my entire life. I had no idea if I could even do that, but I needed to try. Otherwise, there was a possibility I may never see my child grow up.
That was absolutely not an option.
“You’re not a terrible person, Callie. You’re the least terrible person I know. I love you and our child, and if having to take a back seat means I can still be a part of both your lives, then I guess that’s what I have to do. But just so you know, if at any stage you want to leave Niall and run away with me, I’ll be ready in a heartbeat,” I said.
She laughed for a second and then looked up at me. “I’m… so sorry, Mike.”
“Me, too.”
I could tell by the look in her eyes she meant it, and I knew she was sorry it had to be this way. If I’d tried harder before the wedding to make her see that life with Niall was not the correct path, things would be different now. But I failed, so now this was the life I was forced to live.
We held each other for a while until I realized Niall would be waiting for her call. I pulled back and looked at her. She half-smiled and nodded, knowing our time together was up. On one hand, I was elated, I was going to be a father, then I’d remember how it had to be, and I’d be devastated all over again.
I walked her to the car, and we drove in silence back to the mansion.
Niall and Callie would be getting their own mansion soon, and I’d have to figure out a way to be around, so I could see my child growing up. We pulled into their home, and Niall and Patty were already at their workplaces. Once I dropped Callie off, I had to go to Patty and finish work for the day, but all I really wanted to do was spend it with Callie before the lie became a reality. I opened the car door and helped her out.
“It’ll be okay, Mike, you’ll see,” she whispered and kissed me on the cheek.
I wanted to burst into tears at that point. This whole thing was so fucked up. Callie walked into the mansion, and I got back into the car. I gripped on to the steering wheel tightly with white knuckles and shook it as I let out a loud scream, venting my frustration. I sat in the car for a while simply trying to lower my blood pressure. I couldn’t believe how my life had turned to shit, yet again. For a brief second, I thought I should’ve chosen Doug and the boys over Callie. I would’ve been better off. I immediately felt bad and removed that thought from my mind.
When I eventually arrived at work, Patty was on the phone.
“Yes, we’ll see you tomorrow, Jerry. Okay, yes,” he said.
I walked in and sat on the seat opposite his desk. “Good news, Mike, I found your replacement. Jerry starts tomorr
ow. So you can finish off today, and then you can leave like I promised,” he declared and went back to his work without a second glance.
My heart sank. I had just found out I’m going to be a father, and in the mess of today, I forgot I had resigned.
How the hell was I going to see my child now?
“Mr. O’Connell, sir… is there any chance I can keep my job? I’ve changed my mind, and I would like to stay on,” I explained, hopeful. The only trouble was I knew Patty, and once he made up his mind, he never changed it.
“Well, son, I just told Jerry to start tomorrow as you heard. It wouldn’t be fair of me to go back on my word now, would it?” He gave me the answer I knew I’d get.
Great, I was going to be a father! But in a couple of hours, I would be officially jobless and now homeless.
Good one, Mike!
“Of course, sorry for asking, sir.”
I stood to walk out, needed to figure my life out.
“Of course, son. Even though your job with me is now over, I’m sure my son would like a chauffeur of his own. He has a child on the way, and I know he’ll be looking for someone to take Callie to all her appointments and so forth. I’d ask Niall, if you still want a job, that is,” he responded with a smirk.
The thought of asking for any kind of favor from Niall made my skin crawl, but if it was the only option of seeing my child grow up, then I’d have to harden the fuck up and take one on the chin.
“Thanks, sir,” I said and walked out.
As Patty didn’t need me for a couple of hours, I made my way to the mansion to discuss with Callie about becoming their chauffeur. I wasn’t sure how she’d react, but I saw it as our best and basically only option.
Callie agreed and said she’d talk to Niall and make sure it happened. She seemed quite excited about it, actually, which, in turn, fueled my adrenaline. But then I remembered that Niall would be my boss, and my excitement soon dwindled away again.
Niall agreed. I have no idea how she did it, but he came to my room while I was packing and told me I had the job. I was gracious and thanked him, but when he left, I wanted to throttle the smug bastard. He was over the moon I’d be working for him. Even though we were friends once, he still treated me like the hired help I was. I knew I wasn’t his equal, so he probably had a right to look down on me, but I guess I thought maybe as we grew older, he’d grow up and see that financial status doesn’t make you any more of a man.
By that time, Niall was raking the money in. He hadn’t followed in his father’s footsteps to become an entrepreneur. Instead, he started his own finance company, and it was doing exceptionally well. The only reason it made me happy was because I knew Callie and our baby would want for nothing.
I started working for them the next day, and I mainly drove Niall to O’Connell Finance and then went back to the mansion and did whatever Callie needed. I was glad I’d be attending appointments with her for our baby as I was able to hear firsthand how everything was going before Niall did.
For this simple fact, I was eternally thankful.
Every day was the same.
I’d drive Niall to work, then come back to their new mansion and spend the day with Callie. We never acted on our chemistry. Callie was many things, but a cheater was not one of them. Not since she was married, anyway.
It was now toward the middle of her pregnancy, and the doctor said she could find out the sex of the baby. I was over the moon, I wanted to know if we were having a boy or a girl. She said Niall didn’t want to know, so it would be our little secret. Something just for us to know about our child, and no one else would.
I didn’t go into the appointment with her. We thought it’d be too obvious, and I probably wouldn’t be able to contain my excitement. So, I waited in the car. It felt like forever waiting for Callie to come out of the doctor’s office. I was so impatient that I got out of the car and started pacing up and down the path. Actually, I was beginning to get worried as every possibility was running through my mind.
Maybe something was wrong, and that’s why it was taking so long?
Eventually, I decided I was going inside, so I started walking up the stairs toward the doctor’s office, and just as I went to open the door, Callie came out. I looked up at her, and she was crying. A sinking feeling ran straight through me.
Something was wrong.
I knew it.
I walked up to her, and she cuddled into my side as we walked back down the stairs toward the car.
“Callie?” I asked as she cried into her hands.
She looked up at me, and she was choking the words out, but I couldn’t understand her. I held her at arm’s length bracing myself for the impending doom, which I knew was about to strike.
“Callie, sweetheart, talk to me,” I said, and I pulled her hands away from her face. She was crying, but she was also smiling. That confused me completely.
“Callie,” I exclaimed loudly.
“We’re having a boy, Mike,” she said, and she hugged me tightly.
“Wait! Then why are you upset?” I asked, still waiting for the bad news to hit me.
“I’m not upset. I’m so happy, I can’t stop crying,” she said, and I exhaled on a laugh.
Thank God.
I had no idea what I would’ve done if something was wrong.
“We’re having a son?” I reiterated as it slowly started to sink in, and she nodded. “We’re having a son,” I exclaimed excitedly and leaned in hugging Callie so tightly. I wanted to pick her up and spin her around, and it took all my strength not to do that because she was heavily pregnant, and there was no way I was going to risk hurting either one of them.
“Mike, I think you should pick his name,” she said, and with those few words, a sudden wash of raw emotion ran over me.
“But what about, Niall?”
Callie cupped my cheek. “Mike, he’s your son. You should name him. Niall will go with whatever I choose, so I want you to know he’s yours and you got to name him,” she said, and my bottom lip trembled.
“Really?”
Callie laughed and nodded. There was only one name I wanted, Harrison, but that would’ve been too obvious as it was my father’s name. So, I thought hard and decided on my grandfather’s name. It meant something to me, but Niall would never know.
“How about Aiden?” I asked, and her smile grew from ear to ear.
“That’s your grandfather’s name, right?” A tear fell down her cheek when I nodded, and I wiped it away. “I absolutely love it! Our baby will be named Aiden,” she said.
I couldn’t help myself, so I leaned in and kissed her lips softly. She didn’t pull away, but she didn’t kiss me back either. Callie kept to her promise of not cheating on Niall. She had nothing to feel guilty about.
All I knew was that I was more in love with her and our son, Aiden, than I had ever been before.
Months had passed, and one night after dinner, I drove Niall and Callie to the hospital. Our son was coming into the world, and I was so excited. I’d finally get to meet Aiden. I drove so fast I don’t even really remember how we actually got to the hospital, but we were there in a flash. I raced out of the car and around to help Callie out and inside along with Niall, of course. She was in so much pain, it was killing me that I couldn’t help her, be with her, and whisper in her ear how much I loved her, but that wasn’t my job anymore.
Once inside, the nurses moved Callie into a wheelchair, and everything was happening so fast I couldn’t breathe. The nurse wheeled her toward some doors, and Niall and I were both following behind.
The nurse stopped at the door and looked at us both. “Only the father can come in here,” she said, and that’s when the nausea truly kicked in.
Niall and Callie went through to the birthing ward while I stopped and watched. I stood and stared at the doors for, I don’t even know how long. I knew this would happen, but it didn’t stop me from being in undeniable agony.
Niall would watch my son being born—my
son.
He’d cut Aiden’s umbilical cord, and he would be the first one to see him.
My beautiful boy.
My Aiden.
All while I’m stuck out here for God knows how long waiting to see my baby.
It hurt so much, and I was angry. Angry at Callie. Angry at Niall. But mostly, I was mad at myself for letting this happen.
I leaned my head against the wall and softly wept. I was devastated. I should’ve been in there. Niall had no right. I detached myself from the wall and walked outside. I had no idea what I was doing, but I saw a man with a cigarette, and even though I had never smoked a day in my life, I wanted one badly. I walked over to the man who seemed quite happy.
“Hey, sorry to bother you, but do you have a spare one of those?” I asked, and he immediately handed one to me.
“It’s hard to watch, hey?” the man said as I put the cigarette in my mouth.
“Pardon?” I questioned as he leaned over and lit the nasty habit.
“Your wife… having your baby. It’s hard to watch. Don’t worry, the tobacco will help,” he said.
I nodded and took in a deep lung full of the toxic fumes. I tried to hide my cough, but the man just laughed at me.
“Don’t worry, it gets easier with time, the smoking and watching your children being born,” he stated, then patted me on the back as I took in another lung full of cigarette smoke.
He threw his butt to the ground and stomped on it. “I better get back in there. She’ll kill me if she knew I was smoking again.”
I wanted to hit something or drink a whole bottle of whiskey, anything but be here right now. But I wouldn’t leave Callie. I knew she probably didn’t even have me in her thoughts, but just in case, I wanted her to know I was there for her and our boy, Aiden.
I took in another drag when images of Niall holding my newborn son flashed through my mind. My stomach lurched, and I spun around quickly and heaved into the garden bed. I couldn’t stop the violent wrenching no matter how hard I tried. The heavy heartbeat followed next, and my legs gave way, so I sat on the pavement next to the garden and sobbed.
