The Way Champions Love

by Tina Martin

  “I’m not going back to wait—I’m going to the doctor with my wife,” Harding asserted, “Whether she wants me there or not. Let’s go, Zoe.”

  Zoya glared at her brother, then gripped Savannah’s hand as they slowly trekked back to the car.

  Chapter 28

  Savannah didn’t want Harding in the room with her. She could hardly tolerate him in the car. Seemed every time Zoya ran over a bump or hit a pothole, he tried to inquire about how she was feeling or reach to touch her. She would always cringe. The stinging pain of his words from last night and all those days prior had finally crossed the barrier to her heart and sank deep into her soul. It was then she realized he didn’t want their marriage to be saved. Her efforts were in vain.

  That’s why, at the hospital, she insisted on him not being in the room with her and for her sake, he didn’t try to fight her wishes. He stayed in the hallway while the doctor checked her out.

  Zoya remained in the patient room with her and when the doctor came back inside of the room to ask Savannah if she knew she was pregnant, Zoya’s mouth fell open.

  “You’re pregnant?” she asked, eyes sparkling with happiness and surprise.

  “Yes,” Savannah said. “I hadn’t officially had a doctor tell me until now.”

  “It’s official, all right and you are severely dehydrated Mrs. Champion. We’re going to keep an IV on you for a few more hours but you will be able to be released today.”

  “Thank you,” Savannah told him.

  “Is this your first pregnancy?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I’m going to give it to you straight,” the doctor said. “Hydration is important for all of us, but especially so in pregnant women. Dehydration can cause anything from premature labor to birth defects. It’s going to be extremely important that you get at least eight to twelve glasses of water a day.”

  “I know. You’re right. I’ve been under a tremendous amount of stress lately and I haven’t been taking care of myself the way I should have been.”

  “Well, now you have someone else to think about—a growing fetus—and stress is not good for the health of the baby either.” The doctor released a worrisome sigh. “You’re not showing yet, but you’re about nine weeks along. Make sure you do whatever you can to take care of your baby and that includes eating properly, having a good exercise routine and staying hydrated. Do whatever you have to do to create a better environment for yourself and this baby, Mrs. Champion.”

  “I will,” she replied. For the first time in recent weeks, her primary thoughts shifted to the care of her unborn child. Her marriage was over. She was still trying to process that, but the baby was innocent in all of this and she didn’t want to lose her child, even after realizing she’d be a single mother.

  “I’m going to let you rest for a while.”

  “Thank you, doctor.”

  “Yep,” he said as he exited the room.

  Now that they were alone again, Zoya said, “Savannah, does my brother know about the baby?”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “Why not? It’s his child, isn’t it?”

  “Of course it is, but your brother doesn’t love me anymore. He doesn’t want me. I begged him to work things out last night, and he made it crystal clear that our marriage was over.”

  “Girl, please. You know that’s a lie. If it was over, why is he here right now, standing in the hallway worried as ever, waiting for an update on you? Answer that for me.”

  “Because he wants to impress his stepbrothers. Harding doesn’t care about me anymore. I can feel it. We used to be close. We used to be so in love, we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. Now, he can’t even hold eye contact with me like I disgust him, and maybe I do.”

  Zoya sat down in a chair near the bed and buried her face in her hands. After taking a moment to think, she looked up at Savannah. “What now?”

  “I honestly don’t know.”

  “You have to tell him about the baby.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Give me one good reason why my brother shouldn’t know you’re pregnant?”

  “Because I don’t want him to want me because I’m pregnant. A baby won’t save a marriage. It’s up to the two people who made the baby to save the marriage. I can’t bear the thought that he only wants to fix our marriage for the baby’s sake. I won’t live my life like that—like I trapped him with a baby.”

  “You owe it to him, Savannah. My God! I don’t understand you married people. One minute you’re in love, the next, you’re looking for a way out.”

  “I’m not looking for a way out! I was trying to find my way back in. I came here, uninvited mind you, to talk to Harding. I left my family in the dust. All of my possessions is in my car—well, what I could fit, that is. I don’t have a house, anymore. I have nowhere to live. When I leave Asheville, I have no idea where I’m going. I did everything Harding wanted me to do, and it still wasn’t enough to win him back. What more am I supposed to do, Zoe?”

  There was no reply. Zoya simply buried her face in her hands again and sighed heavily, realizing she didn’t have anything to say because this dispute was between Savannah and Harding. They had to work this out, and she could see that Savannah had been trying. It was Harding who wasn’t willing to bend, even though he still loved her.

  * * *

  He couldn’t believe she’d actually passed out. Harding stood in the hallway feeling horrible, lower than low. Last night, he pretty much told Savannah their marriage was over. Today, he was standing in the hallway of a hospital being consumed by constant bouts of guilt thinking that this was his fault.

  It was his fault.

  Savannah begged him to give their relationship a chance. She’d left her family – albeit two years too late – but she’d actually done it which meant she was serious about them. But he was too hardhearted to acknowledge her efforts. He was too busy caught up in what he thought she wanted than realizing and recognizing that all she wanted was him. If she wanted the money, prestige and ostentatious lifestyle she’d been accustomed to in Charleston, she’d still be there, wouldn’t she?

  He sighed heavily realizing his mistake and headed in the direction of her room. He had to fix this now. Last night, he spoke from a place of anger. Today, he’d speak from his heart – from the love he still had for her.

  On the way to Savannah’s room, he saw her doctor heading towards him.

  “Mr. Champion,” the doctor said.

  “How is she?” Harding asked, getting right to the point.

  “She’s doing well. We’re going to keep her here for a few more hours to pump more fluid in her. She was dehydrated, just as you suspected.”

  “All right. Thanks for the update.” Harding reached to shake the doctor’s hand.

  The doctor shook his hand and then he said cheerfully, “Oh, and congratulations by the way. Take care of her and the baby.”

  Baby? What baby? Savannah’s pregnant? Harding absorbed the shock and plastered a smile on his face to hide the fact that he had no idea. “I will,” he told the doctor.

  He quickened the pace to her room and when he opened the door, he saw that Savannah’s eyes were closed. He walked in, staring at her, his eyes raking her sheet-covered body.

  “Savannah, are you sleeping?” he asked.

  Zoya glanced up at him.

  Savannah’s eyes immediately flew open. “Why are you in here?”

  Harding looked at his sister. “Zoya, can you give us a minute?”

  “Yeah. Sure,” she drawled with a hint of attitude, leaving the room and pulling the door behind her.

  Harding stepped closer to the bed and said, “I spoke with the doctor in the hallway. He said you were dehydrated.”

  “And you came in here to say I told you so?”

  “No,” he said warmly. “I came in here to see how you were doing. How are you feeling, Savannah?”

  “I’m feeling like I don’t want you here,” she sai
d, shifting her position in the bed so she could turn her back to him.

  “Savan—”

  “The doctor said I needed to rest. I can’t do that with you standing in here talking to me.”

  He quietly examined her before asking, “Can I get you anything?”

  “No. Just leave me alone.”

  “Savannah—”

  “Get out of my room, Harding,” she said, raising her voice a pitch.

  “Okay,” he said. “I’ll leave.” He didn’t want to upset her, so he decided to wait until a better time to talk to her – when she was calmer and more relaxed. Besides, he’d see her at Dante’s house tonight since they were sharing a room. He’d talk to her then.

  Chapter 29

  Minus Savannah and Zoya who were in transit from the hospital, the family was all gathered around the dining room table at Dante’s house sharing the final dinner they’d have together before the Wilmington crew had to return home. It was bittersweet in a way because no one would have ever predicted that the half-siblings would get along so well. The only rifts in the weekend seemed to have been between Harding and Savannah. As a result of that dispute, Zoya had a problem with her brother’s nonchalance when it came to the state of his marriage to Savannah.

  Dante seemed to take issue with Harding as well, especially after what went down on the trail. And now, Harding was sitting at the dinner table while his wife was being taken care of by his sister.

  “How’s Savannah doing, Harding?” Emily asked.

  “She’s better. The doctor said she was dehydrated.”

  “Wasn’t she supposed to be out by now?” Melanie asked.

  “She’s coming. She’s with Zoe.” Harding wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, “And let me just apologize to everyone. This weekend, we were supposed to be getting to know each other, and it was overshadowed by my personal problems with my wife.”

  “I understand your concern, Harding, but an apology’s not necessary,” Desmond said.

  “Yeah. We all have our drama at times,” Dimitrius added. “Besides, I’m sure this is one of many visits between us.”

  Harding nodded.

  The sound of Amira’s phone ringing sliced into their conversation. She stood up, excused herself and walked into the kitchen.

  “Harding, how long have you been in business?” Dimitrius inquired.

  “Oh, ah…” Business. He wasn’t in the mood to talk business. He was too concerned about where Savannah was at the moment. “Um, coming up on five years.”

  Dimitrius nodded. “Do you have a heavy clientele?”

  “I have a good batch of repeat customers and word-of-mouth referrals. That’s what keeps me afloat.”

  Desmond dabbed his mouth then took Celeste from her high chair. While holding her in the bend of his left arm, he said, “I don’t know if you’d be interested, but Dante, Dimitrius and myself were talking and we’d like for you to do a full security analysis of our systems at The Champion Corporation and, if need be, install new software, firewalls—the whole nine.”

  “We would like to have it done fairly quickly,” Dimitrius added.

  “That sounds nice, but I have to get back home tomorrow. I’ve already rescheduled clients from my absence on Friday. I hate to cancel on them again.”

  “That’s understandable,” Desmond said, “But we’d be willing to compensate you for any losses in income or loss of clients. Just something to think about. We’ll talk more in depth later. The women hate it when we talk business at the dinner table.”

  “Yes, we do,” Melanie said.

  “We do,” Grace repeated as best as she could and the family was able to make out what she said.

  Light laughter erupted around the table.

  “Hey,” Amira said stepping back into the dining room. Looking at Harding, she continued, “Zoe’s on the way, but Savannah’s not coming.”

  Harding’s expression went slack. “What do you mean she’s not coming?”

  Amira took her seat. “Zoe said Savannah wanted to stay at a hotel.”

  All he could do was close his eyes and lean back in the chair. Due to his own stubbornness, the woman he loved, the woman who was carrying his child wanted nothing to do with him. He’d messed up. He didn’t mean all those things he’d told her, but it was too late to take back uttered words and hurt feelings. At the time, he wanted her to feel the same pain he felt, but now he was feeling a pain even greater – one of losing his family.

  He stood up and said, “Excuse me.”

  Stepping outside onto the front porch, he took out his cell phone and dialed Savannah’s number. When the voicemail picked up, he opened his mouth to speak but didn’t have a clue what to say because he knew, at this point, leaving her a voicemail was pointless. He hung up.

  “Everything cool?”

  Harding turned around to see Dante standing there. “Yeah, man. It’s all good.”

  Dante had been frustrated with himself for not telling Harding about Savannah’s pregnancy. In fact, it was eating him up that he didn’t know. Maybe knowing Savannah was pregnant would soften his heart towards her a little – make him realize that this marital dispute wasn’t just between him and her anymore. They now had a little one to think about. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell him when he heard Harding say, “She’s pregnant.”

  Relief washed over Dante. “She told you?”

  “Wait…you say that like you knew already.”

  “I did. I overheard her telling somebody on the phone. I assumed she was talking to her mother, but I could be wrong. And for the record, I told her to tell you. I’m glad she finally did.”

  “Actually, she didn’t. The doctor told me, and Savannah doesn’t know that I know. I was hoping to talk to her tonight, but—”

  “She opted for a hotel,” Dante finished saying.

  “Which means she doesn’t want to be anywhere near me,” Harding said.

  “Which also means she’s done fighting to get you back. That’s not good, man.”

  “It’s not. Desmond warned me this would happen. I didn’t listen. I was angry…too angry with two year’s worth of pent-up frustration to hear her out this time. I reached my limit and now she’s reached hers.”

  “Did Zoya say what hotel Savannah was staying at?”

  “No. I’m sure Savannah told her not to tell me. And we’re leaving tomorrow. I don’t know if she’s staying or what.”

  Dante slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “Maybe this will give you both time to think about your next move.”

  When he saw Zoya pull up in the driveway, Harding said, “Be right back.” He walked over to the car as his sister was opening the door to get out.

  “Where is she?” he asked.

  “She told me not to tell you.”

  “I’m sure she did, but for the sake of my marriage, I need to talk to her.”

  Now, you need to talk to her…

  Zoya’s eyes narrowed. “How could you have screwed up so badly with her, Harding, after she gave up everything to be with you? Is that really the kind of man you are?”

  “No. I messed up. Okay.”

  “And now what? You think one night of talking to her is supposed to magically make everything better?”

  “No, but I’m willing to try. You were at the hospital with her, so I know you know about the baby.”

  “Oh, now I see what’s going on. You know about the baby.” Zoya shook her head. “Savannah was right. That’s why you want to talk. Because you know she’s pregnant. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

  Zoya stomped away from him and on up the stairs walking by Dante, Desmond and Dimitrius who were all standing on the porch watching her exchange with Harding.

  Harding was still standing beside Zoya’s car seemingly in a daze.

  “We have to do something about this,” Dante said.

  “There you go trying to play matchmaker again,” Dimitrius said. “Some things are meant to be. Some things are not.
”

  “Well, this is one of those things that are,” Dante said. “I know Harding loves Savannah. They just need a push in the right direction—toward each other—not away from each other.”

  “I don’t know about this one, Dante,” Desmond said. “When they were at dinner the other night, they barely even looked at each other. Even earlier this morning on the hike, he left her at the back of the group while he was all the way at the front. Did y’all peep that?”

  “Yep,” Dimitrius said.

  “I did, too,” Dante said. “Still, I think they deserve a chance. I may as well tell you why I’m saying this since the cat is already out of the bag. Not only do I know for a fact that they still love each other, but Savannah’s pregnant.”

  “She’s pregnant?” Desmond said.

  “Yep.”

  “Wow. Then I feel his pain,” Desmond said since he could relate. He was in a similar circumstance with Sherita. “You’re right, Dante. We have to do something.”

  Chapter 30

  He was determined to talk to her and wanted her to know that he knew about the baby. Standing by the window in the guest bedroom at Dante’s house, he dialed her number. To his surprise, she answered.

  “What is it, Harding?”

  “Where are you?” he asked.

  “What does it matter? You could not care less about where I was before.”

  “Yeah, well before, I didn’t know you were carrying my child.”

  There it was. Savannah’s nostrils flared. Now that Harding knew she was pregnant, he wanted to have a conversation. “That’s why you’re calling me? Zoe told you I was pregnant?”

  “Zoe didn’t tell me a thing. The doctor told me, but it should’ve come from you.”

  “Why, or better yet, when? When was I going to tell you about the baby? While you were busy telling me how much you hated me, and that it was over between us? That our marriage wasn’t worth saving? Now, suddenly it is, huh?”