Damaged Hearts

Chapter 34

Zach

Monica is standing on the porch, rain clinging to her hair, eyes hollow with exhaustion. But my gaze dropped almost instantly to the infant car seat sitting beside her feet. A baby. A blue blanket sitting overtop, its tiny face the only thing peering out. Fast asleep.

The feeling that settles in my gut is violent

"I can't do this," Monica says, her voice raw.

Nicole's footsteps come up behind me. "What is going on?"

"He's Brian's," she says, her voice shaking. "And I don't want him."

My stomach drops.

Nicole sucks in a sharp breath. "What are you talking about?"

Monica looks at her, crying, tears streaming down her face. "I found out I was pregnant right before Brian died," she admits. "That's why I left town so no one would know. I thought I could handle it, but I can't. I won't." She picks up the car seat and sets it inside our house, while remaining outside still. Her eyes meet Nicole's again. "I need you to take him. His names Justin."

I take a step forward. "Monica, you can't just—"

"Why not?" Monica cut in, her voice sharp, brittle she points to Nicole. "You were the one who was supposed to have a family with him. Not me." Her breath hitched, desperation cracked through her anger. "This should've been yours, not something he left behind for me to deal with."

Then, before either of us could react, she slipped a backpack off her shoulder and handed it over to me.

"This is everything you need."

I stare at it, hesitant to take it. I look to Nicole. Wondering if we're really going to do this? For Christ sake, we're having our own baby in a few months.

"I don't love him. I don't even look at him and see a part of me—I see Brian, and I hate him for it." Monica's voice cracked, "He deserves better than that."

Nicole takes the bag from her and then proceeds to hug her. Monica loses it and Nicole lets her cry with her. Her body trembling.

And just like that, Monica was gone. Leaving Nicole and I standing before a newborn baby asleep in a car seat.

Nicole shifts first, crouching down to gently lift the blanket, revealing more of the tiny, peaceful face beneath. Her fingers tremble as she adjusts the fabric around his cheek, her breath uneven. I can't tell if it's from shock or something deeper—something settling in her heart before she's even had time to process it.

I rub a hand down my face, "Nicole..." I start, but I don't even know what I'm about to say. We have enough on our plate. A baby of our own coming in a few months, Landon and Audra to take care of. And now—

She looks at me, her expression raw, as if she's silently asking me to understand.

I sigh, reaching to take the bag from her, feeling the weight of it in my hands. "This isn't just some favor, Nic. This is a baby."

"I know," she whispers, stepping inside. "But he's Brian's. This is Landon and Audra's half sibling, he's family."

She doesn't have to say more. Brian might have betrayed her, might have shattered their marriage and everything she thought was real, but this baby...he didn't ask for any of it.

I close the door behind us, Nicole sets the car seat down gently in the middle of the living room.

I watch as she kneels, fingers hovering uncertainly before finally touching his tiny hand. He doesn't stir, just keeps sleeping, completely unaware he's now in the presence of complete strangers.

I drop the backpack onto the couch, "We need to call someone."

Nicole looks up at me, her expression unreadable. "Like who?"

I exhale sharply. "I don't know. Your mom, we can't do all this."

Her face hardens. "Zach. I can take care of this baby."

"And what about our baby? What about when he or she gets here? 4 kids?! Nicole..."

"We can do this Zach. Trust me. I'm not letting him go into the system," she says, finality in her tone.

I exhale slowly, rubbing my jaw. "Okay. You're right, he's not some random kid." I lift a hand to her back and she hugs me.

I stare down at the baby behind her. He's just a few weeks old, completely helpless. And no matter how much I want to argue, no matter how much I know this is going to turn our lives upside down...

There's no way in hell Nicole is letting this baby go and I'm going to support her and help her as much as I possibly can.

"You're right. We'll figure it out."