The complete need of protection from the big bad world. These and many more thoughts came to mind when holding a baby less than an hour old in your arms.

Richard made a little cooing noise and wrinkled his nose at his niece. Kate didn’t know what was cuter, the baby or the man.

“Amazing, isn’t she?” Max asked at Richard’s side.

“You’re a lucky man.”

Max placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Yes, yes I am.”

Kate took the opportunity to excuse herself a little while later when the Ritter’s talked and the nurse took Brandy away for her first bath. Joey wanted to watch through the thick glass while the nurses did their morning rounds, and Richard agreed to keep an eye on Joey.

It was one o’clock and the ER was packed. A quick trip didn’t seem possible by the amount of people in the lobby.

The receptionist wasn’t impressed with her

‘emergency.’

“I know it isn’t life or death, but if I could just slip in and have the doctor give me the pill, I’ll be out of your hair.”

The clerk thrust a clipboard from under a small opening of the bulletproof glass.

“Sign in.”

Kate noticed over a dozen names above hers.

This was going to take forever. “Can I come back and see if my name has been called? A friend of mine is upstairs.”

“Whatever you want, lady, if the nurse calls your name and you’re not here you’ll just wait longer.”

Kate scanned the room and took a seat. After ten minutes she was up and pacing. Richard would start to wonder where she was. She couldn’t wait here without him knowing what she was doing.

She turned back toward the lobby without looking and walked into the chest of the man in question.

“What are you doing in here?” Richard asked in alarm.

Kate opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say. “Are you sick?”

“No, I…”

“Then what?”

“Ahh,” Kate lowered her eyes and moved away from the crowd in the room. “Last night… we were a little careless.”

“Careless?”

“You know…” She pleaded with her eyes and lowered her voice to a whisper. “We didn’t use any protection.”

When her words registered, his concern shifted.

His eyes darted around the room where several people watched their exchange.

His grip tightened on her elbow, and he pulled her toward the doors leading outside. Alone, he dropped his hand from her arm and took a step back.

Anger swirled in the depths of his eyes. Why was he so pissed?

“You came here for one of those next day pills, didn’t you?”

Why did it sound so wrong coming from him? “I thought, in light of the circumstances…”

“Didn’t you think I might want to know?”

“Richard, it’s no big deal.”

He shook his head and ran his fingers through his ruffled hair. “After what we just saw upstairs you think it’s no big deal?”

“It is just a simple precaution,” Kate insisted.

“No it’s not. The pill you want stops any pregnancy from continuing if a child is already conceived.”

“I know what it does, Richard.”

He turned on her, his face red with tightly controlled emotion. “That’s what you want?”

“We’ve only known each other a short time. I don’t want to compromise our relationship. Try to understand. I’ve had one pregnancy without the support of a father. I don’t want to ever go through that again.”

His eyes met hers with cold steel. His jaw went rigid. “Do you think so little of me that I would allow that to happen to you again?”

Her heart took a giant dive. Why was this so important to him? Why did she have the sudden feeling he was going to turn away and never come back? “No, I just thought…”

“I don’t think you thought at all, Kate. I’m not Joey’s father. I would never have left you if he were my son, ever.”

And her sneaking to the ER to keep him out of this decision had scorned his ego. His honor.

“I’m sorry. Maybe I should have told you.”

“Maybe?”

Oh, God. Bad choice of words. “Okay, I should have told you.”

He walked her back into the ER lobby. “It isn’t safe for you to wait here alone. We can come back down after we go get Joey.”

“The lobby’s full of people, I’m sure no one will bother me.”

He leaned over and spoke into her ear. Each word felt like a slap. “Anyone could walk in here with a gun. I just did.”

Their silent ride in the elevator drove a wedge between them. In the course of one conversation, their relationship had changed.

What had she done?

Joey sat in a chair in Janet’s postpartum room.

The baby was in daddy’s arms and the room was bustling with people.

Janet’s colleagues from the ER had gotten word that she had delivered and it was quite literally

‘standing room only.’

The happy parents accepted congratulations and listened patiently to several pieces of unsolicited advice. It was near to impossible to slip out of the room. Even with the crowd.

Janet tapped the side of the bed suggesting Kate sit down. A small amount of concern etched itself upon her face. Kate slid a glance to Richard who was busy talking to one of Janet’s friend just outside the door of the room.

“Is everything okay?” Janet whispered.

Not wanting to burden the new mother she lifted the corners of her mouth and said, “It’s been a long night. I’ll bet you’re tired.”

“I am about to hit the wall.”

“Want me to push everyone out?”

“In a few minutes.”

A few minutes turned into thirty. Richard and Max successfully removed all visitors, promising they could come back the next day.

“Can we bring you back anything from the house?” Kate asked before they left.

“No, we have everything.”

Kate kissed Janet’s cheek and told her to get some sleep before the three of them left the room.

Richard said very little as they walked through the halls of the hospital. Instead of returning to the Emergency Room, he reached into his pocket and handed a foil wrapped pill to her.

“What is this?”

“One of the ER doctors visiting Janet was able to get this for you, without the wait,” he said without emotion. “It’s what you wanted, right?” Joey pulled away and pushed the down button on the elevator.