Doctor’s Duties by K.C. Crowne

Chapter 29

LOGAN

At first, I was confused. She’d spoken the words clearly, but they didn’t seem to make any sense. Once the fog cleared out of my mind, I was able to process what Abby had just told me.

Pregnant.

“You’re…you’re serious?” I stammered.

She responded with a nod and tight-lipped smile.

“Went to the doctor today and confirmed it,” she said. “And if you’re wondering, it’s one hundred percent yours. Let’s just say my love life doesn’t leave much doubt when it comes to that.”

I nodded slowly, letting my eyes drift to the coffee table. Before I headed over, I’d had an idea in my head of what was going to happen. I assumed that I’d tell her the news, then give her the chance to decide what she wanted to happen from there.

But I hadn’t been ready for this. Not in the slightest.

“When?” The word could’ve meant any number of things. But it was all that I managed to stammer out.

“When what?” she asked with a smile. “When did it happen; when is he or she going to get here; when did I find out…”

“The due date. What’s the due date?”

“May 10. So, we’ve got until next spring to get our heads ready for this.” She glanced away, a worried expression on her face. “That is, if you want to be a part of this. My dad, he’s kind of a jerk. But he’s not the kind of jerk who’d kick his pregnant daughter out onto the street. At least, I hope. You don’t want to be in the picture, that’s fine. I’ll go to him with my hand in my hat and hope that he’s willing to at least give me a roof over my head while —”

I moved as if possessed by a force outside of myself, locking my lips onto hers and kissing her deeply. The kiss lingered, the tension in her body melting away more and more with each passing moment.

When I finally took my lips from hers, Abby’s eyes remained closed.

“Looks like we’ve both got a propensity for rambling,” I said with a smile.

She grinned right back. “Well, lucky for us, we both know the way to stop the talking in its tracks.”

I took her hands into mine, squeezing them gently yet firmly.

“I love you, Abby. It’s taken me so damn long to accept it, but there’s not a single doubt in my mind it’s the truth. It’s like…I was scared to accept it. But hearing you say that you’re carrying my baby, it’s as if someone smacked me in the head and told me what a dumbass I was being.”

She laughed.

“I guess we were both acting like idiots.”

“Real eggs, as we’d say back in New Zealand,” I said. “But if you’re ready to do this, then so am I.”

“I’m more than ready. I feel like…like with you at my side I can do anything. Is that silly?”

“Not at all. And now that we’re both done playing pretend, I’m ready to take on whatever comes our way.”

She smiled, this time more sensually, the smile of a woman who knew without a doubt what she wanted.

“We’ve got a ton of stuff to think about and talk about,” she said. “But I think right now, there’s something we need to do more than anything.”

“What’s that?”

“Continue that kiss.”

She didn’t need to talk me into it. I moved in close, pressing my lips against hers as I’d done before. But there was something different between us. The love we shared brought the kiss to another level, made my heart sing and my cock twitch to life all at once.

“Oh yeah,” she said, taking her lips from mine. “Forgot something.”

“What’s that?”

She smiled.

“I love you too.”

There was no way what we had in that moment could get any better. We kissed again, our mouths opening and our tongues finding each other. My cock pulsed until it was solid as a stone, my hands moving along her body as I felt the outline of her breasts through her shirt.

I couldn’t wait to get her out of her clothes; it was like I was a teenager experiencing it all again for the first time. I pulled her shirt off over her head, Abby doing the same to me. She placed her hands on my chest, a big, beaming smile on her face as her fingertips trailed down to my waistband. I quickly had her bra off, her perfect, full breasts falling out with a pair of pert bounces.

The rest of our clothes came off soon after.

“Wait,” she said, her eyes going wide. “Roommate.”

Without a word, I scooped her off the couch and carried Abby to her bedroom.

Seconds later we were under the covers, my cock in her hand and my lips on her nipples. She guided me into her, teasing herself with my head, her opening already slick and wet, ready for me. We kissed long and deep one more time before she guided me into her, Abby’s wetness stretching to accommodate me.

I pushed into her, inch by inch, until she’d taken all my length. Her legs were wrapped around me, her hands on my shoulders. Her mouth was open slightly and her eyes wide.

She’d never looked more beautiful.

I raised my hips and pushed deep into her, a gasp flowing past her full lips as I did. She looked up at me with a smile that made it clear she was just as happy to be there with me as I was with her.

We kissed more as I quickened my pace. Soon I was at a steady rhythm, her fingernails digging into the thick muscles of my back and her gasps growing faster, more insistent.

“Oh, oh my God,” she moaned. “I’m going to…”

She let out a shuddering sigh, her chin tilted back as I moved in her through the orgasm.

We changed positions when the orgasm faded, Abby laying on her side, my arms wrapped around her. Abby’s hips flowed against mine as we made love side-to-side, another orgasm pulsing through her as I held her body close.

I brought her to orgasm once more, this time with her on top of me. And as she came, her breasts bouncing and her hips rocking back and forth, I knew there was no holding back. I erupted deep inside, my cock draining as I filled her with my warmth.

When we were done, she fell on top of me, her chest rising and falling, a satisfied grin on her face.

“What?” I asked before leaning in and planting a kiss on her chin.

“Nothing. Just thinking about how I have no freaking idea what’s going to happen next.”

“And you’re grinning about that?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Isn’t that weird? I’ve been so dead set on making sure my life follows this precise plan. And now, that’s all been tossed aside. I should be scared out of my mind. But I’m not. I’m kind of…excited, if anything. How about you?”

I nodded, placing my hand on her belly. “Definitely excited. But we’ve got some major hurdles to get over. We have to tell your dad we’re not really married, that you’re pregnant, and then we’re going to need to figure out what your next step is.”

“It’ll be fun,” she said, not hesitating for a second. “And the most important part is that we’re going to do it together.”

I moved my hand from her belly to her chin, tilting her head up for a kiss.

“That’s right. And I’ve got a feeling that, whatever comes next, we got it. You and me.”

She smiled, and I leaned in for another kiss.

Then we held one another without saying a word.

The future was whatever we wanted to make it.

And I couldn’t stop smiling.

EPILOGUE I

ABBY

One week later…

Dad was furious.

Actually, that was about the biggest understatement of the century.

It looked like the big vein in his forehead was about to burst like a firehose.

“You’re what?”

I glanced over at Logan, who was seated next to me on the couch at Mom and Dad’s place. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, and I’d just dropped the bombshell to end all bombshells.

“You’re what?” Mom echoed Dad’s words. But for her, they came out with a tone of total, giddy elation.

I took a deep breath and said it again.

“I’m…pregnant.”

One more glance over at Logan. He flicked his eyebrows up, his expression seeming to say, “well, here goes nothing.” Logan knew better than to speak up –saying one word would give Dad an easy target.

Dad said nothing at first, instead standing up slowly, clasping his hands behind his back, and leisurely pacing over to the window.

He really was furious – never in my life had I seen him that mad before, not even when I accidentally backed my car into his Cobra Green Porsche 911 the day after I’d gotten my license. At least then he’d yelled. Now he was silent, which was even worse.

I had to keep going for it.

“We’re going to be having a baby together,” I said, taking Logan’s hand. He squeezed it right back, which was just the boost I needed.

Dad turned; his eyes narrowed into hateful little slits.

“After everything I’ve done for you, this is what you go and do. It doesn’t matter what I taught you when you were little, doesn’t matter the importance I placed on your future. You find some guy, date him behind my back, and then throw it all away.”

“I’m happy for you,” said Mom with a confident nod. “If your father’s not going to be, at least—”

“Elizabeth! You’re not helping!” Dad’s voice blasted through the room.

It was something I’d seen many times before. Dad would be pissed about one thing or another, Mom would pipe up with her point of view only to be shut down. I hated to see it. Mom’s face would fall like it did in that moment, and she’d once again learn the lesson that there was no point in standing up to Dad when he was on a tear.

But something strange happened. Mom’s face fell and she looked down at her lap like she always did. This time, however, she lifted her face back up, an expression of determination taking hold.

“You know what, Sam? You’re acting like a child.”

Her words took me by total surprise. I glanced over at Logan, whose eyebrows were raised in surprise.

“Excuse me?” Dad’s voice was quiet. I could tell he was as surprised as the rest of us.

“You…you heard me.” Mom squared her shoulders and hardened her expression. “Your daughter just told us that she’s going to be having our grandchild. And here you are, whining about how some little plan you came up with didn’t work out. I’m happy for her. She’s with a wonderful man, and she’s on her way to doing great things. If all you can do is yell about it, then, well, I feel sorry for you.”

“You’re out of line, Elizabeth.”

Dad was flummoxed. He didn’t look confident and in control like usual. He clearly hadn’t expected his own wife to dispute him like that.

“And besides,” Mom went on. “Isn’t this what you wanted for her? What we wanted for her? All we’d hoped was that she’d find a good man and start a family with him. And look! That’s exactly what she’s doing!”

“But it’s with a man who we didn’t approve of.”

“Sam, he’s a doctor and a best-selling writer. That’s two amazing careers in one guy! What were you hoping to do, land a betrothal to Prince William’s son?”

I chuckled at this one, even though I knew I shouldn’t. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw Logan crack a smile.

Dad stuck out his finger accusingly in Mom’s direction. “You’re supposed to be supporting me here, Elizabeth.”

“No,” she said. “I’ve done enough of that. Today, I’m making a choice. That choice is to support my daughter and her new husband, and —”

“We’re, uh, not technically married,” I interjected.

“I knew it!” shouted Dad, his eyes lighting up.

“That doesn’t matter!” said Mom. “I’m sure they will be before too long. Right?” she leaned forward, a glimmer of excitement from a mom who’d just realized she just might get the wedding of her dreams for her daughter after all.

“We’re going to be taking things as they come,” said Logan. “But considering how crazy I am about this woman…”

Mom beamed so hard it looked like her smile might stretch all the way to her eyes. Then she let out a squeal as she clasped her hands together.

“No need to rush,” she said. “But you two are in love and going to have a baby and I’m sure everything’s going to come out perfectly.”

“That’s what we’re hoping,” said Logan with a nod.

“You know what?” Dad butted in. “I don’t need to listen to this anymore. I’m done. Do whatever you want. But I hope for your sake that he’s going to foot the bill for whatever pie-in-the-sky dreams you have. Because I’m sure as hell not going to!”

With that, Dad turned on his Italian loafers and stormed out of the living room.

Once he was gone, Mom turned to me and let out another squeal. And this time, she rushed over to me and pulled me into a tight hug as I got up to greet her.

“This is amazing!” she shouted as she dang near squeezed the life out of me.

“Mom, easy! Try not to squish the fetus!” Logan chuckled at that one.

Mom let go of me and stepped back. “Oops! Sorry, I got a little carried away there.”

She looked me up and down, tears in her eyes.

“But this…this is amazing. You’re stepping into the life of the woman I’ve always thought you’d be.” She turned to Logan. “And I couldn’t be happier about the man she’s chosen to do it with.”

“Much appreciated,” said Logan with a smile. “And thanks for having our backs there.”

Mom swatted her hand through the air. “Should’ve done that a long time ago, if you ask me. And don’t worry about Samuel – once he calms down and realizes he’s going to have a grandson or daughter, he’ll come around. Might take some time, but it’ll happen.”

More hugs went around, Logan and I deciding it was time to take off before Dad came back.

“I’m so excited for you both,” said Mom. “And I can’t wait to see what life has in store for you.”

I glanced over at Logan and grinned.

EPILOGUE II

LOGAN

Five years later…

The feeling that rose inside of me as Abby took the stage at her med school graduation, it was like nothing else I’d ever known.

“Dad!”

I kept my eyes on her, a feeling swelling that I could hardly name.

“Dad!”

I watched as she strode across the outdoor stage, the late May morning bright and beautiful. She quickly wiped a tear from her eye as she stepped over to Dean Pritchard and took the diploma, shaking the dean’s hand before waving to her family in the crowd.

“Dad!”

I shook my head, glancing over to the little girl next to me who was trying her darndest to get my attention.

My four-year-old daughter, her big blue eyes so much like mine that it never failed to strike me, regarded me with an impatient expression. Dori was her name, Abby’s late grandmother Doris her namesake.

And she was my everything.

“What, peaches?”

“When’s Mom going on?” She had the slightest trace of my New Zealand accent in her voice.

“Kiddo, she’s up there right now!”

Dori’s eyes flashed and she whipped around in her seat.

“I almost missed it!” she shouted as she stood up on her seat.

I rose and applauded. Over to my right, her mom and dad were letting out loud whoops of congratulations.

“That’s right you almost missed it!” I said, my eyes on Abby as she waved her arms to get our attention, a big smile on her face. As if we would miss her. “That’s what happens when you keep askingif she’s up instead of just waiting for it to happen.”

“Oops! Hey, mom!” Dori waved wildly toward the stage. Abby saw her, placed her hand on her heart, and mouthed, “I love you all.”

The feeling was more than mutual.

It’d been years since Abby and I had decided to make it official. Our new lives as a family had begun, and so much had happened. Dori was born happy and healthy, eight pounds, two ounces at four in the morning on May 7– a little earlier than we’d expected, but right on time all the same.

Retirement couldn’t have come soon enough. After taking a bit of a sabbatical from both the medical field and the writing profession, I’d been itching like mad to finally get started on my next book. Over the next year, I pulled triple duty helping out with Dori while working on my book and serving as Abby’s part-time tutor.

Not that she needed the help. Abby was not only graduating, but graduating at the top of her class. She’d won the little bet she’d had with her friend Blake, who’d come in second.

During her next few years, she finished her classes while I worked on Oil and Fire, the third Jake Roland novel. And, to all of our pleasant surprise, it became the best-selling book in the series so far. We finally managed to crack the New York Times top five, hanging at number two for a week or so before slipping a bit.

I wasn’t done. I had my eyes on the number one spot. But that could all wait. Abby and Dori and I had big plans to travel the world for a time, Abby and I doing volunteer work with Doctors Without Borders – though in safer locales than I’d done years ago. After that, we were set to head back to New Zealand so I could show the women in my life the country where I’d grown up.

I couldn’t wait. But now that Abby was good and graduated, we still had one more box to check before we could embark on the next phase of our lives together.

And that night was the night it was going to happen.

Once the ceremony was done, me, Dori and Abby, along with her mom and dad, Lexi, Blake, Clay, Hayden, Grace, Isla and their boy Thomas, and a few dozen other friends and family, all headed over to whatever fancy restaurant her dad had insisted on treating us to.

The place had been rented out for us, and we didn’t waste any time getting to the celebrations. Drinks flowed, music played, and the rest of the world seemed to melt away.

Then everything came to a stop when Samuel took center stage. He gave a speech about how much of a fool he felt for having ever doubting his daughter, how she and I and Dori had brought new light into his life.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when he was done.

Elizabeth had been right – the old man had come around.

After Samuel said his piece, I figured that’d be the perfect moment for me to say what I’d been waiting to say for months, years, even.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” I said as all eyes fell onto me. “First off, I wanted to thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for coming to our little soiree. Samuel, thanks for everything you’ve done for me, Abby and Dori, and I couldn’t be happier that my little girl has an amazing grandpa like you.”

“And grandma!” shouted Elizabeth. Laughs rang up from the crowd.

“I was getting there, I was getting there,” I said with a smile. “But cheers to you both.”

I raised my glass toward Elizabeth and Samuel. They cheersed back, and me and Abby’s father shared a look of mutual respect. Abby watched, beaming, Dori on her shoulders.

It was damn good to see.

“Now, as all of you know, Abby, Dori and I are about to set out on a little bit of an adventure. And —”

“Does this mean we’re going to be waiting forever for the next Jake Roland?” I saw that it had been Blake who’d spoken, a big smile on his face. More laughs came from the crowd.

“Now, Blake,” I said. “I know you’re pretty much the head of the Jake Roland fan club at this point, but you’re going to have to wait just like everyone else.” More laughs.

I cleared my throat and went on.

“Alright, alright. Like I was saying – we’re about to set out on a little adventure. Hell, a big adventure. But there’s something that I’ve been meaning to do, something that really ought to have been done a long time ago. Abby, you want to come up here? And bring our adorable kid while you’re at it.”

A reserved smile on her face, she set Dori down and held her hand, leading her to where I was standing.

Once she was there next to me, her eyes on mine, I opened my mouth and launched into the speech I had been practicing for weeks.

“Abby, you’re the love of my life. And no love is complete without —”

“Hey!” said Dori. “Are you guys getting married?”

My eyes went wide. A hush fell over the crowd.

“Dori!” said Abby.

But it was perfect.

“You know what?” I asked. “I think that beats the hell out of the big spiel I had planned.” I reached into my suit jacket pocket and withdrew the box that held the one-carat wedding ring. I opened it and the diamond caught the late afternoon light in a beautiful, brilliant way.

Abby gasped.

“What do you say, gorgeous – will you marry me?”

Tears in her eyes, her hands covering her mouth, she rushed over and threw her arms around me. Applause broke out as I slipped the ring on her finger.

“We’re getting married!” I shouted.

Cheers shot up, the music played, and dancing started again. I lifted Dori onto my shoulders as Abby danced at my side.

Life was good. And there wasn’t a damn doubt in my mind it was only going to get better and better.

THE END

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