Secret Crush

Chapter 20

Katy awoke the next morning wondering if it had been a nightmare, but as she opened her eyes to the sunlight flooding the room she remembered the truth: today was the day she was sending her precious son away forever. Tears started running down her cheeks and she was sobbing by the time her mother entered the room.

"Katy," her mother whispered in a somewhat harsh tone. "I know this is difficult, but there is no other choice. Believe me, I mourn with you, but you will thank me later for guiding you to do the right thing."

The words rang hollow and only gave Katy grief that quickly turned to anger.

"Mom, I don't want to give him up, can't you understand that?!" Katy yelled. "He is my child and I want to keep him. I know I can do it. I'll drop out of school, get a job, and work on my GED. I'll make it work."

"Katy, Katy," her mom said as she shook her head. "That's what all the new mothers say, but it never works out as easily as that. Believe me, this is the best thing and will allow you to move on with your life. I know it doesn't seem like it, but you will get over this."

Katy knew that was a lie. She would never get over this. Losing this baby boy would leave a hole in her heart that would never heal. In fact, she wondered if she would be able to go on at all without him.

There was a light knock on the door and Katy turned her head away, not wanting to acknowledge the person who had arrived to take her baby away. But no one spoke and Katy assumed her mother had left the room to have a word with the representative from the adoption agency to warn her that there might be resistance.

Suddenly Katy felt a large, soft hand on her shoulder that should have made her jump, but something about it felt familiar. For a minute she imagined it was Zach, but she knew that was a crazy thought and that it must be one of the doctors stopping by to check on her.

"Katy," Zach whispered. "Look at me."

Katy figured she must be hallucinating, but she rolled over on her back and found herself staring into those beautiful blue eyes again after so many painful months. She was so stunned and confused that she wasn't sure where she was and what was happening.

"What? What is going on? How are you here?" Katy whispered, never breaking eye contact with Zach.

Zach broke into a huge grin and ran his hand through his hair as he let out a breath that he had been holding.

"A little birdy told me there is someone I need to meet," he grinned as he looked into Katy's eyes with all the emotion in the world. "And I had to tell you that I love you and can't live without you."

Katy couldn't believe her ears. This was her dream come true. Zach was here and about to meet their son, and she was never going to let either of them go.

The perfect moment was rudely interrupted when Katy's mother burst into the room with Cathy trailing right behind.

"Let them talk, Sarah," Cathy said. "They haven't seen each other in months and have a lot to catch up on."

"Who are you and why are you here?" Katy's mother glared at Zach. "Are you the father of that child? How dare you show up here!"

Katy couldn't believe how her mother had turned into a carbon copy of her father the past few days. What had gotten into her? Katy guessed that too many years of living with her father and trying to appease him had taken its toll and caused her mother to see things his way in the end no matter what.

"Mom, stop!" Katy said as she sat up in bed and glared at her mother. "That is enough of you engineering this situation. Zach and I are making the decisions now. Mom, this is Zach, the man that I love and the father of your grandson."

Katy's mother stood in silence with her mouth hanging open staring at Katy and Zach. Before she had a chance to say anything, the nurse wheeled the bassinet into the room and placed the baby on Katy's chest. Zach was so overwhelmed that he almost lost his balance as he tucked his large body onto the small bed beside Katy and their newborn son. One look into those tiny blue eyes and Zach felt a love that was beyond words. Tears pricked his eyes as he leaned in and kissed Katy softly on the lips before giving his son a tiny kiss on the top of his head. Zach hadn't thought that having a family would come so soon, but that time was now and he couldn't be happier.