Cat

I hang up the phone with Dillion. It's weird he sounded almost disappointed that I was already here visiting Olivia. I guess Brittany is right. He gets rather attached when rescuing someone.

I look up as Olivia steps out of the bathroom dressed but frowning while towel drying her hair.

"What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"No. No. Nothing like that. It's just my hair is going to be completely untamable until I use the right products."

"You always complain about your looks and I have never seen you look bad."

"That's because of all the work I put in. You don't think all this comes naturally, do you?"

I shake my head at her. "Yes. Yes, I do and frankly, I hate you for it."

This makes Olivia laugh. She's about to retort but the nurse comes in.

She arrived with everything Olivia needed to know about how to care for the sting at home, things to look out for, and so forth. I know none of this is sinking in. Olivia is too excited to be going home and is buzzing around the room gathering up all her things.

The nurse pulls around a wheelchair. "Ready to get out of here?"

"Is that really necessary? I'm perfectly able to walk."

"Yep, hospital rules. Just until I get you to the curb and then you are on your own."

Olivia plops herself into the chair and I load her up with her belongings. The nurse began wheeling her out when Olivia cries out, "Wait! Where is it?"

"Where is what?" I ask.

"My cat. I can't find my cat."

One glance back and I see a suspicious lump under the covers. I run over to it.

"Got him! He was tangled in your sheets. So does Doug know you sleep with stuffed animals?"

Relieved Olivia took the cat from me and hugged it tightly. "I don't sleep with stuffed animals. Unlike some people, I'm a little too old for that."

"Uh-huh."

Olivia stuck her tongue out at me and I giggled.

Doug was waiting for us outside of the hospital. We said goodbye to the nurse and Oliva breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad to finally be out of there."

"You know it's funny how much you seem to hate hospitals when you're going to school to become a doctor," Doug teased.

"Ha! Ha! If they wanted to pay me a doctor's salary I'd happily stick around, but as a patient, it sucks."

Olivia turned and gave me a bear hug goodbye. "Thanks for sticking by me like always. I love you."

"I love you, too. See you both after the break? Back at school?"

"Unless we find an excuse to see you sooner."

"That would be great. Maybe we can do dinner?"

"Just the four of us?"

I thought this was an odd question. "Well yeah, Brittany is rather busy and so is Dillion with the shelter but if you want me to see if they can come along..."

"No. I wasn't implying... I was just..." Olivia shook her head and gave me a half-smile. "Never mind. I'm still not all here. I think my talking motor is broken. Hopefully, it's nothing a little sleep can't cure."

"Okay. I'll check with Alex when I get back and I'll call you."

"Sounds perfect."

I stick around until Olivia is settled in the car. I waved as she and Doug drove away. I'm so grateful Olivia is okay. I couldn't wait to go home to see how things went at the club with Alex. I twisted the engagement ring on my finger and smiled. Things went so much better than I could ever dream. I shouldn't be surprised though.

Since Alex and I got together so much of my life has improved. My relationships with my family. School. Even dealing with all these new adventures and worries with the baby, seemed manageable with him around. He just had a way of taking the stress out of things. I don't know what I would do without him. So, imagine my surprise when I come home to discover he's gone.

"What do you mean he's gone? Why? What happened?"

I should have known something bad was about to happen when my brother met me at the door and said he needed to talk. He ushered me over to a chair facing my parents. My dad is pissed about something and my mom's leg was bouncing like crazy while wringing her hands.

"What did you do?" I accused, directing the question at my father.

He's dumbfounded. "Me? I didn't do anything. Look, Cat. This was Alex's decision. Although it really was the only decision, he could make considering the circumstances. He did the right thing and I admire him for that."

"What decision? What are you talking about?" Did I step into the twilight zone? I know I'm missing some vital information but what?

My brother knelt before me. "Cat, Alex left."

"I know you said that before. Where did he go? Did something happen to William? Did he have to return to school early? It's not a big deal. I'll just call him and see if he wants me to go back with him?"

I pulled out my phone but my brother puts his hand over it stopping me from unlocking it.

"No, Cat. He didn't just leave. He's left you."

It took a few seconds for Dillion's words to penetrate my brain. So absurd sounding I could only react in one way, I laughed. "Yeah, right." My brother however isn't smiling. This isn't some weird joke. A brief glance at my parents and the truth settles in, but I still refuse to believe it.

"Why would Alex leave me? Fiancé, remember?" I waved my hand, wiggling my ring finger. "Whatever is going on you must have misunderstood."

Dillion sighed but moved aside and looked pointedly at my father.

"What?" I demanded.

"Cat, at the course today we ran into Liam and his father."

A sick feeling grew in my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness.

"I know Alex is a stripper."

The blood drained from my face. My head felt woozy. "He is not a stripper."

"Fine! Pole dancer. I'm not here to argue semantics with you, Cat. The fact of the matter is Liam has pictures and his father has threatened to fight for custody of the baby once it is born. Honey with his money. I can't hope to back you up. The best thing, the only thing that could ensure you keep this baby is that Alex never sees you again."

I wanted to vomit. I wanted to scream. I had so many words coursing through my head but I couldn't lock on what I wanted to come out of my mouth. Finally, I settled on...

"Bullshit! Is that what you told him? Is that what you said to Alex to drive him away?"

My father looked hurt. "He chose..."

"Yeah, right! After you suggested? Threatened? What did you say, Dad that Alex would think his only choice was to leave me?"

"Cat, it was his choice."

I'm surprised these words come from my brother.

I shook my head no. "I don't believe you. Alex would never...?"

"I talked to him myself. I tried to convince him to stay but no matter what I said he was determined to be gone before you got back. I'm sorry, Cat. I know this must be hard for you."

My brain refused to accept this information. Alex wouldn't just leave me without a word. No. They're wrong. They had to be. Panic welled up in me. It couldn't be true. He would never...

"No!" I shouted and stood up. "I'm going to him. You did this!" I said pointing my finger at my father. "You drove him away. You just can't let me be happy, can you? Alex is the best thing that ever happened to me. I won't lose him."

I moved to walk away and my father grabbed hold of my arm.

"Cat. Be reasonable. If Liam's father chooses to fight you for your baby he has the resources that he could very well win. He will make you look unfit as a mother if you're living with an ex-stripper... pole dancer... whatever. He doesn't need the truth. Men like Liam's father make their own truth, and buy people's belief in it."

"I don't care. I'm not afraid of him or Liam. I will talk to Liam myself. I will make him make his father back off. But if you think I'm just going to let Alex walk away, that I'm just going to let Liam control my life..." I shook my head again, partially in disbelief and partially to shake off the dizziness I felt.

"Alex left you, Cat. If he can see reason. Why can't you? Liam and his father threatened to go for full custody. You'll be lucky if you get visitation rights. Can't you see if Alex stays in your life you'll not only lose him but you'll lose your baby too? Doesn't this child mean more to you than that?"

I could taste the bile in my mouth that had burned my throat. The thought of losing Alex tore my heart to shreds. The thought of losing my child brought me to my knees. If my father wasn't already holding onto me, I would have fallen to the floor.

"Jesus! Cat!"

My father's strong arms try to hold me up as my consciousness slipped away.