Chapter 45 Marry Me
"Sorry 'bout that," Dagwood muttered, looking a bit sheepish.
"Why the long face?" Fiona grinned. "When'd you get back?"
"Last month," he said, pointing to his work badge. "I'm a pediatrician now!"
Fiona raised an eyebrow. "Dagwood, you already moved abroad. Why come back to work here?"
Dagwood's smile faltered. He couldn't spill the beans just yet.
"Uh, for the kids at Armie, of course!" He ruffled Fiona's hair. "Got any lunch plans? My treat!"
Fiona glanced at her watch. She'd been there since the crack of dawn, and with all the check-ups and waiting around, it was almost noon.
"Sure thing!" she said, flashing a smile.
Dagwood went to change his coat, leaving Fiona to wait.
They were right outside the pediatric department, and she could hear nurses gossiping as they walked by.
"Dr. Lee is so dreamy and sweet. Plus, I heard his family’s loaded!"
"And he's single!"
"Yesterday, a doc from endocrinology confessed to him, but he turned her down!"
"Word is, he’s got someone special he came back for!"
"No way, that's so romantic!"
Fiona's curiosity piqued. Did Dagwood really come back for someone he liked? Whoever she was, she must be something else to make him ditch his overseas gig.
"What’s on your mind?" Dagwood snapped his fingers in front of her face.
"Still daydreaming like when we were kids?" He bent down, hands behind his back, giving her a curious look.
He'd changed into a gray suit coat, white shirt, and black trousers, looking all tall and lean.
"Old habits die hard," Fiona chuckled.
Two nurses at the triage desk craned their necks to get a better look.
"Let's roll," Fiona said, heading downstairs.
Dagwood trailed behind, his eyes lingering on her slender frame. 'Fiona was such a chubby kid. How'd she get so thin? Is she okay? Is her husband treating her right?'
Dagwood drove them to a nearby alley.
"The old spot we used to hit up as kids is still open. Remember their cumin beef?" He parked the car and led Fiona across the street.
They strolled into an old alley.
The owner looked pretty young, maybe early thirties.
Dagwood handed Fiona some utensils. "The old owner retired. This is his grandson."
Fiona nodded, taking it all in.
"Hey, Fiona, meant to ask earlier," Dagwood said, not meeting her eyes as he sterilized the dishes. "You doing okay?"
A wave of sadness washed over Fiona.
"Yeah." she nodded.
"Why didn’t your husband come with you for the prenatal check-up?" Dagwood asked, a hint of reproach in his voice.
Fiona went quiet. How did they end up back here?
After a moment, she decided to come clean.
"I'm not married," she said, pausing. "Still single."
Dagwood's hand shook, and he accidentally dipped his fingers into the hot water.
"Dagwood!" Fiona quickly handed him a tissue.
"How could that be? Did he ditch you?" Dagwood's voice was low and intense.
Fiona shoved the tissue into his hand. "No."
"Then what happened?"
Fiona sighed, feeling a bit cornered. "I'll fill you in later. Just drop it for now."
Dagwood's face was a mix of anger and worry. "So, what's your plan?"
"I'm having the baby," Fiona said, dead serious.
Dagwood looked even more concerned. "You sure? Being a single mom is no walk in the park."
"These days, plenty of women are single moms, even if they’re married." Fiona shrugged, trying to play it cool.
Dagwood stared at her, his expression all tangled up.
"Don't stress," Fiona said, picking up her teacup and taking a slow sip.
Out of nowhere, Dagwood blurted, "Fiona, marry me."
Fiona almost spat her tea all over him.
"Watch it!" Dagwood jumped up, rushing to her side to pat her back.
"Dagwood, we just reconnected..." Fiona glanced at the time. "We’ve only been talking for like an hour and a half. Now you wanna be my kid's dad?"
"Why not?" Dagwood shot back. "You still thinking about getting back with that guy?"
"Not a chance!" Fiona said without thinking.
Dagwood pressed on, "Then why not me? We've known each other forever. Who's better suited than me?"
Fiona felt a bit lost. "But Dagwood, why do I need to find a dad for my baby?"
And besides, Dagwood had someone he liked.
Thinking about how he used to protect her, Fiona's heart sank.
Did Dagwood still see her as the helpless girl who needed saving?
"You don't have to answer right now." Dagwood sat back down. "We've got time."
Fiona didn't know what to say.
She mumbled a few responses.
After lunch, Dagwood drove Fiona back. "I'm free tomorrow. I was thinking of visiting your grandparents' graves."
"Okay." Fiona nodded.
"Can I pick you up at seven?" Dagwood asked.
"Sure." Fiona nodded again.
Dagwood saw she was distracted and felt he might have rushed things.
But how could he not be anxious?
What if she got back with that guy? Or found someone else to be the baby's dad?
So, he had to make a move first.
He wasn't one to wait around.
If he could spend his life with Fiona, it would be a blessing.
"Don't overthink it." Dagwood ruffled Fiona's hair. "Pregnant women shouldn't stress."
Fiona felt helpless. 'Why'd you say that if you didn't want me to stress?'
She replied, "I know, you should get back to the hospital!"
"Okay!" Dagwood nodded.
Fiona watched his car drive off.
She walked into her community, lost in thought.
From the moment she found out she was pregnant, she never once thought about finding a dad for her baby.
Maybe she was naive.
Even after five years with Darwin, she firmly believed that relationships built on anything other than love were ultimately pointless.
She figured she needed to clear things up with Dagwood tomorrow.
She had few old friends left.
If she could avoid losing one, she would.
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