The weeks passed quickly. At first, Darrell went about his life. He did his job, but he found he was often distracted and making mistakes. Unable to work safely, Darrell subcontracted the contracts he had open to another company, then he locked himself in his house, only ever leaving to buy more beer or to go to the bar and drink. He now spent all of his time with a beer in one hand and a shot of whisky in the other. He could not even recall the last time he was sober.

Darrell lay in his bed, drinking and staring at the ceiling, which was often spinning much as it did now. He lifted his head when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Someone was in his house. He was too drunk to deal with them. He tried to sit up as he watched Aurora reaching his loft. Deciding she was no threat, he dropped back down on the bed. “Unless you have come to give me a blowjob, please leave,” he growled.

“Fifty bucks, and I don’t swallow,” she said, coming to the bed.

Darrell lifted his head and looked surprised. “Really?” He asked with mild interest.

“No, stupid,” Aurora snarled as she pulled the pillow out from under his head and smacked him in the face with it. “You are lucky I’m not easily offended, or I would reach down your throat and pull your balls off from inside out.”

Darrell laid back down, ignoring the fact that his pillow was gone. “Then go away.”

“You have been locked in this house drunk for three months. Look at me,” she said, gesturing to her belly. “I have doubled in size since the last time you set foot outside this damn house.”

“So what?”

“You haven’t worked in weeks.”

“It is ok. I cleared it with my boss,” he teased.

Aurora sat down on the bed with him placing her hand on his belly. “Look, Darrell, I get it. You found a girl that meant something to you, and you got your heartbroken. But you can’t just wall yourself up in this house and drink yourself to death.”

Darrell looked deep into Aurora’s eyes. “Lower,” he said with a cheeky grin. Aurora looked down at her hand on his stomach, and then with her own grin, she slapped him hard in the belly. Darrell let out a painful grunt followed by strained chuckling.

“Pervert,” she laughed as she stood up.

Darrell rolled over, holding his belly in pain as he laughed. “I’m sorry, I could not resist.”

“Clearly, you don’t feel as bad as you seem.”

“Want to get some coffee in town?”

“Ok, but you are paying for the expensive one. Also, I drive.”

“No, I’ll drive,” he said, rolling out of bed and hitting the floor. He staggered in his attempt to stand, and it took a moment for Darrell to be upright on his own two feet.

Aurora folded her arms. “Oh, how are you going to drive when you see three roads ahead of you?”

“Easy, I drive down the middle one.”

“I’m driving.”

are like five of you,” he said as Aurora allowed him to weigh heavily against her as he navigated the stairs. “Oh, and let’s not tell

“Deal.”

drove into Aspen and stopped at the little gourmet café, which had the best custom coffees. They wandered into the store with Darrell staggering. He knew Aurora had agreed to go for coffee just so he would stop drinking whisk and hopefully sober up a bit. They walked up to the barista and ordered some coffee. While they were waiting for their drinks to be made, Aurora was telling Darrell how sick she was of being pregnant. She was due soon, and she felt fat and bloated. Every inch of her body ached, and she was not even sure if her

seated at a two-seater table in the corner. His heart almost skipped a beat when he saw Katelyn seated with another man drinking coffee and smiling. She was dressed in a lovely semiformal dress, and the man was in a clean, pressed suit.

Darrell staggered his way over to the table.

surprise to see him in

look at the man, now staring at him. “So, you are the new guy. I see the trend. First Nigel, not this doofus. You are

you drunk?” Katelyn

he growled. “I’m drunk.”

what I

His mind was still foggy. “Cowboy,” Aurora said, walking

good to see you. Wow, look at that baby bump you are ready to

“It is not going to be long

cut out the chatter. I was trying to have an indignant moment,” Darrell

“So, she’s on a

no…” The man began as

Darrell barked at the man, instantly silencing him. “Sit the fuck down, pretty

by

growled, shoving Aurora away. She stumbled back and fell into a table knocking it and everything on it to the floor. Darrell looked at Aurora on the floor and panicked, realizing he might

belly. “I think my water broke in the fall,” with both

“We should get her to

quickly. “No hospital. We need

hospital would be

one asked you,” Darrell growled as he helped Aurora walk to the door. Aurora could not drive while in

said. “You would kill all three of

She can barely

sorry, Carl, but I have to go,” the man nodded that he understood.

“No,” Darrel growled.

keys!” Aurora yelled at him. Darrell took

her up into Darrell’s truck. “Hold on, Aurora, the hospital is not

Darrell said as he wedged the three of them into

“She needs a hospital.”

“Take us back to her place,” he said, taking out his cellphone. He would call the midwife and Stanton. By the time they reached Aurora’s

twenty minutes to reach the house. Hopping out, Darrell scooped Aurora into his arms and tried to carry her inside, nearly dropping her twice. He wished he had not drunk so much. Darrell carried Aurora to the bed and laid her down just as Gordon’s wife Melissa walked through the door. She came to the bed and began to assess the situation. She started barking orders. Katelyn rushed to fulfill

paced the floor, concerned that he might have harmed Aurora and the baby. He felt like an asshole. She had come over

had to undress Aurora from the waist down to deliver the baby, Katelyn suggested she and Darrell leave, giving her some privacy. As Katelyn ushered Darrell out of the house, he looked back to

the porch, Darrell proceeded to pace. “I’ll drive you home,” Katelyn

took his hand off and ran his fingers through his hair before placing it back on his head. “I hope I

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