No Time Left To Regret

Chapter 4

While I was lying in the hospital bed holding the baby. A familiar face walked through the door.

"What are you doing here?" I spat bitterly at the unwanted guest.

"I came to see you and the baby." Joe affirmed, smiling at me. I returned his smile with a frown.

"The baby? How did you even find out I was here? You haven't talked to me in 8 months, I've been through everything alone, without you and you show up now. When it's too late!" I fumed at Joe but he didn't back down, he remained standing by my bedside.

"I know and I'm sorry. Kevin called me, he thought I should be here for you and the baby." he paused for a second. "To start over and make up for my mistake of leaving you before."

"And why weren't you here before, when I needed you the most!" my voice rose in anger. But regardless Joe remained calm.

"I wanted to be with you but I was scared, I didn't know what to do but I'm here now."

"Do your parents finally know about this situation?" I asked.

"No, not yet. I was hoping we could tell them together." Joe revealed.

"I just don't know why you couldn't tell them yourself." I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief.

"The baby's beautiful, can I hold it?" Joe asked smiling while he caressed the baby's tiny hand.

"Ok." I said and handed the baby to Joe.

He held it contently. Smiling down the whole time.

"So, is it a boy or a girl?" Joe asked, not taking his eyes off the baby.

"A boy" I replied looking to Kevin who gave me a reassuring smile. I looked back at Joe.

"What's his name?" Joe asked, now rocking the baby back and forth slowly.

"Jonathan" I answered, still watching Joe interact with his son.

"That's a strong name, can he have my last name?" he asked, looking up at me. Before looking back down at Jonathan.

"I guess he should" I said, shooting another look in Kevin's direction. He just gave me another reassuring smile and looked over at Joe.

"Jonathan Jonas....JJ" Joe said out loud, wearing a wide smile. "I like that."

Then the nurse came in, interrupting our little reunion.

"Your going to be released soon. I just have some paperwork we need to fill out and I need the Father to fill out and sign the birth certificate." The nurse explained as she handed the birth certificate and a pen to Kevin.

"Not me, him." Kevin conveyed, shaking his head as he pointed to Joe.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were the Father since you were in the delivery room." The nurse apologized.

"No, just filling in I guess" Kevin replied lowly, frowning.

"Ok, then can you sign this?" The nurse asked handing the birth certificate and pen to Joe.

"Sure!" Joe said excitedly as he handed the baby back to me.

He sat down and began filling out the paper out loud.

"First name: Jonathan... Middle name..." He paused and looked up at me. "What's his middle name?"

"I didn't really have one in mind... you choose." I lied. I really wanted his middle name to be Joseph, but I wasn't ready to tell Joe that.

"Ok, um... Joseph... Last name: Jonas... Father Birth date: August 15, 1989. Father signature: Joseph Adam Jonas... here you go!" Joe affirmed handing the paper and pen back to the nurse. Then he took Jonathan back from me, never losing his proud smile.

The baby and I were released from the hospital the next day.

Shortly after I got home from the hospital, Joe showed up at my house.

"Hi, I just came over to spend some more time with my son. Is that ok?" Joe asked uneasily. Shifting nervously in the hallway, as if I was going to refuse him.

"Come in, he's in the living room." I said, moving out of the doorway so Joe could enter.

We sat on the couch, as I reached for the baby Joe touched my arm.

"Wait, we need to talk."

"About what? I think everything's been said." I looked at him with a blank expression.

"But it hasn't." Joe put his hand into mine, interlacing our fingers and continued. "I want to get back together, so we can be a family and maybe even get married like we talked about the night Jonathan was conceived."

"You don't have to marry me just because we have a baby together." I replied, shaking my head.

"I know that I don't have to, but I want to. I want a lot for our son especially his Mom and Dad raising him together under the same roof. I don't want to be just a part time Dad who only sees his son on weekends. I need you both in my life all the time... more like forever. What do you say?" Joe looked to me, hopeful.

"I don't know Joe, I just don't know if I can." I replied uneasy. Afraid to trust anything Joe was telling me.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked with a frown.

"You seemed to have forgotten that you left me when I needed you. I was alone and scared through my whole pregnancy and now you just want to pick up where you left off, like nothing between us has changed!" I argued, my voice rising in anger.

"I don't think that! I know everything has changed for the both of us. I don't want to dwell on the past and the mistakes I've made, I only want to look to the future with our son. Please don't deny him the Father he needs." Joe argued back, just as strongly.

Knowing he was determined, I reluctantly said,

"Fine, I'll think about it."

"One more thing, I'd like to introduce my parents to Jonathan. Let's bring him over there so they can meet their first grandson." Joe offered.

"That sounds great. But you are doing all the talking." I smirked.

"That's fine, I should have told them months ago anyways." Joe replied, looking to his son's sleeping form in the baby carrier.

I got Jonathan ready and with no time left to regret we walked out the door, one step closer to being a real family.

***Chapter End Notes*** - What do you think is going to happen at Joe's parents house? Comment and let me know. Thank you for reading.