Accidental Father
795 Words
River Foster, the leader of the Red Vipers, rushed to the hospital as soon as his henchman Samuel told him his sister Valerie was going into labor right in front of that damned Antonio Costello.
Jesus Christ, how could this be happening? What was Valerie doing visiting one of the most dangerous men in the city and, not to mention one of his enemies?
His wife Ellie grabbed his hand and squeezed it, and he looked at her. Her eyes were wide with worry, mirroring his own.
“Valerie is going to be okay, River. Don’t worry,” she said in an attempt to comfort him.
River nodded but didn’t say anything.
The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity for River, his mind racing with worry for Valerie. He couldn’t shake the image of her in pain, with that smug bastard Antonio standing over her. The thought of him witnessing such a vulnerable moment made River’s blood boil.
As they pulled up to the hospital, River barely waited for the car to stop before jumping out. Ellie followed closely, her hand still tightly holding his. They rushed through the sliding doors and straight to the front desk.
“Valerie Foster,” River said urgently to the nurse behind the counter. “She was brought in a few minutes ago. She’s in labor.”
The nurse nodded, quickly scanning her computer. “Room 304,” she replied, pointing them in the right direction. “Follow the signs for maternity.”
They hurried down the hallway, River’s heart pounding in his chest. Ellie kept pace beside him, her presence a small comfort amidst the chaos.
When they finally reached the room, they were greeted by an unexpected scene.
There he was, the notorious Antonio Costello. In his hands, he held a small bundle wrapped in a blanket, which River could only assume was Valerie’s baby.
“Antonio!” River roared.
Antonio’s head shot up, and his black eyes locked with River’s. “Hush, Foster. You will wake up the baby.”
River blinked in confusion, the adrenaline of the drive and the chaos of the situation crashing to a halt. His eyes darted around the room, searching for Valerie. But she wasn’t there.
Ellie gripped River’s arm tightly, her eyes wide with shock. “River,” she whispered, pulling him back to the present moment.
“What the hell are you doing with my nephew?” River demanded, his voice a harsh whisper as he stepped closer.
Antonio’s expression was unexpectedly gentle as he looked down at the infant in his arms. “Holding him.”
“Why?” River asked.
“Because babies need to be held. It’s science. Something about needing skin-to-skin contact, etcetera, etcetera. I read it on Goo*le,” Antonio said dryly.
The absurdity of the situation momentarily stunned River into silence. Antonio Costello, his enemy, was standing in a hospital room cradling a newborn and citing Google as his source for childcare advice.
River took a deep breath, trying to calm the raging storm inside him. “Where is Valerie?” he asked, his voice still tense.
Antonio nodded towards a door at the side of the room. “She’s in there. The nurses are taking care of her because she passed out. But don’t worry, she is stable. She was just dehydrated. Didn’t you give your sister water at your house, Foster?”
River glanced at Ellie, who was still holding onto his arm. Her expression was nothing short of amusement. Reluctantly, she moved toward Antonio.
“Can I hold him?” she asked, extending her arms.
Antonio hesitated for a moment before carefully placing the baby into her arms.
As soon as Ellie held the baby, her face softened with awe and tenderness. The baby gurgled softly, her tiny fists waving in the air.
“He is so adorable,” Ellie whispered, her eyes misting over as she gazed down at the newborn.
River stepped closer, his heart finally starting to calm as he looked at the baby. He had pitch-black hair and big brown eyes with a hint of green in them.
“He is quite beautiful. Hopefully, he won’t have her father’s ugly mug when he grows up. I’d rather not have my son grow up looking like that Russian sleazebag,” Antonio declared.
River slowly turned to him. “Excuse me. Did you say your son?”
Antonio shook his head vigorously, a grin spreading across his face. “Si. I …may have accidentally signed the birth certificate.”
“What the actual f**k!?” River exclaimed.
“Hush, I prefer you didn’t curse in front of my son,” Antonio said.
Would it be so terrible to shoot this bastard right here? River wondered.
- Writer
