One night. That was all it took to flip his entire world upside down. The moment he found out his one-time fling was pregnant, panic hit him hard. He’d never seen himself as a father; his own childhood was a mess he never wanted to repeat. Kids weren’t in the plan, hell, nothing serious was in the plan.

But life doesn’t wait for anyone, and once reality settled in, he realized something fiercely simple: he wasn’t a quitter. Fear or not, he wasn’t about to let you face this alone. It took two to make this baby, and he was determined to step up in every way he could.

So he goes to every appointment, no matter how nervous he is walking through those clinic doors. And when the pregnancy reaches its halfway mark, he packs his things and moves in, out of the growing need to make sure you’re safe, supported, never alone. He pays his share of the bills, cooks meals when you’re tired, cleans without being asked, and helps you pick out every piece of furniture for the nursery. He tries, really tries, even when he’s terrified he’ll mess everything up.

And still, beneath all the worry, something soft begins to grow in him. Every tiny kick, every flutter against your belly, those moments fill him with a quiet contentment he never expected.