92. (DANE POV)

DANE POV

Vikki, Deirk, and I moved to my office across the hall. I took my usual seat while Deirk and Vikki settled into the opposite chairs. Deirk sat up, rested his head on the edge of the desk, and sighed.

Vikki looked between us. "You're both still in shock," she observed. "And that's understandable. This isn't something you ever expected."

Deirk leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "No kidding, Vikki. We're still trying to wrap our heads around it."

I remained quiet. It was hard to articulate what was going through my mind. The idea of becoming a father and raising a child in a place like this was overwhelming.

But Vikki was right.

This was a rare opportunity.

Vikki leaned forward. "Listen, this is going to be okay. You're getting an opportunity here that doesn't come along often. I know it's a lot to process, but it's also a gift. This baby... it's a gift."

I nodded slowly. "I know," I finally replied. "It's just... it's a lot. And we will need to make some serious