5. You are NOT the Father

Ellie Foster stared at Antonio Costello and then back at her husband. Antonio and River had been rivals for a while now, and she knew River was itching to kill him right now. Or at least, badly hurt him. But unfortunately, he had his sister and her newborn baby to think about.

But did Antonio just say he signed Valerie’s baby’s birth certificate?

Ellie’s eyes widened, and she instinctively tightened her hold on the baby. “What do you mean, accidentally?” she asked, her voice a mix of incredulity and disbelief.

Antonio shrugged nonchalantly, the grin still plastered on his face. “When Valerie was being rushed in, there was a lot of confusion. The nurses asked me to fill out some forms, and I…well, I might have put my name down as the father.” He glanced at me, his expression oddly proud. “So, it seems I am now officially the father of this adorable bambino.”

Ellie was speechless, and River looked like his anger was momentarily eclipsed by sheer shock. “You…you can’t just do that,” River stammered. “That’s not how parenting works!”

Antonio raised an eyebrow, his demeanor suddenly serious. “Relax, Foster.”

“Don’t tell me to relax, asshole!” River growled. “Get the doctor in here and fix this mess right now!”

But Antonio dismissed River’s anger with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Why the fuss, Foster? The deed is done. And let’s be honest, I’m a far more respectable figure than that pitiful excuse for a father Julian could’ve been.”

Ellie and River stood in stunned silence, their eyes fixed on the man's nonchalant posture as he leaned against the wall with his arms casually folded over his chest. The corners of his lips were twisted into a smug grin, daring them to challenge him. Ellie could practically feel the anger radiating off of River, who was clearly tempted to punch the smirk off the man's face. But they both knew better than to cause a scene in the sterile, hushed environment of the hospital. The air was heavy with tension, like a tightly wound coil ready to snap at any moment.

With a raised eyebrow and a disbelieving tone, River repeated, "Respectable?" 

Antonio shifted on his feet, his dark eyes avoiding River's piercing gaze. “Antonio, your history of trouble is longer than your family’s lineage!”

Antonio snorted at this, still looking oddly amused by the whole situation. “At least I am here, Foster. I didn’t choose the fatherhood. The fatherhood chose me," he said.

River's muscles tensed as he moved forward, his jaw set and his eyes narrowed in determination. Ellie could sense his rising anger and knew that he was planning to strike Antonio with all his might. She could practically hear the sharp exhale of breath as River prepared for the confrontation ahead. His fists clenched at his sides, ready to unleash their fury on Antonio. If she didn’t do something to stop him, things will get real ugly real fast.

“River, please don’t,” Ellie begged, her voice trembling with worry and fear. She took a hesitant step forward, ready to intervene if necessary.

Just then, the doctor appeared in the doorway, his eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. The air was thick with tension and unease, but the doctor seemed oblivious as he made his way over to Antonio and River, wearing a calm and professional expression. He studied them carefully, unsure of what had transpired between them.

“Is everything okay in here?” he asked, his professional demeanor at odds with the awkward atmosphere.

“No,” River stated firmly. “There has been a grave mistake. This man is not the father of the baby.”

Antonio's eyes widened in shock as if River was the one lying. He took a step closer, his desperation clear in his posture. "Sure I am," he interrupted, smirking at River.

Ellie stood beside them, her arms cradling the tiny bundle of joy that had caused this tumultuous scene. Her expression was one of anxiety and concern as she asked, "How is Val? Is she awake?"

River's gaze shifted towards Ellie.

The doctor looked at everyone, clearly perplexed by the tension in the room. “Valerie is stable and awake,” he said, addressing Ellie. “She did very well considering the circumstances. She’ll need to stay hydrated and get some rest. She is requesting to see the baby now.”

“Yes, of course. Let’s go,” Ellie said.

Antonio nodded before he turned his attention back to River. “See, Foster? Everything is fine.”

“No, everything is not fine,” River shot back, stepping closer to Antonio. “You need to get your name off that birth certificate. Because once Valerie finds out what you did, even I wouldn’t be able to save you from her.”

“Please, let’s not keep fighting,” Ellie warned. “Valerie must be waiting.”

River and Antonio began to argue in hushed tones, but Ellie was determined to keep the peace and prevent any further problems. 

With a deep breath, she stepped between them and placed a calming hand on each man’s shoulder. "Hey. Just take it easy, okay? Let's just go see Valerie. I am sure she is eager to see her baby."

River sighed. "Yeah, okay. We will sort this out after, Antonio."

Antonio nodded in agreement.

Ellie released a sigh of relief. At least they were listening to her and not fighting like some teenagers. That would be a disaster. Ellie let the nurse take the baby first then motioned to River and Antonio that it was time to see Valerie.

As they approached Valerie’s room, the atmosphere in the hospital hallway seemed to lighten, and the tension that had been palpable just moments before began to dissipate.

Ellie turned around right at the room's entrance. "Promise me you will behave. Val must be exhausted and she does not need you two to fight like rabid dogs."

Antonio shrugged. "I have no intention to fight anyone. I am a gentleman."

River snorted. "The hell you are."

Ellie looked at him warningly. 

River sighed. "I will behave."