“At dinner,” she says. Gesturing around the chaotic gym, she adds, “This isn’t the place to tell you my news.”
She’s making me nervous. “It’s good news though, right?”
Allie stands with her legs shoulder-width apart and shifts her weight from side to side, while saying, “It’s the very best news ever.”
I can’t imagine what it could be. Did her ex fall off a cliff or something? Yet, I know it can’t be something like that. Even though Brett deserves it, Allie isn’t the kind of person to wish ill on anyone.
“Did you win the lottery?” I ask, hoping to narrow down the source of her joy.
Her smile is so wide she looks like a toothpaste advertisement. “I did.”
“Wait, what? You won the lottery? How much?” I want to know. The most I’ve ever won is ten bucks and while I was pretty jazzed, I didn’t look anywhere near as happy as Allie currently does. She must have won millions.
“I won something better than money, but that’s all I’m going to tell you until after practice.” With that, she gives me a small wave and walks away in the direction of the girls’ team. Whatever happened to Allie, she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her and that fills my heart.
Practice feels like it drags on for a year but that’s because I can’t wait to find out Allie’s news. When it finally ends, and the kids are gone, I walk over to her and ask, “You ready?”
“Yeah, but I’ve changed my mind. I want to tell you here where it’s nice and quiet. Is that okay?”
“More than okay.” I also need to tell her the rest of my news. “I’m not sure I could have waited long enough to get to the restaurant.” I walk toward the bleachers before sitting down.
Allie doesn’t join me. Instead, she starts to pace back and forth in front of me. I don’t try to stop her, I merely watch. When she finally stands still, she turns to me and announces, “I’m going to have a baby.”
My mouth hangs open like my jaw just came unhinged. “You’re what?”
“I’m going to have a baby,” she repeats.
I want to know a thousand things, but the most immediate is, “Who’s the father?”
“You know him,” she says mysteriously. Every man in Elk Lake suddenly starts to pop into my head but for the life of me, I can’t think of who it might be. The only man I ever see Allie spending any real time with is me and IknowI’m not the dad.
“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,” I tell her, sounding way less happy than she is.
When she sits down next to me, I can feel the energy radiatingoff her. She’s like a lighthouse in the middle of a storm. “You know how I was going to sign up with adoption agencies? Now I don’t have to.”
“Because you’re pregnant.”
“What? No! I’m not pregnant, I’m adopting.”
“How did you do that without signing up anywhere?” I’m so confused, my head is starting to hurt.
“I’ve been chosen by the birth mother,” she says.
“Already? How?” And that’s when it hits me. “You’re going to adopt Margie’s baby, aren’t you?”
Before I fully process the news, she throws her arms around me and sobs, “I am! Isn’t it amazing?”
I hold onto her for a long minute before answering, “It really is. It’s perfect for you.” Not only am I happy for Allie, but I’m also pleased the kids have found a solution to their situation that won’t require either of them losing out on the chance of higher education.
Allie eventually pushes herself out of my arms and tells me, “Jordan has agreed to it as well.”
“What about their parents?” I want to know. Both couples seemed set on an abortion so I can’t imagine how they’re feeling about adoption.
“I don’t know about Jordan’s folks, but Margie’s seem to be taking it in stride. They even asked Margie to come home.”
My thoughts are swarming as I try to process this news. But even so, I’m thrilled for Allie. “Has she already moved back in with them?” I ask.
Allie shakes her head. “She’s having a hard time forgiving them for the way they reacted when they found out she was pregnant. She’s decided to move in with my parents, instead.”
