“First and last time that’s ever happened.” She covered her mouth like she’d said something scandalous.
“Facts.” I agreed, using an Anna-ism. “And then my dad went for his gun, saying how he was going to shoot that horny Italian for stealing her virginity.”
Clem snickered. “And how deflated he was when Sophie told him that Gianni was long gone, back in Italy already. Because she’d hid the pregnancy for six months.” Clem shook her head, making the paper crinkle beneath her. “I still don’t know how she did that as skinny as she was. How did your parents not notice when she went from wearing midriffs and tank tops to your oversized T-shirts?”
I laughed. “No idea. They were so oblivious.” Sophie had confided in me almost as soon as she found out—second only behind Clem. It had been an anxiety-ridden five months, keeping that secret. Knowing, inevitably, it was going to hit the fan. Watching my parents’ every move to see if they’d figured it out.
Clem’s expression went solemn. “And then they kicked her out.” But then a smile played at her lips. “But I told her not to worry. We’d have the world’s longest sleepover. My parents said she could live with us. But then, a couple of weeks later, you fought your dad and fixed the whole thing.”
I shook my head, still ashamed. “I didn’tfightmy dad.”
She scoffed. “You screamed in his face that you were going to quit school and get a job and take Sophie and the baby far away and he’d never see any of you again.” Clem told it like she’d been there. She hadn’t. Just my mom and Holden. But she’d heard the story a hundred times. Sophie had loved telling it, always with pride in her eyes. “And then you pushed him down on the bed, drove to my house, got Sophie, and took her home.” Her expression was incredulous, like after all these years she still couldn’t believe I’d done that.
I lifted my hands, and hers came with them. “Well, he wanted to place Anna through adoption just because Pastor Allen told him Soph wouldn’t go to heaven if she had a baby out of wedlock, as if adoption canceled out ‘sin.’”
“Pfft.” Clem rolled her eyes and laughed. “Old Fish Lips. I still can’t believe your parents let him preach at her funeral.”
“Comparing Sophie to one of the thieves on the cross…what in the world?” But I was getting off topic and there was a point to the story. “Remember the first time we held Anna, though?”
“Annaleise Nicole Dupree.” Her eyes danced. “Nothing else like it in the world.”
It was one of my favorite memories. Clem, Dad, and I spent all night in the hospital waiting room while Mom was in the delivery suite with Sophie. At one point, Clem had nodded off and fallen asleep on my shoulder. I didn’t take another deep breath until she woke up a couple hours later when the nurse ran out to tell us the baby was finally here. Best. Night. Ever.
“Remember how tiny her fingers were?” I asked.
Clem was looking at me funny now, like she was seeing me differently than ten seconds before. “What I remember most wasyou.”
My body wanted to squirm, but I held still.
Her evergreen eyes were so earnest, burning into me. “When the nurse put Anna in your arms, you got all choked up, and the way you looked at her was like she was the best thing in the whole world. And then Sophie hollered from the bed, ‘What do you think of her, Uncle Si?’” My cheeks were on fire because I knew what she was going to say next. “And you tried to talk, but you couldn’t. It took like thirty seconds for you to get the sentence out. “She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
It was one of the most vulnerable moments of my life. Anna captured my heart from second one and she’d had it ever since. “But remember my dad?” I asked. “How he’d been all prideful and grumpy the entire pregnancy?—”
Her nose crinkled, and I wanted to kiss it. “But the minute he held her for the first time, he broke down sobbing. Like convulsing. Snot everywhere.” We laughed. “And the nurse tried to take Anna because she thought he might drop her. But he curled Anna against him like a quarterback holding a football and sat in the chair, dripping tears all over her blanket. Nobody was getting that baby out of his arms.” Her eyes were dancing. “And he’s been treating her like a princess ever since. You’d never know he had such a struggle to accept her existence.” She shook her head, awed. “I’ve never seen your dad cry like that again.” Her voice broke. “Until Sophie passed.”
But I didn’t want to go there. The point of the story was to focus on the happiness a baby would bring. I pushed her hair back off her forehead. “If there’s a heartbeat today, promise me you’ll try to let go of the hurt Billy caused you and accept this for the incredible gift that it is.”
She smiled, looking more at peace. “You’re right. Of course you are.”
The doctor finally knocked on the door and popped her head inside. “Mrs. Adams?”
Clem started to sit up, and I put a hand behind her back tohelp. “Ms. Shepherd,” Clem corrected. “Sorry, I need to change that.”
“What?” My head was spinning. “You’re going back to your maiden name?”
She smiled and nodded. If someone had given me a brand new thoroughbred quarter horse, I couldn’t have been happier. She wouldn’t be walking around wearing Billy’s last name anymore. Halle-freaking-lujah.
The doctor shook her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you, Ms. Shepherd.” She turned to me and we shook. “And you’re the father?”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
Clem rescued me. “No. The father won’t be here today. This is my… Silas.”
“My Silas.” The Doctor smiled. “I like that.” So did I. “I’m Dr. Gregory. Nice to meet you both. Sorry I’m running so late. It was a full moon last night and I swear every woman anywhere close to their due date went into labor. I delivered three babies this morning already.”
“No worries,” Clem and I said in unison. Apparently, living together under the same roof made your minds sync up.
The doctor glanced between us, and I could see the wheels turning. But she said nothing. Only opened her laptop and started reading Clem’s chart.
