"I don't know." He sighed again, and I figured I better get used to that sound.
"His family lives here. You're good friends with his brother. How are you going to pull this off?"
"Evan's busy with school," I said. "I don't plan on seeing him anytime soon."
My phone beeped with a text . . . .
Hey, beautiful, haven't heard from u this week miss u.
I turned off the phone and closed my eyes.
"You can't ignore him. This is his baby, too."
"I know," I whispered. "Please let me do it this way. I'll tell him as soon as he comes home."
"Have you considered the possibility that he may not want to be in a relationship once he finds out about this baby?"
I nodded; that possibility was always front and center in my mind.
"And you'll be okay with that?"
"I won't force him," I said. "I want to raise this baby with him, but I know he might not want to do that. But he's a good person, and he comes from a close family. I don't believe he would abandon his baby."
"I trust your judgment, Jocelyn." He smiled, but he looked sad. "I'll support this decision, and, whether Alex wants this or not, I'll be here for you."
For the first time in my life, I saw Max's eyes fill with tears.
"It'll be okay," he said.
I knew how disappointed he was over this. What parent wouldn't be? But he didn't scream at me or make me feel worse than I already did. He accepted I made a mistake, and I was doing everything I could to make it right.
"Thanks, Dad." I cried and hugged him tighter. "I'm sorry."
"Accidents happen," he said. "We play with the hand we're dealt. We always have."
I was lucky to have Max. He could've freaked out or demanded I tell Alex, but he didn't. He may not have been the most attentive father, but he did the best he could. He was there for me when I needed him, and that was more than I could have hoped for.
"You hungry?"
"Always." I smiled.
"Come on." He laughed as he got up from the couch. "Let's go out and eat."
That night was one of the best nights I’d ever spent with my dad. We talked and laughed about things that had happened during my childhood, before shifting to what the future held for us. He said eventually I could go back to school, and he would help me as much as he could. Maybe, if I took night classes, he could watch the baby. He also said we'd have to make room in my bedroom for a crib, and the downstairs would be taken over by a playpen, high chair, bottles, and toys. I hadn't thought about any of that. He said we'd have to get used to middle-of-the-night feedings and bouts of crying.
So many things to consider!
I couldn't help but notice everything Max was describing was taking place in a picture that didn't involve Alex. I thought that, unconsciously, he was trying to prepare me for the fact that I may be raising this baby solo. I hoped he was wrong.
Chapter Fourteen
The next six weeks flew by. Everyone had gone away to school, and as I’d expected, Evan was so busy commuting and enjoying college life that he didn't have much time for me. We did text occasionally, but once I distanced myself from Alex, he stopped bothering with me. He was upset by the way I was treating his brother, but I could only hope they would understand. It was already October, so I didn't have much longer to go.
My tiny bump grew bigger every day, until it became a prominent bulge. My hips were a bit wider, and my boobs were bigger, too. My nausea had subsided, but I still threw up when I had a migraine or smelled something that didn't agree with me.
Pregnancy had heightened my sense of smell, and that wasn't always a good thing, especially when I brewed a pot of exotic coffee at work and my stomach decided to flip.
It was always a miracle when I made it to the toilet. My little one was already making me work!
