Red. I see fucking red.
“Well, honey, you can’t blame us for wondering. I mean, she and Finn...” Mom tilts her head, searching for the right words. “And you and she...”
“That’s what I said,” Dad chimes in, and I swear to God, I’m not sure if I’m more mad at him or my brother or myself.
“It’s mine. She’s mine.” I run a hand over Kyrie’s head and look at her. “They all are. They were before we found out Ashton was pregnant, even if she hadn’t realized it yet.”
“Oh.” Mom does a lousy job of hiding her shock, but at least Dad seems to be losing some of his fight. “Well, are you... happy about this?”
“I am,” I answer without hesitation. “I was hoping you would be too.”
“If you’re happy, so are we, Jamie. But I have to ask... Does Finn know?”
I don’t tell them Ashton and I have barely talked about it yet. That’s between us. Maybe coming here wasn’t a good idea. “Not yet. We only just found out yesterday. She hasn’t even seen a doctor yet.” I make a mental note to check on that. “I wanted you to be the first to know before the gossips in town get hold of it. I’d appreciate it if you’d let Ashton and me talk to Finn.”
“I won’t lie to him, but this isn’t our secret to tell.” Mom purses her lips, holding back a tremble. “You’re going to be a daddy. My baby’s having a baby.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I drop a kiss on the top of her head and focus on Dad. “I’m sorry if you’re disappointed, but I’m not?—”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Jameson. I never said I was disappointed. But sugarcoating life never helped anyone. Life isn’t easy on a good day, and you’re in the middle of a complicated situation, son. We watched that girl grow up. We watched her break. And we watched Finn hold her together. Protect her. She needs to be your first priority. Family first. But don’t forget your brother is your family too. Yours and hers.”
“I know he is, and we’ll talk to him,” I promise.
But Ashton and I need to talk first.
Ashton
Sitting in the kitchen, nursing a cup of ginger tea I pray settles my raging stomach, I stare at the local number that’s called my cell phone three times in the past five minutes. I don’t want to answer it, but I’m almost certain I know who it is, even if I don’t recognize it. But what if it’s not?
Fuck it.
I slide my thumb across the screen, hoping I’m wrong. “Hello?”
“Will you accept a collect call from the Philadelphia Women’s Correctional Facility?”
Nope.
Hell no.
I don’t bother answering before ending the call.
Why couldn’t I have been wrong?
I’m not doing this today. I can’t. There’s not enough caffeine in the world to make handling my mother an option right now, and as of this morning, I’ve given up caffeine. It might be the only thing I know for sure about being pregnant, but I know caffeine isn’t good for the baby. Damn it. I add getting a book about pregnancy to my growing to-do list.
Talk to Jamie
Find an ob-gyn
Get health insurance
Call Dad
Add decaf coffee to the grocery list
Talk to Finn
Buy a book on pregnancy/maybe get a few
