M-my baby.
I just…I don’t…I can’t…
Fucking hell.
I know I don’t have the confirmation from the DNA test yet. But fuck…this is happening.
I’m…I’m going to be a father.
I’m going to have to look after another person.
No, not just another person. Two of them. Because as long as Bea is my child’s mother, I owe it to her to take care of her as well.
She didn’t ask for this. She didn’t go out that night with the intention of having her life entwined with mine.
“Would you like a printout?”
“Yes, please,” Bea says, her voice cracked with emotion.
Finally, I rip my eyes from the screen and take her in. Her cheeks are wet with tears, her eyes red and puffy again.
“Are you okay?” I ask. It’s a stupid question. If she feels even half of what I’m feeling now, then no, she’s not okay.
“I…I don’t know,” she confesses. “All of this…it’s…it’s a lot to absorb.”
A laugh bursts out of me. “You’re telling me.”
Bea cleans up, and only a minute or so later, we’re exiting the room, her clutching her new scan pictures proudly. The second her friend sees us, she comes rushing over, demanding to know if everything is okay.
“Everything looks perfect.”
“The dates line up with the night at the club?” she asks, shooting a glance at me to ensure I get the dig.
“Yeah,” Bea agrees.
“So what’s next? DNA results and …”
“I don’t know,” Bea responds nervously. “I’ve never done any of this before. I have no idea what?—”
“Can I take your number?” I interrupt.
“Um…yeah, sure. Probably a good idea,” Bea mumbles as I pull my cell from my pocket, open my contacts, and hand it over.
“Does that mean you’re going to call her?” her friend asks.
“Let’s get the results and we’ll go from there.”
“You don’t need the results,” she snaps. “You can be a decent human being right now.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I shoot back.
“Can you two stop?” Bea pleads. “I’m starving, and I really want to get out of here.”
“Yeah, let’s go,” her friend agrees, linking their arms together and towing her away from me.
“I’ll message you,” I call, but Bea doesn’t respond; she doesn’t even look back.
19
