“So I can hear more excuses from you?”
I open my mouth, but Fran speaks.
“I’m pregnant.”
The table goes silent, and I close my eyes.
21
Jabari
“Well ... that was interesting,” Mom says.
To put it mildly. After Fran dropped her bombshell, the Elliott clan lost all composure—except for Val. Her voice had been missing from the muck. Then Mr. Elliott quickly ushered his family from the restaurant before people could start recording the chaos.
Despite the cold reception I received, I have hope because Val told them about me. Surely that means something.Right?
“What are you thinking?” Mom asks.
“Uh ... just going over everything that happened at lunch.” I rub at my jaw, changing my focus.
“Here’s something I thought weird. Didn’t you say Val’s family doesn’t know about you two hanging out?”
“I did.”
“Judging from Jackie’s expression, and her snide comments, she knows.”
“Val probably told them today.” Jackie made it painfully obvious she wished I were anywhere but at a restaurant with her family.
“I don’t understand why Val didn’t tell them sooner.”
I glance at Mom on instinct even though I can no longer see the wrinkles that line her mouth or fan out beside her warm brown eyes. “You really can’t guess why?”
“Okay.” She laughs. “I might have an inkling.”
“Just be glad they attempted to eat with us in the first place. I’m surprised I wasn’t escorted out of the church.”
“Whatdidyou think of church?”
“Honestly? I was too nervous to give it a lot of thought. As soon as I agreed to Fran’s invitation, it was all I could think about.”
“Fair.”
“Why? Do you have thoughts?”
“Actually, I do.”
I shift in my seat to give my mom my undivided attention. She’s always liked it when I meet her gaze while she talks.
“I liked the music. It was, hmm, what’s the word?”
“Relaxing?” I offer. It did soothe some part of me. Knowing we were about to approach enemy lines had my insides knotted up. But the music eased some of the tension even if I hadn’t been wholly focused on the words they were singing.
“That’s a good word for it. I also liked that they do a lot in the community.”
“That actually surprised me.”
“What? Only hockey players can serve the public?”
