“Are you okay with this?” I questioned him.
He nodded quickly. “Yes. It’s been a long time since that night. Whatever brought her here must be important.”
“Send her back, Axel.”
“Alright, brother.” Axel made his way down the stairs of the porch as I shut the front door.
Will and I took seats on the sofa in the living room. About five minutes later, another knock sounded on the door. Will jumped, and I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. I kissed him until Ifelt the tension leave his body. Once he was relaxed, I got up and opened the front door.
As soon as my eyes landed on Jenny, they widened. She was all skin and bones. She had a scarf tied around her head, which no longer had hair, and she was extremely pale. An older man was standing next to her, holding on to her. Jenny offered me a timid smile.
“Hi, Tech.”
“Hey. Uhhh, come on in.”
I held the door open, and the man beside Jenny helped guide her inside. I watched as her legs trembled with each step she took. Will's mouth hung open. He was just as shocked as I was.
Jenny and the man sat on the sofa on the other side of us.
“I’m sure you guessed from my appearance that I’m sick. I was recently diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.”
I was at a loss for words. Like I said, Jenny had been coming to the clubhouse for years. She was a cool chick. She never caused issues when she was here. She just loved to party. As bad as I felt, I still wondered what that had to do with me. We were never close. We only spoke here and there during parties. The night I hooked up with her was the first time.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Jenny. I’m not trying to sound uncaring, but what does that have to do with me?”
She turned to the man beside her, and he gave her an encouraging nod. “I don’t know how else to say this, so I’m just going to rip it off like a Band-Aid.” She paused and took a deep breath. “We have a three-month-old daughter.”
The fuck!
That was not on the bingo card for me. I didn’t know what I expected her to say, but it sure as fuck wasn’t this. I barely remembered that night, so I can’t be sure I used protection. I got tested after that night, so I knew I was clean.
I didn’t know how long I sat here frozen like a statue, but Will shook my arm, snapping me out of it. “Say something.”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Then I started doing the math in my head. I’d never forget how long Will had cut me off. It was a little over nine months. If Jenny had a three-month-old daughter, it sure as shit wasn’t mine.
“Jenny, if your daughter is three months old, it’s impossible for her to be mine.”
“It is possible since she was born three months premature.”
Once more, I was speechless. That solved that mystery, but it still didn’t prove the baby was mine. If she was, I would certainly step up and take care of my child. Will and I always talked about adopting one day. I wanted those things with him. I just didn’t think I would end up fathering a baby with a woman I barely knew.
Will rubbed my back as I squeezed his hand. I no longer had any resistance about him touching my back. Every time he touched my scars, I felt like he was healing another piece inside me. He accepted everything that came with my past and present. Flaws and all.
“Babe, you have to say something.”
Before I could say anything, Jenny opened her mouth. “I know this is hard to believe. I don’t have the best reputation. I don’t mind doing a DNA test. Actually, I prefer it. You’re going to need the documentation.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I’ll tell you in a moment, but first I need to know that you want her. I don’t have much time left, and I want to know that my daughter is going to be taken care of.”
I sat forward, looking her in the eyes so she could see the honesty of my words. “If she is mine, I want her. I would never turn my back on my child.”
“Can we see her?” Will asked. He didn’t seem upset at all.
Jenny nodded, pulled her phone out, and started typing.
I was a little baffled. I was so stuck in a state of shock that I didn’t even think about how this news was affecting him. Now that I was paying attention, I didn’t understand how he was so calm about this.
