“No one told you to move into a two-bedroom house,” he snaps back at me. “You’re one person, why do you need such a big place?” Ringing comes from my bedroom. “I’ll pay you back.”
“Yeah . . . when? Never?” The phone stops ringing and then starts again.
“You should get that.” My mother checks the drawers until she finds a fork. “Or I can get it while you write the check.”
“I’ll get my own phone.” I walk back to my bedroom as the ringing stops. The back of my neck suddenly tingles when I see the text that comes in.
Theo:
Just ran into your partner, said you called in sick. I’m coming that way. I’ll pick up food.
“No-no-no-no-no,” I chant to myself. I don’t have time to text him back and tell him not to come, and I definitely don’t want to call him when my parents can hear.
“We don’t have all day,” my father barks from the doorway. “I need the money.”
“I don’t have it,” I snap.
His eyes go to the second fan. “You got two?” His eyebrows shoot up. “Someone is living in the lap of luxury.”
“I borrowed them from a friend.” I shut my bedroom door as I return to the kitchen.
“Okay, well, why don’t we take one? I can pawn it, and you can get it back when you go to the bank.”
“No.” My mother has helped herself to a Gatorade and sits down. Digging into the eggs as if I invited her to sit down and eat them. There’s no way they’ll leave before they get what they want. I feel the panic start to run through me. The last thing I want is for Theo to show up now. For my parents to see him and find out about the baby. My plan was to wait until I was showing and then just tell them I was having a baby and didn’t know who the father was. But Theo not taking the hint is making this so much more complicated.
“Fine,” I hiss and walk over to the cabinet by the microwave, taking out my checkbook. “I only have one hundred dollars. I don’t get paid for another two weeks.”
“You really need to learn how to save,” he says.
“Do you want it or not?”
“I have no fucking choice. This deal is too good to pass up. I’m going to have to figure out a way to come up with the other hundred dollars, but I think I can.” I sign the check and hand it to him.
“Now can you go?”
My mother eyes me, her head tilting to the side. “You’re up to something. Why are you trying to get rid of us?”
“You hiding something?” My father takes a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lights one.
“Don’t smoke that in here.” I move my hand side to side to block the smoke from getting to me. “I gave you the money. I have nothing left for you, so take it and leave.”
He takes a huge pull from his cigarette and blows the smoke right at me. “You know you can’t hide anything from us. We’re your parents.” He looks at my mother. “We’ll come back tomorrow to check on you.” He walks out, taking my mother with him.
As the door shuts, my head finally hangs down. “I’m sorry about that.” I put my hand on my stomach. “I really want you to grow up here”—a tear falls—“but maybe it would be better if we leave.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THEO
I park my truck on the street, getting out between two cars, and then slam the door. I can hear music coming out of Thatcher’s as I drag my feet over to the diner. Half the tables are empty, and the dinner rush is long over. I check my phone and it’s just a little after 8:00 p.m. I had to stay late to finish up a job, then I headed over to the grocery store. So I wasn’t sliding into bed at 7:00 p.m. with my alarm set for 3:00 a.m. like I planned.
I step up to the counter that runs along the back wall, with a small window to the kitchen, where they store the food.
One of the waitresses comes through the kitchen door with a plate in her hand. “I’ll be right with you,” she tells me, and I smile at her as I sit on one of the stools to wait. I pull up the text thread I have going with Collins. I sent her a couple of texts today, and she has yet to get back to me at all. I know I have to tread lightly with her. I know this entire situation is probably a lot for her to deal with right now.
“What can I get for you?” the waitress asks me, and I look up from my phone.
“I’ll have two cheeseburgers with bacon, and then can I have fries and a side of onion rings?”
