Page 104 of Vegas with my Brother’s Best Friends

That’s three times the heartbreak if something goes wrong, and things just keep going wrong.

If I take their help and let them weave themselves into my life, it’ll hurt even more if they tear themselves away from me.

I just don’t see them uprooting their whole lives for me. Maybe their baby. But not me.

So, why put myself even more in harm’s way when I could protect myself and my heart instead?

I step off the sidewalk and stand under a palm tree, taking my phone out of my pocket. Part of me is waiting for the doctor’s office to call again and say there was a mistake and that they know who the father is, but what would that actually change?

I pull up flights back home on the night of the wedding reception. I’ll only be needed for the first hour. After that, everyone will just be drinking and partying until heading to bed. The next day, everyone will fly out whenever they want.

I’m not needed any longer, and I honestly think it’s bad luck for me to be there in the first place.

I find a flight three hours after the reception is supposed to start. That’ll give me two hours to check out of the resort, get to the airport, and make my flight. I’ll pack my things up before the wedding, so there won’t be any delay.

My goodbyes will just have to be short, but I don’t think that’ll be a problem.

I book the flight with a tap of my finger, but I feel no sort of relief when I see the email confirmation. It’s my escape. My ticket back home.

But what’s waiting for me?

A quiet apartment. An empty life.

At least I have my work.

“Cass.”

I lift my eyes to see Tyler standing on the sidewalk. Wow, he’s actually speaking to me. And looking at me.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask him.

“Taking a walk. Getting some air,” he replies, staying where he’s at. “You?”

“Same,” I reply, copying him and not moving. We just stare at each other.

Tyler nods, his mouth wilting a little.

If he won’t speak, I will.

“You’ve been distant lately. You’ve barely said anything to me since you heard the news,” I comment, unable to ignore the sting of pain deep in my chest.

I thought he was the one who could somehow make light of the situation, but that seems to be beyond his capabilities this time.

“I’m sorry. I’m just…processing things,” he tells me, only stepping closer to not block the sidewalk as people walk by.

“You’ve had days.”

“It’s big news,” he replies before sighing. “I don’t have any great role models to look up to when it comes to being a parent. My dad was always working and never around. My mom just flat out left and never came back. They’re not great examples to follow.”

“I understand why you’re worried. I do. My parents weren’t great either, so the only parental figure I can even look up to is Ryan,” I tell him. “But we just have to do the opposite of what they did. We just have to care.”

“You know it’s harder than just that. You have to teach them right from wrong. You have to anticipate their needs before they can even talk. You have to make smart choices so that they have the best life possible,” Tyler says, his forehead creasing from all his stressful thoughts. “It’s so easy to mess up.”

And I’ve already messed up so much before our baby has even arrived into this world.

But I’m not going to give up. One way or another, I’m going to figure out this whole parenting thing and do better than my own parents. I will do that.

With them or alone.