by Silla Webb
“Colton Weston, Carly Jo’s boyfriend. It’s nice to meet ya.”
“Alright, y’alls met. He’s hot, I’m impatient, let’s move it.” I bicker, looking between Colton and Kaylee. “Sound good to y’all?” I sneer stomping over to the scales.
“Oooh, somebody’s a Moody Molly today.” Kaylee snickers in a little song. “Pregnancy Hormones must be kickin’ in. Go ahead and step on the scale, then we’ll get your vitals so Dr. Staton can check on your little monkey.” We go through the usual pre-exam steps, weight, blood pressure, urine, blah blah. Then Kaylee shows me to an exam room where we wait impatiently for Dr. Staton.
“You okay?” Colton questions as I sit bouncing my legs on the step of the exam table.
“Yeah, just nervous.” I admit. He plops down on the stool and spins around in front of me, snatching a hot pink glove from the box on the wall blowing it up into a big hand balloon.
“Well lay back there and relax. You could let me exam you just to loosen ya up before the doc comes in.” He laughs, trailing his fingers softly up my inner thigh.
“You’re terrible, Colton Jacob Weston.” I say swatting at his hand. A knock on the door interrupts my scolding. Dr. Staton enters and Colton moves from her stool to standing against the wall beside me.
“Morning Carly!” She sings as she places her laptop on the counter then turns to Colton. “Good morning, I’m Dr. Staton.” She stretches out her hand to greet him.
“Mornin’ Doctor. Colton Weston.” He nods. Five minutes ago, he was being his usual flirty self, but now the nerves have surfaced and his tan face is ashen.
Dr. Staton turns back to the computer searching through her notes, I assume before speaking to me again. “How have you been feeling? It looks like you’re coming upon your seventeenth week, so all of the morning sickness should be gone and your appetite should be back in full force.”
“Other than a knotted mess of nerves, I’m feeling wonderful.”
“I understand sweetie. I have the Paternity results here, if you’d like for me to share them with you.” She asks looking from me to Colton. Colton begins to crack his knuckles as he flexes his wrists at his sides, a sure sign that the anxiety is clutching him as badly as it’s clutching me. “Let me step out to get Kaylee to assist me and the two of you can talk. I’ll knock when we’re ready.”
She walks out of the room taking all of my oxygen with her. “Colton, are you sure you want to be here for this?” My heart constricts at the emotions that I see rolling through his chocolate eyes. That same pain, anguish and utter destruction that I saw in his eyes the night that I told him about Luke, is all there brewing like storm clouds on the horizon of a black sky. When he doesn’t answer I call to him again, pulling him from his torturous thoughts. “Colton?”
He looks down at me sadly then storms past me saying, “Screw this shit.” My heart drops to my stomach and tears roll over the lids of my eyes. He jerks the door open roughly and steps into the hallway. “Hey Doc, let’s do this, ‘kay?” He hollers, then steps back into the exam room. When he sees that I’m crying he walks over and lifts my face to his, wiping the tears away with the pads of his thumbs. “Shh, baby. Why are you cryin’?”
“I-I thought you had finally broke and just couldn’t handle this.” I sob.
“Listen to me,” He pleads, kissing me softly on the cheek. “I’m that baby’s daddy regardless of what those frickin’ results read, darlin’.”
I hear the door close behind him and soft footsteps closing in. “Ya big baby, what’re ya over here blubberin’ about? Goodness gracious don’t get snot all over this hot man here or I’ll have to take him out of the room and clean him up.” Kaylee kids, trying to lighten my mood. She hands me a Kleenex and says, “Get that shit together, Carly. We gotta introduce the little monkey to it’s daddy here!” Kaylee claims, pulling the ultrasound monitor from the corner. “Lay back, shirt up and get ready for the some belly jelly, sweets.”
“Woah, hold the hell up!” Colton screeches and all eyes turn on him. “Forgive me for bein’ so damn rude, Kaylee, but what the hell did you just say?” He pants and his heart is beating so damn hard I can hear it from here. I grip my hands tighter around his and drag in a hard ragged breath.
Dr. Staton bursts out laughing and steps closer to Colton, whose face is so white it’s almost transparent. She places her hands on top of mine and Colton’s and says, “Congratulations! You’re gonna be a Daddy!” Our mouths drop simultaneously releasing a relieved gasp.
“I’m the daddy?!” Colton questions in a boisterous shout.
“Yes, Mr. Weston. The results were conclusive with a ninety nine point nine percentile match. Congratulations.” Dr. Staton says happily. He lifts me up from the table in a bear hug, swinging me around, shouting “we’re havin’ a baby!” Dr. Staton and Kaylee give us a moment to bask in our happiness before big mouth Kaylee gets impatient and interrupts us.
“Okay that’s enough. Now everyone in Williamstown knows the two of you are having a baby since you shouted it from the rooftops. You can celebrate later.” She wiggles her eyebrows with a wicked grin. “Can I introduce you to the little monkey now, please?!” Kaylee begs and Colton and I both laugh at her.
“Yes ma’am. Please, introduce me to our monkey.” Colton says.
I hop back up on the exam table, raising my shirt up to the hem of my bra. Colton links our fingers together and kisses my knuckles mouthing, “I love you.” Kaylee dollops blue belly jelly over my abdomen and I wince at the cold chill of the gel, gooseflesh blanketing my skin. Dr. Staton swirls the wand in the gel, then goes in search of our little monkey. A loud staticky noise fills the room, followed by a swooshing lup-dup lup-dup.
“Daddy, meet your little monkey. He or she is measuring to be sixteen weeks and four days, and is about the size of an avocado. Little monkey is growing nicely as the legs are beginning to develop more and the eyes are centering more in the face at this point. Here is the heart and little monkey has an amazingly strong heartbeat which is a wonderful sign.” She says, pointing everything out to Colton. He gazes at the screen in astonishment and a wild tear trails down his face. “I’ll print some pictures off for you as a keepsake. I can see this is a very momentous occasion, so if you don’t have any questions for me today, I’ll see you back in one month.” She says, wiping the goo from my belly. “And dad, please try to make it to the next appointment because by then little monkey will have grown so much we will be able to determine the gender.” Colton’s mouth drops open wide and he just stares at her. “If you’d like to know, that is.” She giggles, turning to throw the paper towel in the trash. I pull my shirt down, and Colton takes my hand to help me down from the exam table.
“I’ll be here, Doc; with bells on.”
“You two enjoy your day. I’m so very happy for you both.” Dr. Staton says as we walk out of the exam room. She is an amazing doctor who has went the extra step by being more than just a doctor, caring for a pregnant patient. She sensed the urgency of my situation and held my hand as I dealt with it. I could see the happiness in her face when she announced that Colton is the daddy because she knows that is what I want.
When we step outside in the cool spring air, Colton begins shouting “I’m gonna be a Daddy!” to everyone he passes by. I can’t help but to smile with him because this is the happiest I’ve felt in a very long time. Like a gentlemen, he opens the passenger side door to the Tahoe and helps me in before climbing inside. He laces our fingers together as he drives, and the most handsome smile I’ve ever seen is etched on his face. Pure happiness seeps from his pores, and it’s a happiness that I hope to see on his face for many years to come. I am so in love with this man that my heart skips a beat and a thousand butterflies take flight in my stomach each time he looks at me.
“We’re goin’ out to lunch, then we’re goin’ home to tell everyone that my darlin’ is havin’ my baby! Hell yeah!” He fist pumps into the air. His excitement truly is adorable.
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��Let’s just invite everyone over and we can make the announcement then. Is that okay?”
“Whatever you want, baby.” I pull my phone out of my purse, and begin texting everyone. Savannah, Emma, Bill and Luke. Luke. Oh shit, I pause before pressing send.
“Ah, Colton. I think we need to make a stop first.”
“Where to darlin’?”
I bite down hard on my lip, as I pinch my eyes closed. I know he says that he’s changed and that Luke helped him overcome his insecurities; whatever that means. But I don’t want to hurt him by needing to tell Luke. I think it’s the honorable thing to do, since there was that slim chance that he may have been the daddy, too. “I-I n-need to talk to Luke.” I say casting my eyes down with a slight sense of shame picking at my heart.
“No. We need to go talk to Luke.” He says, tipping my chin up to look at him.
Fifteen minutes later we cross the tracks to Miller’s Branch and my scattered nerves begin to dance. I know that Luke deserves a relationship where he is loved and cherished for the incredible man that he is. But I can’t offer him any of what he deserves. After the tragedy that stripped Luke of his own family, he surely isn’t ready to start another. It still crushes my heart knowing that in five short minutes I’ll give him news that’s gonna cut him a little deeper.
Before I realize where we are, Colton opens the truck door startling me from my daze. “We’re here, darlin’.” He says taking my hand in his, helping me down out of the truck. I can’t hide the shaking tremors that control my small hands no matter how hard I try. “Are you sure you can do this, baby? If you can’t, just wait here and I’ll go talk to Luke.”
I take a few small steps up the gravel driveway considering Colton’s offer. “No, I need to do this. It’s only right that he hears this from me, Colton. But I’m so happy you’re willing to do it with me.” We step up on the creaky porch and I drag in a rough breath as Colton taps his knuckles against the front door. Luke pulls the door open, immediately smiling when he sees Colton and I standing on his porch. Words don’t have to be spoken for Luke to know why we’re here. He has a keen sense that I admire.
“Hey Y’all! Come on in.” He hollers, stepping back from the door making room for us to enter. The living room is entirely different from the exterior of the house. The siding of the house is tattered and stained from the coal polluted air, and the windows are thick and grimy with soot. However, the inside is a different scene. The living room walls are painted a soothing grey, beautiful white crown molding lining the ceilings. A black leather sectional stretches along the wall and adjacent from there is a flat screen TV, anchored to the wall. It’s simple, sleek and very clean. Everything is neatly in its own place. We take a seat on the couch, and Luke sits down across from us bracing his elbows on his knees. “Glad to see y’all together.”
“Luke, listen.” I pause, my breath is shaky and my palms are beginning to sweat. I keep telling myself that he will be so elated when he hears this news. “I had a doctor’s appointment this mornin’ and we wanted to come by to let you know that the paternity test were conclusive.” I wring my hands together tighter in my lap trying to find the words, but before I can spit it out, Colton comes to my rescue.
“I’m the daddy. We just wanted to tell you first to ease your mind.”
Luke stands up to shake Colton’s hand, but pulls him into guy hug instead. “Congratulations, man. I’m so happy your family is comin’ together as it should.” When he releases Colton, he takes my hand and pulls me into a bear hug. Whispering against my ear he says, “Through the storm, beauts. Always.” And I know that no matter what time of day or night, no matter how fierce the waters may be, Luke would cross any ocean to save me.
“We’re having a small get together tonight to tell the family and it just wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t there.” I tell him nervously, but when he smiles back at me my tension resolves and I know that Luke is just fine with everything.
“Sounds great, y’all know I’ll be there.” Luke says as we make our way to the front door. I give him one last hug before stepping out into the breezy, spring air. Although I could feel Luke’s relief, I still have a bit of resentment for myself that all of this was even an issue. Luckily, the two most important people in my life are still standing tall with me.
“Feel better now that you broke him gently?” Colton kids and I nudge him in the side because he knows how badly I feel that this was even an issue to be begin with. “Darlin’, Luke’s a good friend. Don’t worry ‘bout him. He’s a tough son of a bitch and he’ll get over you soon enough. He’ll always have a place in his heart for you. But his heart is so tattered, he can’t love someone as perfect as you. Not like I can.”
“I know, baby.” That’s the only response I can give him because he’s so right.
“Carly Jo, why’s everybody comin’ over to your house for?” Heidi Jo asks following on my heels into the dining room. I sent Colton out to pick up dinner while Heidi Jo and I finish setting everything up for our little celebration. “Just tell me already. I can keep a secret.” She whines, dragging her feet behind her, swinging her arms low in her classic dramatic fashion.
“Sweets, it’s a big secret, but I can tell ya this…you’ll get to see Brailee tonight and meet her twin brother, Braden. That’s exciting, right?”
She stops dead in her tracks popping her hip to the side, firmly resting one hand on her hip. “She has a twin brother? Like there are TWO Brailee’s but one is a boy? Oh brother? What am I gonna do now? That girl is wild enough to shoot at and now ya tell me there’s two of ‘em, and one’s a dirty smelly boy? Oh geesh!” She proclaims before stomping off to the living room. Well, that’s it folks! I have a seven year old diva going on fifteen on my hands. What the hell am I gonna do with that child? Goodness gracious, how did anything Colton Weston created become that dramatic?
“Yoohoo, anybody home,” Emma calls through the front door. Oh! That’s how…sweet Miss Emma has basically been raising Heidi Jo since she’s been born because Colton is a single, working dad.
“In here Emma, come on in.” I hurry out of the kitchen to greet her.
“Sweetheart, it was so nice of you to invite us over for supper tonight.” She says embracing me warmly. “Where’s my boy?” She asks looking around the living room.
“He went to pick up dinner, he should be back shortly. Is Bill coming?”
“Oh sweetie, he’ll be by as soon as he leaves the truck yard. Anything I can help with?”
“Thanks Emma, but everything is ready. We’re just waiting on a few people to arrive, and Colton of course.”
She takes a seat with Heidi Jo on the couch, asking her how her day went at school. Naturally, Heidi Jo has her head stuck in the game she’s playing on her iPod and pays her mamaw no attention, only offering a few ‘yeps’ and ‘nopes’. The doorbell rings and I bounce up to answer it. Savannah and the twins step inside and I immediately tackle Braden to the floor smothering him in kisses.
“Auntie Carly I don’t want your kisses, so leave me alone.” He burst out with laughter. I know you don’t want kisses, Bub, but that’s why you’re getting ‘em. Savannah sits with Emma talking casually while we wait for everyone else to arrive. Ten minutes later, Colton and Luke arrive simultaneously, which I find to be odd and alarming. They walk in together talking like best friends would, which is even stranger.
“Everyone is here but your dad, baby. Should we wait?”
He glances down at his watch, then chuckles, “Hell with it. It’s only six PM, darlin’. Damn bastard won’t leave the truck yard til at least eight. Everyone else is here, so let’s eat and have a good evenin’.”
“Okay, but I’m so excited, do you mind if I present the cake first?” I pout, sticking my lip out for emphasis.
“Darlin’, it’s our day. You can do it anyway you want.” He captures my lips with his, nearly sweeping me off of my feet with a gentle kiss.
“I’ll bring everyone into the dining room, i
f you’ll get the cake.” I toss back over my shoulder before going in search of the rest of the family.
After everyone is seated at the table and their plates are prepared with the finest fried chicken dinner in Williamstown, I cue for Colton to bring in the cake.
“I know that everyone is wondering why I invited you all here for dinner, just outta the blue.” I say looking from each of their faces as Colton places the cake in the center of the table. “We’re having a baby!” We yell in unison. Emma’s hands clutch over her mouth and her eyes well with tears immediately. She jumps up, nearly throwing the table up in the air with her swift movement, and rushes around the table to hug Colton and me. I’m too happy to cry, even the happy tears. Savannah makes her way over to us next, elated for our little family.
“Wait!” Heidi Jo shouts, standing from the dining room chair, flailing her arms over her head. She has everyone’s attention immediately and a smile tips up my lips over yet another dramatic stunt from this little diva. “Did you say baby? Like B-A-B-Y baby?” Colton lifts her up in his arms and swings her around playfully.
“That’s right princess, you’re gonna be a big sister!” She squeals in happiness, her bubbling laughter radiating about the room.
Savannah and Emma ooh and ahh over the two tiered birth announcement cake. Elegantly frosted in a deep ocean blue icing on the bottom, and a bright, hot pink icing for the top layer. Little Monkey Weston is scrolled out in fondant across the front, with cute jungle designs around the sides of the cake. On top, sits the ultrasound picture from earlier today.
A moment I’ll never forget is the look on Colton’s face when Kaylee told him he was the daddy. But the look that stole my heart is when he saw with his own eyes our little monkey. Hearing the baby’s heartbeat made this all so real for the both of us. The love and pride that shown through his eyes captivated my love for him, with a fierce intensity that we can never be stripped of.
Chapter 20
