I didn’t need a fancy calculator or even two strips to tell me what I already knew. When Noah left, I stopped being so careful. Taking the pill every day seemed pointless. It was a shame that I hadn’t thought about how pointless it was when I spent the night with him and, within an hour or so, we had a big fight and then the next day broke up.
“I know what I’m going to do. I spoke to Grandma about it. She says I can stay with her.”
Carly ignored what I said as Trinity gave me a big hug. Her arms were squeezing me so tight.
“I can see someone has been working out.”
She laughed. “Well I need the stamina to keep up with Eli if you know what I mean.” She winked as she said that and then apologized as Carly blurted out, “Ladies, can we please leave. I really like the look of this calculator. It’s so damn cool.”
I felt so bad that I’d thought that I wasn’t intelligent enough to get into college. The thing about Carly is what she lacks in common sense. She sure makes up for it with her academies. She loves to study, it’s just anything else outside of that that doesn’t revolve around Ryan is a mystery to her.
We agreed to leave and Trinity said as we paid for them.
“No matter what I got your back.”
Carly chimed in, “I think you’ve got both of our backs.” Which meant that she wasn’t just taking the test to use the calculator. She obviously wanted a test for a completely different reason altogether. It wasn't to use the calculator, this meant that she thought that she could be pregnant too.
***
We cried so many times over the results. Carly said that I should tell Noah, whereas Trinity said that I should decide what I wanted to do before announcing it any further. Grandma knew, because the other girls were crying and Carly was saying that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to try out the calculator. I didn’t hesitate to call her and ask if I could stay over.
In a heartbeat she said, “I was waiting for your call, and don’t ask me stupid questions.”
That only left telling three people: Uncle, Dad and Michelle.
The easiest part was going to my uncle's realtor’s office on Monday and telling him that my time working for him would have to be cut short. He was sympathetic and then told the tale of every other single mom that he knew, and the list ended at two, but he was happy to tell me that I could be the third. My absence from the office had made it hard for my uncle to justify me working there anyway. The only person that he claimed would be upset was Keith, but I just got the impression from him that he was glad to be my friend. But then again, what did I know about reading men?
The next to be told were Michelle and Dad. I waited until they both came home from work and then I told them. I could have dressed it up and pretended that it wasn’t a big deal, but it was, and with Grandma in the house it felt a lot easier.
“Dad, Michelle, I’ve got something to tell you.” We were at the dinner table. The place were no one was on their guard, and everyone was relaxed from eating the fantastic roast that Grandma had made. Only Michelle was suspicious about Grandma’s appearance. It was clear that they didn’t get along and, since Dad and Michelle had got married, Grandma had never visited.
Like never, ever. Now, she had been at our house for three days. Yet, Michelle said nothing, but whenever they were in the house at the same time, Michelle would watch Grandma like a hawk. This time she was so relaxed. She even offered to help her in the kitchen, which Grandma had allowed after Dad begged Grandma to give his new wife a chance.
Grandma had nodded and said to me, “Your Dad was never good at picking out girlfriends.”
I wondered what she’d meant by that, but as I started telling everyone about my pregnancy, I had a feeling that I was about to find out.
“Your not back with Noah are you?” Michelle spat out, as she dropped her napkin on the table and was just about to walk out of the room. The nice, considerate Michelle that I had been witnessing was long gone.
“Sit down and let her speak.” Grandma commanded. Michelle looked at Dad and he agreed with grandma. “Wait.” He tugged Michelle’s arm.
That was when she sat down as if she was a mouse. The dramatic one that appeared a moment ago was lost as she said, “Okay.”
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Dad said, “Please, Ava, just spit it out, you’re scaring me.” His hands were firmly resting on the table as he stared at me, and I was sitting opposite him at the dinner table like I always did.
I’d practiced a thousand times in front of the mirror, but there was no way it could be done any better then this.
“I’m pregnant.”
No one moved.
No one said anything.
Until Michelle laughed and said, “Well, I hope Keith’s going to support you.” And she smiled, at the relief that the news had nothing to do with Noah. But she was completely mistaken.
Grandma was the one who was smiling at the end of the table. “Why should another man support another man’s baby?”
That was when the penny dropped. She realized at that moment who the father was. Dad sat facing me, unable to speak, just not saying a word.
In the cream room with matching carpets, the oak table started to rumble. The wine glasses and plates that were on them were slowly crashing to the floor as Michelle attempted to turn it over. She didn’t have enough strength to make a complete mess, but she made a good enough one for my grandma to get angry.
“You stupid bitch! I knew that this was going to happen! You just couldn’t help yourself.” After she discovered that she couldn’t turn over the table, she was stretched across it breaking the plates, trying to maybe break my neck too.
“Robert, do something!” Grandma shouted at Dad. He couldn’t. He just sat there as if he was on a different planet. I hated him for that. Grandma grabbed my arm and shouted, “Stay away from her.”
Michelle was chasing after me and screamed, “What you gonna do about it old lady?” That was the wrong question to ask, as the former champion of shot-put gave Michelle a right hook. One that she would never forget, as her back gave way and she dropped to the floor.
“Let’s get the hell out of here before I end up punching Robert too.”
I turned for a moment to see if he had moved. He hadn’t, so I let go of Grandma’s arm and went back to see him. I whispered, “Dad.”
Michelle was on the floor, screaming like a crazy person about how all her dreams and hopes were dead. The only thing he said was, “Stay with Grandma. I’ll sort this mess out.” I nodded and went to my room and got my bags, which were already packed. I’d planned to stay at least till the weekend to see the girls, because I’d wanted to say bye to them too. But, Michelle made that impossible. I didn’t know what Dad meant by ‘the mess’, but Grandma said that she could only pray that her son had finally come to his senses - and that meant seeing the back of Michelle.
Chapter Twenty
It was funny, because the whole time I’d been desperate to get out to Minnesota and spend it with Grandma. Find out how many weeks far gone I was, and just get some sort of normality into my life. Yet nothing works out like you dream. Especially so in my case.
Granddad was the first person I’d told that was actually excited. Dad hadn’t returned my calls or Grandma’s. She remarked and said, “He’s probably too busy trying to get Michelle to forgive him.”
I didn’t understand what she meant, since last time she’d said that Dad had a habit of picking the wrong women.
“But Dad said…”
She shook her head. “What your dad says and what your dad does when it comes to that woman are two different things. It’s as if she has him under her spell or something.”
That wasn’t what I needed to hear. That made me want to give up on him and I couldn`t do that. I needed him. Six months pregnant and not one parent was interested.
“You’ve got us.” Grandpa could see the sadness on my face.
“And us,” Trinity chimed in as she wal
ked into the room.“And us,” Carly said as she waddled into the room and over to the sofa to practically lay down across it. I was in my comfort chair, and Grandma had started teaching me to crochet.
“Yes, but we’re all not lucky like you,” I said to Carly. It wasn’t fair that she had support, but I shouldn’t have said it to her like that, especially when she was scared.
“Well you’re carrying one baby and not two. Oh, oh,” she said as the words escaped her mouth. She hated the idea of being pregnant, and when she found out that she was carrying twins… let’s just say that Trinity and I managed to keep her sane for about two minutes before she had one of her moments. One of those were about to happen any moment now.
“Two cots. Two nappies. Two baths. Two breasts….” she was imaging her future and panicking about it.
I hoped that Grandma wouldn’t mention Mia, Noah’s sister, but I knew sooner or later she would want us to discuss the wedding invitation.
“Did she tell you that she got a card for Mia’s wedding?” Grandma said and I sighed thinking that I had hoped it would be a lot later.
Trinity shouted out as Grandma went to and from the kitchen getting us snacks and drinks.
“She did mention it.”
I wished I could cross my arms properly and crochet and forget that I was there, let alone part of the conversation.
“I’m due in July.”
Grandma nodded, “And the wedding is in September. That’s plenty of time.”
I shook my head. She was talking as if it was something that I wanted to go to.
“Which sounds like plenty of time to me,” Grandma appeared again, and looked at Carly for a minute as she said, “Two shoes, two packs of wipes, two baby chairs…”
She shook her head and then Grandpa said, “Oh no, dear, you forgot two babysitters.”
Carly nodded her head in agreement and added that to her imaginary list. Grandma gave him an air hit as if to say that he should leave her alone. It was above Carly’s head as she continued to count and look up in the air, thinking about all the things that she had missed.
“Besides, babies never come on time. You have a four week window. So, it may come in June.”
I corrected her and said, “Well it may come in August.”
Trinity stood up and said, “Okay, can we agree. If it’s June or July then you go. Any later, then you stay.”
It was a deal that I wasn’t willing to take, but as Carly shouted, “Yes, I have two of everything!”
I looked at her and thought about all the support she was getting and the fact that maybe, just maybe, Noah would give me a second chance, and I gave in. “Okay then.”
Grandma said, “Good, because I already RSVPd and said you would go with your dad.”
I shook my head; a minute ago she’d thought that he would forgive Michelle again.
“But you said that he was too busy playing happy families with Michelle.”
My head was spinning out of control. The whole idea of seeing Noah again made me feel both happy and sick at the same time.
“Yes, but that was before I sent the RSVP and then saw an email saying that he is coming to stay for a while. He says his separation has come through and he needs a break away from the house.”
I knew that Dad loved Michelle. The whole idea that he’d decided to separate from her must have been hard on him.
“At least now he won’t have to work so hard!” Grandma did a sign as if she was praising God.
“Why?” I asked as Grandpa nodded in agreement.
“Because she was bleeding him dry. Why do you think that your dad worked so much?”
Everything was falling into place. I felt so bad that I had been so conceited and worrying about myself all the time that I never took note of what Dad was going through, and for once I considered his feelings. Maybe this new grandchild wouldn’t be so bad after all. Maybe it could help glue back together all the pieces of our family that seemed to have fallen apart.
Chapter Twenty One
As the weeks rolled by, I tried to not think about them too much as I stood looking in the mirror wondering if going to the wedding was such a good idea. I had spent the last seven months avoiding any contact with Noah. When I’d received the wedding invitation, I’d ignored it, thinking that it was for the best.
Mia was going to marry some guy that she had met in the Army, and claimed that it was love at first sight. I could relate to that feeling so well, and it saddened me that I used to think that Noah and I would get married after he graduated from college.
That had been a vision I had held on to for so long. Now we weren’t even lovers, let alone friends, and yet there was this one little person who connected us - and I hadn’t even told him about him, just so that he could pursue his career. I often wondered if I was too selfish and didn’t deserve him. All the time it felt as if I was looking out for my needs and not his.
“You ready for this, Ava?” Dad asked as he stood at the doorway. His eyes glowed as he continued to say, “You look beautiful…”
I felt anything but beautiful in my dress. We were going straight from the airport to the wedding. I did think about changing as we landed, but there was little time. I just had to hope that the pink dress I wore would remain the same way when we arrived. It showed off the new shape of my body. No longer a teenager, but an adult, with a crossover top that made my boobs look full and erect. I hadn’t lost my baby fat, then again that was the least of my worries. I had only had my baby three months ago, and already I was leaving him for a night. I felt so bad, but then this had to be done. I should have told Noah from the start, but the idea of telling him now just scared me.
“Dad, do you think it’ll be okay?” I sighed as I thought about seeing Noah. There was a part of me hoping that he had missed me as much as I had missed him, while the other part hoped that he had gotten on with his life and wasn’t hurting the same way.
He nodded as he came over to me and gave me the biggest hug in the world. I needed that reassurance.
“I’m so lucky to have a dad like you,” I said as I looked up into his eyes, knowing that he left Michelle because of me. He’d realized that she was using him, and had stood up to her. That was a big thing for someone on their second marriage. Dad was lonely, there was no doubt about that, but he had met Sarah in Minnesota and I wondered if he was hanging around here more to be with his grandchild or because of her.
“You and me both.”
“Right, everything’s setup. Dad is ready to take us to the airport.”
“Can I—”
“No, let’s go,” Dad said as he urged me to get my things. Dad’s face said that I had to get in the car with Grandpa and be on our way.
They knew me too well. If I went back in the house, I would think twice about going to the wedding. Seeing Noah again was going to bring back a million memories. I just hoped that I was strong enough to be able to deal with them all. One could only hope.
Chapter Twenty Two
The drive to the airport filled my head with so many thoughts. I spoke to Mia to confirm that I was going to the wedding. I knew that I needed some reassurances from her. I asked if Noah was going to be there and she laughed and said, “Of course, he’s my brother.” That was part of what I had hoped she would say.
“And your mom?”
Mia was quiet for a while, but then she said, “I’ll explain when you get here. But Mom’s not coming.”
That surprised me; I had asked about Michelle mainly for Dad’s sake, but I never expected her to say that she wasn’t coming. I didn’t know what to make of that.
I had become an Internet football stalker. After the first few games, Noah either lost or didn’t play. Then he was back on form. He started to get his head back into the game.I watched him speak like an obsessed teenager seeing their favorite player on the field. His lips curled and, even though he was a few months wiser, he was still as good looking as he was in high school, even though it was only after
a year since he left. He hadthe same stern voice and boyish charm about him. His hair had gotten darker, but his eyes were still green. I got goose pimples just thinking about him.
“Ava, you coming?” shouted out Dad as Grandpa parked the car at the departure exit. I couldn’t believe I was really doing this; butterflies started attacking my belly.
Dad opened the car door with a sympathetic look as I slowly got out of the car. He held on to my arm and said, “You can do this. You are a lot stronger than you think.”
That was all I needed. Some words of encouragement to know that I could do this and to concentrate on the real reason we were going to Jersey: for the wedding, not to be reunited with Noah. I had to get him out of my mind, as the nerves were taking over my body, heart, and soul.
Chapter Twenty Three
All thoughts about Noah started going round and round in my mind. I started taking deep breaths as I made my way into the Plaza. Get Noah out of your head, Ava. It was easier said than done. I kept wondering what was going through his mind-did he still think about me? It had been months since he’d tried to get in touch. The temptation to reply to his emails was greater every day since he had been quiet.
The wedding, you are here for the wedding…
I was thankful that practicality made it easier for us, with the reception and wedding being held in the same venue. We had three hours to check into our rooms before the wedding started, and all I could think about was accidentally bumping into Noah before the ceremony.
I caught my reflection in the lobby mirror and carefully moved my bangs from my eyes. I quickly turned around as I smelled his musk. He was standing so close to me and I could hardly breathe.
The Quarterback's Baby: A Secret Baby Sports Romance Page 6
