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“So your son can turn his back and go to school while my daughter carries the burden of this child?” Mr. Bryant’s meaty hand slapped the table.
“I’m saying I don’t think a shotgun wedding is necessary.” My dad sat back. “Henry’s plans are going to PSU. He’s not running from anything.”
“We are on the board of the parents’ coalition and I am a deacon in the church.” He turned his anger to my dad. “So yes. This is a necessity.”
I propped my elbows on the table, using my thumbs to pinch the bridge of my nose. “Can I get a job and an apartment before we get married?”
“You have one month.” Mr. Bryant stood up. “If you don’t find something suitable, you will move in with us and work for me at the dealership.”
“Deal.” I sighed in defeat.
Silence as thick as tar filled the room as the Bryant’s left. My dad retreated to his office and my mom growled.
“Seriously, Henry.” She huffed and stood up from the table. “How could you be so stupid?”
“Whatever.” I pushed away from the table and went to my dad’s office, closing the door behind me. “IswearI used a condomeverytime with her.”
My dad took his seat behind the desk and reached for the open bottle of bourbon. “Based on that statement, do I dare ask who youdidn’tuse one with?”
Anger ran hot through my veins as I walked over, snatched the bottle of bourbon, and threw it against the wall.
“Goddamnit!” I growled and spun to face him. “I’m over having a drunk for a dad! I. Need. You!”
He sat back in his chair and scrubbed a hand down his face.
“You know what? You were my fucking hero! I wanted to be like you when I was a kid. And now? Now I’m not even sure who I am and I. Need. My. Dad.”
“Henry.”
“Don’t Henry me.” I paced like a caged tiger. “I don’t love her. I don’t want to be stuck with her and yet, here I am in what I think is the worst possible scenario.”
“You’re right.” His soft voice snapped me from my tantrum.
“What?”
“Sit down.” He sat forward at his desk. “Would she have gotten pregnant on purpose?”
Walking to the chair across from him, I dropped into it and slammed my head back a few times. “I wouldn’t put it past her.”
“So we’ll need a prenup in place.”
I nodded and felt the hot tears rolling down my cheeks. “She’s so much like mom.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “In it for the money.”
“Yeah.” I looked my dad in the eye. “Why are you still with mom?”
He shook his head. “Because I refuse to give her half of everything I’ve worked so hard for.”
“Is it worth it?” I wiped my tears away. “Is it really worth crawling into a bottle of booze to protect money?”
My dad’s eyes welled with tears as he looked over the broken bottle and sighed. “No.”
“Dad.” I shuddered out a sob. “I don’t know what to do.”
The air felt sucked out of the room and I didn’t hear my dad get up and come over to me. I felt his arms wrap around me, holding me while I broke down.
“We’ll figure things out, son.”
