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And break the news to her.
My hands fingered the desk drawer handle, feeling the cool brass surface. Gently, I slid it open, my gaze flickering down to the ultrasound picture. It was still fresh, and I knew that eventually I might have to talk to Jackson about it…
But from what I’d seen in the media, he was back to his old antics.
Other than a couple of missed calls and texts in the beginning, he had never reached out to me again, and that made sense. It was just business to him. He probably didn’t even remember me. However, throughout our separation, I’d come to terms with my feelings for him.
And I knew now that I had fallen hard for him.
“Hey, you,” a small voice said from the doorway.
I turned to see my mom standing there, cradling a box in her arms. “Hey, Mom. You’re a little early.”
She nodded, eyeing me. “I got you some things for your classroom. It’s kind of neat to have full rein of the room.”
I smiled, pushing back from the desk and standing to my feet. “Yeah, it is. Not quite what I imagined I would be doing, but I’m happy with it. I like the staff here—and the kids.”
“I just hope they don’t bother you over what happened…” Mom’s voice trailed off as she sat the box down on one of the front desks. “I know that I was too hard on you, and I’m sorry for that. I was just…I guess I was ashamed that you had to pay for school that way.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I waved her off. “No, there’s no need feel that way. It was a shortcut that I couldn’t turn down. It was stupid of me to think it was a good idea…”
Mom’s hand rested on the box, falling silent for a few moments. “I think…I think you should know that it’s okay if you had real feelings for him. I had a knee-jerk reaction—and I shouldn’t have—and I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to tell you. I just want the best for you. I was worried that he would break your heart…” She paused, her lips turning downward in sympathy. “But I think he already did, didn’t he?”
I wrung my hands in front of me, catching the soft, silk material of my white blouse. “I don’t…yeah. He did. But it’s my fault, really. I knew what I was getting into, but I fell for him anyway.”
She nodded. “It happens, and I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you like I should. I should’ve been here. It has to be hard with Maeve married to the band.”
“Uh, well…” I laughed, though it lacked gumption. “It’s not really been all that hard. She’s not around much, since they’re on tour. I don’t think she’ll make me come around Jackson, anyway. I don’t think Jackson will want to be around me. I ruined their entire PR stunt.”
“Yeah, there’s a lot of rumors circulating in the papers about the engagement being broken off, based on the way he’s been acting.” Mom pursed her lips together. “But honestly, it kind of seems like maybe he is heartbroken too.”
Now that caught my attention.
“Why do you say that?”
“Well,” Mom began, leaning against the desk, “when your dad and I broke up once—”
“You broke up once?”
She laughed. “It was a long time ago, but yes, we did. We weren’t angels back then, and I probably should’ve been more honest. But anyway, we broke up after dating for a few months—for reasons I don’t feel like sharing—but he went off the deep end. Your dad was drinking like crazy. He even got himself arrested! Can you picture Dad in jail?” Mom burst into a fit of laughter. “That night, I bailed him out.”
“And then you got back together?” I asked, still unable to picture my dad, a stoic man with dark-rimmed glasses, in jail.
“Sort of. It took a little back and forth before it finally worked out. The point is, is that love isn’t always cut and dry. Maybe Jackson didn’t care…but maybe he did.”
“Well…” I took a deep breath, unsure how to go about sharing the next part—but I knew that I should, considering things weren’t nearly as tense as I’d expected. “There’s more.”
Her eyes dropped to my hand on my stomach, which I hadn’t even realized I’d placed there. “Oh…Lena…”
I nodded, pulling open the drawer and retrieving the ultrasound. “I found out almost a month ago.”
She took the picture I held out to her, her eyes scanning over it. “I didn’t expect this.” Her voice was cryptic, and I cringed.
“I’m sorry.”
Mom looked up, her brows furrowed. “Don’t be sorry—and I know that it’ll be okay. But does…does he know?”
My shoulders fell as I shook my head. “I haven’t told him.”
