I blow out a breath, a humourless laugh leaving my lips. “Not great, that’s for sure, but not because I hit him. That actually felt pretty good. I feel like shit because I don’t want to make things worse. What if, later on down the line, he wants a relationship with Peanut? Have I completely ruined everything?”
“That’s not for me to answer, Cole. How does Lacey feel about it?” She jots something down on her notepad.
“She wants him gone.”
Sandra looks at me as if I have two heads. “Then I would listen to my partner and continue to communicate with her.” She hesitates for a moment before saying, “Officially, this is our last session, but if you feel you want more, then we can continue. The choice is yours.”
“I’d like to continue them, if possible. I want to make sure I can be the best version of myself for them.”
She nods, scribbles on her pad and smiles to herself. I already know I’m the one for Lacey and Peanut, that won’t change, but I need to make sure.
**********
“Mum, you home?” I shout through the door as I walk into my parents' house.
“In here!” she calls from the kitchen, and I walk in to find her with vegetables covering the counter as she peels and chops them.
“Feeding an army, Mum?”
She waves me away. “No! Course not. I’m making squash soup for you to take to Lacey.”
I smile at her; I was telling her how difficult it was to find a squash-themed present for Lacey. So far, I have managed to find a carrot plush for Peanut at twenty-one weeks. At twenty-two weeks, it was a papaya—a grapefruit at twenty-three, and at twenty-four weeks, corn on the cob. I was wracking my brains for squash, but, as always, my mum has come through.
“Do I get some as well?” I give her my best ‘I’m your favourite son smile’.
She rolls her eyes. “Obviously. I’m also making some for the rest of your brothers as well.” She side-eyes me and uses that freaky mother's intuition on me. “What’s wrong with you?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. Why would anything be wrong?”
She stops chopping and puts her hand on her hips. “Cole Peterson, don’t lie to your mother. Now tell me! Come on, I haven’t got all day.”
Sighing, I take a seat at the island. “So, Ted, the sperm donor, as Sandra calls him, came round to Lacey’s house a few weeks ago.” I pause, but she just waits patiently for me to finish. “He wanted to use me for money. He asked Lacey to use me for money to pay him to go away and give up his rights to the baby…to be compensated.” I spit the words out, and my mum stops what she’s doing.
“He did what?” Her voice is quiet, but I can tell that fury rumbles behind it.
“Yeah.” There are no other words to describe it.
“Is Lacey okay?” I nod. “Okay, well, I’m getting your father to book an appointment with Clive.” I nod again. Clive is our familylawyer. Lacey might see it as charity, but we’re in this together now, so whatever I have, she has.
“I was going to show Lacey the surprise I’ve been planning for her, but I’m not sure if now is the right time.” I usually don't ask for advice on anything romantic because I never planned on anything permanent, but with Lacey, I need to know that what I’m doing is right.
My mum stops what she’s doing and wipes her hands on her apron before rounding the island to stand in front of me. She holds my hands, her eyes soft. “Stop second-guessing yourself, Cole. Lacey is your best friend, and she has been since you were both kids. You know her better than anyone, so you need to stop acting like you’re in new territory, because you’re not.”
Before I can respond, my phone starts ringing, and I fish it out of my pocket. “It’s Lacey. I'd better take this. Thanks, Mum.” I stand up and move away. “Hey, I was just…”
She cuts me off in a panic. “Cole, I got a phone call to come to the hospital. I’m here now, can you come ge…t…m…ah…ssh…” The call breaks up, and I can’t hear what she’s saying.
“Lacey! Lacey! I can’t…” FUCK! “Mum, I need to go, Lacey just said she’s at the hospital, but the call cut out.”
“Go! Ring us when you know what’s happening.”
I give her a quick kiss on the cheek before peeling out of the house.
I get in my truck and shove my phone in the holder before dialling Cas. It rings for a few before he picks up. “Hello brother, what are you up to?”
“Cas, has Emmy heard from Lacey?”
“Uhm, yeah, actually, they all went out together with Daisy for some lunch. Why?”
