“No, no.” I shake my head. “I want them to meet her also.”
“Big deal right there.” His voice goes soft. “The last time that happened . . .”
“I know, Dad. We’ll talk more when I get home.”
“Do you want me to go by the house and air it out? Get some basic food in there?”
“That would be amazing.” I hadn’t even thought about that. “Thanks.”
“Will do. Call me when you get in, and we’ll come by and see you.”
“I can’t wait.” I smile. “Give Mom a hug for me.” The softness in his eyes changes when I talk about my mother. The love he has for her will never ever be questioned.
“With pleasure,” he replies. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Dad.” We hang up, and I finish my dinner, knowing I have to make one more stop before we leave tomorrow.
For the last week, Caleb’s been wondering about what’s going on with me. He’s been wanting to ask me questions, but is waiting until I am ready. It helped that his main focus was on Sierra and her recovery and everything going on in her life.
I wash my plate and put it in the dishwasher before grabbing my keys and heading over to Caleb’s house. I knock on the door instead of ringing. My finger taps my leg nervously as I wait for him to answer. The nerves make my stomach feel like someone just punched me.
I hear him shout out, “No,” before he opens the door. “Hey,” he says, his voice a little shocked. “This is a surprise. I thought you were going to visit your parents this weekend.” I lied to him today, saying I was going to leave at six, but it was only because I had to get a couple of things done before we left, and I couldn’t exactly tell him why.
“Yeah.” I run my hand through my hair. I follow him into the house and sit on the couch in front of him and Sierra. “No.” She sits next to Caleb, not saying one word. Her eyes search mine. “Fuck, I don’t even know how to say this.” I put my elbows on my knees, fold my hands together, and move them up and down nervously. She gets closer to Caleb to hold his hand in case it’s something bad and she has to support him.
“You’re scaring the shit out of me,” Caleb snaps at me, worry all over his face. He sits at the edge of the couch. “Just say whatever it is.”
I think about different ways to say it, but in the end, there is really only one way: “I’m going to be a father.” A gasp fills the room. Sierra’s eyes are so big they look like they are about to come out of their sockets.
Caleb blinks. “I’m sorry, what?”
I look at my hands. “I’m going to be a father.”
“Yeah, I think I heard you the first time.” He sits back on the couch, running his hands through his hair. “Holy—” He closes his eyes tight and then opens them up. “Who?”
“Funny story,” I say, trying to make light of it. “When Sierra was shot . . . it was her paramedic.”
“The hot girl?” he asks.
“Wow, good to know that while I was bleeding out, fighting for my life, you were out there checking out the girl?—”
“I think bleeding out is a stretch,” I say, trying to cut in, but that earns me a look from Sierra that says, Maybe you should shut up. I hold up my hands. “Not saying a word, but yes.” I glare at Caleb. “She has a name, and it’s not ‘the hot girl.’”
“I’m assuming,” Caleb retorts. “Oh my god.” He runs both hands over his head. “Jesus.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m going to visit my parents. I’m going to take Collins to meet them, and we’re going to tell them together.”
“How long have you guys been together?” Sierra asks.
“Um, technically,” I hesitate, and I hate that the words are even coming out of my mouth, “we aren’t.”
“I warned you—” Caleb starts, and I shake my head.
“We met one random night. One thing led to another and?—”
“I know how babies are made.” Sierra laughs. “I don’t need the details of that.” She holds her hand up to stop me in case I was going to go into detail, which I wasn’t.
“She didn’t know how to get in touch with me and, well, when she saw me that day, I sort of went to talk to her since?—”
