Page 26 of Bless My Heart

“Hazel. How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling ok right now.”

“Good. Good. Sorry to bother you on a Friday night but wanted to confirm some things with you for next weekend?” Wes grabs a beer that he must have brought with him because I don’t have any beer in there, and he sits down on the couch next to me.

“Next weekend?” I question my mom. I feel like there’s something I’m supposed to remember, but I’m not sure what it is.

“Yes, the joint birthday party for your sister and Chance. Did you forget about everyone now that you live so far away?”

“No, I haven’t forgotten anyone, and I don’t live that far away. It’s only an hour. The party just slipped my mind, but I’ll be there.”

“Good. Now I assume you’re bringing your boyfriend, yes?”

“My boyfr—.” I stop mid-thought. My mom must think Wes and I are dating. I may have left out that he’s my student when I told my mom about the baby. I didn’t want her to be even more upset with my lock of ethics. I guess it would be a normal thing to assume your daughter is dating the man that got her pregnant. “Oh, uh…” I’m not sure what to say with Wes sitting next to me.

“You are going to bring him home, right Hazel? It’s only appropriate that your family gets to meet someone you’ve deemed worthy enough to have a baby with.”

“Well, ok. I can ask him, but I’m not sure what his plans are yet.” I wince. I try to keep my voice down, but Wes is literally two feet from me. There is no way he doesn’t hear what I’m saying.

“You don’t know his plans? His plans should involve being with you and meeting your family,” she huffs.

“I…I’ll talk to him.”

“You both better be here. I’ve already told Nana and Pawpaw that he’s going to be here. Your sister will be so disappointed. You don’t want to do that to her on her birthday, now do you?”

“Jeez, Mom. Why didn’t you just put it on a dang billboard.”

“Don’t get smart with me, Hazel. We’ll see you both on Saturday morning.” And with that, she hangs up the phone. No goodbye. No miss you. Just hangs up. That’s my mom for you, ladies and gentlemen.

I try to not look at Wes, but I feel him looking at me. I can always feel him looking at me.

“Was that your Mom?”

“’Yeah.”

“What’s going on?”

I sigh. “My mother may have gotten the impression that you and I are in a relationship because we are having a baby together. And, uh, my sister and my nephew’s birthday party is next weekend, and Mom wants me to bring my new boyfriend to meet the family.”

“Why didn’t you tell them we aren’t together?”

I pick at my fingernails. “I don’t know.”

“Hazel…”

“I don’t know, ok? I guess I just didn’t want my family to know I accidentally got pregnant from a one-night stand. I didn’t want them to be more disappointed. I mean, can you imagine me having to tell my eighty-year-old Nana that I had a one-night stand? She would be mortified. I would be mortified.”

“I’m open to a two-night stand if you are,” Wes teases. I shove his shoulder gently.

Wes gives me a devious smile that makes his dimple pop out. “Sounds like you need me to be your boyfriend for an evening, Dr. Greenwood.”

“It would be the entire weekend. I was going to stay there on Saturday night. Birthdays are a big family gathering for us.”

“Well, lucky for you, my schedule is open next weekend.”

“Really, Wes? You’d really pretend to be my boyfriend?”

“Of course I would, Hazel. I mean, you are having our baby. It’s only normal for them to assume that we’re together.”