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“Then give her a call now, I bet she’ll be happy to know you’re thinking of her and doing this.”

“Well … I’d want to tell her about you and our situation. It’s not why I haven’t called her, but it’d be weird not to bring it up the next time we talk, you know?”

“Yeah, you should definitely tell her you’ll be a father soon,” she said, snorting a little. “I would’ve thought you’d already told her.”

“Rosa gave me a really hard time about telling everyone you’re pregnant before the second trimester,” I mumbled as I took out my phone, feeling a little heat creep up my neck.

“In your defense, I didn’t know that was a thing either. But I’m in the second trimester now. Or I think. Hold up.” She took out her phone and opened the calendar to count the weeks while I called my mom.

“Thirteen weeks.”

“And when do you get the gender ultrasound?”

“Around twenty weeks,” Leah answered at the same time my mom came through asking, “Ultrasound? Are you injured?”

“No, Ma. I’m good, sorry.”

“Do y’all get ultrasounds for injuries?” Leah asked Ricci.

“Oh, yeah. To check for muscle tears, tendons, that kind of shit.”

“I just called ’cause my team is doing a big volunteer, community engagement initiative, so we’re at a women’s shelter. And, you know, it made me think of you.” In my twenty-nine years, I don’t think I’ve ever obfuscated something from my mom and doing it now felt wrong. But I couldn’t exactly start the call with the baby news. And I was all too aware that Leah was beside me, probably worried about how I’d describe her, watching to see if I was acting differently after "the call."

“Oh, do you remember going to those with me? You were so young, you spent most of the time getting your cheeks pinched.”

“Mmm. I mostly remember being put in the corner with coloring supplies and making cards.”

“Those cards made everyone very happy,” she assured me in that kind voice Mom always used when I presented her my, admittedly shitty, drawings. “Plus I didn’t want you wandering around and overhearing anything … unfortunate.”

“I appreciate that. I know there’s … a lot of hardship going on that I wouldn’t’ve understood then. Since we’re doing filming for promo, they’ve got us sorting through donations in the back. Not sure how much we’re actually helping though.”

“Oh no, I bet the staff appreciates you doing that. I know it might feel like you’re not doing much, but that’s a lot of work they have to do regularly. And people have a tendency of donating … dirty clothes.”

“Yeah, we’ve tossed out a lot of stained things,” I said with an awkward laugh. To my left, Leah raised an eyebrow and I shrugged in response. It struck me that this was the closest I was going to get to what Leah felt coming to the stadium to tell me she was pregnant. And here I was babbling about feeling useless at a charity event. Telling my mom good news shouldn’t be so hard, but knowing I’d have to explain our relationship and that Mom would somehow hear my confusion and wants, made the words catch at the back of my throat.

“Do you want me to tell her?” Leah offered, leaning in to rest a hand on my knee.

“No,” I whispered back, hand over the speaker. “I’m just … feeling awkward.”

“You don’t actually have to tell her now. You can just catch up and tell her next time.”

I shook my head and took a deep breath before ripping off the Band-Aid.

“Mom,” I said, moving my hand away from the speaker. “I actually need to tell you something pretty important. I’m going to be a father. Leah, the … mother, is … now a friend and we’re co-parenting together. She’s due in May. And … yeah.”

There was a moment of silence and Leah gave my knee another squeeze. And that little motion made my heart skip a beat in a way it really shouldn’t.

But before I could dwell on it for too long, my mother responded with a loud squeal.

“Niall, sweetheart, that’s amazing! May, you said? I’ll make sure to get some time off scheduled so I can come visit and help y’all out with whatever you need. Tell me all about this Leah! You’re not dating, but is it a good relationship?”

I looked back at Leah, who cocked her head to the side before pulling away to give me space. But as she moved, something in my chest stung, and I grabbed her hand to keep her from leaving. She narrowed her eyes at me for a second, but eventually wrapped her fingers around mine and continued checking the donations one handed.

“Yeah, it’s good. She’s amazing. Our lifestyles just don’t work out for a relationship. But we’re both excited to be parents.”

“Uh-huh, so is that short for you found a fellow workaholic?”

I laughed and turned to Leah. “Would you consider yourself a workaholic?”