AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yep,” he agrees before drinking more beer.
“That's why you're working?” Grant asks.
He nods. “Yeah, gotta do something. And in-between, I'm with Audra. That's her name.” He sighs again. “I'm in love with her, but not really sure how to tell her. We've been sticking to the pregnancy for the most part. It's a girl,” he finishes with a small smile, looking genuinely happy.
“Wow,” Grant breathes. “Why haven't you said anything to us before? Does Coach know?”
“Yeah, I told him soon after I found out. I just...I don't know. It's a big deal and I didn't want to hear any shit I guess.”
“We wouldn't do that, you know that, Neil,” I tell him. “Congrats, I guess?”
He grins. “Most definitely. Thanks.”
“Congrats,” Grant adds.
“Thanks. She's due in February.” February? That's two months away. Neil clears his throat and keeps talking. “I've been meaning to talk to y'all anyway. She's moving in with me over break. You can stay as long as you need. My parents could help you find a new place or you could stay and deal with having a baby in the house until the semester ends. My room is big enough that the baby's stuff could be in there, but Audra's really hoping to have a nursery. So, someone might have to give up their room and share.”
Ugh. That would be fun. Not only to share a room, but to have to be mindful of a baby? Our sex lives would go down the drain so fast, that is if Maddie ever comes around again. It'll have to do until the end of the spring semester at least. Neil drains the rest of his bottle and stands.
“Think about it over break and let me know what you're doing when you get back. I need to see her before the game. Thanks for the beer, Winston, and I hope you get up with him soon.”
“Thanks.”
He leaves and Grant shakes his head. “Who knew, right? A kid. Wow. Are you going to stay?”
“Maybe, but only for the semester. It'll be fun,” I deadpan. “I'll get another place for next year. You?”
“Was thinking the same. Bo will probably stay too. Are we a bunch of idiots for staying anyway? A baby is going to drive us all crazy. Can you imagine trying to do homework or sleep?”
“We can handle three months of it, I think. Unless...” I trail off with my sudden thought.
“What?”
“The Kennedy boys stay off campus, right? Wonder if they have extra rooms they'd want to rent out?”
Grant seems to think about it. “I could find out. Worse comes to worse, we could talk Bo into moving out with us and us getting a place together. Neil did say his parents would help.”
“I really don't want to live with a baby, so let's work on this over break.”
He nods. “What's the sto
ry with Maddie? She hasn't been around lately, which neither has Lucy, but I figured Maddie would since you were helping her study,” he says after a lull of silence.
I sigh. “I don't really want to talk about it.”
“Okay, well, let me know if you do. Or if you want, maybe you could talk to Lucy and she could try to talk to Maddie as her friend.”
“Thanks. We'll see how things go over break. We should put the beer away. It is game day after all.”
I THINK THE beer might have fueled the three of us. We're on fire tonight, lighting the lamp every chance we get, leaving the other team with zero hope of winning tonight. Neil seems to be floating on air, something he's been lacking lately, and I faintly wonder if it's because he's told us about the baby. He's been dominating the ice, so whatever happened, I'm thankful for it. Hopefully, it'll still be here once we return from break.
The door to the locker room opens, all of us in various stages of undressing and a bit rowdy from the win, but it's silent when the door swings closed with a thud. A few of us glance and then we're all looking. There's a pretty, pregnant girl standing just inside the locker room. This must be Audra.
“Neil?” Her eyes scan the room until they land on him. He was facing his locker, not paying attention to anyone else, but he swivels fast when he hears her. Neil looks mildly surprised. “I...Can I talk to you outside for a second?”
“Yeah, babe,” he says easily, walking towards her. Neil is halfway to the nervous girl who's rubbing her stomach when he realizes we're all watching him and her. He faces the room. “Seriously? Stop staring. She's a girl, not an alien.” Neil turns to her again, about to usher her out of the room.
“Sorry, Neil. I guess I should have waited until later,” she says, realizing that we're still watching them. How could they not? Neil's girlfriend is pregnant! No one even knew she existed until last month and the girl looks like she's been pregnant longer than that, so of course they are all staring at her.
