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This time, I didn’t insist on taking her home. I got her a cab and said goodbye, then went back to my hotel room.
The next day, she told me where to meet up so she could take me back to her home. Technically, it was a weekday and she had classes, but when I asked, she just said that it was something worth skipping over and she’d handle it later.
We stopped outside of her house, and I was so damn nervous. Her parents probably wouldn’t like me from the get-go. After having a one night stand with their daughter, I disappeared and left her alone and pregnant. I wasn’t there to offer support during the pregnancy or the child’s first year.
Klara tentatively took my hand in hers, and when I glanced down at her, she smiled at me.
“You don’t have to be so worried. Trust me, the one they’re more mad at right now is me, so you’re in the clear.”
I chuckled and ran my other hand through my hair. I was trying to impress them, as I’d dressed even more carefully than when I’d been preparing to go to the school for Dad’s speech.
It’s kinda hard to believe that was only a week ago.
Under Klara’s coaxing, we walked forward. She opened the door, and led us inside. Everyone was waiting in the living room, bother her parents and her younger siblings. Even Ben was there, and I found myself startled. Even though I already knew he was mine, seeing him was still a different feeling. Especially since he had my same colored hair. Compared to Klara’s family who all had lighter hair, my hair was dark, just like my dad’s. Klara’s eyes were brown, and Ben’s eyes were the same blue as mine.
My attention was pulled away from my son when her parents stood up and turned to us.
“Mom, Dad,” she said carefully. “This is Jake Black, the man I told you about.”
I saw how their eyes slid down to where we were holding hands. I flexed my hand, feeling nervous, wondering if maybe I shouldn’t be holding her hand. Klara wasn’t letting go, though, even as they came forward, hands extended for a shake. She was holding my left hand, anyway.
“We’ve heard so much about you,” her mom said with a smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Jake.”
Her dad didn’t say anything, but he didn’t try to strangle my hand when he shook it, either, and I took it as a good sign.
“Good evening, sir, ma’am,” I said. “My name is Jake and I just recently found out I’m Ben’s father. Klara’s already explained everything to me, and I assure you, I want to know my son. I would love to. And so would my parents.”
I had nothing to do but think when I went back to my hotel room last night, so of course, I’d called up my parents to give them the surprising news.
They didn’t once doubt my word, or Klara’s, even if they’d never met her. It wouldn’t be so hard for a woman to come to me, then try to use me because of my family’s background. It was a great deal of why I’d always been careful about the people I hung around.
Both my parents were shocked, but happy to hear the news. Dad was even more eager than Mom. He’d insisted right there that I do a video chat, and I got to see him smiling happily for the first time in a long while.
I’m a granddad. I can't believe it. You, go and meet that family, your mother and I will be coming to see them, too. Knowing this…makes me feel alive a little. If you blow it before we get there, you better run and hide somewhere I won't find you, Jake.
I’d rolled my eyes, and Mom had laughed, because we both knew he was joking, but his excitement hadn't been a lie.
As for Klara and me. We needed to get to know each other one step at a time. We’d already talked things through. We didn’t know each other enough, and I couldn’t take Ben away from her, either. We’d agreed that no matter what, we would do right by our son.
Epilogue
Klara
I stood nervously in the crowd. I didn’t know what was going on.
It was graduation day, and I knew that my name was on the list, but for some reason, my name had been skipped over. My eyes kept flitting to the side of the stage, right at the edge where Jake sat. He wasn’t alone. From where he was, we could see each other perfectly, and the few times I’d met his eyes, he’d given me a mysterious smile that had me burning with curiosity.
This has something to do with him, right?
My parents were somewhere in the audience section of the crowd. His parents were there, too, the doting grandparents were looking after Ben for us because both Jake and I were busy on this very important day.
More and more names were being called, and I frowned, wanting to throw a tantrum, but not daring to. Because they were calling the names out alphabetically by surname, I should have been called in the second half, but still close to the middle than the end. I just wanted to receive my degree and be done with today.
So what the hell is with this delay?
When Jake met my gaze again, I pouted. He winked. It was such a quick movement, that if I’d be any further back, I might not have seen. But the graduates were arranged close to the platform, and just in the side where Jake was seated as well, and there was nothing wrong with my eyesight. Then, he looked away, to where the names were being read.
I growled underneath my breath, then focused again. I might have been less restless if Julia was with me, but thanks to the arrangements, we were sitting far apart.
