AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That was the best, Mrs. Allen.” Bobby leans back in his chair and rubs his belly.
“Yeah, Mom. It was,” I add.
“Thank you.” Mom beams. She takes pride in her meatloaf, as well she should. No one makes it any better, and I refuse to argue over it.
“Want to go for a walk?” Bobby asks.
Mom answers for me. “Go ahead.”
“You sure?”
“Your brother and sister are leaving anyway, so now they won’t have to hem-haw, waiting for an opening.” Charles smiles. Mom continues, “Your father and I will clean up.”
“Okay.”
We all get up from the table and head for the door. Mom kisses my brother and sister and tells them both to call. Of course, they say they will.
Bobby and I escort them to their vehicles, say goodbye, and they drive away.
“That was fun, wasn’t it?” Bobby says. “Lots of good memories.”
“They were.”
Bobby crooks an arm, I snake mine through, and we begin to stroll. “You wanna tell me what’s up?”
I lean my head into his shoulder, and we forge on in silence. He allows me that until we reach the end of the block, where he stops and faces up. Takes my hands. “Is it that bad?”
“I’m pregnant.”
“I see.” He might have winced; I can’t be sure. “And the father?”
“He’s a dick.” That’s code for he’s a lying and cheating FUCK—excuse my French—and that’s the nicest thing I can say about him.
“So, he doesn’t know?”
“No.”
“Parents either?”
“Un-huh.”
“Just me, then?”
I tighten my lips and nod. “Just you.”
Bobby’s understanding enough not to dig any further, and I’m glad. Don’t want to talk about how Noah was two-timing me with Farrah Conner, the blonde bimbo. God, I hate her.
He swings an arm around my shoulder, and we make a half turn to the left, walk the next block. We say nothing until we hang another left at the corner. At the halfway point, he asks, “Is there anything I can do?”
“You’re doing it.”
We move ahead and take another left. One more left and three more houses, and we’re home. We stand out front in the yard. “Are you going back to New York or staying here?”
“I don’t know.”
“You should think about telling your parents. They’re good people. They’ll understand.”
That’s questionable. “I’ll think about it.”
