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Meanwhile, I can hear Charlie freaking out in the hall.
“Pregnant?” he shriek-whispers. “Were you ever going to tell me?”
I can’t see Taylor, but I can hear the sass in her tone. “It’s not exactly my secret to tell, honey.”
“And Hunter doesn’t know? Heneedsto know.”
“It’s not a good idea to get involved, Charlie. Whatever Eden’s going through…”
“Look, I get it’s messy, but if I were in his shoes—”
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re not.”
“Don’t interrupt me, Taylor. You know how much it bothers me.”
I throw my head back and sigh, tapping the nearby nurse on the shoulder. “Would you mind sending my friends in? I have a feeling they’re going to wake the whole hospital at this rate.”
“Are you sure? I can just send them out into the waiting room if you’re not comfortable.”
“No, it’s fine.”
The nurse nods and leaves the room. A few moments later, Taylor and Charlie walk in. Taylor looks relieved to see me while Charlie looks like he’s two seconds away from ratting me out.
“It’s really Hunter’s kid?” he asks.
I nod. “Yes.”
“You need to call him, Eden.”
“He has enough on his plate.”
“And what? You think hiding the fact that he has a child is helping him any?”
His words may be blunt and to the point, but they ring true. Even I’m starting to doubt why I’ve kept news about the baby from Hunter for so long. Maybe it’s because I’m afraid of how he’ll react.
“What if he wants nothing to do with me and the baby once he finds out?” I ask, a whisper to the open room. “What if he gets angry?”
“He’ll probably be angrier that you kept him in the dark, but I doubt he’ll want nothing to do with you.” Charlie crosses his arms. “Look, I lied before, alright?”
“About what?”
“He’s not doing good. Hell, he looks like shit. He’s not the kind of dude who wears his heart on his sleeves, but I can tell how much he misses you.” Charlie shakes his head with a sigh. “Look, I get you being apprehensive. This is a lot. It’s scary.”
“Damn right it is,” I grumble.
“But we both know the right thing to do is call him. You’re already how many months along?”
“Three and a half.”
Taylor chews on the inside of her cheek, looking uncomfortable. “Babe, I know you’re scared, but he’s already missed the first trimester. How do you think he’ll feel knowing you went through the whole pregnancy alone?”
There’s a sticky lump at the back of my throat. I can feel the sting of tears in my eyes. Guilt and worry eat away at me, leaving me hollow. I want to blame my hormones for my uneasiness, but I know they’re right. Having them lay everything out for me like this puts things into perspective.
I decided to keep the baby a secret for their protection, but I’m harming them by denying them the chance to have a father. That wouldn’t be fair to either of them. I can’t let my fear get in the way of giving my child a shot at a normal life, a normal family.
“I’ll call him,” I say gently. “But… after the doctor comes back and I know everything is ok.”
Taylor nods, giving my hand a squeeze. “We understand.” She nudges Charlie in the ribs with the tip of her elbow. “Right, babe?”
