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"Cole will be a father, Mrs. Walker."
My eyes reach hers. "What?"
"I'm pregnant. And your son is the father."
A million thoughts and images rush through my head as I take the information in.
Pregnant? Cole's eighteen, almost nineteen for God’ sake. She must know he's got money, and her worn-out clothing tells me she lacks in that department. This is a trick to trap him. What am I going to do? My Cole is a responsible young man. If she talks to him, she might persuade him to help her, even if the baby isn't his. If he slept with her, it means he cares for her. So there's a big chance that when my son hears this, he'll throw away the bright and prosperous future he has ahead of him. And what if he moves away from me to be with her? No!
I open the door to her. "Miss Davis, come in. Let's have a chat."
* * *
Jessica's handsshake as her eyes flash from me to the piece of paper she's holding in her hand. Her parted lips close, and she swallows before speaking.
"Are you trying to bribe me?"
"No, I'm simply a mother who's protecting her son from a mistake that could ruin his life. Cole has a bright future ahead of him. The death of his father has hurt him deeply, after which he made mistakes."
"What? Are you calling this child a mistake? I'm pregnant with your grandchild." She rises, and for a moment, she stares at the check. I tighten my eyes as little pieces of the paper fall on the floor.
"Cole was right about his family. My child deserves better than a grandmother like you. Goodbye, Mrs. Walker." She rushes out of the study, towards the front door.
"Miss Davis?" She stops with her hand on the doorknob as I halt behind her. "I love my son and will do anything to protect him. Think about my offer. You'll understand it is best for both of you. This is my number," I say, outstretching a new card towards her. "Sleep on it for a few days."
She turns and snatches the piece of paper out of my hand before disappearing through the door. Moments pass as I stare at the exit while a waterfall of emotions rushes through my veins. My feet move and stop when I'm back at the brown wooden piano. My fingers clamp around the photo frame, and while I glance into my husband's ocean bright eyes, I whisper, "I'll protect our son, Gregory. I promise."
* * *
Cole
Jessica cameto Boston to tell me she was pregnant!
My eyes lock on my mother. "Jessica came here. To this house?"
"Y-yes. I-I'm sorry."
"No! Don't say that. Don't apologize. Instead, explain what you did to convince Jessica not to inform me of her pregnancy. Tell me!"
My mom scans my face with weary eyes. "When I told her you weren't there, she asked when you would be back. I refuse to give her that information. But then when I wanted to close the door, she blurted out she was pregnant. Shocked by her revelation, I let her in, and we had a conversation."
My mind works in overdrive. So, that is the reason she called me and broke it off. But why? Instead of ending our relationship she should have told me. It doesn’t make sense? I straighten my posture when a sickening thought comes to mind. "How did you persuade her to raise our child alone?"
My mom lets out a trembling sigh. "I offered her a check. Which she didn't accept. She tore it up and left."
"She didn’t take the check." My heart still beats, but against a chest that feels hollow. I narrow my eyes and cock my head to the side while examining my mother. Her chest rises and falls at a rapid speed. After excessive swallowing, she speaks.
"But she called me two weeks later and told me she changed her mind."
"How much!"
She stares at the floor, and when she hesitates, I explode. "How much, Mother?"
With a tremor in her voice, she mumbles, "After she signed the confidentiality agreement, she received fifty thousand dollars."
My knees buckle, and with bile rising in my throat, I ask another clarifying question. "What did the contract say?"
"It stated that after receiving the money, she couldn't contact you; otherwise, she had to return every cent."
