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How can anyone argue with an argument like that? Smiling at him, I concede.
“Okay, but just don’t wrap me in bubble wrap! I’m not made of china; I’m made of steel. I promise, I’ll be okay. Me and the baby both.”
Reese overhears our conversation, and he comes over to press a kiss on my cheek too, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Exactly, sweetheart. We’re all about you and the baby. You’ve made us so happy, Amelia, and we just want what’s best for you. Now sit down,” he commands. “I don’t like to see pregnant ladies on their feet.”
Shaking my head at Reese’s ridiculousness, I nonetheless enter our home and take a seat at our kitchen counter.
“It’s time, isn’t it?” I ask.
Becoming somber, Ryan looks at me as he picks up the phone.
“Are you ready for this? You know that you don’t owe him anything after the way he acted the last time. You don’t have to do this.”
Taking a deep breath, I try to still my racing heart.
“I know, but he’s still my dad. We haven’t talked for months now, and you know, for a long time, Mike and I only had each other. I know that he said he wanted nothing to do with us, but I’ve found that people tend to change their tune when there’s a baby in the picture. Besides, just because he doesn’t want anything do with us doesn’t mean that we have to sink to his level. We can choose to be bigger people. If we tell him about our baby and he still doesn’t want to be a part of our lives, then we’ll move forward knowing that we did everything in our power.”
Looking away, Ryan’s eyes are dark.
“Yeah, but I still think this is a bad idea.” Then he shakes his head and looks at me again, his blue eyes giving. “But it’s your dad, sweetheart, and you know we support you in every way. Therefore, it’s your decision.”
Nodding, Reese agrees.
“I will say that if I sense that the conversation is getting out of hand, though, then we’re hanging up. I don’t care who he is; I won’t have him upsetting you or the baby. Agreed?”
I smile tremulously at my men.
“Agreed. Now that that’s all taken care of, let’s get this done.” Together we walked over to the sofa to get comfortable before calling my father. With Reese and Ryan by my side, I take a deep breath before dialing my dad’s number.
After a few rings, Michael finally answers the line. To be honest, I’m surprised he picked up.
“Amelia?” comes his gruff voice.
“Hi, Daddy, it’s me.”
Unable to think of anything else to say, I slip into silence. What do you tell the man who cut ties with his daughter because he wasn’t happy about her relationship choices? I guess I wasn’t as over this as I thought I was. Maybe Ryan is right; this is a bad idea if I can’t even find the right words to talk to the man who had been my best friend for my entire life. Up until our argument six months ago, I had never doubted my father’s love for me. But seeing him react so badly to my relationship with Ryan and Reese broke something inside of me.
Before I can change my mind and end the call, Dad quietly asks, “How have you been?”
I take a deep breath.
“I’ve been really good, Dad. Ryan and Reese have taken really good care of me. I even graduated with my high school class, and it was a wonderful celebration. I wish you could see how much they love and care for me.”
Michael’s silent for a moment.
“I’m so sorry I missed your graduation. I would have gone to the ceremony, but I didn’t think you would want me there.”
I try to be kind.
“Of course, I would have wanted you there. You’re my dad; why wouldn’t I want you there? It was a celebration of your accomplishments as much as mine, especially seeing that you raised me as a single father for most of my life. Nothing would have made me happier than you being there, and I wish you’d come.”
There’s a long pause, and I’m confused. Then, to my surprise, I hear my dad softly sobbing in the background. Oh no! Taking a breath, I continue quickly.
“I’m sorry, Daddy. I’m not calling to rehash old wrongs. I’m calling because I want to let you know that you are going to be a grandfather soon.”
Speeding up so that I can get this all out in one sentence, I continue.
“I know that you don’t approve of our relationship, but Ryan and Reese love me, and together we’re going to be wonderful parents to our child. They’re just as excited about the baby as I am. So I wanted to reach out to let you know you’re going to be a grandfather, and to tell you that regardless of what we’ve been through, we won’t keep your grandchild away from you if you want to have a relationship with him or her.”
