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I feel a surge of gratitude and love for them, and I realize that I'm not alone in this anymore. I have a support system, and I'm not going to let them down.
"I really appreciate that," I say, my voice thick with emotion. "And I promise that I'll try my best to be a good dad."
"You will be," my mom says, her hand on my shoulder. "I know it."
I take a deep breath and smile, feeling more hopeful than I have in a long time. The future may be uncertain, but I know that I have my family and Piper by my side.
And with their love and support, I can face anything that comes our way.
Chapter twelve
Piper
Thingswentsowellwith Jesse's siblings...at least some of them. I should be thrilled, excited at the prospect that this might actually work out.
But I'm not.
I'm tired, and I'm scared, and I'm just...overwhelmed. I've been so isolated during my pregnancy that all this love is too much.
It's a reminder that I'm the problem.I'mthe biggest obstacle to my happiness.
We drive back to the Hart house with Jesse's mom in the backseat, napping quietly. I'm sure she's tired; she just finished chemo, is still not in remission yet, and she just found out her son got her other son's ex pregnant. And somehow, she's handled it all with grace.
Me and Teresa...we're so different. I'm nothing like the women in this family.
It makes me so self-conscious. Terrified I'll disappoint Jesse.
How could I not?
Jesse reaches over to squeeze my knee and I glance over at him, flashing him a weak smile. "You good?" he asks.
"I'm..." I trail off, wondering how honest I want to be with him.
I decide to keep my insecurities to myself. They're absurd, after all.
"I'm fine," I finish.
"You're not."
"I am," I tell him. "Just...a little overwhelmed. You know I'm shy."
He frowns. "You? Really?"
I nod, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "Yeah," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I feel like I don't belong here, Jesse. Like I'm not good enough for your family."
"Hey," he says, his grip on my knee tightening. "That's not true. You're more than good enough for me and my family. My mom loves you already, and Gray and Claire saw how good you are with their kids. Soon, you'll have our baby and Caleb and Sadie will come around."
I shake my head, my tears now flowing freely. "You don't understand. I'm not the kind of person they would have wanted for you. I'm not from a good family, I have a dark past...so much darker than you even realize."
Jesse shakes his head as we pull into the driveway, the gravel crunching under the car tires.
"I'm gonna bring my mom in, but you stay right here, alright?"
I lick my lips. "Why?"
He touches my face briefly. "Just trust me."
I watch as he helps his mom out of the car, her step unsteady from sleep. Jesse's cousin Jake meets him at the door, and they exchange a few words before Jesse comes back to the car and gets into the driver's seat. He puts the car in reverse again and we turn around to drive back down the driveway, into the dark trees.
