Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 32140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
“For the last fucking time my baby will not be raised by anyone but her mother and father. Even if my parents have a problem with you, that is their issue. I am a fully grown man, and they know it. Trust me when I tell you that they would never do anything to jeopardize their ability to be in their grandchild's life.” That doesn’t make me feel better, thinking I could come between him and his parents.
Without having a rebuttal, I follow him out of the room and down the stairs. I am lagging behind him trying to stall as best I can but that only makes him move faster. We round the corner to the kitchen and sitting there are his parents deep in conversation. I tug on his hand a bit thinking maybe we could walk out quietly and not interrupt, but he simply clears his throat.
“Ah, there they are.” His mom and dad get out of their seats and walk towards us. Royce puts his arm around my waist and pulls me into him.
“Mom. Dad. This is my Mari, my future wife and mother of your unborn grandchild.” Gah. The word ‘wife’ startles me. Royce feels it and squeezes my waist.
“Well, so I can see why you were so sullen all these months. She is an angel.” His mom pulls me into her arms once again like she did when she saw me at the dinner. The tension leaves my body, and I find myself melting into her motherly embrace near tears. “You’re a tiny thing.” She looks down at my belly and then back up at me. “May I?” she asks, wanting to touch my stomach.
“Of course.” Her hands touch me, and I feel a tiny flutter. I don’t think the movement is vast enough that anyone else can feel it, but I do. “It’s a girl,” I tell her smiling, wanting her to know what we know. If I am going to keep this baby, I want her to have grandparents that love her and are involved. Lord knows she won’t get anything from my mom.
“Well son, it seems congratulations are in order.” His father pats him on the back and hugs him. “And you young lady, it is nice to meet you finally. My son was walking around here for the last four months like a toddler that lost his favorite teddy bear.” Royce scowls at his dads description which makes his mom, and I giggle.
“Well honey, tell us about you. We know how you two know one another but not much else.” Crap. This is the part I wanted to avoid. What is there to say? The truth is not pretty, but might as well get it over with. We all sit around the table, and I try to stop fidgeting with all of the attention on me.
“I am in my senior year of high school. It’s just my mom and me. We moved a few months ago to the other side of town which is how I lost contact with Royce and had to quit my job.” I mean that is it in a nutshell.
“So can I ask if you two have talked about a plan in these short hours?” Not sure what to say I look to Royce, and he places his hand over mine.
“We haven’t. The only thing we know for sure is we are going to have our daughter and live our life together.”
“Well, of course you are,” his mother says, like it is a foregone conclusion. “I am simply asking about the logistics.” I can see her getting into mom mode or what I assume a real mom would act like with questions and advice, but his dad cuts her off.
“Let’s give them some time, hun. They just found each other. I’m sure when they talk they will let us know. Right?” His dad words it as a question but it sounds more like a directive.
“You bet,” Royce says. For the next few minutes I fill them in on my last doctor's visit and due date and then they both leave to go to work. By the time we make it back up to his room I am exhausted emotionally. His parents are amazing and as shocked as I am, I believe them when they say they are going to help us as much as possible. When my head hits his pillow my last thought is that maybe my luck is changing.
CHAPTER 9
ROYCE
MARCH
FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS PREGNANT
“Orders up.” The kitchen at my mom’s restaurant is buzzing today. Today is the first day of her spring rollout and as usual everyone is piling in to be the first to taste it. I have been here since six this morning helping the prep chef get ready and making sure the orders for the wait staff were properly stocked. As house manager, it is my job. Well one of them.