Hearts Attached (12 page)

“Listen, let’s all take a deep breath,” Charlotte says.

My dad throws his finger out at her.

“This might not have happened had you been home more.”

“I won’t apologize, David, for having to earn a living, and if a couple wants to have sex, they’ll find a time and a place to do it.”

“It’s no one’s fault,” Liv says.

My dad’s finger is now swinging to her.

“You don’t need to get involved in this, but we’re having a talk later since you’re always with that Dalton boy.”

“I am getting involved. It was an accident. They know to use protection, Dad. Yeah, obviously it wasn’t enough, but they didn’t mean for it to happen.”

Liv is being her sassy self, with her hand waving around. For once, I’m happy to hear her being mouthy.

“Alright, we can’t change it, so we have to make the best of a bad situation. Charlotte, I really think you should homeschool McKenzie for the rest of the school year,” Dad says.

“I’m not leaving school,” Kenz spouts back.

I’m glad to see some fight in her.

“David, people are going to find out she is pregnant whether she’s at school or not. Our children are well known there, and regardless, it would get around,” Charlotte says.

She appears to be losing her patience with my father. She should have to live with the demanding man.

“She’s right,” Mom says. “We have to accept this and move forward. They need our love and support now more than ever.”

Finally, one of them are making sense. Our parents spend the next few minutes discussing when McKenzie will go to the doctor to find out her due date.

She and Charlotte leave, and that’s when I get the disappointment speech. I tune out his voice the best I can. Our day for a showdown is approaching.

McKenzie

I’m nervous as Mom and I drive to the doctor. I’ve only thrown up twice this morning, which is better than usual. Luke wanted to come, but his parents pitched a fit, saying he can’t miss school. They also made a point to add that he doesn’t need to get attached to the idea of having a baby.

Thankfully, I have insurance, so after I fill out the required paperwork, I’m taken back to a room. I’m examined, and since I’m fuzzy on the exact date of my last menstrual cycle, the doctor decides to administer a blood test. I’m told I will get a call this afternoon with the results.

She estimates the due date to be around mid-June, and it feels real now that I’m here. I couldn’t ask for my mother to be any cooler about this. She even told me that she would support my decision if I decide to keep the baby.

I want to more than anything, but I can’t share those feelings with Luke. I can’t ask him to help financially. He will be busy with sports when he’s not studying at college.

It would be a weight of responsibility added to his demanding schedule. I keep telling myself that we will have another chance at being parents when we’re older.

We leave the doctor’s office with a ton of information. I read about the changes my body will go through while pregnant and it’s overwhelming.

Mom takes me to lunch, and then I insist on stopping at a store to purchase some books on pregnancy. I want to be as healthy as possible while I carry this baby.

***

I
’m doing schoolwork in my room when my mom comes in. “Well, it was positive. You’re definitely pregnant. They said the level of HCG hormone they look for in your blood was very high, so there are no doubts, and they said that might be why you’ve been so ill early on.”

I sigh loudly. “OK.” I didn’t doubt they would tell me I was pregnant, but I still can’t grasp that I have a living being growing inside of me.

After Mom leaves my room, I lie on my bed and flip through the pregnancy books I received. There’s a knock on the door, and Luke comes in.

“Hi, how are you feeling?” he asks before he climbs in bed next to me. His lips warm my forehead, cheek and mouth, and like always, his tender embrace comforts me. “I’ve been dying all day to talk to you and touch you.”

“The test was positive, Luke. They called already.”

He shrugs his shoulders. “We expected it to be.”

“I thought you would be more upset.” I bite on my bottom lip and shut the book in front of me.

“That does neither of us any good.” Luke picks up one of the many spread out on my bed. “When do you want to tell people?”

“I want to wait until I’m farther along. The less amount of time we have to endure the stares, whispers and gossip the better.”

“I agree, but if you keep getting sick at school, people are going to wonder.”

“Amanda suspected it already. I don’t know if I can trust her with the news or not,” I say.

“It’s up to you, sweetheart. I figure Liv will tell Dalton, but I know he won’t say a word about it to anyone.” Luke lies back and brings me into his arms. “I’m going to some of your doctor appointments, whether my parents like it or not.”

“Luke, no. You have to focus on sports and school.”

“Kenzie, you’re not doing this without me. I’m going.”

Luke’s a gentle soul, but when he’s in protective mode, you better watch out, and that’s what this is. He’s determined to take care of me.

“They said I’ll get an ultrasound after twenty weeks, and we can find out the sex of the baby then. Why don’t you wait until that one? Not much will happen before then.”

He sighs and rakes his fingers through my strands of hair. “OK, but I’m going to that one and more after it.”

I lean up enough to kiss him. I couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend or a better father for my baby. It’s too bad I won’t get the opportunity to see him share with our child the immense amount of love he holds in his heart. Maybe someday.

Luke

W
e’re about to faceoff on the ice, so I try to get my head in the game. We’re doing a scrimmage, and my coach has already chewed my ass for being distracted.

I play center, and Noah’s playing opposing goalie. Stew’s on the opposing team, too, as a defenseman. I manage to make two wrist shots and a snap shot, which seems to piss off Stew.

I’ve moved the puck into the offensive zone when he comes straight at me and cross-checks me, where he’s holding his stick horizontally with both hands and nails me in the chest.

The hit knocks me on my back. He’s been aggressive this entire practice, having elbowed me before an earlier shot, so I’m back up in seconds, throwing off my helmet. He does the same, and we begin shoving each other.

Teammates are trying to pull us apart, but the pent up frustration is coursing through me, driving me to want to kick his ass. Coach Simms is blowing his whistle and yelling, so I finally stop trying to get to Stew.

“What the hell is your problem?” I ask, shouting.

“I don’t have a problem, but from what I hear, you have a major one that will be here in what–about six to seven months? It must suck to be you.”

I lunge for Stew again, but my friends have hold of me.

“Harris! Get in the locker room. We’re having a chat,” Coach Simms orders. “Stewart, park it on the bench until I come back,” he adds, pointing to him.

Stew’s a prick, and I really want to kick his ass. I’m removing my gear when my coach walks in.

“I’m going to discipline Stewart. You and I, however, need to talk.”

“I didn’t do anything. He was all over me out there. Ultimately, we’re still on the same damn team, but he’s obviously forgotten.”

“Still, Luke, you’ve been different this season. Most of the time, your mind is somewhere else.”

I rest my elbows on my knees and lean over to rest my forehead in my hands. “I know, Coach. I’m sorry.”

He sits next to me on the bench and is quiet for a minute. “The staff hear a lot of the rumors that circulate throughout this school, and I have a feeling Stewart confirmed one of those rumors.”

Sitting back up, I take a deep breath. My head falls back, and I stare at the ceiling as tears sting my eyes. I manage to blink them away.

I’ve had hardly anyone to talk to about this situation, and it’s wearing me down. I can’t speak to my parents. It always turns into a discussion on how I’ve let them down.

“McKenzie Baker is pregnant, and the baby is mine.”

Coach Simms puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Luke. Can I ask what’s going to happen?”

“She’s having it, and we’re supposed to give it up for adoption. I swear I thought we were careful.”

“I hate that the both of you have to go through this, but I’m still the coach of this team, and it’s my job to push you to excel at hockey and win us games.”

“I know, Coach.”

“I’m determined to make sure you play for Dartmouth. It won’t be easy, but I need you to keep your mind on the game while you’re in the rink. Anytime you’re not on the ice, and you need to talk, I’m here for you.”

“Thanks, Coach. Kenzie is at her twelve week check-up, and it’s almost all I can think about, but I’ll try to set it aside.”

“Why don’t you call it a day and see how she’s doing? We’ll start fresh tomorrow afternoon.”

After he leaves me alone in the locker room, I change and head home. Will they hear the heartbeat? Will the baby appear healthy? Is Kenzie healthy? These are only a few of the thoughts that continue to race through my head.

After showering, I go over to her house, and Charlotte answers the door.

“Hi, can I see Kenzie?”

“Sure, but she might not want company. She’s upset.”

“Is she OK?” I ask, reliving the day I found out she was pregnant.

“Yes, she’s fine.” Charlotte looks weary, and I’m curious what the problem is this time. Since she doesn’t offer the information, I dart up to Kenzie’s room.

She’s crying, so again I don’t knock. Like last time, I climb into bed and roll her over to me. I have a flashback to a day two years ago, when I rolled her over, and she grinned before saying, “Gotcha.” I wish this was one of those times.

***

A
ge 16:

Kenzie calls the house and tells me she’s coming over shortly to see Liv, so I hurry outside to prank her. It’s October, and Dad made me rake leaves yesterday.

I didn’t get them all picked up, so I climb in a huge pile and cover myself up near the path Kenz has worn across the yard. I only leave an opening big enough to see out of, before I wait.

Hearing her footsteps, I get ready for my attack. As soon as she appears in front of me, I reach out and grab her ankle. I didn’t exactly think this plan through, so instead of stopping, she screams and attempts to pull away from me.

Since I don’t let go fast enough, she falls forward and hits the ground. Flinging leaves 0ff, I try to get up quickly and move over to her. She won’t answer me or move, so I’m panicked at this point and yelling her name as I roll her over.

Frantically, I lift her head with one hand while I’m dusting leaves off of her. “Kenzie, please answer me. Are you OK?” I ask for the fifth time. Her eyes fly open, and she grins at me.

“Gotcha.”

I fall back onto my ass. “Kenzie, I was really worried I had hurt you,” I say aggravated. “How did you know it was me?”

“You missed covering the bottom of one of your legs.” She giggles, and I can’t be mad at her. I started it, and she’s too damn cute.

Smiling, I attempt to gather two handfuls of leaves to throw on her, but she reaches out and grabs my arms to stop me. “No, Luke. I’m already covered in them.”

I try to pull away by getting up onto my knees, but she has a good hold on my arms, so the next thing I know, I’m tumbling over on top of her.

She grunts and coughs. “Lord, Luke, are you trying to squish me?”

I’m chuckling as I roll to her side, but I don’t go far since it’s nice being this close to Kenzie. My hand is on her stomach, so when she goes to bring hers across it, it lands on mine.

We’re gazing at each other as we laugh, and everything is right in the world. When Kenzie is around, I feel like I’m truly home.

“We’ve spent a number of seasons together, but autumn is my favorite,” she says.

“Yeah, me too.” My eyes take in her beauty. The red, yellow and orange leaves are a background to her golden highlights, making them glow, and her blue eyes are all the more vivid from it as she stares up at me.

It’s as if the sky has met the earth and created something extraordinary. Like the other times it has happened, I lean over and put my mouth on hers.

She doesn’t move, but I feel her trembling. God, I wish I could kiss Kenzie in a way that would convey how much I care for her. What am I even doing?

When I let her lips go, she nervously brushes her hair from her face and attempts to remove leaves from it.

“You should’ve had Liv cover you up with the leaves.”

“Then she might’ve watched as you walked over.”

“What would’ve been wrong with that?”

I glance away. “I wanted time alone with you.”

“Luke.”

“Yeah.” I pick some leaves off her pants, so I have an excuse not to look at her yet.

“Why does this happen between us?”

Reluctantly, I turn back to her and see the faint smile on her gorgeous face.

“At the time, I can’t resist, Kenzie.” I need to get us off this topic. “We’re leaving here at seven to go out tonight.”

She averts her gaze and wrinkles her forehead.

“I’m not going.”

“But Liv is.”

“Um, I have a date.”

My hand pulls away from her stomach, and I feel my pulse pick up. “With who?” I ask.

“Jeffrey Jacobson.”

“Jeffrey? He’s so strange.”

“He’s nice, and none of our guy friends ever ask me out. He did, so I said yes.” She’s getting defensive, and I–I’m getting pissed.

“I can’t believe you’re going on a date with him.”

Kenzie frowns and sits up. “Tell me the real reason you don’t want me to go out with him, Luke, and maybe I won’t.”

I groan lightly, unable to tell her a valid reason since we can only be friends. “I don’t think he’s who you should be with.”

“Who should I be with then?” she asks with her eyebrows raised and lips pursed.

“I don’t know but not him.”

She’s instantly on her feet, dusting off her clothing and hair. “That’s not the reason I was looking for, and thanks to you, I have to get leaves out of my hair before he picks me up,” she sneers before storming away.