The Quarterback's Baby: A Secret Baby Sports Romance (6 page)

Chapter Seventeen

That night I didn’t hear from Noah. I did what I thought was best that night. I thought about what I was going to say, until Michelle walked into my room, turning on the light without permission. She was so rude and, as many times as I had told her not to do it, she still continued all the same. That was why no one liked Michelle. Not only was she rude, but obnoxious too.

“Noah, said you guys had some sort of fight.”

She was flushed, her cheeks were red and she was angry. Real angry. But I didn’t care. I had my laptop on my bed and it was nearly midnight, and I had been trying to write an email to Noah. I couldn’t face him. I couldn’t speak to him. It was a coward’s way of doing it, but one that I felt needed to be done.

She was wearing her gold night slip. Everything about her was perfect on the outside, with her hair in a bun and as usual she had make-up on; not as heavy as she wore during the day but I could tell that she still had foundation on.

I choked out, “Yes.”

Had Michelle finally got the message that we were a couple who loved each other?

“Do you think that had something to do with his attitude on the field?”

She was calm. Not the hyperactive woman who had left the stadium claiming that it was because of me that her precious son had lost it on the field. No, she was more assertive and, for once in her life she was being nice.

“I hope not.”

She shook her head as I sat up and faced her.

“I didn’t ask what you hoped, but what you thought?”

I nodded my head. I hated to admit it. I’d spent the whole time in the car convincing myself that this wasn’t going to happen. Our relationship wouldn’t affect his career. His dream. His aspirations. But the more I thought about it, I knew that it wasn’t true.

“So, what did you do about it?”

She knew the answer to the question and the whole idea of her wanting me to say it out loud annoyed me. Her whole presence was driving me insane.

“I went home with you and Dad.”

She nodded, “You didn’t even try to clear the air.”

Maybe that was because you have spent the last couple of months telling me whenever we have had the odd conversation, which wasn’t often that the relationship between Noah and I was bad. Real bad.

“That’s because …”

She stood up and walked to the door. I wished she would just stay out of my room and life, once and for all.

“You caused him to lose his dream. I just hope to God that they give him another chance,” her words were fast and vile. But just like Michelle, she continued batting her eyelashes and appearing to be the perfect saint.

“You didn’t even apologize to him. Instead, you blamed me. Blamed me for you going out with that realtor and spending more time with him than you should do, and then getting on Skype and showing Noah what you’ve been doing with him.”

Where the hell did she get all this from?

Sure, I had spent time with Keith. He had only been at the realtor a year and it was easier to follow him and learn the ropes, than it was with the other realtors, who were more experienced and felt that I should be photocopying, answering the phone and getting them lunch. He was the only one that treated me with respect.

“I didn’t even mention him to Noah. I feel,” God knows why I was begging her. “That maybe I’m in the way of his college life and he’s not enjoying it as much as he should do, because of me.”

I walked towards her trying to make her see reason, because I had a bad feeling that he’d lost his rag on the field, because of me, and because of what this poison Ivy was saying to him.

“You go and see him after weeks, the night before the game, and you know the rules,” her hands were on my shoulders, like they always were whenever she was getting ready to patronize me. Whenever she had a good reason to put me down. Her hands slide down my arms and eventually land in my hands. She’ll entwine them with hers and then she will say her killer line. The one that will make me doubt any sense of reality. The one that will only make me see things her way.

“You know the best thing to do for him. The best thing to do for both of you. Tell him that you’ve moved on. It’ll hurt, but at least he can focus on his career. Focus on the one thing that he’s dreamed of doing his whole life. That is what a friend would do. Especially a best one.”

This time she didn’t seal it by gripping and dropping my hands. This time she sealed it with a kiss on my forehead. The one that a mother would give to a child.

I wished that I had some sense of relationship with my own mom, but I knew she wasn’t interested. I couldn't remember the last time that I had seen her. Right now I needed someone, anyone, and it felt like Michelle was my only friend, as within minutes Dad knocked on my door and said, “Good, you’re awake. I need to go on the road again. I promise that it won’t be for long.”

I was like a statue. Frozen in my very existence. It felt like only a few seconds ago that Michelle had left my door. It could have been hours, but I didn’t care. I needed to write that email and, as Dad said he was leaving once again, I knew that I had to do it now. I couldn't put it off any longer.

Chapter Eighteen

The next day I couldn’t go to work. I sat staring at my computer reading my email to Noah over and over again.

Dearest Noah,

You’re my best friend and lover. But this needs to end. We are so far apart and I hate to tell you like this, but I’ve met someone else. Don’t contact me. Goodbye. I hope that you keep your head in the game.

Ava

I stared at my phone, hoping that he would ring. It kept going round it in my head. What did I want? For him to turn around and say that everything would be okay and for us to keep going on like this, or to just move on. I had told him to do it. Keep his head in the game. It was a lie; I just wanted him here with me, like he had always been. But it was clear that I was being selfish. That I was only thinking of myself, and I couldn’t do that any more. Not only for his sake, but mine too.

No, this was for the best. I just wished it didn’t hurt so bad.

“Why is it so dark in here?” Michelle asked as she walked into my room. Yesterday that annoyed me, but today it offered some sort of comfort. But I couldn’t figure out why.

Maybe because, for some crazy reason, Michelle was the only one that knew what was going on in my world. Since I had started working at the realtors, my phone calls to Grandma had been few and far between. Trinity and Carly were both all loved up with their men.

Shit!

I had been supposed to call Trinity after the game. I’d completely forgotten.

“This isn’t healthy, Ava. You can't be doing this to yourself. What about I make you a nice steak? That’s your favorite right?”

I had to blink my eyes and I opened them wide. The voice sounded like Michelle’s, and even the red power suit that she wore to work looked like Michelle’s, but everything else was completely different. The person in front of me, smiling as if she was sent from above, wasn’t behaving like Michelle. She was behaving like Trinity and Carly’s moms treated them. This had to be a dream. It just couldn’t be real. But as she patted her sides and said, “Get showered and dressed, then meet me downstairs,” I concluded that it was Michelle.

I slowly crept out of bed, ignoring her instructions. “Why are you being so nice?”

She smiled as she went down the stairs. Hesitating, she faced me. “You broke up with Noah.”

Then she hummed as she went to the kitchen.

He got my email.

Or message.

Or my text.

I repeated the same thing, just so that I wouldn’t change my mind. I wanted to know what he’d told her and how he felt about it. But then the realization that I knew the answer to my question made me feel sick.

The last thing I wanted to do was take a shower, or even eat.

No, I wanted to stay in my room. The idea of never being with Noah again made me feel physically sick. I crept back into my room, drew the curtains, and went back to bed. I thought about the happier times. The ones of us together and it made me feel good. It made me feel alive again, but I knew that I could only feel that way in my dreams. Not in my reality.

***

“Dad are you here or are you in my dreams?” I asked as I felt a hand on my shoulder and a kiss on my cheek.

He seemed old, tired, which was unusual for a man who prided himself on being fit. Now he just looked over weight and middle aged. He had drawn the curtains, and I wondered if it was day time again. The last time I remembered sleeping this much was when I’d had the flu and Grandma had come and brought me her favorite chicken soup every day.

Within two days I was feeling better. But the warmth of my bed and the company of my grandma made me pretend that I needed to stay in bed just a little while longer. Just so that I could have some loving tender care. The type I used to have with Noah.

“I’ve been home a few days now, and this is all you ever seem to do.”

I didn’t get his point. What had I been doing all day?

“Sleeping!”

Maybe he saw the confused look on my face, which meant that I was totally confused, because I didn’t have a clue what he meant.

“No matter what, tomorrow that is it. You’re coming in with me. I’m not having you mope around here all day long like a love sick teenager, whilst Noah is out there having fun and enjoying his life.”

My ears pricked up at that.

“Why isn’t he coming home?”

That was the original plan, he would come home and I would sometimes go and visit him. I had hoped that after my message he would be the one to bring us together. Make me see sense and we could come up with a plan. A realistic one, after he knew that this thing we were doing was not working.

“Well, you have a new man, and I think he’s got a new girl.” Dad said scratching his balding head. Then it made sense. Perfect sense. I had told him to move on and that was exactly what he had done.

“Wow,” I said as I sat up and thought about how quick and easy it was for Noah to move on. He didn’t even bother fighting for me.

“Wow, what?” Dad said as he stroked my chin. I lifted my arm and the smell nearly made me sick at the realization that I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d bathed.

“That was quick.” I sounded like a kid. Wishing that her best friend had called round to see her after she’d had a fight with her. The same way I used to do when we were kids. Hoped that Noah would love me so much that he would want to know what was bothering me. What was on my mind. The problem was, we were adults and he was a college student. Going on to better and brighter things. Maybe this whole thing was really about the green-eyed monster wanting attention.

“He’s a good looking guy. You didn’t want him. Did you expect him to be sleeping and moping and walking around the college dorms for six weeks?”

I looked at Dad as if I had seen a ghost.

Did he say six weeks?

“Six weeks?”

He chuckled, “Sweet pea. You’ve been in and out of your room. Just not responding to anyone. I thought you would snap out of it. That’s what the doctors said. Besides I thought that Trinity and Carly were coming last weekend, but then something came up and they couldn’t make it. So, I thought I needed to deal with this. I needed to step up as a dad and help you out of this, instead of always expecting others to do it.”

It sounded like I wasn’t the only one that needed to grow up. So did Dad. But there was just one problem. One part of the equation was missing and I was scared and completely in shock when Dad had said six weeks. Not for the reason he just gave me, but for another.

Chapter Nineteen

“Girls, I need you to do this with me.”

They both nodded. I’d called them immediately after Dad had left the room. All of a sudden I had a spring in my step and a new lease of energy. One that was going to be spent learning the truth. Shit, I was scared.

Trinity said, “Yeah, but we can’t pee on the stick with you.”

“I remember this one time, or it could have been three…” Carly started counting on her fingers. “Yes, yes, it was three times that Ryan and I nearly had this scare.”

All three of us were staring at the pregnancy tests, wondering which one to pick up.

“Go on,” Trinity encouraged her to say what it was on her mind, but then she went off into a daze and said, “Oh nothing.”

Which meant there was more to this story, and Carly wasn’t ready to share with us what happened next. Which in my mind was a good thing, because I really didn’t want to hear it.

“Okay, this one looks good. It comes with a calculator,” Trinity said, as she was brave enough to not only pick one of the shelf, but read it too.

“Great, it tells you how far gone you are!” Carly snatched it out of her hand. “That’s so cool. We’ll try this one.”

We both stared at her. Did she really think we were clothes shopping or something?

Then Trinity was brave again and picked out another one. “What about this one? Just the two lines, and they have two in a pack.”

I nodded; I really wanted the expensive calculator one, but deep down I knew that there was no reason to take the test. I knew the results, I just didn't want to admit to them.

I had been in bed for over six weeks, drifting in and out of sleep. The only good thing was my laptop got a rest. I may have showered every couple of days or so. Gone down to the kitchen. Grabbed whatever didn't require anything more complicated then warming up. Ate. Then went back to bed. That had been my routine for six long weeks. Not once did I get a sanitary towel or tampon. That could only mean one thing.

I didn’t need a fancy calculator or even two strips to tell me what I already knew. When Noah left, I stopped being so careful. Taking the pill every day seemed pointless. It was a shame that I hadn’t thought about how pointless it was when I spent the night with him and, within an hour or so, we had a big fight and then the next day broke up.

“I know what I’m going to do. I spoke to Grandma about it. She says I can stay with her.”

Carly ignored what I said as Trinity gave me a big hug. Her arms were squeezing me so tight.

“I can see someone has been working out.”

She laughed. “Well I need the stamina to keep up with Eli if you know what I mean.” She winked as she said that and then apologized as Carly blurted out, “Ladies, can we please leave. I really like the look of this calculator. It’s so damn cool.”

I felt so bad that I’d thought that I wasn’t intelligent enough to get into college. The thing about Carly is what she lacks in common sense. She sure makes up for it with her academies. She loves to study, it’s just anything else outside of that that doesn’t revolve around Ryan is a mystery to her.

We agreed to leave and Trinity said as we paid for them.

“No matter what I got your back.”

Carly chimed in, “I think you’ve got both of our backs.” Which meant that she wasn’t just taking the test to use the calculator. She obviously wanted a test for a completely different reason altogether. It wasn't to use the calculator, this meant that she thought that she could be pregnant too.

***

We cried so many times over the results. Carly said that I should tell Noah, whereas Trinity said that I should decide what I wanted to do before announcing it any further. Grandma knew, because the other girls were crying and Carly was saying that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to try out the calculator. I didn’t hesitate to call her and ask if I could stay over.

In a heartbeat she said, “I was waiting for your call, and don’t ask me stupid questions.”

That only left telling three people: Uncle, Dad and Michelle.

The easiest part was going to my uncle's realtor’s office on Monday and telling him that my time working for him would have to be cut short. He was sympathetic and then told the tale of every other single mom that he knew, and the list ended at two, but he was happy to tell me that I could be the third. My absence from the office had made it hard for my uncle to justify me working there anyway. The only person that he claimed would be upset was Keith, but I just got the impression from him that he was glad to be my friend. But then again, what did I know about reading men?

The next to be told were Michelle and Dad. I waited until they both came home from work and then I told them. I could have dressed it up and pretended that it wasn’t a big deal, but it was, and with Grandma in the house it felt a lot easier.

“Dad, Michelle, I’ve got something to tell you.” We were at the dinner table. The place were no one was on their guard, and everyone was relaxed from eating the fantastic roast that Grandma had made. Only Michelle was suspicious about Grandma’s appearance. It was clear that they didn’t get along and, since Dad and Michelle had got married, Grandma had never visited.

Like never, ever. Now, she had been at our house for three days. Yet, Michelle said nothing, but whenever they were in the house at the same time, Michelle would watch Grandma like a hawk. This time she was so relaxed. She even offered to help her in the kitchen, which Grandma had allowed after Dad begged Grandma to give his new wife a chance.

Grandma had nodded and said to me, “Your Dad was never good at picking out girlfriends.”

I wondered what she’d meant by that, but as I started telling everyone about my pregnancy, I had a feeling that I was about to find out.

“Your not back with Noah are you?” Michelle spat out, as she dropped her napkin on the table and was just about to walk out of the room. The nice, considerate Michelle that I had been witnessing was long gone.

“Sit down and let her speak.” Grandma commanded. Michelle looked at Dad and he agreed with grandma. “Wait.” He tugged Michelle’s arm.

That was when she sat down as if she was a mouse. The dramatic one that appeared a moment ago was lost as she said, “Okay.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Dad said, “Please, Ava, just spit it out, you’re scaring me.” His hands were firmly resting on the table as he stared at me, and I was sitting opposite him at the dinner table like I always did.

I’d practiced a thousand times in front of the mirror, but there was no way it could be done any better then this.

“I’m pregnant.”

No one moved.

No one said anything.

Until Michelle laughed and said, “Well, I hope Keith’s going to support you.” And she smiled, at the relief that the news had nothing to do with Noah. But she was completely mistaken.

Grandma was the one who was smiling at the end of the table. “Why should another man support another man’s baby?”

That was when the penny dropped. She realized at that moment who the father was. Dad sat facing me, unable to speak, just not saying a word.

In the cream room with matching carpets, the oak table started to rumble. The wine glasses and plates that were on them were slowly crashing to the floor as Michelle attempted to turn it over. She didn’t have enough strength to make a complete mess, but she made a good enough one for my grandma to get angry.

“You stupid bitch! I knew that this was going to happen! You just couldn’t help yourself.” After she discovered that she couldn’t turn over the table, she was stretched across it breaking the plates, trying to maybe break my neck too.

“Robert, do something!” Grandma shouted at Dad. He couldn’t. He just sat there as if he was on a different planet. I hated him for that. Grandma grabbed my arm and shouted, “Stay away from her.”

Michelle was chasing after me and screamed, “What you gonna do about it old lady?” That was the wrong question to ask, as the former champion of shot-put gave Michelle a right hook. One that she would never forget, as her back gave way and she dropped to the floor.

“Let’s get the hell out of here before I end up punching Robert too.”

I turned for a moment to see if he had moved. He hadn’t, so I let go of Grandma’s arm and went back to see him. I whispered, “Dad.”

Michelle was on the floor, screaming like a crazy person about how all her dreams and hopes were dead. The only thing he said was, “Stay with Grandma. I’ll sort this mess out.” I nodded and went to my room and got my bags, which were already packed. I’d planned to stay at least till the weekend to see the girls, because I’d wanted to say bye to them too. But, Michelle made that impossible. I didn’t know what Dad meant by ‘the mess’, but Grandma said that she could only pray that her son had finally come to his senses - and that meant seeing the back of Michelle.