Page 124 of Burning Skies
Fuck. This doesn’t look good. I’d hoped the doctor would give me some indication that maybe the original conception date was off.
I stand like a tree, rooted to the ground, wondering how my life got this off track.
Dr. Green smiles. “Your baby looks strong.”
Nodding, I feign interest. Not that I want anything to go wrong. We’re talking about two lives. As annoying as Mel has been, I don’t want anything to happen to her or her child.
I press my palms into my eyes. Part of me feels like a royal dick for not being jazzed about hearing my kid’s heartbeat. If this is really my child, I’m gonna have to get on board.
I’m not there yet. Frankly, I’m worried how I’m supposed to do this.
Because without Honey by my side, I’m not sure I want to have a family.
49
HONEY
All week,I’m a basket case. On Monday, I trip on some stairs and cut my knee. On Tuesday, a pen explodes in my bag and gets ink all over a stack of essays. On Wednesday, I bump into a student while I’m carrying my lunch and spill hot soup all over myself.
But Thursday’s flat tire makes me wonder if my bad luck is a sign.
If I can’t drive to the airfield, how can I get on Ian’s private plane? Will he come after me if I don’t show up?
I’m in the middle of a mental breakdown Thursday night when I finally give in and read Beau’s slew of texts.
I’m so sorry about all of this.
Please know I never meant to hurt you. You mean the world to me.
I miss you so fucking much, Honey.
We got the paternity test done. We’ll get the results next week. I hope you can wait that long to find out.
I’m going out of my damn mind, wondering if this is my kid.
The only silver lining is the doctor told us conception dates aren’t reliable. Mel won’t tell me who else she was seeing, but I know there’s someone else.
If the kid is mine, I don’t know how I’m supposed to do this—raise a child with a woman I’m not sure I even like as a friend.
My throat tightens as I read his messages, and I finally get the guts to respond.
You’re a good man, Beau. You’ll find a way to do this.
With the back of my hand, I wipe my face.
If this baby is yours, you’ll be an amazing father.
I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you this week. I have some bad news myself.
My family might be in some serious debt with Ian, which is why my father insists I marry him.
Ian wants me to fly out to Vegas to talk to him and my dad tomorrow after school. I’m not sure I have a choice. My brothers have offered to come with me, to protect me if Ian’s pressuring me to do something I don’t want to.
If you have any advice, I’d love to hear it.
I stare at my phone for a long time, but he never responds.
That’s fair. Because he probably feels like I blew him off all week.
