Chapter 38

WILLOW

“Are you sure about this?”Knox asks.

“Positive,” I say. “I need to talk to Ward alone.”

“Okay.”

I grab Knox’s hand. “This feels wrong to you though. Like I’m making you go away. To just sit and wait?”

“I told you I’d be here,” he says. He leans down and kisses the top of my head. “I won’t be far. If he acts up at all…”

I nod.

It’s kind of pathetic that my brother and his issues are well known throughout the hockey team. Then again, what else is there to say about Ward?

I’m sitting in the cafe of a big, fancy grocery store just outside of the small town Ward and I grew up in.

Ironic enough, our father’s construction company helped build this store.

I even helped a little.

I got paid to help clean up at the end of the day, sweeping the floors and all that.

And now I’m sitting here with a cup of coffee in front of me, waiting for my brother to show up so I can confirm to him in person that I’m pregnant.

Oh, and after that?

I’m going to tell my father.

My stomach does a flip.

“Hey, I’ll be right there,” a voice says from behind me.

I turn and see Ward.

My brother looks better now. He looks cleaner. Not his clothes or hair, but just his aura. His face looks better. His eyes don’t seem as bloodshot.

It’s still hard to think about at times.

That he put himself in such a dark place in his life.

I watch Ward carefully as he walks up to the counter and orders a soda.

As he approaches the table, I stand up.

His eyes drop right down to my stomach.

Then back to my eyes.

I touch my stomach. I nod.

“Seriously?” Ward asks.

“Yeah,” I say. “Want to see the pics?”

“Pics…?”

“Ultrasound pics,” I say. “I have a whole bunch.”

“Yeah. Sure.”

Ward moves around the table.

We both sit at the same time.

I reach into my bag and take out the ultrasound pictures and hand them to my brother.

“Whoa,” he says. “This is real.”

“No, it’s some kind of joke.”

“I mean… Willow… really?”

“I don’t need anything but support right now. Okay?”

“I’m just annoyed I found out from someone else.”

“Believe me, Ward, I am too. I wasn’t ready to start talking about this. To anyone. But things took on a life of their own. Not my doing.”

“Knox…? Really? A hockey player?”

“Goalie.”

“Still a hockey player.”

“Better than Jax, right?”

Ward curls his lip. “You went there.”

“Had to. Put you in your place.”

Ward slides the ultrasound pictures back to me. “So, what is it then? Are you and Knox…?”

“It’s not exactly like that. This wasn’t planned out. It just happened. One night…”

Ward waves his hands. “Yeah, I don’t need details, Willow. Makes me cringe to think about it.”

“He’s here,” I say. “Knox. I told him I wanted to talk to you first. Then we’re going to talk to Dad.”

Ward smiles ear to ear. “That’s going to be a fun conversation.”

“Stop it. It’s… it’s just… you know…”

“I can go with you if you need me,” Ward offers. “I’ll be by your side, Willow.”

“That means a lot to me, Ward.”

“Also… no offense… it’ll be nice to see Dad get fired up over something you did instead of me.”

“There it is,” I say. “You’re a jerk.”

“I have to be a jerk, Willow. It’s my job. I’m a shitty brother. A jerk is a step up.”

“You’re not a shitty brother. You just…”

“What? Have an addiction to booze? You can say it. I have to say it all the time.”

“Well, not to be the center of attention, but let’s focus on me.”

“Should I be mean to Knox or something? Act tough?”

“He’ll kick your ass,” I say. “And I’ll tell him to. Knox is a good guy, Ward.”

“It’s easy to be a good guy for a minute or two. I’ve done it.”

“I appreciate the hope there, Ward. Much needed. Anyway, now you know. Okay? I’m pregnant.”

“I wish I didn’t find out the way I did.”

“Same. But it’s my body and my decision.”

“So, what’s next? Off to see Dad?”

I give a nervous nod.

“Should I be there, Willow?”

I shake my head. “This is my situation. And I want Knox there. We have to do this together. No matter what anyone thinks.”

Ward exhales. “Good luck.”

“Dad isn’t a mean guy. He’s not unfair.”

“Right. He loves you more than me.”

“He does not!”

“Yes, he does. But, I don’t know how he’ll react knowing his little baby girl has been active in bed…”

“We’re done talking,” I say as I stand up. “Ward, keep clean, okay? You’re going to be an uncle. It would be cool if you were a sober uncle. A present uncle. You know?”

Ward seems surprised that I just spoke those words.

I leave him in that state of shock and I meet up with Knox outside.

He takes my hand. “How was that?”

“Like nothing. It’s my life. Our life. Right?”

I look up at Knox.

He’s smiling.

“You know what’s next, right?” I ask.

“Yes, I do. I’m here.”

“You don’t really have to be here, Knox. It’s not like we’re getting married or something. You know what I mean? We were just two people who-”

“Willow, are you trying to push me away right now?”

I roll my eyes.

Him calling me on my shit is getting old.

But it works again.

I shut up.

We hold hands.

And now I have to face my father.