Chapter Six

SAMI

“Thanks girl. I owe you one.” Heather said, collapsing into a chair at the kitchen table and fanning her face. “I told Jake I’d bring him his favorite lunch today, a bacon turkey club on Texas toast and a side of potato soup from the Cuddle Cup, but I just couldn’t manage it.”

“No problem at all, I was happy to make the delivery for you,” I said, placing the bag with our own lunches on the center island and turning to the cupboards. “The station is just around the corner from the café, so it was easy enough to drop it off. Now, where do you keep the plates?”

“Second upper cabinet from the left,” Heather replied as she pulled another chair closer to her and lifted her swollen feet onto it. “I hope little Sugar Dumpling here arrives soon. She’s certainly taking her sweet time, since she’s already a week overdue.”

I smiled as Heather rubbed her round belly and unwrapped the sandwiches I’d brought from the café, setting each on a plate along with the cups of mixed fresh fruit.

“Water?” I asked.

“Please,” Heather nodded. “Glasses are in the cupboard next to the frig.”

I finished fixing our lunches and brought them to the table, taking a seat across from Heather.

“I’m glad we could get together today,” I admitted. “I really need someone to talk to right now, and Leann, well, Leann is just being Leann.”

My friend laughed. “Your cousin is a stubborn one, that’s for sure. She should have been born with red hair with her fiery temper.”

“No kidding,” I agreed, popping a grape into my mouth, and enjoying the small burst of sweetness. “She’s as worked up right now as I am.”

Heather took a long drink of water and set her glass back on the table. “I can’t imagine how having Cord back in town must be making you feel. Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I replied automatically, picking up half of my chicken Ceaser wrap and staring at it. “No. Seeing him again brought everything back like it was yesterday and we were all in high school again. He looks older, definitely a lot more polished. But it was still the same Cord…my Cord. Except he obviously wasn’t the type of guy I thought he was. It makes me so livid I could scream. How could I have been so blind?”

Heather tucked a stray lock of her brown hair back into her messy bun. “You were a teenager, and in love. It’s easy to ignore red flags when hormones are racing through your body faster than cats on a mouse’s tail.”

I smiled wryly while I chewed. “No kidding. But I honestly would never have seen it coming. He always told me that his plan was to use his scholarship to attend college, and then come back to Love to start our life together. We talked about our future, even planned what our dream home would look like someday.”

Reaching across the table, Heather patted my hand as I felt my lip wobble and eyes well with tears.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” she said. “Jake and I were just as surprised as you when he cut off all ties after learning you were pregnant. Jake thought he knew him better than that as well. You’ve had to struggle to raise Camden on your own. Dead beat dads are the worst. Have you considered going after Cord in court? At least then you’d be able to get some child support, if not any actual help with parenting.”

“No, no,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t care about his money. Thankfully the café is doing well, and I have enough to get by. I definitely don’t want to involve lawyers, either. That would just open a whole other can of worms given how well-known Cord is. The last thing I want to have the paparazzi stalking me and snapping pictures of me and Camden.” I shuddered and speared a strawberry with my fork.

“Yeah, that’s totally understandable,” said Heather. She picked up her patty melt and took a bite. “Mmm. This tastes like heaven.”

I burst out laughing. “I still can’t believe you asked for a patty melt, since you’ve been a vegetarian since you were fifteen.”

She giggled and licked the grease from her lips. “What can I say? Sugar Dumpling had a craving for meat.”

“You’re about to be a mother to two girls,” I said. “What a blessing! Cord and I always dreamed of having a big family since we’re both only children. We planned on having at least four kids, maybe five.”

Heather cocked her head to the side and chewed thoughtfully. “Hm,” she said after swallowing, “Do you think part of the reason why you’re so angry is because you never got over him?”

I stared at her in surprise. “Of course I’m over him! I got over him the minute I learned that he didn’t want anything to do with the baby.”

“Huh,” Heather uttered between mouthfuls of her sandwich. “Is that right? Because every time Leann or I have wanted to set you up on a date, you’ve said no. You haven’t gone out with anyone since Cord as far as I’m aware. And when you’re not with Camden or working, you spend all your time with us.”

I sucked in my breath. “What are you saying? That I still have feelings for him?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Heather said, reaching for her water glass. She took a drink, looking at me over the rim with raised eyebrows.

Dropping my gaze to my plate, I exhaled slowly as a tear escaped out of the corner of my eye. I dashed it away quickly with the back of my hand. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I knew deep down that she was right.

“It’s okay,” Heather continued softly. “The love you two shared was real. Anyone who knew you both back then knew it, too. We were all completely convinced that you and Cord would end up together, that you’d be one of those couples you hear about that were high school sweethearts and still madly in love even after spending sixty years together.”

More tears dripped down my cheeks. I grabbed my napkin and pressed it to my face, unable to stop the raw emotion spilling out of me like water from an overfilled cup.

“That’s what I thought, too,” I finally admitted when I could speak again.

“Sami, can I ask you something? Are you absolutely sure that Cord knows about Camden?” Heather asked suddenly.

“What?” I asked, looking at her in surprise. “Of course! I mean, he must. After I found out I was pregnant, I went to see his mom, Alma, because he’d already left for college. Gramma Nettie suggested that I tell her first, because she would be the grandmother and probably want to help with the baby while Cord was still in school.”

“And?” Heather prompted. “What did she say? I’ve never seen her with Camden. Jake and I have always kept him whenever you needed a break. Since he and Ashley are the same age, it was actually easier for me with two of them in the house, since they could play together, and I could finally get a load of laundry done.” She chuckled before reaching for the other half of her sandwich.

“You and Jake have been wonderful,” I admitted. “Camden and I are lucky to have your family in our lives. I know how grateful I am for your friendship, and it’s great that now our kids are friends, too.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” replied Heather. “But back to Alma. How did she react when you told her the news that you were pregnant?”

I reflected. “She was surprised, just like Gramma Nettie. I’m sure both of them wished we were older and married before we started having kids. I mean, that’s what Cord and I wanted too, but things happen.”

“You’re definitely not the only person to ever experience an unplanned pregnancy,” said Heather.

“Exactly,” I nodded. “Even though it happened earlier than I expected, I was just so excited I could hardly see straight! I know Gramma Nettie felt the same way. A new baby is cause for joy no matter what. But Alma…I knew she was very religious and looking back, I guess she disapproved more than I thought since she’s never offered to help with Camden and has only seen him a couple of times, and it’s usually when we run into each other in public. She never comes into the café, either.”

“Do you think she’s been trying to avoid you?” asked Heather.

“It’s definitely seemed like it. Although I can’t really blame her. I mean, her own son doesn’t want anything to do with his child. Maybe she just feels ashamed or something?”

“It is still a little odd though,” Heather mused. “Was she the one who told Cord about the baby, then?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I was there at her house when she made the call to him. When she hung up, I could tell what his reaction had been just by the look on her face. She told me that she was sorry, but he said he didn’t want anything to do with the baby and asked that I not contact him again.”

“Did you?” asked Heather.

I shook my head. “No. I wanted to respect his wishes. Besides, I knew how important education was to him. He’s the first person in his family to ever go to college. I was so proud of him when he was accepted to MIT! He cried he was so happy, and said he wished his father had been alive to see his acceptance letter.”

“Sami.” Heather said, her expression serious. “This still just doesn’t add up to me. There’s no reason why Cord couldn’t have finished at college and then come home to you and Camden, just like you’d always planned. We were all just as shocked as you when you told us he didn’t want to be a father. I really think you need to talk to Cord.”

I frowned, feeling my heartbeat quicken as a twinge of doubt wiggled in my gut. What if Heather was on to something? Could Alma have faked the phone call to Cord? What if there was a chance he really didn’t know about his son? There was only one way to find out once and for all.