The Friends We Keep

“Could you?”


No! I couldn’t. Only she was the adult. She was the one who had to stay calm and sensible and understanding. She had to be the rock when on the inside she simply wanted to scream. Take the high ground, as her mother had once advised her. Only Marie would never have imagined this moment. No one could.

“After the twins are in bed,” she whispered, trying to figure out what she was going to say. “I’ll tell him and then we’ll come talk to you.”

Makayla’s eyes were huge and filled with tears. Her lips trembled. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“I know.”

Gabby wanted to grab her girls and run. She wanted not to have to worry about this. Not deal with it. Not have their lives forever altered. But if she was this scared of the future, what must her stepdaughter be feeling? She was only fifteen.

“We’ll figure it out,” she said with false cheer. “You’ll see.”

“You think?”

“Of course.” Gabby walked over to her and hugged her. “It’s going to be okay.”

Makayla surprised her by hanging on tight. By hugging back as if she would never let go. The girl started to cry. Harsh, choking sobs that shook her body and left her gasping. Gabby stayed close and prayed that she wasn’t lying. That everything really was going to be all right. But in her heart, she knew it wasn’t.

*

“We have to talk.”

Andrew looked more amused than worried as he stretched out on their bed. “I got that from the way you pulled me into the bedroom.” He patted the space next to him. “Come on. You can tell me what’s going on while I feel you up.”

“This is serious.”

His smile faded and he sat up. “You have my attention, Gabby. What is it? The girls seemed fine at dinner. Makayla was a little quiet. Did you two have a fight?”

She twisted her hands together. Sitting wasn’t an option. She had to stand or better yet, pace. Only, she wanted to be looking at him as she told him. She wanted to know what he was thinking. If he blamed her. Because she was worried about that. Being blamed.

“Gabby?”

“Makayla’s pregnant. We did three different pregnancy tests. They were all positive.”

Andrew went completely still. For a second, she wasn’t sure if he was even breathing. Then he swore—angry words directed at no one but upsetting all the same.

He rose until he was standing in front of her.

“You’re sure?”

She nodded.

“Boyd?”

“I don’t know. Honestly, there hasn’t been time. I went and got the tests and she took them. By then the twins were done with their movie and I had to start dinner.”

She was shaking. Everything hurt. Nothing felt right. She was braced for him to start yelling at her, to tell her what she’d done wrong. Even though Andrew never did that.

Was it her own guilt? If she’d tried harder with the teen. If they were closer.

Andrew charged out of the room. Gabby hurried after him. He opened Makayla’s door without knocking. She sat on her bed, her back against the pillows, her knees drawn up to her chest. She’d been crying and wiped her face when they entered.

“Is it Boyd?” Andrew asked.

Makayla nodded.

He turned around and walked out.

Gabby stared after him. What?

“Daddy, no!”

But Andrew didn’t listen to his daughter’s plea. He disappeared and a few seconds later, Gabby heard the slam of his office door, which was a whole lot better than the garage door opening. At least he wasn’t going to confront the teenage father-to-be right now.

She stood in the center of the room, not sure what to do. Makayla began to cry again. Gabby sucked in a breath, then went over to the bed and sat down. Makayla threw herself at Gabby, wrapping her arms around her waist and burying her head in her lap.

“It’s going to be okay,” Gabby said automatically, stroking the girl’s back. Like this, broken and hurt, Makayla seemed younger. Smaller.

“It’s not. He hates me.”

“He’s known for fifteen seconds. Maybe he gets some time to figure out how to deal with the information.”

“You didn’t reject me when you found out.”

“Your father hasn’t rejected you, but he does need to process all this. He loves you and we’ll get through this as a family.” Was she saying the right thing? Was there a right thing?

She sat there while the girl cried. After a few minutes, the tears quieted and the teen sat up.

Gabby touched her cheek. “You’re a mess. Still way too beautiful, but a mess.”

Makayla didn’t smile. “What am I going to do?”

“Wash your face, brush your teeth and get into bed. The rest of it can wait. You’re not having the baby tomorrow. I’ll talk to your dad tonight and we’ll come up with a plan.”

Makayla nodded and climbed off the bed. She walked to the bathroom, then turned back to Gabby.

“Can you stay until I fall asleep?”

An unexpected request. “Of course.”

“Do you hate me?”

“No.”