Of course, that didn’t change the fact that we were having a baby. Together.
Another human’s life depended on me. I had to provide for the child she was carrying. I had to be there for them whenever I could, which, based on the decision I made the night she told me, might not be very often. My buddy had talked me into reenlisting. It wasn’t ideal. I wanted to be around for everything, but it was the best I could do. I had put a request in to be sent back to the States.
Even still, the best I could hope for was the job I had applied for in Ohio. My backup was a job in Oklahoma City. Either way, I wouldn’t be in Tennessee, and with how terrible things were going so far, I didn’t see her deciding to pack up and move with me. Both options were hours away from her. But I would figure something out. I’d figure out a way to be there for that kid.
These were all things I did to occupy my time, because just work wasn’t cutting it. She was still constantly on my mind, now more so than ever. I had said the worst words I ever could have to her. She had every right to hate me. But I wanted the ability to make it right, and I couldn’t do so when I was a sitting duck. She was out there, all alone, having to deal with this shit.
Ava being there to help her through it all was my only comfort, though I was surprised she hadn’t called to give me an earful yet. I hadn’t built up the courage to call her myself. I didn’t like talking about how much of a dick I was, especially with my baby sister. That was why I hadn’t even had the nerve to email her over those two months—the same reason, I was certain, why she hadn’t emailed me.
I wondered how Kate was feeling. If the morning sickness had let up. If she was showing yet. If she could feel the baby moving. To distract myself from her cold shoulder, I had done loads of research on all things baby. Based off when we did the deed, she would now be around eighteen weeks, which, according to my reading, meant she would get to find out the gender soon. That made me desperate to talk to her. If there was any way I could talk her into waiting until I was done over here—since I would have a whole month off between assignments—I wanted to be there when she found out.
I might have been going completely insane with worry for her and that baby, but my head was screwed on nice and tight. I had even been working on quitting smoking… or at least cutting back a bit. Everyone knew smoking was no good for babies.
Exactly two months since the day she told me the news, and exactly one month away from my leave, I was ready to do anything to get a hold of her.
Calling Ava was a must. No matter how disappointed or angry she was with me, I would face it if it meant getting in touch with the mother of my child. It had already taken me far too long to strap on some balls.
“Kai!” she answered, sounding as excited as ever. As if we hadn’t gone two months without talking.
“Hey, Av. How are you?”
“Great! Just been so unbelievably busy with school and work and the dance team. Just like the old days, I guess.” She laughed.
I scratched my head. Why wasn’t she yelling at me? “Sure, sure. I hope you’re at least taking time for yourself,” I said, not knowing what the hell else to say.
“Of course I am. Cade makes me take time for myself just about every day. It’s been good. Living with him has been great!”
That had me choking. “What?” I snarled.
“Oh damn,” she breathed before chuckling. “Guess I didn’t tell you. But you haven’t called or emailed in so long. Anyway, I’ve been living with Cade for two months now. Kate and I… we, uh… had a falling out, I guess.”
A falling out. Two months ago. My head spun, my eye twitching. “What happened?” I croaked.
“Well… I don’t know how to tell you this.” She paused, cleared her throat. My bones vibrated. “But Kate’s pregnant. She blew up on me the day she told me. I guess I kind of deserved it. I don’t know. It was just so messy, so I said I would move out, and I did that night.”
“Ava.” I muttered multiple expletives as she kept rambling over top of me. “Ava! Tell me exactly what was said. What happened? I need to know every detail.” My mind kept reeling for some form of reality where this didn’t suck balls. This entire time, I had been banking on my sister being there for Kate. To find out she had been alone and pregnant for two whole months… there were no words.
“Don’t get all worked up, Kai. It’s for the best that she didn’t talk to you or tell you. You don’t need someone like that.” She huffed out a breath, sighing. “Which I guess is kind of what I said to her, but in nicer terms. She told me she was pregnant. I said something like ‘Oh, that’s why you haven’t been talking to Kai. I’m glad you aren’t leading him on anymore.’ She got pretty mad at that, I guess. We got in a fight. I said I would move out and… yeah. I already told you the rest.”
It took several deep breaths to rein in my anger. Ava wasn’t at fault here. It was me who should have called her much sooner to talk about this. But that didn’t excuse what she said to Kate, who now probably despised my entire family.
“Ava.” I said her name as calmly as possible, trying not to snarl at her. “Kate is pregnant with my child.”
There was a lengthy silence on both ends while my sister mulled that over. “I-I-I didn’t know,” she stuttered. “She said she didn’t know who the dad was.” Holy hell, that bit. Hard. But I deserved it for what I said to her. I deserved worse. She had been so brave to tell both me and Ava, and we had both spit in her face and basically called her a slut. “How did this happen? I don’t understand. You two have only ever seen each other twice.”
“We got together in Oregon. The day after Thanksgiving.”
“Why wouldn’t she tell me you were the dad, though? I even asked if the dad would be helping her. I didn’t like leaving her high and dry like that, but she wasn’t really giving me a choice.”
“She didn’t tell you because of the way you reacted. Because of the way I reacted.” I paused, taking another deep breath. This was a mess. Fixing it wasn’t going to be easy.
“What did you say to her?” she demanded.
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Look, Kai. I’m sorry this happened, but seriously, she turned into this totally different person that day. You weren’t there. She was such a bitch to me.”
“Ava. I care about her,” I bit out, my jaw flexing. It was the one and only time I could recall being so pissed at my sister. “We have to fix this.”
“Why? How do you even know it’s yours after you only did it the one time? Kai, you didn’t live with her. You have no idea how many guys she brought home. And I never once saw her with the same guy twice.”
That ripped through my chest, leaving a gaping wound. It was exactly what Kate had told me. “You only get this one time, Kai. I’m never with someone more than once.” I had guessed at the number, but having it confirmed only made things worse. But she had been straight with me, hadn’t sugarcoated it when I’d wanted her so badly my bones hurt. She hadn’t once lied to me.
“Shit, Ava. You hold a mean grudge. But I’m telling you, you’re wrong this time. I knew what I was doing that day. I know what I’m doing now. We’re fixing this. You’re going to help me, because I care about her, because she’s carrying your niece or nephew, and she deserves much better from us.”