Ainsley
Rain hit the large window, while I sat on the couch replying to an email. A large rumble of thunder followed by a flash of lightning tore my attention away from my laptop. It had been cloudy and rainy for the past three days, totally matching my mood.
I was just about to get up and check on the people who were packing things up in the house when my phone dinged with a message. I looked down and smiled.
ROMANTICALPHA42: How are things?
BABYGIRL89: Going well. They are just about done with Nikki’s room.
I’d been working from home for the past two days while the packing company Spencer hired came into the house and began packing things. They would pack up a room or two and then they would load things into their van and take them over to the new house and unpack.
BABYGIRL89: How are things going at the office?
ROMANTICALPHA42: Busy. As always.
BABYGIRL89: Great. I think Brittany called here today.
ROMANTICALPHA42: She’s been calling the office all morning.
BABYGIRL89: Phone is ringing again.
ROMANTICALPHA42: Just ignore her. I’ll be home in an hour.
I put my phone down and laptop on the table just as one girl who was packing came into the living room.
“We are just about finished with the basement and the little girl’s room. Tomorrow we will tackle this room, the spare room, and the garage. Then on Saturday we will finish the last four rooms to have you completely moved in for moving day.”
“That sounds perfect. Did you need me to come over to the new house with you when you take this load?”
“No, miss. Mr. Brooks went over where everything goes.”
I nodded. “Thank you for everything.”
“You are welcome.”
I watched as she made her way back down the hall and turned into the small bathroom outside of Nikki’s room and got busy while two of the others began taking boxes out to their van.
BABYGIRL89: You’ll be happy to know that everything will be done by moving day. They are finishing everything up over the weekend.
While I stood there waiting for a reply, I heard a knock at the front door. I put my phone down and walked down the three steps, pulling the door open. My father stood there in the rain, soaking wet, with a sad look on his face. I was so shocked to see him standing there, all I could do was stare.
“You have a couple minutes for your old man?” he questioned; his hands shoved in his pockets.
I didn’t know what to say. All I wanted was for him to wrap his arms around me and tell me everything was okay between us. When I didn’t respond, he hung his head.
“I don’t blame you. I’ll be on my way.”
I watched him turn and walk across the driveway. “Daddy, wait,” I called.
He turned back around and came running over to the door. I stepped to the side, allowing him enough room to come inside. I shut the door behind him and immediately he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for the biggest hug he’d ever given me.
“Daddy, I am so sorry,” I cried, hugging him just as tight for a moment before I slowly released my grip and took a step back.
“, I’d like you to come back home.” He muttered, “Please.”
Shocked, I stood there staring back at my father. “Daddy, I’m not coming back home.”
“, please.”
“No, Daddy. We are getting married, we are having a baby. Your grandbaby,” I said, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I felt I had to remain strong and stand my ground. I was by myself in this for the moment, at least until Spencer arrived.
“, I just want to talk.”
“I don’t need to come home for that. We can talk here.”
He was silent for a moment, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I want to know why it is you both felt you couldn’t tell me the truth?”
“Do you really have to ask that?” I questioned. “Dad, you haven’t been the most understanding person about any of this.”
“Understanding? You want me to be understanding?”
“Yes,” I practically shouted, then remembered that I had the packers in the house.
“, do you have any idea how shocking this has been? I mean, I come home in the middle of the night. Go to check on you and find my daughter in bed with a man that I trusted to look after you while I was gone.”
“You’re acting as if he was babysitting me. I’m twenty years old, Dad. I babysit his daughter.”
“Fine, ‘look after’ is the wrong way to put it. However, I find you, wrapped in his arms, naked. A man my age. What was I supposed to say, that everything is all right, just keep fucking my daughter?”
My mouth flew open at his choice of words. My father had never spoken to me like that. “Dad, please.”
“No, , you are a grownup. Tell me what the hell was I supposed to think? Why else would a man my age have any interest in a girl your age? You were nothing more than something he could fuck.”
My eyes filled with tears at his choice of words. Then anger filled me. “Did you ever think that the way you react to things was the reason we didn’t tell you?”
“The way I react!”
“Yes, you found out about the baby through an invitation not even addressed to you. Then you barged over here and demanded I move back home without even asking us if it was true. You just assumed. I’m not coming back home.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stood there staring at my father, reeling with hurt and anger.
My father looked at me, worry crossing his face. “I really hope you aren’t making a huge mistake, . I hope I am wrong.”
Just then, the front door opened, and Spencer stepped inside to find me glaring at my father. Without so much as a word to Spencer, my father shoved past him and left the house. Spencer took one look at me. “What the hell was that about?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I thought he was coming here to apologize.”
“What happened?”
“I told him I wasn’t coming home, and then he reminded me of all the reasons I didn’t want to tell him the truth about the baby right away.” My eyes filled with tears as I stood there looking at the closed door. “Do you ever think he will come around?”
“I don’t know. I’d like to say yes,” Spencer said, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me into his chest.