Chapter 36
SAMANTHA
Iadded a hint of lip gloss and took a look in the mirror.
I wasn’t sure why I was getting dolled up to get fired.
I was fully expecting Honcho to can my ass.
He had been very clear about what he expected from me.
I had not only defied his request, but I went ahead and got myself knocked up.
That was the very opposite of what he wanted from me.
There was a knock on my door. I rushed to answer it. Mitch looked just as nervous as I did. “It’s not too late to change our minds,” I said.
“Yes, it is,” he said. “We’re doing this. We’re moving forward and that starts with the CO knowing we’re together.”
“We might be together from afar,” I reminded him. “I might be back in Pensacola while you finish up the season.”
“And I’ll be back in Pensacola in a month.”
He seemed to be so cool about all of this. I guessed he really did just need a little time to come to terms with everything. I was so glad he had accepted it. I could relax a little and lean on him. This was what it meant to have a partner.
I was looking forward to the future with him by my side. I just hoped we could make it work. I wanted to be with him. I was going to have to learn the art of compromise. This was a man that could make me happy. I was willing to put in the work to make sure I made him just as happy.
“Alright, let’s do this,” I said.
“He’s meeting us in the lounge,” he said.
“Great. I can order a club soda.”
“Is your stomach upset?” he asked with concern.
“No, but I’m sure it will be when I have to look him in the eyes and tell him what I did.”
“Relax, we’re grown-ass adults. It’s not the end of the world. I guarantee there is a lot more shenanigans happening within the crew. It’s impossible not to. We’re all human and we all spend a lot of time together.”
“Have you ever been involved in any of these shenanigans?” I asked him.
He winked and wrapped an arm around me. “Don’t shit where you eat.”
“And how would you explain me?” I asked.
“You’re an anomaly. The best kind.”
I was going to have to believe him. We walked into the lounge with an appropriate distance. There was no reason to give away the secret before necessary. We sat down across from Honcho, who looked wary. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Sir, I need to come clean about something,” Mitch said.
“We both do,” I added.
“Does this have to do with the recent blowup?” he asked.
“In a way,” I said.
“What’s wrong now?” he sighed. “I suppose you’re going to tell me you can’t work together.”
“Actually, something like that,” Mitch said. “We’re dating.”
“Who’s dating?” Honcho asked.
“Sam and I.”
Honcho looked at me. “Is this true?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you remember a conversation we had in the very beginning about you keeping to your side of the fence and letting my pilots stay on their side?”
I nodded and licked my dry lips. “I do. I heard you.”
“You just chose to defy my orders,” he growled.
“She didn’t, I did,” Mitch said. “This is on me. I pursued her.”
“And what about PitA? Where does he fit into this mess? Is this a love triangle?”
“No!” I gasped with horror. “Ew. No. Definitely not.”
Mitch chuckled. “No, sir. There is no triangle. What I told you about that fight was the truth. He was saying some pretty crude things.”
“And you beat him up because he was talking about your girlfriend?”
“Technically we weren’t together when that happened,” I clarified.
“Not together, but we’d been together,” Mitch added.
Honcho held up a hand. “I don’t need details. You weren’t, but you are now?”
“Yes,” I said. “We are in a relationship.”
“Instagram official?” he asked.
I looked to Mitch, who looked just as confused as I felt. “What?” we both asked.
“Sorry, something my daughter always says. What do you mean together? Like you’re going to be sharing a room for the rest of the season?”
“We’re together as in we’re having a baby,” Mitch said.
“Who’s having a baby?” Honcho asked.
The poor man was really struggling to keep up. “I am, sir.”
“You’re having a baby?” he frowned.
“My baby, sir,” Mitch clarified.
Honcho’s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between us. “We’ve been out less than three months!”
“Turns out it only takes once,” I said.
He slapped a hand to his forehead. “Remind me to call my wife and have her have the talk with our daughter.”
“Sir, we wanted to come to you because we don’t want to do this behind your back,” Mitch said.
Honcho gave him a dry look. “Now,” he muttered. “Now you don’t want to do this behind my back because you got caught. Now what? What are we talking about here?”
“I’d like to finish the season,” I told him. “We can keep it a secret if you’d like. I’ll do my best to hide any signs of pregnancy.”
“You do know how this pregnancy thing works, right?” he asked dryly. “It’s not really one of those things you hide.”
“I understand that, but I think I can keep it under wraps for another month or so,” I told him.
Honcho looked at Mitch and shook his head. “You of all people should have known better. I take it this wasn’t planned.”
“No, sir,” Mitch answered.
“It was just you being your usual reckless self,” he muttered. “How many times have I warned you?”
“It’s not all his fault,” I chimed in. “We both made the choice. We don’t see this as a bad thing. We’re going to be together. We’re going to raise this baby together.”
“And what about your job?” he asked me.
“I understand if you want me to leave the team,” I said. “I violated your rule and I apologize.”
“We just had a meeting and the higher-ups were talking about offering you the contract for next year. We’ve been pleased with your work.”
I looked to Mitch. We hadn’t really discussed this. “I would be due right about the time the season kicks off. After I have the baby, we might be able to work something out.”
Mitch cleared his throat. “We’d like to discuss that between us,” he said.
“What about you?” Honcho asked Mitch. “Are you going to change your plans?”
“No,” he answered.
He shook his head. “You guys really know how to throw a wrench in some plans. Of all the people on this squad, you two were not the ones I had pegged to find yourselves in this position.”
“I am sorry,” I said again. “I know the rules. I just—I don’t know.”
“I’m irresistible, sir,” Mitch said deadpan.
Honcho and I both looked at him. He didn’t bat an eye. He was totally serious. Honcho sighed and rolled his eyes. I couldn’t hold back another second. I burst into laughter. Mitch finally cracked a smile. He looked like a precocious boy who’d just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“I hope you know what you’re doing with this guy,” Honcho said to me. “You know he has a death wish?”
“Not anymore, sir,” Mitch replied.
“I cured him,” I said.
“That explains today’s show,” Honcho said. “I should have known something was up. Alright, well, let’s talk next steps.”
“You’ll let me stay on?” I asked.
“Is the pregnancy going to interfere with your work?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“Then I’d like you to stay on. I understand the two of you are a thing, but I’d like to remind you we are professionals.
I’m expecting you to remain professional when you’re on deck.
I can’t have the crew thinking fraternization is okay.
Keep the PDA to a minimum. Do what you want when you’re behind closed doors, but I don’t need this making the front page. ”
It was a reasonable request. “I agree,” I said.
“I’d like to be able to tell a few people,” Mitch said.
“Of course, you would,” Honcho sighed.
We talked for a few minutes before we decided it was best to leave the man alone. “Thank you,” I said to Honcho. “I appreciate you giving me the chance to finish my contract.”
“If you decide you want to come back next year, the job is yours,” he said.
“I’ll keep that in mind and let you know as soon as possible.”
Mitch took my hand and led me out of the lounge. We were headed out to grab dinner when we ran into Medusa and Watch Dog. Medusa looked at our joined hands and then us. “Is this what I think it is?” she asked.
“It is,” I said.
She broke into a bright smile. “Thank God. I’ve been hitting the gym in preparation for kicking his ass.”
“Hey,” Mitch protested. “Did you really think I wouldn’t do the right thing?”
“I honestly didn’t know,” Medusa said.
“What are you talking about?” Watch Dog asked. “You guys are back on? Off, on, off, on, I’m just trying to keep up.”
“We’re definitely on,” Mitch said. “I want my baby to be brought up with both parents in his life.”
“What baby?” Watch Dog asked.
Medusa swung her hand and backhanded him in the chest. “You’re such an idiot.”
“What? What baby?”
“My baby,” I said.
“Your baby?”
“Medusa, please have the birds and the bees talk with him,” Mitch said. He looked to his friend and put a hand on my stomach. “Our baby. I put a baby in her belly. Do you understand? I could go into the how if necessary, but I think I’ll just leave it with the stork story.”
“You’re pregnant?” Watch Dog gasped.
“That’s generally what that means,” Mitch said. “Damn, are you drunk?”
“You knocked her up?” Watch Dog exclaimed.
“Watch yourself,” Mitch growled. “That’s the mother of my child you’re talking about.”
Watch Dog looked at me. “Holy shit. I did not see that coming. Congratulations. Shit. Wow. You’re going to be a dad.”
“I’m going to take the mom role.” I laughed. “Mitch is going to be dad.”
Watch Dog looked at his friend. “Damn. You, a dad. My mind is blown.”
“Come on, I’ll explain the birds and bees to you,” Medusa said. “Congrats, you guys. I knew this would work out.”
“Well, I guess the cat is out of the bag,” I said. “Are you still feeling okay about all this?”
“I’m feeling more than okay,” he replied.
We caught a cab and went to dinner. I felt like I was in a dream. This was what I had prayed would happen. I couldn’t believe it was all real. I needed to let Dad know. He’d been a nervous wreck thinking about me doing this on my own. He was going to feel a lot better knowing Mitch was all in.
“I can’t wait for you to meet my dad,” I said.
“Is he going to try and kick my ass?” he teased.
“No, not now, but I think it crossed his mind.” I laughed.
“I don’t blame him. If we have a little girl and some dude knocks her up and runs away, I’m going to kick his ass.”
“Let’s get her breathing oxygen first,” I joked. “You can beat up her boyfriends later.”
“I’m sitting here looking at you and I’m thinking about a million different things.”
“Like what?”
“Like cribs and car seats and bottles and diapers,” he said. “I feel like I’m tumbling down a rabbit hole.”
I reached over and grabbed his hand. “Just take a deep breath. I fell down that same rabbit hole. It’s one step at a time. We’ve got some time.”