Chapter 13
Carter
“I can’t believe my first day of school is tomorrow.” Eliza paced back and forth across her room, picking up outfits and throwing them back down as she went. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to wear. I’m huge.”
I walked over to her and put my hands on her shoulders to stop her pacing. “You’re beautiful.”
“I’m a twenty-nine-week pregnant high school junior. I’m going to be the talk of the school, and not in a good way.”
“Have you been able to talk to any of your old friends since getting your new phone?”
“I texted a few of them after Adley gave me their numbers, but only one person answered, and the texts didn’t really go anywhere.” Eliza sighed. “At least I have Adley and Miriam. I just know I’m going to be panicking until I finally find them in the morning.”
I felt so bad for Eliza, I wanted to go into school with her to keep her from being anxious, but I knew I couldn’t do that.
If there was anything worse than her current situation, it would be a thirty-five-year-old shadow following her around.
Luckily, I was able to think of another solution.
“What if you drove them to school? That way you’re all arriving together. ”
“You mean you’d drive us?” Eliza asked.
I shook my head. “Nope. You’re a licensed driver. You don’t need me and I don’t need my car. One of the benefits of working from home.”
“Wait. Really?” Eliza jumped (as much as a pregnant woman could) in the air. “You’re gonna let me borrow your car?”
I pulled out the keys, which just happened to be in my pocket, and held them out toward Eliza. “It’s all yours. Just be careful.”
Eliza squealed. “I will. I definitely will. I’m not sure if Miriam will be able to ride with me with how her parents are, but I bet Adley will.
Maybe I could see if the two of them want to come over after school.
” She slowed down for a moment and became more hesitant. “If that’s okay with you, of course.”
I moved my hands from Eliza’s shoulders down to her arms. “It is more than okay with me. I’ll make dinner.”
***
After seeing Eliza off to school the next day, I could barely focus on my work, because I was so worried about her.
I found myself constantly checking the clock to see what time it was.
With the drive, I figured she’d get home at some point between 3:45 and 4:00, but with how slowly the hours were ticking by, I was pretty sure that was never going to come.
I was somehow able to get my work done, and I shut my laptop just as the front door opened.
“We’re here!” Eliza yelled.
I left my office and walked into the hallway to find Eliza, Miriam, and Adley. “How was school?” I asked.
“Weird.” A small smile parted her lips as Eliza wrapped her arms around Miriam and Adley. “But these two made it bearable.”
“Yep. The three of us are going to stick together.” There was a sparkle to Adley’s eyes when she looked over at Miriam, but I wasn’t going to think about it. The lives of high school students (aside from one of them) were none of my business.
“Would you like some snacks? Any homework yet?”
The three girls looked at each other and laughed. Eliza shook her head. “No homework yet. Snacks sound great though.”
I grabbed anything I could find, which included chips, cookies, and a few veggies (that I figured they wouldn’t eat) and put them on a tray. The girls were sitting in the family room watching TV, so I put the tray on the coffee table.
Even though I wanted to stay and find out exactly how the day went, I knew the right thing to do was to give them their space. I focused on making dinner and finished right as Jax walked in the door.
“Something smells good,” Jax shouted as she walked through the hall and into the kitchen.
I waved when she walked in. “Ham, mashed potatoes, and corn. I also bought a cake for dessert.”
Jax wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly from behind. “Are we celebrating something?”
I twisted around in her arms and gave her a kiss. “Eliza’s first day, of course.”
Jax gave me another kiss. “You’re so sweet.”
“I just wanna celebrate every win—no matter how big or small. I feel like she probably hasn’t gotten that in the past.”
“You mean you don’t think those awful people we met made their daughter feel like a million bucks?” Jax asked sarcastically. “I’m shocked. I really thought they were parents of the year.”
I playfully pushed her away from me. “Shut up.”
Jax pulled me in close once again. “I’m just joking. I think it’s amazing. I want to celebrate all of her wins as well. She’s pretty awesome, and I don’t want her to ever doubt that.”
“Me either.”
“You two are so adorable,” Adley said as she entered the kitchen. “I wish I could have a relationship like yours.”
“Me too.” Miriam’s face was red, and she let out the slightest giggle.
Adley beamed at her as if she had hung the stars. Oh yeah, something is definitely brewing.
Eliza, always unaware, focused her attention on us rather than her friends. “I know. Aren’t they disgustingly cute? It’s almost too much.” She stuck her tongue out to show she was joking.
Jax turned toward the three of them and put her hands on her hips. “Did you come in here just to make fun of us?”
“No.” Eliza patted her stomach. “I smelled food, and apparently so did the baby because they are moving around like crazy. I think we’re both starving.”
I tilted my head in question. “Didn’t you eat the snacks I gave you?”
“Oh, she did.” Adley patted her shoulder. “She ate most of them before we even had a chance. Even the vegetables.”
“Whatever.” Eliza laughed. “I’m eating for two. You know how much I ate when it was just for one. Of course it’s going to be even crazier now.”
I missed the days of being able to eat whatever I wanted with no issues. Aside from her baby bump, Eliza was tiny, and I was sure she would bounce back very quickly given her age.
I motioned toward the table. “Well, you and the baby will be happy to know that dinner is ready. You girls have a seat. We’ll bring it over.”
“Are you sure?” Miriam asked. “We are happy to help.”
“Nonsense.” Jax waved a hand at her. “You’re our guests. We are just happy to have people over. That hasn’t happened enough since we moved here.”
We brought the food and plates to the table and everyone started to dig in.
Adley waved her fork between me and Jax. “So, now that you two are Eliza’s guardians, does that mean you’re going to start volunteering at school events?”
“Does that happen in high school?” Jax asked with a laugh. “I thought parents and guardians volunteering was mostly something that happens in elementary and middle school.”
“There’s some things to volunteer for,” Adley said through a mouth full of food. “Like the homecoming dance. You should totally chaperone the homecoming dance. It’s next month. You’d be so much cooler than the old hags who normally chaperone.”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure Eliza would want us there embarrassing her.” My moms never embarrassed me, but I remembered my brother and sister not being too happy about having them at big school events.
Eliza shook her head. “You wouldn’t embarrass me. I’d love to have you there if I was planning on going, but I’m not.”
“What?” Adley and Miriam said in unison.
“You have to go,” Miriam added.
“Why?” Eliza asked. She put her hand on her stomach. “It’s not like I’m going to have a date.”
“You think any of us are?” Adley asked. “I, of course, can’t speak for Miriam, but as an out gay girl in small town Maryland, I don’t have people knocking down my door to go on a date with me.”
“I’m sure they would be, if they weren’t so scared to be themselves,” Miriam said shyly. “You’re a catch.
“You really are,” Eliza said through a mouthful of food. “Both of you. If I liked women, I’d date either of you in a heartbeat. That is, if you’d date me back. I know Miriam isn’t actually gay.”
Oh, sweet innocent Eliza. How can’t you see it?
“Actually,” Miriam’s face turned beet red. “I am gay.”
Adley dropped her fork. “Oh, thank god. I’ve been getting vibes for weeks, but I thought it was just wishful thinking.”
“Wishful thinking?” Miriam asked.
Now, it was Adley’s face that turned the slightest bit red. “That maybe you liked me too.” She shook her head. “It’s okay if you don’t. I don’t expect you to like me just because I’m another gay girl.”
“I…” Miriam smiled down at her plate. “That’s not why I like you. I like you because you’re funny and outspoken and a good friend.”
I looked at Jax and then back at the scene in front of us. I couldn’t believe we got to witness this in person. It took me back to my high school days. That one might not have turned out too well, but it was part of the path that got me to where I am today, so I looked back on it with happiness.
“Holy shit!” Eliza shouted as her eyes went wide as if it had finally all clicked for her. “Miriam, you’re gay and Adley so are you, and you two like each other?”
Adley laughed. “I’m glad you could clear that up for us,” she said sarcastically. “I wasn’t too sure if that’s what was happening.”
“Oh my god.” Eliza squealed. “This is perfect. You two can go to the homecoming dance together.”
The smile that had been on Miriam’s face dropped. “Oh, I… I can’t. No one can know I’m gay. My parents would not be okay with it. I don’t want to come out until I no longer live with them.” She looked at Adley. “I’m sorry.”
Adley put her hands in the air. “No big deal at all. I get it.”
Eliza stuck out her bottom lip. “It’s so unfair that you two don’t get to experience high school in the same way everyone else does.
” Suddenly, a twinkle came to her eyes. “I got it. The three of us will go as a group. No one has to know that you're each other’s date aside from me. Everyone will just assume you’re doing something nice for your pregnant friend.
We can take turns dancing with each other so it looks like it’s just three friends having fun. What do you think?”
“I thought you didn’t want to go to homecoming.” Miriam was clearly trying to hold back her smile, but it wasn’t working.
“Honestly, I don’t, but you two have done so much for me. I want to do this for you.” Eliza looked from her friends to us. “Will you two chaperone? I’d be so proud to have you there.”
“We would love to,” I said.
Eliza certainly wasn’t the only one who was proud.