Chapter 46
Chapter Forty-Six
Samantha
I was in the kitchen, cleaning up from dinner, when a knock at the door startled me.
“I’ll get it, babe,” Wes said.
I inhaled a deep breath to try to calm my nerves. Walking into the living room, I stopped when he stood there staring at me.
“Hello, Samantha.”
“Scott.”
“I see you had a baby. She’s adorable.”
“She is,” I said.
He tucked his hands into his jeans’ pockets. He hadn’t really changed much since the last time I saw him all those years ago. The only difference was that he looked older.
“You look good,” he said.
“That’s a weird thing to say to someone you abandoned right after they told you they were pregnant.”
“Right. I deserved that.”
“Scott, can I get you a drink? Scotch perhaps?”
“Sure,” Scott said.
“Sam?”
“Vodka. Make it a double. Let’s skip the small talk, Scott.”
Wes walked over and handed me my drink. I immediately took a sip.
“I was scared,” Scott said.
“Groundbreaking news,” I said. “I never would have thought that. But seriously. I’ve had seventeen years to think about this conversation, and I have to tell you, your answer is disappointingly unoriginal.”
“I was eighteen. I was selfish. I had no money, no plan. I thought you’d be better off without me.”
“How cute. You don’t get to rewrite history and turn yourself into some tragic hero.”
“Huh?” he said.
“She’s an English Literature teacher,” Wes chimed in.
“Oh.”
“Here’s the thing, Scott. You didn’t leave because it was best for us. You left because it was best for you.”
“You’re right.” He looked down at the drink in his hand.
“Why the military? You never mentioned that once when we were dating.”
“I told my father you were pregnant. It was his idea.”
“Right. I knew there was a reason I didn’t like him.”
“I’m sorry, Sam. I truly am. I’m not that eighteen-year-old boy anymore. I know I can’t repair the damage I’ve done, but I would like to get to know my daughter.”
“That’s up to her, and she’s not your daughter. Not even on paper. I wrote “unknown” under the father section of her birth certificate, like I was some whore who slept with so many guys that I didn’t know who her father was.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing, Scott. You made your choice all those years ago. You don’t get to walk back into our lives as if nothing happened.”
“I know I don’t. I thought about reaching out a hundred times.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Because the longer I waited, the harder it became.”
“That’s the thing about time,” Wes said. “It doesn’t fix anything. It just gives regret room to grow. I know that for a fact.”
The front door opened, and Zoey and Maya walked in. My eyes widened as did hers.
“Zoey, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“I forgot my laptop. What is he doing here?” She pointed to Scott.
“I figured it was time we talked,” I said.
“Zoey,” Scott said. “It’s good to see you again.”
She walked over to him, and suddenly, I became very frightened. An angry seventeen-year-old girl was never a good thing.
“Let me guess. You were scared. You didn’t want to take responsibility. You left because you thought it was best for us? Am I right?”
“Yes, you are. But you have to understand something. I was a kid myself.”
“And so was my mother! She was younger than you, and she was pregnant. She was scared and felt all alone. The fact that you made her feel that way is enough for me. And you’re right.
Your leaving was best for us. I’m the person I am today because of you.
” She glanced at Wes, and he winked. “We may be related, but you are not my father. And since your name is nowhere on my birth certificate, my dad, him over there,” she pointed at Wes, “won’t have any trouble adopting me. ”
My eyes widened as did Wes’s.
“And you don’t get to say a word about it.
I’ve lived seventeen years without knowing you, and I can live the rest of my life the same way.
You are not my family, and you never will be.
But I do forgive you, Scott. People are free to make their own choices.
And I chose never to speak to you again, just like you chose to walk out of our lives and never look back.
You pretended for seventeen years that you don’t have a kid, so keep on pretending, because I am not your kid.
Come on, Maya. Let’s get my laptop and get out of here. ” They ran up the stairs.
“Well, I think my daughter has spoken,” Wes said.
“I’m sorry, Sam. I really am. You’ll never hear from me again.” He turned and headed for the door.
“Actions have consequences, Scott. Remember that.”
He walked out and shut the door. Wes walked over and wrapped his arms around me.
“I’m proud of you.”
“For not killing him and making you help me dispose of the body?”
“Yes.” He chuckled.
Zoey and Maya flew down the stairs.
“He left?” Zoey asked.
“Yes, sweetheart,” Wes said. “And he won’t be coming back.”
“Good.”
“Are you okay?” I walked over and hugged her.
“Yeah, Mom. I’m fine. I don’t care about him, and I don’t want to get to know him. He’s nothing to me. My family is here, standing in front of me.”
“That’s my girl.” I kissed the top of her head.
She looked at Wes. “I’m sorry if I caught you off guard with the whole adoption thing.”
“You didn’t. I’ve been thinking about it for a while myself.”
“Really?” She smiled.
“Yes.” He walked over and hooked his arm around her. “You’re my daughter, and I want to make it official.”
“I love you, Dad.” She hugged him.
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
“Come on, Maya. Let’s go. I’ll see you two tomorrow.”
“You never told me you were thinking about adopting her,” I said to Wes.
“I wasn’t sure how the two of you would react. I was waiting for the perfect moment.”
“The fact that Zoey said it without knowing you were thinking about it says something.”
“I know, and nothing could make me happier.” He kissed my lips.
Charlotte began wailing in her swing.
“One crisis averted. Now, onto the next.” I smiled.