19. Adam
Adam
After some decompressing with Mia, we decide that we’ll tell the group and her parents before I leave for our first round of away games.
Neither of us are good about sitting on our hands, and the idea of not telling anyone before I leave for two weeks has me feeling like my ribs are closing in on my lungs when I breathe.
As helpless as I’m still feeling, I have to prioritize Mia right now.
We’ll tell the team today, and her parents tomorrow.
It’s going to suck, and I hate the idea of us having to answer a million fucking questions about this, but at least we get it off our plate. One thing done and one step forward.
I don’t have to report to the stadium for another two hours, so I fire off a text in the group chat hoping we can land somewhere on a meeting place. It takes a total of fifteen seconds before my phone starts to ding like fucking crazy.
The Real MVPs
Adam
Hey, so can we meet at someone’s place before the game today?
Callie
What’s wrong? I don’t like this.
Beck
Is he calling a family meeting right now? Is everyone okay?
Tripp
Shit, is this about Mia? Emma said everything was fine?!
Emma
That’s what Callie told me!
Dex
Everyone just come here so Miles can have a place to play.
Beck
Rude, he loves my house.
Callie
He also loves his Aunt Cals’ house sooooo.
Lucie
Adam, where do you want us to meet?
Will
Is this mandatory?
Jensen
Adam, is Mia okay? She hasn’t answered any of my texts.
Adam
For fuck’s sake. Yes, mandatory family meeting or whatever you want to call it. Mia’s okay, we’ll meet you at Dex’s place in an hour.
Callie
A whole hour? Can’t we do it now?
Lucie
We’re good whenever.
Emma
I’m free.
Tripp
Me too.
Beck
Us too.
Adam
Fine, we can do it now I guess.
I swear to fuck, no one call me, I’m not answering.
Callie
I know that was meant for me and to that I say *three middle finger emojis*
I should’ve assumed it would go over a little something like that. I would’ve forced them all to wait, but Mia said she was okay with going now. Knowing her, that’s probably because her cute, nosey ass wouldn’t have wanted to wait either after getting a text like that.
After we changed, we head over to Dex and Lucie’s. Mia attempts a few different ways for us to deliver the news, but just like the text, I think we’re just going to have to say it plainly. They’ll probably demand it from us before we even make it past the doorway.
Mia fidgets in the passenger seat as we pull in the parking lot. “You said you think they’ll be supportive, right?”
“Yeah, I do.” I hope and pray, at least. “Doesn’t mean I’m not nervous to tell them either, but I can handle the talking if you want.” Taking her hand, I bring it up to place a kiss on the back of it.
“Yeah…maybe so.” The fear still weighs heavy in her eyes.
“You know this morning when you said you could hear the wheels turning in my head…one of those thoughts was about what people will think about this—I mean, you were gone for six weeks and the one weekend I came to visit was when I got pregnant. I promise, Adam, you’re the only—”
“Hey, hey,” I cut her off, and cup her face. “I know, honey.”
“No, I know that. Deep down, I really do know you believe me. This morning I told myself that was all that really mattered, but I don’t want your friends to think I did this on purpose or that I cheated…
” Tears well in her eyes. “I swear, these hormones are like a freaking roller coaster. I felt better about all of this this morning sitting with you, but now I’m back to tears and panic. ”
Shit, maybe this is too much for today.
“Are you sure you want to do this? I can tell them some bullshit story and we can do this another day.”
Mia shakes her head tightly. “No, I want to tell our families. It doesn’t feel right in my bones to not tell my parents something this big right away. I just really want them to respond well. I know that’s a bit of delusional hope, but—”
“Baby, we can panic about other things, but how these assholes respond to this can’t be one of them. It’ll be a shock, but I promise you, everything will be okay.”
I feel Mia swallow back her emotions the best she can. Her eyes blink a few times and never let the tears fall. A shy smile finally tugs at the corner of her mouth. “Okay.”
I give her a quick kiss, then we head up to the penthouse. Mia restlessly runs her hands on her jeans and fidgets with her fingernails the whole way. I really tried my best to have my calm, cool exterior be a little reassuring, but with the pit in my stomach, I’m not sure how believable I am.
Dex swings the door open the moment after we knock. “Took you long enough. Everyone in here is about to drive me nuts.”
Mia grabs my hand and squeezes tight. “Here goes nothing.”
The tightness in my chest nearly stops me from speaking, but I manage to whisper, “It’s going to be okay.”
Following Dex to the living room, everyone is legitimately sitting on the edge of their seats. Callie and Jensen actually stand up when they see us, but I hold out a hand before they can walk over. “Just relax. Fuck, guys, you all aren’t helping us make this any less nerve-racking.”
“Us?” Callie exclaims, and Will immediately wraps her up, pulling her back down to her seat.
Mia’s grip tightens as we stand in front of them in Dex’s living room. Hell, I’m going to have to rip off the Band-Aid.
“As you all know, I took Mia to the hospital last night after she passed out. She was a little dehydrated and got some fluids but…” I take a deep breath, then take one glance at Mia for encouragement. “We also found out that she’s pregnant.”
Silence. Dead fucking silence. Half of their jaws drop, but not a single word comes out. Shit, I broke them.
“It happened when she came to visit me in Florida. The math is there—I won’t hear any ideas that the baby’s not mine. We’re still processing it ourselves, but we didn’t think we’d be able to keep it from you guys, so here we are.”
I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect Will to be the first person to say something. He stands and places a hand on my shoulder. “Well, you know, I’ve already got the title of favorite uncle with Miles, so I need another one to brag about. Congratulations, man.”
The room still remains pretty quiet, but Jensen speaks next. “Mia, how are you feeling?”
Mia’s grip finally weakens, and I feel a bit of relief when I see her take a full deep breath.
“Um, physically…okay, a little tired, but otherwise, still in a bit of shock.”
Wrapping my arm around her was instinct, and when I kiss her temple, I see the tear roll down her cheek.
“Sorry.” She wipes at her face. “I can’t seem to get my emotions under control.”
Jensen’s up first, pulling Mia away from me and giving her a hug. “It’s okay, that’s completely understandable.”
Lucie jumps in next. “Why don’t us girls move into my room for a minute?”
Mia’s shoulders drop from her ears. “Yeah, that’d be nice actually.”
When Emma follows them, Callie stands up too but doesn’t move. She has her lips sealed tight like she always does when she has something to say, and her gaze is locked in as she watches them walk out.
“Cals?” She doesn’t answer. Fuck. “Callie, if you have doubts or questions, you need to ask me. We can go talk about this more somewhere else. I get that this is big, but I care about her and I won’t—”
“How are you feeling?” She cuts me off. “Are you okay?”
That’s a loaded question for the scenario, and she knows that. Callie doesn’t want kids because of our childhood. She loves them, but has zero desire to be a parent.
I had never really clued Callie in on how I felt about kids, mostly because they just seemed so far off in the future. Hell, I never really saw anyone in my future in general until Mia.
“I’ve been better…still trying to wrap my head around it. But hear me when I tell you that I want to be with Mia. I want to take care of her and the baby. I’m going to give them my all.”
A hint of a smile finally lands on my sister’s face. She steps in to give me a hug and whispers, “You’re going to be a better dad than ours ever thought of being.”
Her words hit me like a freight train. The flash of his face in my head feels like a bullet in my chest every time.
When she lets me go and heads to follow after the girls, my body feels too weak to continue standing.
Will places a hand on my back. “You know we’re going to be here, every step of the way. Whatever you need.”
Looking around the room, I know he’s right. I could call any of these guys, and they’d come at the drop of a hat.
“I really don’t want to fuck this up.”
“You won’t,” Dex says. “We won’t let you.”
Beck sits up, resting his elbows on his knees. “I don’t think Mia will let you. Then after that, the girls sure as hell won’t. Let’s be honest here, we’re the B-team at best with them here.”
Somehow that gets me, and I let out a sound that barely qualifies as a laugh, but he’s got a point. “I really appreciate you guys. I hope you know that.”
“Oh, hell no.” Beck falls back against the couch. “I can’t handle Adam being sentimental. I’m man enough to cry—someone change the subject.”
Tripp takes the lead. “Now I have three chances to get one of these kids to like me the most. I was second until Will won Miles over.”
Will scoffs. “Callie and I are going to be the favorite aunt and uncle across the board.”
“That’s bullshit.” Beck sits back up again. “I’m still number one with Miles.”
“The hell you are.”
Will and Beck run round and round on who’s actually the favorite until eventually Dex has enough.
“Miles, come here please,” Dex calls.
We all sit as his small footsteps carry down the hall, and I can’t help but wonder what our child will sound like. Will we have a boy or a girl? What are we going to name them? Will they have Mia’s blue eyes? Or red hair?
The thoughts are terrifying and exciting all at the same time, but then as soon as Miles gets to the living room, he launches himself at Dex…not Will, not Beck. His dad.
Will my kid jump to me with no hesitation, no fear, that I won’t catch them?