Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Owen
Beginning of Summer
Keeping the bouquet tucked to my chest, I make my way through the crowd till I see Elise. I sigh in relief when I spot the empty chair next to her because I half-expected her to be petty and not save me one. But I guess our daughter’s college graduation would be the right time for both of us to act like civil adults. Ironic, since Elise gave me the wrong date for her high school one and I missed it.
Dropping into the seat, she glances at me and the flowers before rolling her eyes and returning her attention to the stage.
“They should start any minute. I almost thought you wouldn’t show up,” she says, the snark grating on my nerves immediately.
I crack my neck. “When have I ever bailed on her? You’re the one who moved out of state. I couldn’t just pick up my business and move too.”
“Oh, please. A bar is a bar no matter what city it's in.”
“Years of customers and a solid reputation can’t just be relocated. That’s—you know what, this is the same fight we always have. I’m here for Brit, and once this is over, I hope to have even less contact with you.”
Elise scoffs. “Fine by me.”
“Perfect. One can only hope,” I mutter back.
She turns back to me. “You know, Brit wouldn’t have even asked to come visit you over winter break if I didn’t suggest it.”
I roll my eyes. “Please, Elise. I know you were off gallivanting with whatever boy toy of the month and left our daughter all alone. I’m glad she knew she could always come to me.”
Her red lips curl into a smirk. “Jealous? At least the men I have now can afford to whisk me away on luxurious vacations at a moment’s notice.”
It’s my turn to scoff now. “The only thing I’m jealous of is their ability to avoid getting baby trapped by you.”
Elise opens her mouth to screech something back, but we’re interrupted by music suddenly blaring. We fall into silence as the ceremony begins, my body tense from being in her presence. Minutes seem to drag on as we go through a bunch of speeches, and then the graduates finally start to walk.
My heart fills with pride as she walks the stage, grabbing her diploma. Elise jumps to her feet, clapping loudly. I can’t believe that twenty-two years ago we made that little girl, and now here we are celebrating her as an adult. Brit turns, beaming in our general direction, and her mom snaps a ton of photos before sitting back down. Elise wipes her tears, sniffling as she goes through the pictures she just took.
I keep watching, waiting for the next name I’ve been impatient to hear. I’m not sure what her last name is, I never bothered to ask Brit because how could I manage to sneak that into the conversation? It’s been weeks without contact from the woman haunting my dreams, and I hate it. But I’m not going to take her time if she doesn't want me to. She’s still young enough to find someone and settle down, and do the whole thing right. I’m just an old man that desperately wants that person for her to be me, but rational enough to know it will never be.
When Peyton is finally called, I perk up, dying for a glimpse of her. I smile as she starts to strut across the stage, and then I freeze. My body chills and I can barely breathe. Her belly protrudes forward, a very obvious bump even in the graduation gown. As if the size is too small for her from the way it clings to her round, pregnant stomach.
It’s mine. I know she is growing my baby with every fiber of my being. There isn’t any logical explanation for why I know that. I can just feel it deep within. Elise scoffs, crossing her legs as she watches Peyton.
“Good thing Brit got rid of that one,” she mutters under her breath.
“Excuse me?”
Elise rolls her eyes, picking at something on her dress. “I’m just saying. Next thing you know Brit would have been thinking it was a good idea to have a baby along with her. She’s too young for that.”
It’s my turn to scoff now. “She’s four years older than we were, so don’t be a hypocritical bitch.”
She bares her teeth at me. “You’re the one who got cheap condoms.”
I lean in, glaring at her with all the disdain I feel for her. “You’re the one who lied about being on birth control.”
Elise flips me off, straightening in her seat and facing back towards the stage. It’s exhausting to deal with her, and it’s a miracle if we can make it through a conversation without arguing.
Brit is chatting excitedly to friends standing near us, and I slip away unnoticed. Storming over to where I see Peyton and her family exiting, I follow them into the parking lot.
“Peyton!”
She stiffens at my shout as they all turn around to face me. My eyes drop to the very obvious bump and my walk slows as I take her in. Her eyes widen, the surprise evident that she was expecting me to be someone else.
“Owen,” she says hesitantly. “What are you doing here?” Then she shakes her head and her hand rubs at her stomach. “Nevermind. That was a dumb question.”
“Hi, you might not remember me from that one summer when the girls were young. I’m Marla, Peyton’s mom,” a thin woman says, holding her hand out.
I blink, my attention moving to her, and I smile. “Kind of. Peyton told me a little about you. It’s nice to meet you.” She looks great for someone fighting cancer, and I hope in the months since I’ve spoken to Peyton that’s a sign her mom has finally been given the all clear.
Shaking her hand, I glance at the surly man watching us with crossed arms. Peyton’s mom rolls her eyes, smacking his bicep playfully. “Introduce yourself, Phil.”
“Dad if you’re not going to be nice, then can you wait for me in the car?”
He huffs away without another word. After giving Peyton a comforting squeeze on her shoulder, Marla follows behind him.
I glance at her pregnant belly again and swallow down the anger that brims on the surface. “Were you going to tell me?”
Her eyebrows twitch toward the center of her face. “I—what? Why would I tell you?”
“Because it’s my baby.”
“How do you know that?”
I tap a curled fist in the center of my chest. “I just feel it, Peyton. That’s mine, I just know it is.”
She bites her lip, looking away with a trembling chin. I move closer to her, reaching out to pull her into my arms, but hesitate. It wouldn’t be the smartest to do this in public, but I’m also not sure if she wants me to touch her. Peyton wraps her arms around me as much as her belly allows and takes a deep breath. I hold her around her shoulders, resting my cheek on the top of her head.
“It’s yours,” she confirms what I already know with certainty.
“Were you going to tell me?” My heart aches at the thought of a child I may have never known. It would have been an even worse situation than Brit.
She steps away from me, and shrugs. “I don’t know. Time kind of just flew by, and I was trying to take it one day at a time.”
I nod. “Can we go somewhere to talk about this?”
Peyton’s nose scrunches. “Don’t you want to spend time with Brit?”
Grimacing, I hate that she’s reminding me of that because of how shitty it makes me feel that I want to say no. Elise was a nightmare to deal with and as soon as Brit was old enough to decide where she wanted to be, she stopped visiting me in the summer. It only took two trips out here when she was a teenager to accept the fact that my daughter wants nothing to do with me. And maybe I’m a piece of shit for not putting more effort in, but I’m tired. Tired of feeling like a nuisance, tired of the rejection of trying to plan days, and tired of the dejection I would spiral into for weeks after I returned home.
I glance over my shoulders, trying to find them through the crowd at the spot I left them. When I come up empty, I’m certain they left without finding me. I shake my head, looking back at Peyton. “No, I’ll check in with her later. I would rather talk about this.”
She smiles, rubbing at her stomach. “Want to give me a ride home?”
Her smile hits me in the gut, I wasn’t prepared for seeing it again. My heart picks up for a second, sending flutters into my chest. “I’ll take you wherever you want.”