Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
GEORGIA
I’d been trying to get in touch with Caleb all day, but his cell phone kept going to voicemail. I was about to get off work, so decided I would just go by there.
It had been a week since our blow up with Mr. McQuade and Big Momma. I still wasn’t speaking to my grandmother.
There was a laundry list of things I needed to do since I wasn’t going to Emory.
I hadn’t called to decline my spot yet. I knew I’d missed enrollment for this semester at the local college but needed to see when the next deadline was.
Plus, we had a wedding to plan. We hadn’t told Sadie or his brothers yet, because we were hoping his father and Big Momma would come around, so the announcement to the rest of the family would be more joyous.
When I arrived at the McQuade house, I didn’t see Caleb’s truck. I went up to ring the bell, anyway, hoping Fletcher or Ram were home.
Mr. McQuade opened the door.
It was a little awkward, given the fight that ensued the last time we saw each other.
“You should come inside.” He looked sad as he invited me in.
“I’ve been trying to reach him on his cell phone. I was hoping to leave him a message.”
“That’s what I need to talk to you about. Caleb’s not here.”
“I know,” I said, a little too sharply.
Clearly, I have eyes and ears.
“No, I mean he left. He went back to school.” Mr. McQuade said softly.
“What?” I felt like someone had sucker punched me. I swayed on my feet. When Mr. McQuade came over to steady me, I waved him away.
“He said he loved you, but he wasn’t ready to be a father. He didn’t want the responsibility.”
“But it was his idea.” I bit my lip when it started to quiver. I felt like my world was caving in on me.
“I’m really sorry.” His father put his hand on my shoulder trying to comfort me, but I shook him off.
“He didn’t have the balls to tell me himself.” I didn’t care that I was being crass in front of Mr. McQuade.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call your grandmother to come and get you?” Mr. McQuade asked.
The sorrow and pity in his eyes gutted me.
I shook my head and left the house in a daze, determined not to cry in front of him.
In the car, I sat there for a minute. It didn’t feel real. I started the car. As I drove towards my house, I broke down sobbing. I cried the whole way home. My tears sometimes blinding me. What am I going to do?
When I got home Big Momma was waiting for me. I figured Mr. McQuade had called her. She let me cry in her arms. I knew all the stress couldn’t be good for the baby. I tried to pull myself together.
“We can go to the clinic. Get rid of it. You can still go to school like you planned.” Big Momma said.
I was hollowed out and numb, but the minute she suggested that I whirled on her looking aghast. Protectively, I wrapped my arms around my midsection, hugging my body.
“How dare you. Cal…” I hiccupped and took a stuttering breath. “Caleb may not want me or our baby, but I’m keeping my child.”
We stood locked in a stalemate. I knew she wanted me to get rid of the baby, but this was a fight she wasn’t going to win.
“Fine. Then what are you going to do?”
All I wanted to do was mourn the loss my love and the life I thought I was going to have, but my baby needed me. I didn’t have time to wallow. I wanted to get as far away from Maysboro as I possibly could.
“Call Auntie Rochelle in North Carolina. See if I can stay with her. If she’s okay with that I’ll leave on the bus tonight. Once I’m settled, I’ll see about deferring school until after the baby’s born.”
If Big Momma planned to say anything I didn’t give her the opportunity. I went upstairs to pack what I could.
I wanted to forget this summer, and most importantly I wanted to forget Caleb McQuade ever existed.