Chapter 30
Rob
The trip to LA was a success. Despite Alyssa’s initial reluctance, I convinced her to take charge. I needed someone I could trust to handle things here, and someone new just didn’t cut it. Why was it that competent people doubted themselves while incompetent ones thought they were the shit?
I returned to New York earlier than anticipated.
I landed in the evening, and I hadn’t told Skye yet, because she hadn’t answered my calls yesterday and the evening before.
True, it had been late, but she usually didn’t go to bed that early.
She texted the next morning saying she’d fallen asleep and to call her whenever I had time.
The scenario repeated the following evening.
We kept missing each other, but I was determined to get ahold of her this evening. Initially, I’d planned to surprise her by showing up directly on her doorstep, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I called her as soon as I landed.
After two rings, she picked up.
“Hey, finally,” I said.
“Good evening, oh all-important business guy.”
It was so relieving just to hear her voice, making me realize how much I missed her. This woman had become a part of me.
“Hey, you’re the one who went to bed before ten two nights in a row.”
“I know, I know. I’m a sleepyhead these days.”
“Are you sick?” I hadn’t considered that.
“Oh, no. Don’t worry. How’s LA?” she asked.
“Shit. I can’t wait to be back.” I decided on the spot to keep to my original plan and surprise her.
“Oh, New York charmed you, huh?”
“Not just New York.”
“Hmm… what else could it be? Your gorgeous house?” She paused, then said, “I know. It’s the food.”
I laughed. Damn, I missed her. “How’s your day?” I asked.
“Long. I started a little late because the wait at the doctor was ridiculous?—"
“Wait, why did you go to the doctor? You just said you’re not sick.”
She said nothing.
“Skye?” I prodded. My hands felt icy. Was she keeping something from me? “Why did you go to the doctor?”
“Just blood work.”
Thank fuck. “Routine?” I double-checked.
“Not exactly. I… I’m pregnant. Oh, shit. I didn’t mean to tell you over the phone. It just slipped. I wanted to tell you face-to-face.”
I stopped walking toward the baggage area, clutching the phone. “Pregnant. You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you let me go on about New York? When did you find out?”
“Three days ago, but I didn’t want to tell you over the phone. I’d planned to wait until you were back.”
“Tell me everything.”
“Well, I was feeling queasy and my taste changed. Someone made a passing comment about changing tastes while pregnant?—”
I chuckled. Only Skye could discover she was pregnant because her taste in food changed.
“Anyway, I did two pregnancy tests, and today I went to the doctor. They actually didn’t need the blood work, just a urine test.”
“So it’s confirmed?”
“Yes.”
“Boy or girl?”
She chuckled. “It’s way too early to know that, Rob.”
“Oh, yeah.” My mind was spinning continuously.
“Okay, so we can start shopping for the room. Wait, where will the room be? Hell, we’ll figure it out.
We’ll just move in wherever is better.” My mind was moving too fast for my words to catch up.
I was already making lists of all the things that would have to be discarded or adapted.
Holy shit, I was going to be a father.
A father.
Right up until this moment, I’d never realized how much I wanted to be one. We were going to have a kid. A person who would be part Skye, part me—a unique mashup. Would he or she be a brainiac like Skye or a kitchen addict like me?
“Rob, we have a lot of time until the baby is here, so there is no need to hurry. Also, I don’t want you to feel like we have to rush into anything.”
I frowned. “Rush? What do you mean?”
“Well, these months have been amazing and fun, but we’ve never talked about our future.”
“I know we haven’t spoken about it….” I’d definitely thought about it, envisioned it.
“So I don’t want us to think that we have to change everything.”
“Skye, everything’s changing.”
“Of course, I mean, we’ll have a baby, so we’ll be parents. I just don’t want you to think that I’m expecting for our relationship to change too.”
I couldn’t figure out if she really meant to not put pressure on me or if she didn’t envision us together in the future. Was this why she’d wanted to wait to talk to me face-to-face?
“You’re right. We should talk about this in person.”
“Oh, okay.” She sounded surprised.
“I’ve just landed.”
“In New York?”
“No, on the moon,” I said in an exasperated tone. “Of course in New York. Sorry, I’m all over the place. Okay, so ummm… see you at the house tonight?”
“Sure.”
After talking to Skye, I decided I couldn’t wait even that long. I called my sister on the way to Soho.
“Wow, I wasn’t expecting you to come back so quickly. If anything, I was expecting you to say you need to prolong it.”
“Things are looking better in LA.”
“Where exactly are you now?”
“Soho. I need to talk to Skye.”
“Awww, baby bro. Missing your girl, huh?”
“Yes. A lot.” After a beat, I added, “She’s pregnant.”
Anne squealed so loudly that my eardrum went numb. I held the phone away from my ear until the sound lessened in intensity.
“OhGodohGodohGod. How far along is she? Will you move in with her? When? Can I help? Do you need advice?”
“Anne, breathe.”
“Hey, I’m breathing and talking. Always been a great multitasker.”
“I just found out.”
“Okay. Wow. Is Skye feeling okay? I’ll call and ask her myself, actually. What’s the plan?”
“Talking to her first.”
“Okay. You didn’t mention any baby plans, so I’m guessing it’s a surprise.”
“Yes… she said that we don’t have to rush to change anything in our relationship.”
“What is it that you’re not saying, Rob?” Anne’s voice was gentle.
“What if she’s the one who doesn’t want things to change?”
The driver gave me a pitying look in the rearview mirror. Fantastic. He probably thought I was a wimp.
“Rob….” Anne’s tone was even gentler than before.
“Your relationship is very new. During the girls’ evening we had, Skye was even wondering if inviting you to her brother’s wedding in December would be too much.
This is an emotional time for both of you.
Just take it easy and don’t jump to conclusions. ”
“Any other advice?”
No answer. I was putting two and two together though. Especially since I had an inkling that Skye’s fears also had something to do with their dad taking off when she was a kid. And I planned to erase those fears. Every single one of them. She was mine, and I loved her.
“I don’t have advice, sorry. I’m just picking up the pieces after the divorce, so if anything, I’m the one who needs advice. Let’s focus on something positive. Are you excited?”
“Hell yes.”
“What do you want? Boy or girl?”
“I don’t know. I think I’d know how to handle a boy better.”
“You’re good with Lindsay.”
“That’s why you always give me shit?”
“No, I give you tips for improvement.”
Laughing, I realized I could visualize my future with Skye in greater detail than ever before.