Chapter 23
The beating of my heart is defending as I stare at Dean, too overcome with guilt to spare a second glance at Cole.
How is this possible? The girls had literally been talking about this happening a few hours ago.
I notice that Dean inspects the room, spotting the suitcases stacked at the bottom of the stairs.
His brows raise higher, almost touching his forehead, and dread fills me as I notice the ticking at his temple.
My brother is full-on mad. I almost weep for joy as I feel the softness of Merry's palm as it slips into my clammy hand.
She squeezes my hand, giving me the strength I need.
But each step I hear Gina take as she descends the stairs with Dylan in her arms is like the ticking of a timebomb.
I swallow the sob threatening to break out of my throat as Gina comes to stand beside Merry.
I flinch and almost jump out of my skin when Dean bellows, “What's going on here, and whose baby is that?”
A sob escapes my lips, and I close my eyes briefly. At the same time, Merry tightens her grip on my fingers as a source of encouragement. I exhale shakily and crack my eyes open, just as a single betraying tear slides down my cheek. I meet Dean’s impatient gaze and state simply, “Mine.”
Dean is taken aback by my reply and exchanges a perplexed look with Cole, “Is that a joke?”
Another shaky breath wooshes through me and I clear my throat, chasing back my tears. “No, it is not. And I want to explain, just don't interrupt me while I do.”
Dean nods in understanding and I glance at Cole, but his eyes are riveted on Dylan, who is being held in Gina’s tight grip. Merry squeezes my shoulder and whispers, “It’s okay…we’re here. Go on and tell them everything.”
A sob catches in my throat. Everything? Oh, where to begin? I collapse into my previously vacated chair, which Merry pulls around for me to face the unexpected visitors.
“Dean, I want you to know this truth first, my child was conceived in love,” I state calmly, and then I proceed to tell Dean and Cole my version of everything, leaving out the father of my child.
I don't know if I can tell that to both of them right now.
Instead, I told them about discovering I was pregnant and how the girls and I came up with a plan to keep the pregnancy and the baby a secret from everyone.
I remind Dean about my outfit choices during his last visit and about my refusal to come home for Christmas.
“I’d just put to bed then. Two weeks to Christmas. I couldn't risk traveling and you all finding out.”
Dean’s response since I started my confession had been a continuous short bob of his head. Cole, on the other hand, didn't move at all. He just stared into space, a blank look on his face.
“That's why I've been working remotely for most of the last few months. That's it,” I conclude with finality, dabbing at my eyes.
“And did you suddenly fall pregnant? You pleasantly left out that tidbit of information and the identity of the child’s father,” Dean says, a calculating smile on his lips.
My worried eyes dart to Merry and Gina. Gina shakes her head in the negative, but Merry pins me with a look I've come to know so well. She wants me to go completely clean.
“Dean…”
“Don't test me, Dora,” Dean interrupts hotly, causing the girls and I to flinch. “I'm a few seconds away from wringing three necks, so don't push me!” His quietly given warning is all the motivation I need to confess my longest-standing secret of all time.
“I-I-I had an affair in May…” I begin, only to hear Cole curse under his breath. Dean kept his eyes glued to me. “It was for a few days until I realized I was being used. So I broke it off. I didn't know I was pregnant already,” I admit, wringing my fingers as nerves flutter in my stomach.
Dean sighs. “Dora… Who is the father of your child?” The words come out with a hint of compassion, and a sin catches in my throat.
How can saying the truth be so hard? I dab at my eyes again with shaky hands, cleaning away the hazy view caused by my tears.
I exhale, trying to calm down my nerves and coerce my tongue to cooperate with my brain.
“It's… It's Cole,” I say, dropping the bomb. Dean lets out a string of swear words as he hops off the chair and begins pacing.
“I could kill you right now! Hiding a pregnancy from us, deceiving us, and then having the first grandchild of the family behind our backs, far away from home!” Dean hurls angry words after angry words at me and I cringe.
Dylan is starting to fuss at the sound of raised voices.
Dean notices and stalks off towards the staircase .
“Fucking hell! I'm calling Mom and Dad right now!
You're in so much trouble, the three of you.
Go pack your things, we're going home right now.” The finality of his words leaves no room for argument.
Merry jumps to her feet in a mad scramble up the stairs to carry out Dean's bidding.
Gina keeps on rocking Dylan, trying to settle him down.
I glance at Cole, hoping to catch his eyes or something, but his gaze is riveted on the window opposite me.
He’d gone to stand by the window when Dean had asked me to name the father of my child.
My heart squeezes at the thought of what he's going through right now.
Nobody wants to be surprised by an unplanned pregnancy, let alone when the child has already been born.
I wonder if he's thinking of the possible ways this could go when my parents find out, only for my thoughts to be interrupted by Dean’s yell.
“Why are you still sitting there? Move! You've got ten minutes!”
I hop off my chair and clamber up the stairs, with Gina right behind me, clutching Dylan to her breasts.
We don't even have the time to talk or strategize on the way forward. We get busy, packing up the necessities and Dylan’s things.
True to his word, ten minutes later Dean charges up the stairs and shuffles us towards the door.
I'd slipped into some jeans, realizing that I hadn't even been self-conscious around Cole in my booty shorts.
Dean grabs Dylan's things from Merry and flies down the stairs to load them in the car trunk. Cole is by the trunk, arranging the suitcases and bags Dean hands him. I say a brief goodbye to the house I’ve called home for the last few months before Dean hustles us into the car.
I watch from the back windshield as Dean and Cole exchange a few words before getting into the car.
Dean slides behind the wheel while Cole settles into the passenger seat.
The ride to the airstrip is an uncomfortable one.
I try to talk to Cole a couple of times, but I get no response.
I give up shortly after that. I only wanted to assure him he doesn't have an obligation to me or Dylan if he doesn't want it.
I sit back in my seat and enjoy my last view of Glenview in the twinkling evening light, even as dread ties millions of knots in my stomach. What would Daddy and Mommy say?