16. Reed
Reed
I’m half asleep as I walk into my parents’ house on Monday morning. I took a late flight last night, wanting to deliver the news in person and get things in motion for my move.
When I turned my phone back on as soon as the plane touched down, I had a handful of messages.
Amelia: Don’t make any hasty decisions. Really think about what you want before you uproot your life.
She’s not getting it. My decision to move to Chicago isn’t a hasty decision. Would most people do it for the same reasons? Maybe not, but that doesn’t matter to me. I refuse to be anywhere except where my child is.
The other messages are from my group text with my siblings.
Brinley: Reed’s been awfully quiet this weekend.
Frankie: Do you think he got abducted?
Lee: I’m hella jealous of him in the big city.
Jasper: He’s fine.
I’d talked to Jasper yesterday before I headed to the family dinner at the bar.
I told him everything that had happened.
If he was shocked, I couldn’t tell by the tone of his voice.
He told me Amelia was right and the divorce paperwork needed to be redone.
I informed him that I was putting everything on hold until Amelia and I worked some things out.
Cora: You talked to him?
Jasper: Of course.
Frankie: Spill the beans.
Jasper: Nothing to spill.
Brinley: Did she sign the paperwork?
Frankie: Hello? Jasper?
Cora: Your silence is all we need to know.
Minutes passed between the last four messages. I already knew today I’d have no peace. Every single one of my siblings, besides Jasper, would show their face today and grill me about everything that happened.
I tossed and turned all night as my mind reeled from the weekend.
After four hours of struggling, I gave up.
The sun is barely up, but I know my parents are.
They’ve always been early risers, something living on a ranch requires.
The animals and work don’t wait for anyone, no matter how tired you may be.
My mother’s sitting at her kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front of her. “Well, there you are,” she says as soon as I walk in.
I walk up to her and lean over, kissing her cheek. “Hey, Ma.”
She smiles up at me with so much love in her eyes, it makes my heart ache. I love my parents, but I’m a total momma’s boy. “Missed you,” I tell her.
I’ve never imagined living anywhere except here. I thought I’d be on the same land as my parents until the day they breathed their last breaths. But life had other plans.
“How was your weekend? You’re looking tired, baby,” she says, rubbing my hand before I have a chance to pull it away from her shoulder.
“I couldn’t sleep last night,” I tell her. “I need coffee.”
“Grab a cup and sit. I want to hear all about your trip.”
I yawn as I head toward the coffeepot. “You know how the city is.”
“I do,” she says from behind me. “But I want to know more about the girl and how that went.”
“Son,” Dad says with a tip of his head as he stalks into the kitchen, fully dressed and ready to face the day.
“Want a cup?” I ask him, but I already know the answer. He lives on coffee, downing half a pot before he heads out to start his work for the day.
“Please,” he replies and takes a seat next to my mother.
I pour two cups of black coffee and carry them toward the table, sliding one cup in front of my dad.
“You’re up early,” Dad says as he lifts the coffee to his mouth before I can place my ass in a chair across from them.
“I couldn’t sleep, and I needed to talk to you two.”
“You’re moving there, aren’t you?” Ma asks like she can read my mind.
I stare at her in surprise. “What makes you say that?”
She taps her index finger against the side of the ceramic mug. “I know my baby.”
“Did she sign the paperwork?” Dad asks, ignoring my mother’s statement.
“No,” I say with a sigh. “Things got more complicated.”
Dad’s eyebrows rise. “What happened? Does she want money?”
Of course my dad would go there. He never trusts anyone we date. He always thinks they’re after our land.
I shake my head. “She doesn’t want anything.”
“Then why is it complicated?” he asks.
“Because he likes her, John. Keep up,” Ma says.
“I haven’t had enough coffee to keep up,” he tells her.
“Go on,” Ma says to me. “Why’s it complicated?”
I rub the back of my neck, hating that I have to drop all this news on them, but I don’t know what else to do. This isn’t news I can sprinkle on them over time.
“I still can’t believe you got married to a stranger in Vegas,” Dad says, chuckling. “That’s something Lee would do, but I never thought you would.”
“The tequila didn’t help,” I say.
“Never does,” he mumbles against the rim of his coffee mug.
“John, let the boy talk,” Ma tells him.
Dad shrugs but doesn’t say anything.
“What happened?” she asks again.
“Amelia’s pregnant,” I blurt, wanting to get the words out as quickly as possible.
Ma’s eyes brighten. “She is? Oh my goodness. That’s…that’s…”
“Is it yours?” Dad asks.
“It is, Pop.”
“It’s such great news. Finally, a grandbaby,” Ma says.
I knew she’d be happy. She’s been on our asses for years to get married and start families. We’ve all been dragging our feet, though. It’s not that we don’t eventually want to end up with that life, but none of us is in a hurry.
“Well, that sure does complicate things,” Dad says.
“It’s a good complication,” Ma says. “We’ll have to prep a nursery.”
I shake my head. “Slow down, Ma. She’s a Chicago girl. Her family’s there. She won’t move here.”
My mother’s face falls. “No?”
“No.”
Dad whistles as he slowly shakes his head. “Big complication.”
“What are you going to do?” she asks me.
I blow out a breath as my stomach turns, the coffee feeling like acid inside me. “I’m going to move there.”
Neither of my parents flinches at the announcement.
“Never thought you’d stick around forever,” Dad says.
“What?” I ask, shocked. “You didn’t?”
“You always loved the city,” Ma adds on to my father’s statement.
“Didn’t think it would happen like this, but knew it would happen sooner or later,” he says.
I stare at them in surprise. “I always thought the ranch would be my life.”
“If this didn’t happen, I think you would’ve stayed forever, even if your heart were truly somewhere else,” Dad replies.
“My heart has always been here,” I argue.
Ma reaches out and puts her hand over mine. “We love the ranch, but we chose it for our life, not our kids. We love that each of you wants something different in life. You’re more important than the land, and now, your child is more important than anything else.”
“So, I’m doing the right thing?” I ask her.
She nods, giving me the same sweet smile she did when I was little and needed confirmation. “You are, baby. Time moves fast, and it’s something you can never get back. I couldn’t imagine missing a moment of your life when you were little, and I wouldn’t want you to miss it either.”
I hang my head, feeling like I’m breaking their hearts even if they won’t say it. “I’m sorry,” I tell them.
“For what? Giving me a grandbaby? I’m one happy woman.”
“Don’t worry, son. Lee’s here,” Dad says.
I give him a cockeyed smile. “That doesn’t help me feel better.”
“That boy is made for this life,” Dad replies.
“He’s a lazy motherfu—”
“Hush up,” Ma says, stopping me from finishing the sentence. “He’s young. You weren’t so different from him at that age. Now, when are you moving?” Ma asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t let too much time pass before you go back, Reed. Do you love her?”
“I like her.”
“It’s a start,” she says. “Sometimes love takes time. Could you love her?”
“I could. She’s a good person, and her family is great too.”
Ma touches her chest. “It’s a solid foundation. But you need to be there for her. I was miserable during my first pregnancy.”
“What’s your girl do?” Dad asks.
I nearly snort at the your girl. She’s not mine. Not yet, at least. Maybe on paper, but we haven’t spent enough time together for that statement to be remotely true. “She works at her family’s bakery.”
“And her parents?” Ma asks. “What are they like?”
“They’re nice. Concerned, but nice.”
“And they…” she asks again.
“Her dad used to play football, and her mom is a writer.”
“Who’s the dad?” Dad asks, suddenly looking more interested in the conversation. Maybe it’s the coffee and he’s more awake.
“Vinnie Gallo.”
Dad’s eyes widen. “Gallo. Like the Vinnie Gallo from Chicago?”
I nod. “That’s him.”
“He was a beast.”
“Still is,” I mutter. “The man is intimidating.”
“He must not be too upset if you’re still breathing and don’t have a black eye,” Dad says before finishing the last drop of his first cup. “I look forward to meeting him.”
My eyebrows rise as he stands to refill his mug. “You’re going to come to Chicago?”
“We’re not missing our first grandbaby’s life. We’ll be there often, sweetheart,” Ma says.
“I hate the noise and cement, but I’ll deal with it,” Dad says from the countertop as he pours himself another cup. “If your mother has her way, she’ll be there every weekend.”
“Not every weekend, but we’ll be there often. Or at least, I will be,” she corrects him. “Not just to see my grandbaby, but to see you too.”
She says that now, but I know as soon as the baby is born, I’ll become less important. And I’m okay with that. I don’t need constant attention. You can’t be raised with five siblings and be a needy person.
“Now.” Ma stands from her chair, ready to get the day going. She’s faster in the morning than my father. “You need to break the news to your siblings. They’re not going to be so easy.”
I figured my parents would be awful, but they took the news way better than I could’ve ever imagined. But I know my sisters are going to throw a fit. They’re going to be so dramatic, their performance will be worthy of an award.