Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Mia
“ F our minutes. Fuck.” Angus rubs his hands over the scruff on his face.
We’ve been dreading today. We’re both nervous. Scared. Ready, yet never less ready for anything. You name the emotion and we’ve likely felt it over the last two days.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” I say, wrapping my arms around my middle.
This is it. The day I’ve been hoping would never come, even though I knew it would eventually.
“I’ve got you, Goof.” He takes my face in his hands, placing a kiss on my forehead. “I got you. C’mon, it’s time.”
Sitting on the couch, he opens the laptop and dials. There’s no turning back now. My heart is in my throat, my stomach is in knots, and the moment Knox’s face comes on the screen, I want to slam the laptop shut.
“Bro, it’s good to see your face, and who do we have here?”
I hold my hand up and wiggle my fingers in reply, a weak smile on my face.
“I fucking knew it! I saw you sneak in from somewhere at the wedding, looking a little disheveled. Good for you. You two are perfect together.”
Knox’s smile is wide. He means it. He really is happy for us.
“Thanks, man, but we aren’t calling to announce our relationship.”
“What’s up then? Mom, okay?” he asks, concerned.
“Mom’s fine. Uh, actually Mia needs to talk to you about something and I’m here because as much as we want to be together, this conversation needs to happen first.”
His brows knit, and I can’t tell if he’s putting two and two together.
“What the hell do I have to do with your relationship?”
Nope.
I take a deep breath and just say it. “Knox. Sawyer is your son.”
“Excuse me?”
“That night after the Grammy’s at Nicolette Gwen’s….”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Watch it, brother.”
“Why are you just telling me now? Isn’t the kid like two or three already?”
My cheeks heat, but I use my anger to his reaction to steel myself and sit up straighter. Standing my ground. “Well, that same night you made it pretty clear you never wanted to be a dad and any woman who claimed to be pregnant with your child was only after your money.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“She’s being kind. You said all that and a lot more. Made a total ass of yourself. The entire family was there.”
“You said it shortly after we... well, you know.”
Gus’s knee bounces in irritation.
“Okay, so don’t you think I should have known from the start, regardless?”
“Yes, I see that now and I’m sorry, but I didn’t want you to accuse me of being after your money. After everything you said, when I realized I was pregnant two months later, all I wanted to do was protect my child.”
“So, that’s what this is? A way for you to clear your conscience so you can be with my brother?”
“I’ve always loved your brother from afar and if it weren’t for Sawyer, I would regret our drunken two minutes, but how can I when it gave me my beautiful boy?”
“So, what do you want from me?”
“Nothing. You have a right to know and now you do. I want nothing from you.”
“You don’t want child support?”
I shake my head.
“No money of any kind?”
“No, Knox. I have a good job, with insurance and day care paid for. I won’t keep him from you if you want to see him, but I will always be his primary guardian. I will fight you with everything I have if you ever try to take him away from me.”
“Honey, you don't have to worry about that. Besides, it looks like he’s already got a father figure.”
Angus’s jaw tics. “Don’t be like that. We stopped everything between us once she told me.”
“Well, you have my blessing. Now, is that all? I have to get to soundcheck.”
“Knox, come on. Let’s talk about this.”
“Listen, I really have to go, but I have one question.”
“What’s that?” I ask, and even I can hear the nervous shake in my voice.
“Does the rest of the family, or all of Goose Hollow, for that matter, already know?”
“Nobody knows, but Mom has a feeling. She says he looks just like you.”
“Well, I assume the family will know soon. Please send me a text when that happens, so I’m prepared for the onslaught of calls and texts that will follow.”
“Of course. Not a problem.”
“Do you have questions about him or anything?” I ask.
“Nope. All good. Gotta go. Talk to you later.”
The screen goes blank, and Angus and I sit in silence for a beat before he pulls me into his arms. I’m numb from the inside out. Maybe I’m in shock. He lays us down on the couch and he holds me until Sawyer wakes up from his nap with crazy bedhead and no clue that the wheels are now in motion.
Sawyer’s life has changed forever.