Page 128 of A Little Secret

“Did Everett call you?” I push.

A short pause follows, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out I’m right.

“Maybe,” she finally answers.

“And?”

“And this is my interrogation, missy,” she quips. “How are things? How are you?”

“Not gonna ask about the baby?”

Her breath hitches. “You are my baby.”

My bottom lip wobbles, so I suck it between my teeth and bite down. Hard.

“Sweetie, I’m so sorry?—”

“Mom—”

“Let me finish,” she says. “I’m so sorry you’ve had to carry this on your own.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, and a tear slips down my cheek.

“I love you so much, Finley. Your dad loves you, too. We love you, and…and damn. This is quite the doozy.”

With a pathetic laugh, I wipe the moisture from my cheeks. “Something like that.”

“How are you feeling? Does the doctor know? How far along are you? Man, I could ask you a thousand questions.” She takes a deep breath. “Okay, let me try this one more time.”

I laugh again. “Okay, I’ll start.”

“I’m ready,” she announces.

“Hello?” I offer.

“Hey, Fin. I miss you,” my mom says.

“I miss you, too. I’m glad you called.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh-huh.” A lump lodges in my throat, but I swallow past it. “I, uh, I actually have some news.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, uh,” I wipe beneath my nose with the sleeve of my shirt. “I’m, uh, I’m pregnant.”

“You’re pregnant? Oh, baby, I’m so excited for you!” she gushes. “Let me put you on speaker so you can tell your dad the amazing news, too.”

My watery eyes look at the ceiling as another feeble laugh slips out of me.

“Fin?” my dad’s voice crackles through the speaker. “Fin, you there?”

“Uh, yeah,” I choke out. “Yeah, I’m here.”

“Your mom says you have something you want to tell me?”

Digging my teeth into the inside of my cheek, I whisper, “You’re gonna be a grandpa…again.”