Page 48 of Truck Up
“So, where to?” Nova asks. “Do I keep driving around, or are you ready to face the parents?”
“Oh God,” I groan. “My parents are probably freaking out. And I hate to think of what my brothers have told them.”
“You can stay with me if you prefer.” Nova offers. “I’ve got a room for you.”
I reach over and squeeze her hand. She may act tough and crude most of the time, but she’s got a huge heart. “I know, but I think I need to go home. I’m gonna have to face my parents eventually. Might as well get it over with tonight.”
“To your car? Or straight to Mom and Dad’s?” she asks.
“I’ll worry about my car later. Depending on how this goes, I may be too upset to drive.”
Nova drivesus around for another thirty minutes before she pulls up to my parents’ house. We didn’t talk much. That’s what’s great about our friendship. Talking isn’t always required. Just being present for each other is enough.
“Do you want us to come in with you?” Hadley asks after Nova puts the car in park. It looks like every light is on inside the house. I can see several shadows pacing in front of the bay window on the front. If I had to guess, it’s Dad and Linden. Maybe even Tanner. If Jason and Aaron are here too, they’re probably sitting to the side watching the chaos unfold.
If I know Mom, she’s got her face buried in a pillow, crying. She always cries when things don’t go her way, or she thinks something is a tragedy. And me getting knocked up by a Mutter is definitely a tragedy by my family’s standards.
“Yes, definitely yes,” I say. “There’s no way I can face this alone.”
“We got you,” Nova says as she opens her door. “Let’s go see how the Mom and Dad are doing. Maybe even cause some trouble.”
I can’t help but laugh at her. She always handles tough situations with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
“Yes, let’s!” Hadley claps and bounces on her heels as I get out of the car. She’s way too excited, given the circumstances.
“Alright.” I take each of their arms and we walk linked together toward the front door. We pause just outside and listen to the loud voices coming from inside. They’re debating my future without me. It’s laughable that they think they have a say in what I do about this pregnancy.
I take a deep breath and reach for the doorknob. “Family, do your worst.”
As soon as I open the door, silence falls. Dad and Linden glare at me. Jason has a smirk on his face and Aaron looks bored. Mom stares at me in disbelief, then she sobs. From the way she sounds, you’d think one of her kids died.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Dad yells.
I force a smile and meet my dad’s angry glare. “Hi Dad.”
“Don’thi Dadme, young lady.” He growls. “I can’t believe you’d do something like this to us. You’re an embarrassment to this entire family.”
“Oh, why don’t you tell me how you really feel?” I say with way more sarcasm than he’s used to hearing from me.
His words shouldn’t surprise me, but they do. He’s irrational and talking out of anger and hurt. But knowing that doesn’t change how his words cut.
“Just tell us this is some huge misunderstanding.” He demands. “You can’t be pregnant by that … that … God, I don’t even know what to call him. He’s the worst of those Mutter trash.”
“He’s not trash. None of them are!” I yell back. I never yell at my parents, and it causes my dad to take a step back.
He furrows his brows and growls. “What’s gotten into you? The Mutters are our enemies.”
“No, they aren’t. They’re good people just like you guys when you don’t have your heads stuck up your asses.”
Mom and Hadley gasp. Nova chuckles and squeezes my arm as if to say she’s proud of me. Linden, Tanner, and Dad stare at me like I grew two extra heads, and Mom cries out like she’s in pain.
Jason is silently laughing from his corner of the room, and Aaron is staring at me with raised brows. He’s trying hard to keep his expression neutral, but I think he’s hiding a smile.
At least two of my brothers don’t appear to hate me.
“Young lady, you’re not too old—”
“I’m not a young lady, Dad. I’m twenty-nine years old. I can make my own decisions, and I don’t care if you like them. This ismylife.” I stomp my foot, punctuating my point.