tobesickifIdidn’teatsomething.IopenedthedoortogetoutbeforeRushcouldseemyface.
Iwasprobablygreenorpaleattheveryleast.
“YouwantmetogowithyouorisitbestifIstayhere?”heasked.
“Oh,um…maybeyoushouldstayhere,”Ireplied.Cain’struckwasheresothatmeanthe
probablywastoo.Ididn’twantRushandCaingettingintoanymore ights.Ialsodidn’ttrust Caintokeephismouthshutaboutthepregnancytests.Iclosedthecardoorandheadedfor thehouse.
CainopenedthescreendoorandsteppedoutsidebeforeIevenmadeittothebottomstep.
Hisfacewasamixtureofworryandanger.“Why’shehere?Hebroughtyouhome,nowhecan leave,”Cainsnarled,lookingpastmetowardRush.Yeah,itwasarealgoodideaforRushto stayinthecar.MystomachrolledandIfoughtbackthenausea.
“Becausehe’sgivingmearideback.Calmdown,Cain.Youhaveno ightwithhim.You’re
myfriend.He’smyfriend.Let’syouandItakethisinside.Ineedtogetmythings.”
Cainsteppedbackandletmepasshimthenhefollowedmeinsidelettingthescreenslam
shutbehindhim.
“What do you mean you’re going back with him? That test come back positive? You runningbacktohimnoweventhoughhebrokeyourheartsobadyoucameherethreeweeks
agoamess?I’lltakecareofyouBlaire.Youknowthat.”
Iheldupmyhandstostophim.“Thisisn’taboutmebeingpregnant,Cain.Heisafriend
whogavemearide.Yes,weweremorebefore…thingshappenedbutnowwe’renot.I’mnot
runningtohim.IamgettingmyjobbackinRosemaryandlivingwithBethyforawhile.Then I’llgosomewhereelseandstartover.Ijustcan’tkeepstayinghere.”
“Whycan’tyoustayhere?HellBlaire,I’llmarryyoutoday.Noquestionsasked.Iloveyou.
Morethanlife.Yougottaknowthat.Imessedupwhenwewereyoungerandthatthingwith
Callie,shedon’tmeannothin’.She’sjustagirlwhodistractsme.You’reallIwant.I’vebeen tellingyouthatforyears.Pleaselistentome,”hewasbegged.
“Cain,stopthis.You’remyfriend.Whatwehaddiedalongtimeago.Iwalkedinonyou
doing things to another girl you shouldn’t have been. That night everything changed. I love youbutIamnotinlovewithyouandIneverwillbeagain.IneedtopackandIneedtomove onwithmylife.”
Cainslammedhishandagainstthewall.“Don’tsaythat!Itisn’tover.Youcan’tjustrunoff onyourown.Itisn’tsafe!”Hepaused.“Areyoupregnant?”heasked.
Ididn’tanswer.Instead,IwalkedbacktotheroomI’dbeenstayinginwhileIwashereand startedpackingmysuitcase.“Youare,”hesaid,followingmeintotheroom.
Ididn’trespond.Ijustfocusedonmythings.“Doesheknow?Istherockstar’ssongonna takeresponsibility?He’slying,B.Thebabywillgethereandhe will run.Hewon’tbeableto handleit.Ababydoesn’tfitintohislife.Youknowthat.Hell,theworldknowsthat.Hemightas wellbearockstarhimself.Isawhisbeachhouse.Thatain’tsomeonethat’llbetherewhen thingsgettough.Theydon’tstickitout.ImayhavescrewedupbutIwon’trun.I’llalwaysbe here.”
Ispunaround.“Hedoesn’tknow,okay.I’mnotsureI’lleventellhim.Idon’twantsomeone tosaveme.Icandothis.I’mnothelpless.”
He started to open his mouth to argue when Granny Q walked into the room. I hadn’t realizedshewashere.
“Stopbeggingher,Cain.Youdonemadeyourbedboy,golieinit.Shemovedon.Herheart hasmovedon.She’sdoneshownusallshecangotoschoolandtakecareofhersickmomma andherself.”ShelookedfromCaintomeandasadsmiletouchedherlips.
“Breaksmyheartthatyougotanotherhurdlelikethistoleapsoyoungandthisroomis
yoursifyouneedit.Butifyou’resetonleavingthenIblessthattoo.Youjustbesafe.”She walked over and pulled me into a hug. “I love you like you’re my own. Always have,” she whisperedintomyhair.
Tearsstungmyeyes.“Iloveyoutoo.”
Shepulledbackandsniffed.“Youkeepintouch,”shesaidandstartedtoleavethenglanced backatme.“Everymandeservestoknowhehasababy.Evenif’nheain’tgonnabeapartofits lifeheneedstoknowaboutit.Youjustkeepthatinmind.”
ShewalkedoutoftheroomleavingCainandIaloneagain.Iputthelastofmythingsinmy suitcaseandzippeditshut.Grabbingthehandle,Ipickeditup.Mynauseahadgottenworse.I coveredmymouthwithonehand.
“Shit,B.Youcan’tdothat.Giveittome.You’renotsupposedtopickupheavystuff.See,
Iwasprobablygreenorpaleattheveryleast.
“YouwantmetogowithyouorisitbestifIstayhere?”heasked.
“Oh,um…maybeyoushouldstayhere,”Ireplied.Cain’struckwasheresothatmeanthe
probablywastoo.Ididn’twantRushandCaingettingintoanymore ights.Ialsodidn’ttrust Caintokeephismouthshutaboutthepregnancytests.Iclosedthecardoorandheadedfor thehouse.
CainopenedthescreendoorandsteppedoutsidebeforeIevenmadeittothebottomstep.
Hisfacewasamixtureofworryandanger.“Why’shehere?Hebroughtyouhome,nowhecan leave,”Cainsnarled,lookingpastmetowardRush.Yeah,itwasarealgoodideaforRushto stayinthecar.MystomachrolledandIfoughtbackthenausea.
“Becausehe’sgivingmearideback.Calmdown,Cain.Youhaveno ightwithhim.You’re
myfriend.He’smyfriend.Let’syouandItakethisinside.Ineedtogetmythings.”
Cainsteppedbackandletmepasshimthenhefollowedmeinsidelettingthescreenslam
shutbehindhim.
“What do you mean you’re going back with him? That test come back positive? You runningbacktohimnoweventhoughhebrokeyourheartsobadyoucameherethreeweeks
agoamess?I’lltakecareofyouBlaire.Youknowthat.”
Iheldupmyhandstostophim.“Thisisn’taboutmebeingpregnant,Cain.Heisafriend
whogavemearide.Yes,weweremorebefore…thingshappenedbutnowwe’renot.I’mnot
runningtohim.IamgettingmyjobbackinRosemaryandlivingwithBethyforawhile.Then I’llgosomewhereelseandstartover.Ijustcan’tkeepstayinghere.”
“Whycan’tyoustayhere?HellBlaire,I’llmarryyoutoday.Noquestionsasked.Iloveyou.
Morethanlife.Yougottaknowthat.Imessedupwhenwewereyoungerandthatthingwith
Callie,shedon’tmeannothin’.She’sjustagirlwhodistractsme.You’reallIwant.I’vebeen tellingyouthatforyears.Pleaselistentome,”hewasbegged.
“Cain,stopthis.You’remyfriend.Whatwehaddiedalongtimeago.Iwalkedinonyou
doing things to another girl you shouldn’t have been. That night everything changed. I love youbutIamnotinlovewithyouandIneverwillbeagain.IneedtopackandIneedtomove onwithmylife.”
Cainslammedhishandagainstthewall.“Don’tsaythat!Itisn’tover.Youcan’tjustrunoff onyourown.Itisn’tsafe!”Hepaused.“Areyoupregnant?”heasked.
Ididn’tanswer.Instead,IwalkedbacktotheroomI’dbeenstayinginwhileIwashereand startedpackingmysuitcase.“Youare,”hesaid,followingmeintotheroom.
Ididn’trespond.Ijustfocusedonmythings.“Doesheknow?Istherockstar’ssongonna takeresponsibility?He’slying,B.Thebabywillgethereandhe will run.Hewon’tbeableto handleit.Ababydoesn’tfitintohislife.Youknowthat.Hell,theworldknowsthat.Hemightas wellbearockstarhimself.Isawhisbeachhouse.Thatain’tsomeonethat’llbetherewhen thingsgettough.Theydon’tstickitout.ImayhavescrewedupbutIwon’trun.I’llalwaysbe here.”
Ispunaround.“Hedoesn’tknow,okay.I’mnotsureI’lleventellhim.Idon’twantsomeone tosaveme.Icandothis.I’mnothelpless.”
He started to open his mouth to argue when Granny Q walked into the room. I hadn’t realizedshewashere.
“Stopbeggingher,Cain.Youdonemadeyourbedboy,golieinit.Shemovedon.Herheart hasmovedon.She’sdoneshownusallshecangotoschoolandtakecareofhersickmomma andherself.”ShelookedfromCaintomeandasadsmiletouchedherlips.
“Breaksmyheartthatyougotanotherhurdlelikethistoleapsoyoungandthisroomis
yoursifyouneedit.Butifyou’resetonleavingthenIblessthattoo.Youjustbesafe.”She walked over and pulled me into a hug. “I love you like you’re my own. Always have,” she whisperedintomyhair.
Tearsstungmyeyes.“Iloveyoutoo.”
Shepulledbackandsniffed.“Youkeepintouch,”shesaidandstartedtoleavethenglanced backatme.“Everymandeservestoknowhehasababy.Evenif’nheain’tgonnabeapartofits lifeheneedstoknowaboutit.Youjustkeepthatinmind.”
ShewalkedoutoftheroomleavingCainandIaloneagain.Iputthelastofmythingsinmy suitcaseandzippeditshut.Grabbingthehandle,Ipickeditup.Mynauseahadgottenworse.I coveredmymouthwithonehand.
“Shit,B.Youcan’tdothat.Giveittome.You’renotsupposedtopickupheavystuff.See,
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