PART 5- CHAPTER 184
LUKE
Sitting in the corner of the OB–GYN waiting room, I tapped my knee anxiously. I couldn’t sit still; my nerves were on edge. I pulled out my phone, found Josh’s number, and hit call. He answered on the third ring.
“Hey,” he said, his voice a little far. I could hear him turn down the music.
“Got a minute?” I kept my voice low. I was in a doctor’s office, and I didn’t want Francesca to hear this call. She had been on edge since we stepped inside, and I didn’t want her eavesdropping on this conversation.
“Sure, what’s going on? You’ve been MIA. I thought you disappeared. I called, Laura called, and even my parents called you, man…”
I rubbed my temples, feeling the familiar pressure building. “I’ve been… handling some stuff.”
“Clearly,” he replied with a dry chuckle. I thought Jess was a family man. You didn’t even check in with her. She’s been asking about you.”
The mention of Jess made my chest tighten. “Really?”
“Yeah, she got her memories back. The first thing she wanted to know was if you’d visit her,” he said, the tone of his voice turning serious. “She remembers everything, Luke.”
PART 1 CHAPTER 124.
I froze, the words hitting me like a punch. “She remembers everything?”
“Yeah. You would know if you had picked up your phone or read any of the messages. And you’re the first person she thought of.” There was a pause, and I could almost feel his impatience. “So why haven’t you reached out?”
I didn’t answer right away, staring at the floor as my grip on the phone tightened. “It’s complicated, Josh.”
“Complicated?” he scoffed. “Fuck! It’s been weeks! You’re going to just leave her hanging after all this time? The best you can come up with is that it’s complicated? What happened to you, man. You were ready to fly out and find her yourself.”
“Josh,” I said, my voice low and warning. “You don’t know the whole story.”
“Then fill me in because you’re acting like a fool right now,” he pressed. “You’ve wanted this for so long, and now that you have a real opportunity, you’re just ignoring her?”
Taking a deep breath, I finally managed to utter something. “She deserves someone who can give her everything. Right now, I can’t do that.”
Josh sighed heavily, clearly unconvinced. “Cut the martyr routine, man. Do you really think she cares about that? She wants to see you and talk to you. Just give her a chance.”
“I can’t,” I muttered, glancing at Francesca, still occupied with her call. “I can’t because… I’ve got another situation to deal
with.”
08:55
Josh’s voice shifted from frustration to concern. “What do you mean? You can tell me. Is it your dad? What did he do?”
“Francesca is… she’s pregnant,” I confessed, feeling the weight of the truth hanging between us. I’m at the doctor’s office with her.”
Silence descended on the line.
“Josh?”
“I’m processing,” he finally said, sounding bewildered. “You’re telling me that Francesca is having your kid? And you didn’t think to mention this?”
“I figured it out recently. I just didn’t know how to explain it,” I
said, guilt gnawing at me.
“Does Jess know?” His voice had a serious edge now.
“No. And she can’t. I can’t drag her into this. Francesca has made it clear… if I don’t stay, she’ll take the baby and leave. If I walk away, I lose my chance to be a father. If I try to reach out to Jess and she finds out, she’s leaving. I can’t be that guy, man – the guy who puts his own happiness above his kids. I won’t.”
“So, that’s it? Are you throwing the towel on Jess because of this? She can’t just take your kid. You have rights, man.”
I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my anger in check. “I won’t make the same mistakes my dad did. I have to be there for this kid. I want him to have a family. A real one.”
Josh paused, clearly torn. “Staying with this chick even though you don’t love her isn’t right, man. That kid deserves better than
a father who pretends he’s me staying with someone he doesn’t love.”
“Maybe, or maybe I can give his vid everything my father didn’t I replied, my voice heavy with uncertainty. It doesn’t matter anyway. Jess, what would I say to Jess. I promised I’d wait for you but knocked up some model while I waited? Sorry, the guy i forced you to go on a date with has become a psycho and destroyed your chances of ever running again!? Jess is better off without me, man. You know it I know it. She knows it.”
Jess and 1 – we were never meant to be….
