“There’s no law that says they have to know today,” she points out.
“They should know.”
“They should also be answering their girlfriend’s calls, but they haven’t been doing a great job of that lately, have they?”
She’s not wrong. Since moving to campus three weeks ago, contact with Cole and Foster has been sporadic. They have very little free time between their classes, homework, and hockey practices. Those weekends that we were supposed to spend together? Not one has happened.
I’ve been patient, giving them time to adjust. Their limited communication is still better than Talon's radio silence. He sent several texts after returning to LA, but it’s been a couple of weeks of absolutely nothing now. I know he's alive, thanks to the band’s social media accounts. A baby could derail Cole or Foster’s pro hockey careers before they’ve even started. Talon won’t want to give up his new rockstar lifestyle for diapers and bottles.
Will they even want the baby? Will they even care?
Do I want this baby?
Yes. Absolutely
That answer comes quickly and without hesitation. I will raise my child and give it all the love in the world, whether their father is in our lives or not.
“I’m keeping the baby,” I tell Emma.
“Whatever you want to do, I’ll have your back. Your parents will, too.”
“I’ll talk to them after the guys. I need to see Cole and Foster. I need to tell them face to face, look them in the eyes. I can’t have this hanging over me for weeks or even days. Tomorrow is Saturday. I can drive, stay overnight if I have to, and return home on Sunday.”
“Do you want me to go with you? I work in the morning, but we can go after my shift.”
“No, I need to do this for myself and get it over with. I appreciate you so much. Thank you.” I give her a giant hug for being my rock all the time.
“You’re sure this is what you want to do right now?”
I nod, feeling more confident. “Yes. Once I talk to them, I can move forward.”
I leave Emma’s house and go home. My parents are happy and lighthearted. I try to match their energy but fail miserably. I go straight to my room, claiming a headache. It’s not a lie. My brain can’t wrap its head around anything right now.
I decide to cross Talon off my list since seeing him in person is impossible. He doesn’t answer my call, which is no surprise, so I send him a message. The emotional upheaval of the day has exhausted me, and I fall into bed. I check my phone one last time. He hasn’t even read my text message.
As soon as I wake up, I check my message to Talon. It's been read, but there's no reply. I send another one, then pack my backpack for an overnight stay. I let my parents know I'm leaving to visit Cole, and they don’t argue but look confused. Before they ask too many questions, I hurry to my car and hit the road.
It takes me over two hours to make the drive to their campus. It's early afternoon, and though I have the name of their building, I need an access card to get inside. They’ve been ignoring my texts and calls. Just when I'm about to turn around and tell them to fuck off, my phone rings. It's Foster.
"Finally. Thanks for answering," I say, voice heavy with sarcasm.
"What do you want?" he asks harshly. He doesn’t sound like himself at all, but maybe it’s just a reaction to my snotty tone.
I soften my voice, "I'm here, and I need to see you.”
"What do you mean?" He sounds royally pissed off, making my hackles rise. This asshole has ignored me for months.
"I mean I'm waiting outside your building but can't get in."
He hangs up on me.
What the fuck?
Minutes later, Foster shows up at the glass entrance door on crutches.
"What happened?" I ask him, concerned. He’s never mentioned to me that he was hurt, and neither has Cole.
"Just get inside. We'll talk about it in our room."
