My eyes widen because my father never curses like that. “He really said that. But here’s the part that tripped me out. Mr. Babcock showed me photos of Billy out on a date with some blonde last weekend. Billy told me he couldn’t bring me, that it was family only, but then he was sitting with this beautiful girl. Dancing with her. Smiling. Hugging. It looked like a date. But Billy swore his father invited her.”
I tell them the rest. How she was wearing his suit jacket, the one he couldn’t find at home. That he didn’t stay with his parents Saturday night like he said he would, but he didn’t come back to our apartment either. That they had athingin high school.
When I’m done, my father pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why do you always get into so much trouble, Roxy?”
My mother reaches down the table and smacks his arm. “Do not blame her for this. You wanted honesty, and she gave it to you. Even when it was painful for her to talk about.”
Dad lets out a sigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Well, did you ask Billy to explain what’s going on?”
“He said it’s not what I think it is. That he would never cheat on me. But he was so cagey and weird, and when I asked himto prove it by showing me the messages on his phone, he looked like a deer in headlights. It was like dating Ezra all over again.”
I freeze when my father’s eyes snap to mine.
Oh, shit.
I slap my hand over my mouth and frantically shake my head. “No. Forget I said that last part.”
He braces his arms on the table and looks down. We sit in silence for several minutes. “I wondered if Ezra was Marley’s father. She has his dark hair. And Billy punched him in the face. The better I got to know Billy, the more I realized he wasn’t just a loose cannon, that he must’ve had a good reason for doing that, but I didn’t want to believe the kid I treated like my own son would get you pregnant and then bail on you.” Finally, he looks at me. “I’m assuming you told Ezra the truth?”
It’s a sad day when my father wonders whether I told the father of my baby I was pregnant. After how I behaved back then, I guess I deserve that doubt. “Of course.”
“And he didn’t want to be involved?”
“His response was basically, ‘Fuck no, I don’t want a baby.’” I take a deep breath. “Swear to me you won’t say anything. Because I promised Ezra I wouldn’t tell you the truth if he dropped the charges against Billy.”
When my father doesn’t say anything, I press on. “Dad, Billy could’ve gotten charged with afelonyand been sentenced to up to twenty years in prison for breaking Ezra’s nose. So please,pleasedon’t do anything that could jeopardize Billy, okay? I’m just telling you because I can’t deal with any more secrets.” I might be upset with Billy right now, but that doesn’t mean I want to ruin his life.
My dad taps on the table. “Again, I ask how you get in the middle of these situations.”
“I don’t know, okay? Ezra told me he was single and swore he was committed to me. But then I found out he was sleepingaround, so I broke things off with him. When I realized I was pregnant, I drove all the way to San Antonio to tell him, and I basically busted in on his engagement party.”
“Dios mio,”my mother says, her eyes bugging out.
I toss up my hands. “I know. Trust me. I hate being in the middle of this soap opera. And Abigail is such a sweetheart. It killed me to have to tell her that Ezra was a cheating asshole.”
My mom nods. “He really is a cheating asshole. That boy had me fooled.”
I look at Dad. “He fooled a lot of people. Did you know that the day Abigail broke up with him, Ezra fell out of a window at a frat house while being…” How do I put this? “While beingservicedby some random girl?That’show he hurt his shoulder.”
“That little liar. He told me he got pushed down some stairs.” He rubs his forehead. “Okay, then I’m going to stop feeling guilty about cutting his game time.” Tilting his head one way, then the other, he smiles. It’s not Dad’s usual smile. No, it’s Coach’s stone-cold smile, the one he gets when he talks about kicking some rival team’s ass. “If Silva starts next weekend, I don’t think the boosters will care, given how Ezra’s been performing.”
“Do what’s best for the team. I want y’all to win. I want you and Deke to get your championship this year. And if that means Ezra plays, so be it.”
“I would never let my personal feelings toward a player affect whether I played him—much.”
I’m not entirely sure how to interpret that statement, but Ezra made his bed. Now he can sleep in it.
My father taps the table again. “As for Billy, hear him out. Don’t jump to conclusions, and for the love of God, don’t get so caught upmaking upthat you get pregnant again.”
“Dad!”
“What? Do you know how many women get pregnant right after they had a baby?”
My mom laughs and covers her mouth. “Guilty. Roxy, you were just a baby, and your father and I had this huge argument. To apologize, he brought me flowers. He was so sexy with that sweet smile of his, and then he started kissing my neck, which I couldn’t resist.” She starts muttering sweet nothings to him in Spanish, and my eyes widen.
Oh God. “I really don’t need to hear how Deacon was conceived.” I cover my ears, and my parents laugh.
After dinner, I’m staring out the front bay window, debating what to do, when my mom wraps her arm around my shoulders. “Billy will be by your apartment at eight to pick up his things. He’s expecting me, but I think he’d be much more pleased to see you. I’ll watch the baby tonight so you can take your time and talk.”
