“I’m okay. I’m sure you’re aware that Ian and I haven’t spoken in a while.”
“Yes.”
I clear my throat. He’s not making this easy. “Well, I deleted his number and I’m pregnant,” I blurt out. “He should know.” What I should do is ask for his number, but I don’t think I’m strong enough to talk to him yet. Maybe his dad can break the news to him for me. “Can you pass that info along to him for me please?” I start spewing shit I don’t even think I mean. “He doesn’t have to be a part of the baby’s life or anything if he doesn’t want to be, but I wanted him to be able to make the choice. Just have him call or text me.” I ramble off my phone number on the off chance that Ian did the same thing I did. “Will you tell him?”
Mr. Rhett is quiet for what feels like a lifetime. “I’ll tell him.”
“Thank you. I’d do it myself, but I’m not going to lie; he broke my heart the last time he was here, and I’m a chicken. Tell him what I said, okay?”
“I will do that,” he promises.
“Thanks. Bye.”
Telling my parents is easier than that phone call. Even talking to his father sends me into a sobbing fit. My parents think I’m an idiot for being reckless, but Mom says she won’t abandon me. There’s a change of college plans, too. She thinks my first two years will be easier if I start at a community college. I also get a job. During all of these changes, I wait for Ian to call or text me. At least to tell me if he’s going to have any part of this.
I call Mr. Rhett two more times, leaving a message the first time. The second time, Mr. Rhett answers.
“I haven’t heard from Ian. Did you tell him?”
“Yes, I told him.”
“Oh.” And he hasn’t messaged me at all? My throat tightens. He must have taken advantage of the fact that I said he didn’t have to be a part of the baby’s life if he didn’t want to be.
“I’m sorry, Sydney,” Mr. Rhett says.
“That’s okay. Thanks.” I hang up without another word, sobbing immediately.
Looks like I’m on my own. How I ever fell in love with someone who would completely abandon me and our baby, I don’t know. It won’t ever happen again, though.
Least of all with Ian Rhett.
How many times can I look at her phone number and never call before it becomes absolutely ridiculous? I’ve had so much happen to me, a handful of big moments in my life, and the one person I’ve wanted to tell I can’t because I broke her heart and never looked back.
Hearing Sydney tell me she loved me was the best and worst moment of my life. I still love her and want her, but it was bad timing. After what happened between my parents, I didn’t want to settle down with anyone until I was financially stable. Mom didn’t just leave my dad for an old boyfriend. She left because she wanted a better lifestyle. She wanted him to be filthy rich, essentially. It killed Dad that he couldn’t take care of Mom in the way that she wanted to be taken care of. It didn’t matter that he made sure she was well taken care of. It wasn’t up to her standards.
So, she left.
Ever since, I’ve known that whenever that time came for me, I needed to be financially secure for my own sake. Still being in college and having to scrounge up money to visit Sydney was not that. I didn’t mean to hurt her as badly as I did, and I didn’t want us to go this long without talking either. I was so sure she would reach out to me at some point.
She didn’t.
I followed her lead.
Sydney Jarvis is not the type of girl you string along. That is what I did and that is the only thing that makes what I did a little better. By not talking to her, I couldn’t possibly string her along. But it’s been long enough.
I need to make amends and get my woman back. I’m playing hockey professionally now with a team in Canada—a dream-turned-reality that still baffles me, and I’m so thankful for it. Anyway, I have money. More money than what a regular job would get me. Enough that I feel good about trying to be with her again. At the very least, I need my best friend back. If that’s all she’s willing to give me, then so be it. I’ll take it.
With a deep breath, I press her contact. It rings and rings and rings until I’m sure it’ll go to voicemail. And then...
“Hello?”
“Hey, Sydney.”
“Ian?”
How does she not know it’s me? “Yeah. Are you at your mom’s for the summer?” A little late to be asking, but if not, I can change my plans.
“Why?”