Holy shit, she was having our baby.
I could feel my whole heart soar as the news sunk in, and it was so fucking nuts that I almost don’t realize it when Mike lunged at me with his fist raised.
But suddenly the world came rushing back, and suddenly I was very aware that one of my oldest buddies was about to murder me with his bare fucking hands.
“Stop! Dad stop!” Suddenly, Chelsea was between us, one hand and her body pressed against my chest as if shielding me, and the other outstretched to stop her father.
Mike did stop, but his whole face was a mask of fury as he barred his teeth at me. “You keep away from my daughter you fucking piece of-”
“Dad I love him.”
The
words were like the breaking of glass in the frozen scene of the backyard; like a collective pause and intake of breath. Mike slowly shook his head, glaring at her. “You don’t. You don’t know what you’re saying, Chelsea.”
“I do, dad!” She suddenly threw her arms around me, hugging me fiercely. It was like instinct as I felt my arms go around her; like the base primal need to protect and comfort my mate or something. I didn’t even care that Mike and Sarah’s faces flinched as they watched me hold their daughter, because the time for secrets was over.
“And he loves me, dad,” Chelsea said softly, and I could feel her heartbeat hammering against my chest.
Mike dragged his eyes back up to mine. “Get away from her, Jake,” he said evenly. “You know I’ve got a gun in the house, and old buddy or not, I’m prepared to use it.”
“Jesus, Mike!” Sarah hissed from the back porch.
“I’m warning you, Jake.” Mike’s face was drawn and haggard looking. “You ever come near her again, or contact her, and I’ll kill you. Understand?”
And right then, I knew it was time to stop all this. Right then, I knew it was time to step up and be the man I knew I was, and the man I knew I could be.
For her.
“Mike, Sarah?” My voice was sharp, and they both looked at me. “I love her,” I said evenly, my arms tightening protectively around Chelsea. “I love her with everything I have, and she love me.”
Mike started to shake his head, his fingers rubbing his temple, but I reached out and put a hand on his arm. “It’s real, buddy.” I meet his eye. “It’s more real than anything.”
The fire left his eyes, and I watched the fight drop out of him. “It’s real” had been how he felt about Sarah. It’s what he’d kept saying to me when he’d first met her on shore leave way back in the Navy. The “realm deal”, he’d called it
And then he was listening.
“I’m never going to hurt her, Mike,” I said, holding her tightly. “I’m never going to leave her, and I’m going to provide and take care of her.”
I looked up at Sarah, staring at us with wide eyes from the back porch with her hand over her mouth. “She’s going to finish college too, I swear, Sarah.”
“Jesus, Jake.” Mike shook his head, sighing heavily.
“I should tell them,” Chelsea whispered into my chest, and I nodded.
“Daddy, I’m pregnant.”
“What?” Mike’s eyes darted back up to mine, and I nodded.
“It’s true, Mike. And I’m here for it, all the way.” I entwined my fingers in hers, and drew her close against me. “It’s real, buddy; it’s the real deal.”
I could see the last of his anger drop then as he slowly started to nod his head. Sarah came up behind him, and he put his arm around her before turning back to Chelsea and I. “When you know, you know; that it, Jake?”
“That’s it, Mike.” I said evenly. “When you know, you never let go.”
And just like that, the whole tension broke, and I watched the both of them smile.
“You hurt her, and I’ll come after you, Jake.”