More than Friends
“Yeah, Dad. I’m having a boy.”
“How long have you known?”
“Seven months,” I admit.
“Honey, why would you keep something like this from us?” He hesitates for a second, this time with excitement in his voice. “You’re having a boy? I will be a grandfather.”
What is he not angry with me?
“I’m sorry, Dad. I should have told you.”
He doesn’t answer, or at least not that I can hear over my brothers.
“I’m coming home to see you, Kat,” Austin says. “I can take you to your appointments.”
That was always Austin’s job. What I wouldn’t give to have him home with me now. Always the calm and level-headed one, Austin is the brother I should have told over the summer. But he would never keep a secret from our father. It would have eaten him alive. He was always a terrible liar.
“Who is the father?” Duke says with anger in his tone. He sounds like Bruce Banner getting ready to turn into the Hulk.
“Yeah, who’s the father?” The twins say in unison.
“Do you guys promise not to flip out?”
“No,” Duke says.
“Okay,” the twins add.
“I haven’t told him yet.”
“Kat, who is the father?” Austin says. “Just tell us. We won’t get mad.”
“Dean,” I say. My voice is almost a whisper.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Duke sounds as though he’s grinding his teeth as he speaks. “All this time you tried to convince me that you weren’t fucking that asshole and then he knocked you up and leaves you to deal with a baby by yourself?”
“He didn’t leave me, Denny. Dean doesn’t even know.”
“You and Dean?” Theo sounds confused.
“Really?” Tucker adds. “So, you guys were together that whole time?”
“Are you two that fucking clueless?” Duke yells so loud my eardrum hurts.
“Knock it off, Duke.” Now, Dad is pissed off. “Don’t talk to your sister and brothers like that.”
“Sorry, Dad, but this is bullshit.”
“Kat, I will be home in a few days,” Dad says.
“Me, too,” Austin says. “I can stay overnight on Saturday.”
“Please don’t say anything to Dean. Any of you. I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet.”
“I don’t even want to talk to him,” Tucker says with anger in his tone.
“Me neither,” Theo says. “I can’t believe he did this to you. To us. What a dick.”
“He didn’t do anything to any of you. This is between Dean and me. Okay? Just let me handle it.”