The Moment of Truth

Time to figure out day care and...

“Classes start in August,” Josh said.

“But not until late August. I should be due at the beginning of the month. Besides, I can work with my instructors to make up the first week or two if I have to. Or take online classes in the fall. I looked this morning and there are at least six classes that I can use for my general business major that are offered online.”

She was going to have this baby. And be a fine mother. But if he thought she was going to quit school he’d best think again.

“You’re much better at this than I am,” Josh said.

“Better at what? Having a baby? I’m no more experienced at it than you are.”

“You’re better at finding a way to be positive about it.”

“I don’t have a choice, Josh. The baby is growing inside me and it’s going to come out whether I want it to or not.”

“But you aren’t falling apart.”

“What good would it do?” Her stomach felt like a million little ants were crawling inside it. Moving up to her rib cage. She willed them into stillness.

“I don’t have a choice, either.”

“No one’s saying you do.”

“I’m glad you agree.”

She’d told him he owed her nothing. That she’d do this on her own. He’d already told her he had nothing to offer. Whatever had happened to him in his past was still too fresh. Too raw.

“I’ve never given you reason to think differently,” she said slowly, keeping her gaze on the puppies as the sun dipped below the horizon, surrounding them in the rosy hue that came just before dusk.

Shivering, she wrapped her arms around her middle. She should have put on a sweater with her blouse and jeans.

“Actually, you have,” he said.

Dana swung around, ready to give it to him good, when he continued.

“You told me that you wouldn’t accept my help, Dana, but I have no choice but to give it to you. And as the father of that child, I have a right, too. By your own admission, you’re going to name me as the father. It’s the absolute right thing to do. And I would take you to court for DNA testing to prove the child was mine if you didn’t name me. I will not walk away from my child. Not now at the prebirth stage, and not later, either, after it’s born.”

Her ears were ringing. They felt plugged, as if she was in an airplane. Only worse. She’d spent the day preparing herself for her life ahead and he was messing it all up.

She wanted to argue with him. To tell him he had no right to do this to her.

But she couldn’t. He was right. He did have rights.

“The baby is a ‘he’ or a ‘she,’ not an ‘it.’”

She was nitpicking. Sounding stupid. But she couldn’t seem to stop herself. He’d been very clear about his rules. He was changing them on her now.

“I intend to be fully involved in every aspect of this child’s life,” he said, his tone unequivocal. “I want to be involved with the doctor, with the prenatal care, with the birth and after the birth, too.”

He was talking about her body. Her life. And his baby, too.

“I’ve only known you a couple of weeks.” The argument was weak, even to her ears.

“Since you’re the one who will be handling the physical aspect of the pregnancy, it’s only right that I pay for everything. I’m working and have insurance through my job, so I’ll provide the child’s health insurance, and since the child will be living with you—because I absolutely will not take him or her away from his or her mother, nor take your child away from you—I will pay all of the child’s expenses, not just state-mandated child support. I’m also planning to have a room for the child in my home and will expect to have visitation rights—”

“Stop!”

She couldn’t do this. Couldn’t take any more.

Turning, Dana walked back into the house, completely forgetting about the puppy she’d left behind.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

NOT AT ALL SURE what had just happened, Josh stayed outside for a few minutes, in case Dana planned to return. When he saw her in the kitchen, putting things in a bowl, he figured she wasn’t coming back out and picked up the puppies.

Hers fit in the palm of his hand. Amazing that something so small could actually survive.

“I’m sorry I upset you,” he said, closing the sliding-glass door behind him and joining her in the kitchen.

She didn’t turn around. Measuring flour and other things, she dumped the ingredients in a bowl. “It’s my life, too, Josh. You can’t just tell me what I am and am not going to do.”