by Len Webster
“There’s nothing to worry about, AJ,” Evan said in the driver’s seat.
Alex took her eyes from the house and directed a tight smile at him. “I know. My parents will be okay. I’m just freaking out because some of the staff at the bakery now know before my mother.”
“Don’t worry. None of them would tell your parents. They love you. They would never do that to you or your parents,” her boyfriend assured.
Alex picked up one of the boxes on her lap and handed it to Evan. “Promise me that whatever happens you won’t be upset with my parents if they’re not as happy as you want them to be.”
His brows met in confusion. “Why wouldn’t they be happy?”
Alex sighed. “My Ph.D. I haven’t even figured that out with my advisor or the faculty. She’s due the first week of fall semester.”
“You’re going to take maternity leave?”
“If they’ll let me, I’ll start in the spring. I don’t know, though. I’ll have to ask.”
Evan leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. “I promised your father I wouldn’t let you give up on MIT. Our daughter won’t either. You’ll get your Ph.D., AJ.”
“I know,” Alex said as she pulled back and reached for the door handle. “Let’s go tell my parents they’re going to be grandparents.”
Once she stepped out of Evan’s car, she pushed the door closed behind her as Evan rounded the car to be by her side. His fingers laced with hers as they walked toward her house. In a couple of months, she would pack away her childhood bedroom and move to Cambridge with Evan. Soon, the house she grew up in and had memories in would be in the past.
As they climbed the steps, her heart tremored in her chest as she played out every worst-case scenario in her head. She didn’t want Evan to know that she was scared that her parents would be disappointed in her. But she knew deep down that her parents would be excited.
Evan released her hand and grasped the door handle. Then he turned to face her. “We’re in this together. No matter what, okay?”
The way his eyes softened, she knew he’d be by her side.
She nodded. “No matter what.”
He pushed the door and held it open for her. Alex wiped the bottom of her boots on the welcome mat and stepped inside. She didn’t bother taking off her coat. All she had was a shirt on underneath. If she walked into the house with her coat off, her secret would be blown.
“Mum, Dad, I’m home!” Alex called out as she spun around and found her boyfriend closing the door. He kept his coat on as he nodded at her in reassurance.
“We’re in the kitchen, my love!” her mother replied in a raised voice.
Alex let out an anxious breath and made her way toward the kitchen with Evan right next to her. When they entered the kitchen, she noticed her father holding her baby brother as her mother stirred whatever made the kitchen smell good on the stove.
“Hey, you two,” her mother greeted with a warm smile as she lowered the flame on the stove and turned to face Evan and Alex by the island counter. “How was furniture shopping? Did you find a desk for your office, Alexandra?”
She shook her head as she set the small box down. “Ah, no. Um, listen, can we talk to you both?”
Her parents looked at each other skeptically as Evan set down the box he was holding. “Is everything okay?” her father asked.
Alex inhaled a deep breath and felt Evan lace his fingers with hers. “Everything’s okay. Actually, better than okay. But we don’t know how you’ll take this. Just know that Evan and I are happy. We’re really happy. And we just want you both to be as happy as we are.”
Her mother’s eyes glazed over with unshed tears. “Oh, Alexandra,” she said in awe.
“We’re really happy, Mr. and Mrs. Parker,” Evan added.
“We can see that,” her father said. “So what did you want to talk to us about?”
Alex picked up the white boxes, went around the bench, and handed her parents each a box. Then she returned to Evan’s side and wrapped her arm around his. “Open it.”
She watched as her parents set the boxes down and flipped the lid open to take in the cupcake with a pacifier placed on the icing. And on the inside of the box Evan had stuck the ultrasound picture to greet her parents.
Her mother gasped
Her father’s eyes widened.
They were silent.
Too silent for her liking.
Evan cleared his throat, and said, “We found out the gender today. Alexandra thought it would be a good idea to surprise you both with the gender inside the cupcake.”
Alex watched as her father stepped closer to her mother and handed Sebastian over to her. Then he made his way around the kitchen bench.
His emotionless face was proof that he might be disappointed in her.
Her father didn’t approve.
Then he stood next to her, and Alex turned to face her father. “You’re not disappointed, are you?”
“That you’re pregnant?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He cupped her cheeks in his palms and shook his head. “I’m not.” Then he pressed his lips to her forehead. “So you’re really pregnant?”
She smiled at the way his green eyes softened. “I’m really pregnant, Dad. You’re going to be a grandfather.”
A tear ran down his cheek. “And Evan …?”
“I’m the father,” her boyfriend said behind her.
“I’m so happy,” her mother said, getting her attention. She was rocking the almost five-month-old in her arms as she stared at the ultrasound. “Nolan, come over here and find out if we’re having a granddaughter or a grandson.” Then she smiled down at Sebastian. “You’re going to be an uncle, Sebbie.”
Her father left her side to join her mother. Evan slung an arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. “They’re happy.”
She nodded as she reached up and cleared her cheeks of her tears. “I’m happy.”
Alex and Evan watched as her father picked up the cupcake from the box and removed the pacifier from on top of the icing. Then he broke the cupcake apart to find the pink filling and showed it to her mother.
“Our little girl is having her own little girl,” her father said, his voice cracking.
I’m carrying Evan’s little girl.
My parents’ little girl, too.
Her mother and father gushed over the pink filling and the ultrasound, showing her little brother as Alex rested the side of her face against her boyfriend’s arm.
“Evan?”
“Yeah, Alexandra?”
She gazed up at him, loving his soft smile and the adoration in his eyes. “Can we tell Kyle next?”
He grinned at her. “We should tell Kyle next.”
Her heart leaped in her chest. “I love you, Evan.”
“Eight protons,” he whispered as he pressed a kiss on her lips. Then he pressed a palm to her stomach and added, “Eight neutrons, Little Atom.”
“We need to celebrate!” her mother announced.
And just like that, any fear she had about her parents being disappointed simply faded away.
Her life found its perfection.
Its rightness.
Everything was where it was meant to be.
With the love of her life.
With her daughter.
And with her family.
No amount of love had mattered more than right now.
95Am
americium
EVAN
Senior year of college
Evan watched intently as his girlfriend knotted his cardinal colored tie. AJ had landed in San Francisco two days ago, and her parents and his brother flew in yesterday for his graduation. Kyle’s girlfriend, Angie, had landed this morning. Evan didn’t mind that she was late due to a
speaking engagement. In fact, he was surprised she made the effort to attend his college graduation at all because she wasn’t obligated to come. He was just her boyfriend’s brother, but it meant a lot to Evan that she wasn’t just supporting him but also Kyle. The sweet smile on AJ’s face had him grinning. He couldn’t think of a better send-off than graduating as the championship winning captain of the Stanford men’s baseball team. But it was made better when he flew to Duke and watched his girlfriend graduate over two weeks ago and promised to go to Zürich with her.
The weeks he had spent being cold and distant from her had been torture. He shouldn’t have blamed her for applying to become a research assistant with the world’s leading physicist. Evan knew it meant another year away from his girlfriend. Another year of distance. Another year of not feeling like he was truly hers. He had almost missed her graduation because of his stubbornness and stupidity. It was his roommate, Milos, who talked some sense into him—telling Evan that if he didn’t go to North Carolina to see her graduate, he’d lose her for good. And Milos was right. He would have lost AJ for good. It was stupid that he even thought of them spending another year apart when he could go with her.
Returning to Massachusetts might have been the original plan, but it wasn’t home without her. He had several job offers and an opportunity to be drafted to the Major League with the Red Sox, his brother’s team.
But he didn’t want any of it.
Evan Gilmore just wanted a life with Alexandra Parker.
And that meant following her to Zürich, Switzerland.
In the two weeks since he watched her graduate, she had reached out to the Rodahawe Institute to accept the offer, and AJ and Evan began to plan their life together in Switzerland. The Rodahawe Institute had even offered to help Evan with his visa papers if it guaranteed AJ’s employment.
Massachusetts could wait.
AJ deserved the very best—especially after he stood in the way of her MIT dreams for so many years.
It’s her turn.
“There,” she said as she adjusted the perfectly knotted tie in place. “Now, you’re ready to graduate.”
Evan covered her hands with his, splaying them flat on his chest. “Thank you for being here today, AJ.”
She smiled that flawless, beautiful smile that always softened her dazzling emerald eyes. How he never saw just how stunning and breathtaking she was during high school, he’d never know. It kept him up some nights wondering how he could have missed her.
Missed her love.
Missed the way her eyes glittered brighter when she was happy.
Missed the way her smile always brought warmth to his chest.
But now he was finally hers.
And it had always been her even when he was oblivious to his love for her.
It would always be Alexandra Parker.
Now until forever.
“Why are you smiling at me like that?” AJ asked as she tilted her head at him.
She has no idea how much I love her.
“I’m just happy,” he answered as he squeezed her left hand.
The very hand he wanted to hold when he got down on one knee.
His future always included her.
A life with her.
A life with her as his wife.
He had planned to propose before she started her Ph.D., but now that she would be a research assistant at the Rodahawe Institute, Evan would wait. He didn’t want her to worry about an engagement and a wedding while she worked with one of her heroes.
It was about her being Alexandra Parker, research assistant to Dr. Rodahawe.
And not Alexandra Parker, engaged to Evan Gilmore—if she said yes.
But just as he had done while she had dated someone else, Evan would wait. When it was the right moment in their lives and in her career, then he would ask her to spend the rest of her life with him.
His girlfriend’s brow arched. “Are you sure that’s all?”
He nodded. “I’m sure.”
A knock on Evan’s bedroom door had them turning. His girlfriend’s father opened the door, then stepped inside the room. “Alexandra, your mother would like a hand with some of the food.”
AJ pulled her hands away from Evan and nodded. “Sure thing, Dad.”
Just as she made her way to her father, Mr. Parker asked, “Evan, can I speak with you?”
“Sure, Mr. Parker,” Evan said as he watched AJ glance from him to her father. He saw her confusion. Hell, he was just as confused as she. But as she slipped out of his room, her father closed the door behind her.
Then he approached Evan and set a hand to his shoulder. “I’m very proud of you, son.”
Son.
Mr. Parker had no idea the power of the word “son” from his lips had over Evan. If he wanted to make anyone other than his girlfriend proud, it was his girlfriend’s parents. The very couple who had raised him and supported him when he had no one else.
“Thank you, Mr. P,” Evan said gratefully.
“Listen, I’ve been thinking about your graduation present and—”
Evan shook his head. “You shouldn’t have bought me anything.”
Mr. Parker smiled. “It’s not something you can buy, Evan. But you have to promise me that you’ll be grateful and appreciate this present. I never gave it to Landon, but I am giving it to you because well, I see a little of myself in you. And when I watched you take in my daughter graduating from Duke, I just knew. Just as I knew with my wife.”
“Knew?”
His girlfriend’s father nodded his head. “I’m giving you my assurance.”
“Your assurance?”
“If I know you—and I know you, Evan—someday you’ll ask me for my blessing to ask my daughter to marry you.”
Evan’s eyes widened.
Mr. Parker’s green eyes softened the way his daughter’s had—but not as light. “When that day comes, just know that you have my assurance. My assurance that I’m going to listen to you promise me that you’ll take care of her, just as her grandfather listened to me ask him for his blessing to marry her mother. And know that if you continue to make my daughter happy, you will have my blessing when the time comes.”
Evan was in shock. Unsure of what to say.
“I knew I wanted to marry her mother before I was even well and truly in love with her. I’m not forcing you to pop the question today or tomorrow or even before you both leave for Zürich at the end of summer. I’m just saying that you never have to worry about me thinking you’re not good enough for my daughter. You are, Evan. You’re more than good enough because her heart chose you.” Mr. Parker smiled and squeezed Evan’s shoulder. “That’s my gift to you. The assurance that I’ll listen, and the knowledge that I will give you my blessing someday.”
“Thank you, Mr. Parker,” Evan finally said around the lump in his throat. “I appreciate it. You have no idea how much this means to me. Besides your daughter and your family’s love and kindness, this is the greatest gift you’ve ever given me.”
Mr. Parker pressed his lips into a smile and removed his palm from Evan’s shoulder. “You’re welcome. I’m just happy that you and Alexandra have finally found your way. Now, come on. Kyle will be over soon. Then we can watch you graduate from Stanford.”
“A lot of eyes will be on us today,” Evan mumbled.
“There will be.”
He nodded. “Yeah, Kyle is an attraction.”
Mr. Parker let out a soft laugh. “I don’t think so, son. I think all eyes will be on the very Gilmore who captained the Cardinals to their first NCAA championship in years. It’s all about you today, Evan.”
His chest filled with warmth. For years, the spotlight had always been on Kyle, but today, it would be on him. And from the pride that flashed in Mr. Parker’s eyes, Evan knew he had made him proud.
&
nbsp; “Evan!” AJ called out from the kitchen. “Kyle and Angie are here!”
“We better get out there,” Mr. Parker suggested.
“You’re right,” he agreed as they left Evan’s bedroom and entered the living room where his roommate was sitting on the couch with a plate of cupcakes on his lap. Evan noticed Milos’s parents were in the kitchen with Mrs. Parker. “Got enough cupcakes there, Milos?”
Milos set the cupcake in his hand on the plate and swallowed down the bite he had just taken. “I’m going to miss Mrs. Parker’s baking now that I’m no longer your roommate.”
“I will send you a box every week, Milos,” Mrs. Parker announced from the kitchen as Milos’s parents joined their son in the living room.
Mr. Parker chuckled as he walked past Evan and to the kitchen. All the things Evan needed had already been shipped back to Brookline. The rest, he was leaving behind with Milos who would continue to live in the apartment after getting an internship with a respectable IT company.
“Evan,” his brother called.
He craned his neck to find Kyle standing next to Angie in the kitchen with AJ and her parents. Because of AJ, he was able to mend his strained relationship with his older brother. And seeing them all together in his kitchen, Evan knew that this was the family he’d love and be grateful for.
Evan’s parents weren’t here, but Mr. and Mrs. Parker had taken their places a long time ago, so it only made sense that they would be present to witness him graduate from Stanford, Mr. Parker’s alma mater. Evan approached his older brother and shook the hand held out to him. Then he pressed a kiss to Angie’s cheek.
“Thank you both for being here today.”
Kyle grinned. Evan wasn’t used to the genuine pride that gleamed in his older brother’s eyes, but Kyle had told him numerous times how proud he was of Evan throughout the years. “I’m proud of you, little brother. You’re the first of us to graduate from college.”
“Yeah, but you’re the successful professional baseball player. And it’s not like you’re not doing online college.”