by Natalie Ann
“But you stayed with your grandparents a lot too, you’d said?”
“I did. I’m close to my grandfather. You know that. I even was with my grandmother.”
“Not really close to your father, are you?” she asked even though she knew the answer.
“I never thought we were distant. Not like now,” he said and got out of the car.
She felt bad that she was to blame for this. That if they weren’t dating or she didn’t get pregnant he wouldn’t be at odds with his father.
“I’m sorry for that.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said, grabbing her hand when she walked closer to him.
She rubbed her belly. “Junior here might disagree.”
He reached his own hand down and laid it on hers. “Do you think it’s a boy?”
“I have no idea. I guess we’ll find out.”
They walked to the front porch, past white wooden rocking chairs, and into the house. Kayla didn’t know what she expected, but Hunter wasn’t kidding when he’d said his mother remodeled the house.
From the outside it looked like an old saltbox with gray weathered wood like many of the houses on the island. Inside it looked like it was professionally decorated and completely modern.
“This is beautiful.”
“My mother likes to decorate,” he said.
“She did this herself?”
“She did,” he said.
And the woman in question came marching down the hallway at a half run, then hugged her tight and almost squealed, “I’m going to be a grandmother. I never thought I’d see this day. I’m so excited. How are you feeling? Is there anything you don’t want to eat or are craving? I’ve wanted to call you all week, but Hunter told me to calm down.”
Now, wasn’t that just the sweetest thing. Shockingly it brought tears to her eyes and Hunter noticed. “Mom, you’ve upset Kayla.”
“I’m not upset,” Kayla said. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why my eyes are filling.”
“Sure, you do,” Nicole said, pulling her into the kitchen. “It’s hormones. I cried all the time when I was pregnant with Hailey. Drove Charlie insane trying to figure out what was wrong with me.”
“No tears when you were carrying Hunter?”
“Nope. That is probably why he’s not as emotional as Hailey is. Come sit. What can I get you to drink and eat? Hunter, your father is on the deck with Grandpa. Go say hi. Send Hailey in here too.”
Hunter shook his head and winked at her, then left out the glass doors. Kayla could see everyone on the deck in the shade, Hailey waving and then coming in and giving her a hug. “I’m going to be an aunt. I can’t tell you how hard it’s been for me to not say anything to you.”
“I didn’t know you knew. Hunter never said a word,” she said.
“He can take a secret to the grave,” Nicole said. “Has always been that way as a child too.”
“That’s why I didn’t get into half as much trouble as I should have,” Hailey said. “Hunter never told on me.”
Nicole shook her head. “Let’s not talk about it. You got into plenty enough trouble as it is.”
“My parents exaggerate things,” Hailey said. “But how are you feeling? Hunter said you’ve gotten sick a few times?”
“I’m doing much better. It seems to have stopped for the most part a week or so ago. As for food, Nicole, I’ll eat anything. Nothing puts me off. I think the problem is I want everything.”
“Then we’ll feed you. You’re still just a tiny thing.”
She didn’t expect this kind of welcome or acceptance. It just didn’t make sense with what she knew about Charlie’s reaction to the pregnancy. Even his reaction to her and Hunter’s relationship.
“I’m sure I won’t stay tiny for long,” she said with a grin.
“If you are ready we can go on the deck with my father,” Hailey said, then patted her hand.
“I’m sorry he’s not happy about this” Kayla said, starting to cry. “It wasn’t planned. I want to say I’m not happy. I mean my entire life is changing and so is Hunter’s. It’s all so much to take in. I’m sorry if it’s an embarrassment for the family.”
Nicole got her a tissue. “It’s not an embarrassment. Things happen. Hunter told us he wants to get married and you don’t. I can understand that. You haven’t been dating long and want to make sure it’s right.”
She was shocked Hunter shared that much with his family and wasn’t sure what to say back to it.
“Being pregnant isn’t a reason to get married,” she said.
“No, it’s not,” Hailey said. “But I’m sure that isn’t the only reason Hunter wants to get married.”
Since Hunter never gave any other indication, there wasn’t much Kayla could say.
Instead she followed them to the deck, Hunter’s grandfather, Stephen, coming forward and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Congrats are in order.”
“Thanks,” she said. “It was a shock, but I think we are settling in a bit.”
She looked over at Hunter, saw him looking at his father. Charlie turned his head. “It’s nice to see you, Kayla.”
She nodded her head. He wasn’t commenting on the baby and she was sure it pained him to say as much as he had.
She wanted to say there was tension in the air but the rest of the family just dismissed him and went about the conversations like Charlie wasn’t sitting there holding an umbrella while he rained on everyone else’s day.
The funny part was, he wasn’t doing anything wrong or bad. He just wasn’t talking to her or excited like the rest of the family was.
And if he was acting excited, she’d know it was fake, so that was probably better.
At least Hunter and his father didn’t seem to be at odds. There were no ugly words or looks between anyone.
And several hours later when she and Hunter left, he turned to her in the car and said, “I told you it’d be fine.”
“I didn’t expect your mother and sister to be so open and excited over it.”
“I knew they were. My mother has been wanting to call you, but I told her to hold off.”
“She’d told me. Why did you tell her that?”
He looked at her for a minute, just held her stare. “I figured you’d be uncomfortable since the only time you’d seen her was when she met you when we were out that one time. It was two months ago. You wouldn’t have found it odd to have my mother call you?”
She would have. “Maybe. It makes sense. It was nice talking to her today though. I’ve never had an older woman I could talk to. I love talking with my roommates, but none of them really understand. Tiffany knows and I’ve been asking her a few questions.”
“My mother would love to spend time with you. She’d love to get to know you more. You heard her today. You’re carrying her first grandchild. She’s thrilled.”
“Your father isn’t.”
He laughed at her. “Actually that was my father’s normal behavior today.”
“Really?” she asked. He pulled into the hotel and parked. She was going to stay the night with him. She’d been at his place since she got off of her shift on Saturday morning.
“Yes. That doesn’t mean he is accepting of everything right now. Don’t get me wrong. But what you saw today is how he is all the time around family. He keeps quiet, never says much, looks out at the water, eats, or reads the news.”
“Your mother is so different than him,” she said.
“And that is probably how they work so well. He keeps her grounded and she tries to liven him up. She doesn’t succeed much. But they’ve always been loving, not just to us, but to each other. As for the baby. My grandfather said to give my father time. I don’t care anymore. He doesn’t have to live my life and I don’t have to live his. He’s only hurting himself if he doesn’t accept his grandchild.”
“You don’t think he’d take it out on our child do you?” she asked.
“No. He wouldn’t ever do that. And no more talk ab
out this. We got past this step and things are going to get better.”
39
Make That Choice
But Hunter was wrong. Things didn’t get better. They didn’t get worse. But they sure the hell got weird.
Kayla was spending more time with Nicole and learning about the family. Even having dinner twice more in the past month with Charlie and Nicole.
Charlie never mentioned the baby. He never talked to her directly either. She wanted to be insulted or offended, but it did seem like that was how he was with his own kids too.
She thought life was going well for the most part.
She was splitting her time between the house she shared with the girls and Hunter’s penthouse. He wanted her to move in and she wasn’t ready to do that. Not full time yet.
He’d tried to put some pressure on her about needing help and he was going to damn well be there when the baby was born and if she didn’t move in, he was moving into her room.
She wasn’t about to let that happen. Kayla hated to leave Amanda, but she knew it’d be smart to live with Hunter when the baby came.
It was Monday afternoon and she was back at the house with Amanda sitting in the kitchen and talking when her phone went off with a notification of a private message on Facebook. She didn’t often get messages from people since she didn’t post a lot.
“Everything okay?” Amanda asked.
“I’m not sure,” she said, opening the message from her biological mother and reading it.
“Who sent you the message?”
“My mother. I reached out to her a few years ago and she didn’t want anything to do with me. Now all of a sudden she sends me a message and asks if we can talk or meet. I’m not sure why or what changed.”
Amanda snorted. “I’m sure I know.”
“What?”
“You’re dating Hunter. You’re pregnant. She probably wants to get to know you now because she might think you’ve struck gold.”
Kayla shook her head. “How would she know any of that?”
“You’ve posted a few pictures of you and Hunter online. People know. Even though you haven’t said his name, anyone can look him up on the Retreat website and you’ve marked you work there.”
She had done that and now wished she hadn’t. No one ever cared about her life before so she didn’t think about it the few times she posted a picture, but she’d not said one thing about the pregnancy online.
“She wouldn’t do that, would she?”
“I have no idea,” Amanda said. “Do you think she would? You haven’t posted anything about the baby and you aren’t showing so I doubt she’d know that.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“You don’t have to do anything,” Amanda said. “Just delete the message and ignore her. She’s ignored you your whole life. How hard could it be to do it back?”
Kayla laughed. “You know, six months ago I’d have said that, but now I’m pregnant and I want to know who my father is. Not because I want to know him. Not even because I want to know her. But Dr. Mills said I should know my family medical history. I should know if I’m passing something onto my child. There are things I should know for myself too.”
Things she’d never considered before, but now that she was going to be a mother, she had to think this way.
“So you want to talk to her?” Amanda said.
“I’m not sure I want to. I guess there is part of me that should though, don’t you think?”
“Only you can make that choice. Maybe you should talk it over with Hunter.”
“I’m not sure I want him to know.”
“Why keep it a secret?” Amanda asked.
“Because I should find out what is going on first. Maybe I’ll sit on it for a few days and reach out. I’ll go from there.”
“Hunter, there is a call for you. Marilyn Morrison.”
He paused for a moment. He knew that name but couldn’t figure out from where and then it hit him. Kayla’s biological mother. This should be interesting.
He hit the hands free button. “This is Hunter Bond, how may I help you?”
“My name is Marilyn Morrison. You don’t know who I am, but you’re dating my daughter Kayla.”
There was no reason to dispute he knew her. He’d rather see what cards she had in her hand. “Again, what can I do for you?”
There was silence on the other end, like she didn’t expect that. That maybe she thought he’d argue and say it’s not possible.
“I wanted to let you know about my daughter.”
“I know your daughter well,” he said back.
“Did you know she was in foster care most of her life?”
“I did know that,” he said back. “I also know she tried to contact her mother, you, a few years ago and you wanted no more to do with her then than you did when she was a baby. So why are you calling me?”
There was a laugh. “Because I know all about you and your family. Amore Island is yours. I wonder what people would think if they knew about Kayla. If they knew their golden boy was in a relationship with someone like Kayla.”
The “someone like Kayla” words just lit a fire under his ass and had him standing up at his desk with his hands planted forward.
“I don’t think many would give two shits about it. I know I don’t.” He glanced up when his office door opened and his father walked in. He put his finger to his lips to make sure his father didn’t say a word.
“You say that now, but I think you would care if people knew. I’ll give you a day to think about it and I’ll call back tomorrow.”
He laughed. “So you want to blackmail me? You want me to give you money to not run your mouth about my girlfriend.”
“I think you do care what people think. You’ll hear back from me soon.”
“What the hell was that?” his father asked.
“You heard what I did. That was Kayla’s biological mother. The woman who lost custody of her to the state. Kayla spent her whole life in foster care and now the woman wants a piece of her.”
“Sounds more like she wants a piece of you,” his father said.
“Don’t start in on me. I’ve had enough of this. Kayla is the victim here.”
“She is,” his father said.
“What? You’re defending her? Did I hear that right?”
His father ignored the question. “Let me handle this.”
“Like hell. This is my life and my girlfriend. The mother of my child and I can take care of it. I don’t need your help. All you care about is our name. I care about Kayla.”
“You should care about the name too,” his father said.
“I’m not going to listen to this again.”
“I’m sorry,” his father said and sat down. “You’re right. My problem is I didn’t speak up enough about things in life and I’m taking it out on you.”
“That’s a funny statement coming from the man who feels I’m an embarrassment to the name because Kayla is pregnant and we aren’t married. Even though you’d love for us not to even be together.”
“Believe what you want,” his father said.
“I have to because I have no idea why it’s so important to you. Why you are more worried about your name than your son’s happiness.”
“You’re right, again,” his father said. “I should be more worried about you. And I saw how you were with Kayla and how she is with you and I can see how much you love her.”
Hunter didn’t say anything. He hadn’t even said those words to Kayla. “What are you doing here?” he asked, growing tired of this conversation.
“I came to talk to you. I came in to apologize about my behavior and then I heard that and I just reacted.”
“I want to know why. Why are you this way? Why do you care so much?”
His father looked like he was going to hesitate but finally started to talk. “Because when I was growing up I was pushed around. You know I’m quiet. You know I never stood up for myself. I just figu
red my name was enough.”
This was the first he’d heard anything like this. His father was big like him, but he was quiet. More like anti-social. He was probably nerdy in school too.
“So you couldn’t stand up for yourself. What happened?”
“I hated living here. It’s a lot to live up to with our name. It only takes a few to throw it in your face, the rumors of others. Great-grandpa James to me, starting the hotel for his slew of women. Then there were cousins coming to my defense and that only made it worse.”
He could see that. “So that is why you moved off the island and said you wouldn’t let us live here full time?”
“I didn’t want you to go through what I did. Of course you probably wouldn’t have. You or Hailey. Neither one of you are afraid to stand up for yourself or what you believe in.”
“No, we aren’t. So you think standing up to me now makes you feel better? Makes you feel like a man?”
“That’s low, but I guess I deserve it. I just wanted to make sure you knew enough to not tarnish the name. Because it ends up ruining your children’s lives.”
“My life isn’t ruined for what James did and neither is yours.” Talk about absurdity.
“But will your child’s life be ruined because he’s a bastard?”
“Stop saying that. Kayla will be my wife before our child is born. She needs to warm up to it. You see what her life was like. Jesus, the woman who abandoned her is now back trying to blackmail me.”
“Just think of how much worse it would have been if she was raised by that woman,” his father said.
“Then I would have never found her. She always says she has a black cloud over her head. That it follows her around like a troubled shadow and now I guess I understand it. I just want to protect her from things like this. I don’t want her to worry or stress. This woman means nothing to Kayla or me, but how I handle it could hurt my relationship and that is why I’m not just crushing her like we know I can.”
Did he dare mention to his father that he felt he’d been bitten by the legacy bug with love at first sight? Would it make it easier to understand or accept? Or didn’t it even matter at this point since his father seemed accepting now?