by Unknown
An hour later, when the only light glowing in the house was from the living room, I was satisfied she was okay and pulled away from the curb, driving to the back field of the farm, and slept in my truck.
Morning came all too soon, the sun streaming into my truck making it feel like a sauna. I rolled down the windows and headed to Maggie’s for breakfast before I stopped in to see Haley.
On my way to Haley’s, I stopped at the football field and pulled out my cell phone to check the voicemails and texts I’d ignored. The last text was from Curtis.
Curtis 2:27am: I hope everything works out for you, man. And congrats on the baby!
CHARLOTTE LEFT AFTER she insisted on making me a mega breakfast. After I closed the front door, I showered and dressed in sweats to work on my lesson plans for the following week.
Twenty minutes into the work, a hesitant knock sounded on the door. I knew exactly who it was, but took my time getting up. I wasn’t sure I was ready to deal with everything quit yet.
Taking a deep breath and squaring my shoulders I opened the door, “Hello, Bentley, please come in.” He stared at my stomach for a minute or two before he walked in. “Can I offer you something to drink or eat? I just finished putting breakfast away.” I asked going towards the kitchen.
“No thanks. I just had a big breakfast at Maggie’s.”
“Have a seat on the couch, I’m just going to grab a glass of water.” Not waiting to see what he did, I walked into the kitchen and pressed myself against the wall out of his sight, willing myself to breathe. I was about to tell the man I was having his baby. The man that left me after I’d thought he chosen me.
Unable to avoid it any longer, I finally went back to the living room.
“Bentley…”
“Haley…” he said at the same time. He chuckled then motioned for me to go first.
I didn’t know where to start. Tears glistened in my eyes I just stared at Bentley. He gathered me in a hug and let me cry it out.
“I’m pregnant,” I sobbed into his chest.
“I know, sweetheart,” he whispered against my hair before kissing it.
“I’m so sorry,” I cried harder.
“No, Haley, I’m the one that should be sorry. I left. I left you, and you were right. I ran.” Bentley steered us to the couch and pulled me into his lap before passing me the box of tissues.
“Thank you,” I mumbled then blew my nose.
“Shall we start at the beginning?” he asked softly rubbing my back.
“I’ll be twelve weeks on Tuesday,” I offered.
“That’s not what I meant, but I’ll take that as a start, too,” he smiled.
“I never meant to get pregnant.”
“I know, and I’m just as much to blame as you are. I should have used a condom, or pulled out, but just the feeling of being inside you…” I stopped him from continuing with that line of thought with my hand on his chest. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly.
I slid off his lap, and we sat silently on the couch for a while before Bentley put his hand on top of mine, “When did you come back?”
“I never wanted to leave in the first place, you know this, Bentley. I’ve always said if there was ever a way for me to live here, I would give up everything in the city and move back in a heartbeat.”
“You came back because of the baby?”
“No,” I replied simply.
“What do you mean?”
“I would have stayed in the city…”
He cut me off, “And what, raise a baby on your own?”
Where had that come from? I sat in shocked silence at how quickly he went from understanding to completely upset.
“Would you have even told me I had a child?” Bentley threw at me as he launched off the couch and paced around the living room. You could practically see the steam coming from his head. “What the hell Haley? I thought you were better than that.”
I stood up and got in his face, “Bentley, you cannot throw accusations around like that without allowing me to explain things first.”
“You managed to explain everything to my family.”
“That was a low blow.” I walked to the front door and opened it, “Leave, and don’t bother coming back until you can handle this without playing the blame game. You’re right, I should have called as soon as I found out, but you should have called period.” Bentley stared me down, but I refused to flinch.
“What’s going on here?” I jumped when I heard my neighbor’s voice.
I turned and faced the open door, “Mr. Johnson. I’m sorry I didn’t see you there. Everything is fine, Bentley was just leaving.”
“I am not leaving Haley, not until we talk about this,” Bentley argued behind me.
Mr. Johnson stepped into the house and moved in front of me, “Son, I’d suggest you leave as Haley requested.”
“We’re not finished,” Bentley replied tightly.
“You are for now, and I will be calling your father about you harassing this young lady. I know he raised you better.” Mr. Johnson shook his head.
Bentley brushed past us and stomped his way out, slamming his truck door before taking off.
My body started to shake as I watched him drive away.
“Haley, honey, I think you better sit down on the couch.”
“I’m okay, Mr. Johnson, really.” I smiled at him as I braced myself with a hand against the wall. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“No, my dear, my wife was just wondering if you’d like some fresh banana bread. We were gone a little too long at our daughter’s, and now the bananas are too ripe.”
“Oh, that would be lovely, thank you.”
I tried going back to work after Mr. Johnson left, but Bentley’s accusations kept floating around in my head. I felt the tears coming, and I thought it was best to crawl into bed and hug myself with the blankets. I turned the ringer off on my phone and left it on the kitchen table then went to my room to do what I did best. Shut the world out.
THE HOUSE WAS noticeably darker when I woke up. I had a good stretch before hurrying to the bathroom to pee. After grabbing a pair of socks, I walked to the kitchen and found a note on the counter.
My Darling Haley,
I know what happened today because Charlotte called. We’re worried about you, love. You were not answering your phone or your door. I didn’t want to intrude on your privacy, so I just dropped off some dinner and placed it in the fridge with some decaf sweet tea you love, and to make sure you were okay. You are so sweet when you are sound asleep, just like when you were a little girl.
Please don’t take Bentley’s words to heart, he did not mean any of them, I promise you. This is just a shock for him, and he’s trying to deal. But I don’t agree with that tongue lashing he gave you. I will be hitting that boy with my wooden spoon the next time I see him; no one talks to my grandbaby like that.
We’d still like for you to come to Sunday dinner tomorrow with the Knights. I was promised Bentley will not be there. We love you, Haley.
Love, Grams and Papa.
I left the note on the counter and looked in the fridge to see what Grams brought me; green bean casserole with mash potatoes and salisbury steak. My mouth was watering just thinking about it. Pouring a tall glass of sweet tea, I gulped half of it down before my dinner was ready from the microwave.
After spending over an hour on the phone with Grams reassuring her I was all right, but not coming to dinner because today was shot. I really needed to get my classroom calendar finished for the coming week and prepare for parent-teacher conferences.
I was laughing when I hung up after hearing Papa shouting in the background all the things he wanted to do to Bentley the next time he saw the sorry-ass boy for making his granddaughter upset.”
Grabbing another glass of sweet tea, I made my way back to bed with a stack of pregnancy books Maggie picked up when she went to the city. After skimming through the first book, I rubbed my hands over and talked to my
baby.
“Well baby, I guess we are at the end of our first trimester, and I’d say we did pretty good. You hardly gave mommy any morning sickness, and I wasn’t too terribly tired; you just made me eat tons of Maggie’s cheeseburger and strawberry milkshakes.” I laughed as I continued rubbing my tiny baby bump. “According to the book, you should have a little heart beat I’ll be able to hear at the doctor’s next week, and you have ears…which I guess means you heard mommy and daddy fighting. I’m sorry if we scared you, little one. I promise to not let that happen again.” I slid fully into bed and turned off the lamp, letting the glow of the night light comfort me.
“I wonder what you are going to look like,” I said to my baby. “Are you excited? Because I am. Are you going to be tall like your dad and have his athletic strength, or are you going to have blonde hair like your mom and giggle every time I blow raspberries on your belly?”
For the first time in a long time I went to bed with a smile on my face thinking of my little bundle of joy.
I DIDN’T EVEN have time to put my truck in park before Mom came running down the front porch yelling at me. Turning off my truck, I opened the door and caught sight of Dad coming from the barn trying to prevent Mom from attacking me. Not that it did much good. I rubbed at the sting on my arm that came from the tea towel.
“Bentley, how could you?” mom seethed.
“I take it Mr. Johnson called,” I commented.
“You give me one good reason why I shouldn’t put you over my knee and give you a damn good spanking.”
“Because I’m over a foot taller then you and probably weigh twice as much,” I said brushing past her.
“Bentley Gavin Knight, don’t you walk away from me!”
I LAY ON by bed for a long time just staring at the ceiling and thinking about the fact I’m having a child, and the woman I’m having it with wants nothing to do with me. Not that I blame her after the way I acted earlier. I didn’t even let her get a word in. I don’t know when the baby is supposed to be here, or even how to count that shit out. I let out a heavy sigh and ran my hands down my face.
I heard a knock on the door and reluctantly sat up as I said, “Come in.”
Travis poked his head in the door, “Safe to come in?”
“Yeah,” I breathed out.
“Wanna get out of here?”
“I’m not sure; I should probably apologize to Haley.”
“Look man, I know finding out Haley is pregnant was a shocker, but look at the bright side, you knocked up one cool chick.”
“Don’t make her sound cheap.”
Travis laughed, “It’ll all turn out fine, just wait and see.”
Walking out of my bedroom I asked, “Where’s Mom?”
“Don’t know. Dad made her take a walk with him so she wouldn’t beat on you.”
I cringed, heading out the back door, “Where were you thinking of going?”
“Billy Bob’s Race Track.” I saw the mischief in Travis’s eyes.
“You’re on,” I yelled racing him to his truck.
I loved this about my brother, he always knew how to makes things better; for the moment, anyways.
“Hey where are you two off running to?” Dad asked, tucking in his shirt as he approached the truck. I lifted my eyebrow at him, but he just shrugged it off with a smirk.
“Billy Bob’s. You coming?” Travis asked.
Dad smiled, “Yeah, I want to come. Let me just change into my running shoes and tell your ma where we’re off to so she doesn’t worry.”
Dad shuffled back to the barn as I said to Travis, “Looks like you and Dad are getting along better.”
“We had a good talk while you were away, and things are gradually getting better between us.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” I said tapping the hood of his truck before hopping in.
“It’s been a lot better around here, that’s for sure,” Travis replied as he started the truck. “Thanks for coming back, Bentley.”
“I TOLD YOU I was going to kick your ass,” Travis taunted.
“You didn’t, you just got lucky,” I scowled back.
“Bull shit. You know fair and square I beat you,” laughed my brother.
“Let’s go get Dad and grab some pizza, I’m starving.”
We found Dad playing a deer hunting arcade game, “Are you having fun yet?” I asked laughing at his intense concentration.
“This damn deer never stays still. I probably spent twenty bucks trying to shoot his ass.”
Travis and l barely choked back our laughter. I covered my mouth with my fist and pretended to cough. “Whenever you are ready to go, we’ll go grab a bite to eat.”
“We can go now. I’m not putting any more money into this damn machine,” he grumbled and turned away from the game.
“WHO WON THE race?” Dad asked biting into a thick slice of pizza.
“I did,” Travis bragged wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“That’s because you drive like your mother, and you cheat.” Dad said retorted.
“I told you,” I laughed.
“I do not,” Travis argued.
“Uh huh,” laughed Dad grabbing another slice. “I don’t remember the last time I had pizza, this is good.”
“Why don’t I order us another beer, Dad?” I asked getting up.
“Sounds great to me, I’ll take a Budweiser.”
“Travis can I get you chocolate milk, or would you prefer another cream soda?” I teased.
Travis grumbled, “Fuck off.” Which made dad and I both laugh.
I swigged back the last of my beer just as Dad asked, “Wanna talk about what happened at Haley’s earlier? I don’t like hearing what Mr. Johnson had to say when he called. I know I raised you better than that, Bentley.”
“Dad, I don’t even know what happened, or what even came over me. Things were coming out of my mouth before I even had a chance to think.”
“I’m guess’n, you hurt her feelings quite a bit, Bentley.”
“I know,” I answered shamefully.
“How are you going to fix it?” asked Travis.
“I’m not sure. I said some pretty low things to her today.”
“Bentley, what kind of father do you want to be?” Dad asked.
I sat back and thought about it for the first time. What kind of father did I want to be?
“I want to be a good role model for my kids, and have input in their lives. I want us to have a strong relationship and teach them the things about life to help them succeed. I also want to be their protector, and love them unconditionally. I want to be patient, playful, tell them corny jokes and be supportive. I want to be their best friend.”
“What kind husband do you want to be?”
“That’s easy. I want to be the person she can’t live without, and I want her to be the air I need to breathe. I want to start and end my day with my person. I want to be strong for both of us, love for both of us. I want us to be a team, working on life’s adventures together. I want to be supportive, loving, respectful, and patient. And of course I want great sex.” Travis snickered at the last part.
“Do you think Haley can give you all of those things, or at least support you in many of them?”
“Dad, Haley makes me want these things,” I answered honestly.
“I guess you have your answer to what you want, Bentley. The question is now, how are you going to get it?”
“I’d start with an apology and flowers,” said Travis.
“Thanks, Genius,” I rolled my eyes at him.
“And chocolate, the ladies love chocolate,” Dad laughed in agreement with my brother.
Shaking my head at them, I started clearing the table. “Curtis tells me you guys helped Haley move here.”
“We did,” Dad replied cautiously.
“Mom wouldn’t take no for an answer from Curtis. She and Maggie pretty much told him if he didn’t rent his house to Haley, he wasn’t allowed at the diner anymore or famil
y dinners,” said my brother.
“I see,” I said flatly, still not understanding why no one told me.
“Bentley, she has no family around to help her out. Her grandparents are too old, her father was on the other side of the world, and there was no way your mother would let her or her grandparents hire a moving company like they wanted,” Dad explained. “Especially, after Travis and Cullen offered their help.”
“Did the move go well?” I asked.
“Pretty much, expect for that neighbor…what was his name, Jerad? What a douche. He wore skinny jeans and a polo shirt. Who wears that shit?” laughed Travis.
“What’s he like?” I asked out of curiosity, knowing this was the neighbor Haley had told me about.
“Lazy,” Dad stated. “He didn’t even offer to pick up a box, or help move any furniture. He’s just talked to Haley and followed her around. Finally, after hours of hearing his annoying voice, he latched onto Carleigh.”
“Thank you for being there for her, I really appreciate it.”
I really meant what I said to them. Now that I understood the circumstances better, I felt like an even bigger ass. I had some big-time groveling to do.
IT’S BEEN THREE days since Mr. Johnson told Bentley to leave. I glanced out my classroom window and I wondered, not for the first time, if I should go to him. Lost deep into my thoughts, I didn’t hear Mike, a fourth grade teacher, enter until he started talking to me.
“Haley, are you all ready for parent-teacher night tomorrow?”
Startled, I placed my hand on my chest, “Crap on a cracker, you scared me, Mike.”
“Sorry,” he said sitting beside me in an empty student’s desk. “Where were you, just now?”
“Thinking.”
“Anything you want to talk about? I’m a good listener, you know. You can even ask my wife.”