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I flinch at the accusation, but Pearl remains calm. She spreads her hands out on the table. "I won't lie, Aunt Delta. I'm still mad as a hornet at times," she admits. In the space her admission leaves, I feel a fresh pang of guilt. She shakes her head. "But anger's a luxury we don't have right now. And he's not just River, the man who made a mistake. He's also the father of my child. I think some space can be made for him at the table, regardless of whether or not he messed up."
Delta stares off into the distance for a minute. "Your child?" she repeats.
I nod, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavier over my shoulders.
Pearl reaches across the table, taking Delta's weathered hand in hers. "Yes, our baby. A little baby carrying your DNA. And we need to think about what kind of world we want to bring that baby into."
Delta's eyes shift between us. For a moment, there's silence except for the creaking of the old house settling. I can almost hear the gears turning in her head as she weighs her options. It’s her legacy against the raw deal life has handed her.
Delta nods slowly. The lines etched deep in her face seem to soften just a fraction. There's a flicker of something like understanding in her eyes. "I see," she murmurs.
It takes everything in me not to react. I just nod once.
Pearl clears her throat. Her eyes lock with mine for a brief second. She bites her lip for a second before saying more. "We would like our future children to know that they will always have a home here."
Delta lets out a long breath, the fight in her gaze softening. "I never had children of my own," she murmurs, almost to herself. "But I suppose it's time for the next generation to take the lead."
Tears glisten in Pearl's eyes as she stands and moves around the table. She wraps her arms around Delta in a fierce hug. "I love you, Auntie."
I watch the two women. Feeling like an intruder on a private moment, yet also part of something much larger than myself.
Pearl turns to her great aunt with a plea shining in her eyes. "River has a plan, Auntie. He's willing to clear the property tax debt. The whole seventy-five grand of it."
"Seventy-five thousand dollars..." Delta repeats the sum like she's tasting each syllable, bitter and sweet at the same time. "All right," she finally says, her voice carrying the weight of generations. "Let's do this."
Relief floods through me, swift and sweet, but I mask it with a nod, playing it cool. "I'll take care of the payment right away. You'll have the IRS off your back by sundown."
"Thank you, River," Delta says, and there's no mistaking the gratitude in her tone. It's a new chord in the symphony of our complicated relationship, one I hope to nurture.
"Always," I swear. “We’re family now.”
"And always take care of Pearl," Delta commands, her gaze piercing into mine.
"Nothing is more important to me," I swear, my voice unwavering. "Delta, I know you have every reason not to trust me. But I love Pearl. You can always trust that I will do whatever I can do to make her happy. Listen, I messed up royally here. You have my permission to kick my ass every other Thursday for the next five years because of it. "
Delta picks up the check, her fingers brushing against mine. Her eyes linger on my face for a heartbeat longer than necessary. "You're a good man, River Taylor," she acknowledges. The corners of her mouth lift into a semblance of a smile. It's not quite warmth that passes between us, but it's close enough to respect.
"Now, what are y'all planning on naming this little one?" Her eyes flicker to Pearl’s still-flat belly, where our future kid sleeps.
"We haven't decided yet," I admit. The words come tumbling from my lips as my hand instinctively moves pat Pearl’s stomach.
Pearl shoots me a look and I ease my hand away from her stomach, sliding it around her waist instead. She flashes me a quick smile of appreciation.
"Delta's a strong name," Delta suggests, a mischievous twinkle lighting her eyes. "Just saying."
A chuckle escapes me, warm and genuine, as I glance at Pearl.
"Maybe.”
She leans in to kiss me and all thoughts of naming the baby vanish in a puff of smoke.
Forty-Six
River
My heels dig into the cool sand, anchoring me as if I'm bracing against a storm that's yet to come. The ocean breeze tugs the hem of my slacks. The scent of salt is heavy in the air. My pulse thrums through my veins. It’s a relentless beat that wars with the restless shushing of the ocean.
"Easy, River," I mutter to myself. I scan the horizon where blue sky meets a deeper blue sea. The families from our two worlds are about to collide. A billionaire playboy turned hopeless romantic, waiting for a very practical diner waitress.
