Page 5 of The Logic of Loyalty

10 Years Ago

“I’m pregnant.”

Paige’s sweet voice echoes through my mind as I walk to Carter’s after school the next day. My love is staying back to tutor some kids for a little extra cash, and I have some plans to put in place.

I’m going to be a dad. Paige will be a mother. She will be my wife.

I walk faster, and Carter starts jogging to keep up with me, which is hilarious ’cause the guy is taller than me.

“Dude, slow your roll. What are you doing?”

I slow down. I think. “I need to talk to your parents.”

“Lyle and Loretta?”

He finally catches up with me. “Yes. It’s so weird that you refer to them that way.”

“Dude, you do the same with your parents.”

Fair point. “Okay, whatever. Yes. I need to talk to them.”

“Okay, man. They should be home.” He’s huffing and puffing by me as we continue to move quickly to his house.

I clamber up the front steps and bang through the door without knocking. It’s basically my second home. Well, it’s basically home.

“Carter, you better remember to shut the door behind you!” Momma Stewart chastises from the living room.

I pop in and announce myself with a simple, “Hey, Momma S!”

A giant grin spreads across her face. “Oh, Trevor! It’s so good to see you. Come here.” I walk to her so she can smother me with a hug and a gross smooch on the cheek.

“What’s the occasion? You almost always sneak past me and straight to the backyard, where Lyle and the cars are.”

My chest gets tight at the reason I’m here, and sweat builds along my temples. I know I want to talk to them, but suddenly, unease over even the possibility of disappointing them fills my lungs. I already know my parents will react horribly, but not knowing Carter’s parents’ response is making my vision blur with the anxiety of it all.

“Umm … Uh.” I sneak a look at Carter, who just came in behind me.

“Carter, love, run to the back to get your dad real quick, please,” my tiny hero, disguised as a middle-aged woman, says.

“Yeah, Momma,” Carter responds before scampering off.

“What’s going on inside that brilliant mind of yours, Trevor? You look like you’re trying to do calculus, physics, and some other kind of complicated math in there right now.” She pats the spot on the couch next to her, but I shake my head and start to pace instead. Then, she begins to pat the seat a little harder, so I sit down.

Don’t fuck with Momma Stewart.

“What’s going on, Trev?” She puts her hand on mine and gives it a squeeze. I keep my head down, take a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“I-I-I.” I swallow and try again. “I’m g-going to be a dad.”

I feel her freeze next to me for a brief moment before she relaxes her hold. “And how do we feel about this news?”

I don’t even have to hesitate. “I feel excited, proud, terrified.”

At Loretta’s audible inhale, I finally meet her eyes, and the look in them is clear, compassionate, and caring. Everything a mother should show.

Exactly the kind of mother Paige will be.

“That’s incredible, Trevor.” She pauses and looks terrifying for a moment. “We are talking about Paige?”