Page 79 of What I Needed

“Hey.”

“Hey. You good?”

“Yeah. Rivvy and I just came inside from a walk.”

She turned the camera around toward Riverlynn, who was still in her stroller.

“Hey, baby girl! You miss Daddy?”

She squealed, clapped her hands, then reached for the phone. Seconds later, Erissa’s face was on the screen again.

“How was your flight?” she asked.

“It was good. I slept for most of it. I’m actually still kinda tired, so when we get off the phone, I’m ordering room service and chilling for the rest of the night.”

“Good. Shakira’s on her way over now. We’ll probably watch movies and talk until we fall asleep.”

“At least you’ll be distracted and not thinking about me.”

“Maybe.”

I pulled my toiletry bag from my duffel bag, took it into the bathroom, and placed it on the counter.

“What are y’all having for dinner?” I asked.

“Since you’re not here, I’m having deep dish pizza.”

“Damn. That sounds good. I’m looking at the menu for the restaurant downstairs, and nothing sounds as good.”

“I thought you said Chicago had the best food in the nation.”

“We do. I just can’t indulge the way I want. I’m an all-or-nothing kinda guy. I won’t just eat one slice of pizza. Before I know it, four slices will be gone. I don’t even want to tempt myself.”

“You have no willpower.”

“Not for you or good food. I’ll call you before I lay it down for the night. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Her face disappeared from my screen, and I tossed my phone on the bed. Something was definitely up with her, but whether or not it was a pregnancy remained to be seen. I’d give her a few days to confess before I asked her about it.

I ordered a turkey BLT sandwich and a side salad for dinner, and when I finished eating, I prepared to shower. I stripped out of my clothes and went to the bathroom. After turning on the shower, I reached inside my toiletry bag for my toothbrush and toothpaste.

What I thought was my toothbrush turned out to be something totally different. I looked at it closely to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me.

“Pregnant.”

Erissa was pregnant, and instead of telling me, she put the pregnancy test in a clear sandwich bag and put it in my toiletry bag. I stared at the test and smiled, wondering why she was afraid to tell me. I decided to wait until after I showered to call her.

Ten minutes later, I rushed out of the bathroom to answer my ringing phone, and my mother’s name and picture were on my screen. I didn’t plan to tell her until after I talked to Erissa, but there was no way I’d be able to keep this from her.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Hello, Son. You ready for tomorrow?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“I’m always so torn when you play Chicago. You know this⁠—”