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“Hi.” She smiled nervously. “Sorry to just show up like this. But I was wondering if we could talk.”
“Um, actually now is not a good time.” I glanced over my shoulder.
“It will only take a minute. Please? I wouldn’t ask but it’s important.”
“Sure. Come in.” I opened the door.
She walked in and stood in the entryway and took a deep breath. I figured I should probably tell her that I was seeing someone and that that someone was upstairs.
“Just to let you know—”
“I know it’s been—”
We both spoke at the same time, then chuckled.
“Lady’s first,” I prompted.
“Um, I was just saying that I know it’s been a while. I didn’t come down last year because I had a baby.”
“Congratulations!” Marissa and I had never discussed kids or marriage or anything, but I was genuinely happy for her.
“Yeah, the guy that I was seeing, Craig, I don’t know if you remember me talking about him.”
I didn’t but I nodded anyway.
“Well, I found out I was pregnant, and we got married.”
I waited, wondering what this had to do with me.
“I always knew there was a chance that it wasn’t his, and he did too. He said he didn’t care, and he would raise her no matter what. I thought it would be fine, and at first it was, but I don’t know. Every month that passed, that she got older, I just couldn’t help but feeling like I needed to know the truth. That she deserved the truth. So last month Craig took a paternity test and it turns out he’s not her father. I think he was upset that I forced the test, and we’re not together anymore.” She took another deep breath. “The only other person I had been with is you. Obviously, I know this is a shock and if you want to take time to decide what you want to do, I totally understand. But I have a test with me.” She dug into her purse and pulled out the same kind of envelope that Cheyenne had carried with her to find out who her father was and handed it to me. “Amelia’s swab is done. All you have to do is swab the inside of your cheek, and then send this to the lab. If you take the test and…you know…I can take a little more time off and stay in town for a week, if you want to see her. My sister is with me. That’s who has her now. We’re staying at the boarding house. But you have my number. Or, at least, I gave my number to that guy Billy at the bar. Anyway, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have it. All my information is in there.” She motioned to the envelope that she’d handed me.
She was talking so fast, and I was trying to pay attention, but it was a lot to take in.
“It’s a girl?”
“Yes. It’s a girl.”
The stairs creaked behind me and Marissa’s eyes widened as she looked over my shoulder.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you had company. Um, I was just…yeah. I’ll just leave. I’m so sorry to intrude. Um, you have my information.” She grabbed the door and was gone before I could say anything.
“Cash?” Cheyenne’s voice was barely above a whisper.
I turned around and when I saw the look on her face, my heart dropped. I would rather die than hurt her, but this wasn’t something that I could protect her from. “We need to talk.”
