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Sarah scoffs. “You must be joking. The whole lot of you are barely out of college. Your careers aren’t set. You still have your lives to live.”
“And you think having a child will destroy it?” Rachel asks, looking completely shocked. I watch her stroke her belly protectively.
“It will definitely make things difficult,” Sarah says, her gaze narrowing shrewdly on Rachel’s stomach. “You should listen to me, Rachel. Adoption is the best way. It’s the mature thing to do.”
My heart swells when Rachel shakes her head. Her back straightens and she stares her mother down, looking stronger than I have ever seen her. “No, Mom. It’s not the best thing for me to do. I have looked into my options, and I have decided I want this baby. I want a family with the men I love. And if you can’t accept that, then that is on you.”
“You are making a mistake—”
“I’m done discussing this,” Rachel says. She groans and presses her fingers into her temples. “I’ve already made up my mind.”
Sarah looks between me and Rachel, her lips parting, floundering for anything to say to change Rachel’s mind. She looks to me and says sharply, “You can’t seriously support her in this?”
Rachel looks to me, her gaze worried, and I instantly feel a stab of regret and guilt. Only days ago I was contemplating whether I should leave or stay. I was so upset she held this secret for me for so long. Even more upset about the fact I might be the father, knowing my own fatherly role models have been lacking. But in this moment, I know exactly what I want to say. I can feel it in my bones that Rachel is the woman for me. I know if we’re not together I am nothing—nothing without her by my side.
“Of course I support her,” I say while meeting Sarah’s gaze. “I love her, and I will stand by any choice she makes.”
“You can’t be serious!” Sarah shouts while stomping her foot.
“I am,” I say sternly, crossing my arms. “Now, Rachel doesn’t want to discuss this anymore. I think it’s best you be on your way.”
“No!”
I blink, watching Sarah stomp her foot again. She’s acting like a toddler having a tantrum about not getting her way.
“This is not how this is supposed to go!” Sarah shouts. “The whole lot of you are making a mistake and I refuse to leave until you see reason.”
“The fuck you are staying!” I shout, my hands fisting to contain my rage. “I don’t know if you know, so I will be kind enough to tell you: Rachel just got back from the hospital and needs her rest.”
The woman dares to look me straight in the eye and say, “Yes, I know. Preeclampsia. It happens to many first-time mothers. She will be fine.”
I don’t know whether to gape at the woman or go full rage mode. So, she knows Rachel has been unwell, and doesn’t care? How the fuck did Rachel grow up with this woman? Is her mother really that selfish?
All sounds leave my ears. I can barely feel my heart beating. My tongue is numb, yet something inside me takes over. I step to the side, my arm flying toward the door, pointing at it while I shout, “Out!”
“You can’t treat me like this!” Sarah cries. “I’m her mother!”
“You’re a piece of shit for all I care!” Okay, I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I can hardly think about the repercussions of my actions right now. “I want you out! Now! Before I call the cops.”
Sarah turns to Rachel, whose eyes are closed. Rachel is sitting on the bed, massaging her temples. She looks exhausted. What was supposed to be a happy day filled with presents and cak has turned into a shitstorm.
“Rachel, are you really going to let him speak to me like this?”
Rachel groans in response. Fuck. Is her blood pressure rising? I’m an idiot when it comes to the female body. It took me years to discover the clitoris. I have no understanding of pregnancies or all the complications, so, of course, I think of the worst-case scenario.
“Out!” I stomp around Sarah, making sure I don’t touch her so she can’t come back and say I got violent with her. “Out, right now!” I’m practically shoo-ing her out. I would feel bad, maybe, if Sarah wasn’t such a selfish bitch.
“I’m going! I’m going!” With one last dark scowl in Rachel’s direction, Sarah begins marching down the hallway toward the stairs. “I can’t believe you are throwing me out! This is absolutely ridiculous.”
“And I can’t believe you were shouting at your own daughter when she just came home from the hospital!”
Sarah scoffs as she runs down the stairs. “Bryan! We’re leaving.”
I stop at the bottom of the staircase, guarding it while I watch Bryan chase after Sarah.
“Really?” Bryan asks. “Already? Is everything okay?”
“No!” Sarah shouts while throwing open the door. She shoots me a dark glare as Bryan runs out the door and I watch her as she slams it shut.
