Shifting the car in park, I crank the heat up before turning to face her. A blank stare holds to her face as she looks aimlessly out the window. I place a hand on her shoulder. “Willa. Talk to me.” Her body trembles as she jerks away out of fear. “What’s wrong? Why are you so jumpy?”
“I just have to go.”
“What about school? What about the play?”
“Madison can have the part. It’ll make her happy. As for school, I’ll finish up online once the baby is born. I’ll be ok.” She places a hand on her stomach then turns to look at me. “I’ll take good care of her, I promise.”
I shake my head in confusion. “Her?”
A smile grows on her face, raising the cheekbones on her pear-shaped face. “Yeah, I think it’s a girl.”
“A girl, huh?” I drop back into the seat with an audible breath. “I’m not sure I’m ready for a daughter. A son, maybe. But, how do I raise a girl knowing there are men like me out there?”
That smile she wears so well quickly fades, shooting an aching sensation into my chest. “You don’t.”
“I don’t?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “Haven’t you been listening to me. I’m leaving.” Suddenly she begins laughing, but it’s forced. “This is your out, Lars. Take it. Trust me, you don’t want a baby.”
I slap my hands to the steering wheel. “Damnit, Willa. I don’t know what the fuck to do.”
“Take my offer. Please. You’ll never have to see me again.” Her phone begins buzzing in the pocket of her oversized hoodie. Pulling it out, she glances at me. “I don’t know who this is.”
I stretch over to look at the screen. “Is someone calling?”
“No. It’s a text message with a recording.”
“Well, press play.”
We both look at each other when music begins playing. Familiar music. A lullaby.
Rock a bye baby.
The melody stops and a robotic voice cuts in, “and down will come Willa, baby and all.”
The phone flies out of her hand, hitting the dash and dropping to the floorboard. “What was that?” She looks at me with wide eyes and an undeniable fear.
“I have no fucking idea,” I tell her, and it’s the truth.
“Who did you tell?”
“No one. I haven’t told anyone.”
“Liar,” she screams, showing me a side of her that I’ve never seen before. “You’re lying. Who did you tell?” Breaking into hysterics, she begins shaking uncontrollably. “Who did you tell, Lars?”
I place a calming hand on her arm, but she slaps it away. “I didn’t tell anyone. I swear to God, Willa.”
Her head lifts slowly and her jaw clamps firmly. “You don’t even believe in God. Now tell me who you told.”
I have no fucking idea what is going on. I didn’t tell a soul about the baby. Hell, I’ve barely even convinced myself that it’s true.
When I don’t respond, she begins fidgeting with the door. Once it’s open, I jump out the driver’s side and race over to her. Grabbing her by the shoulders, I look into her eyes. “Willa. I swear to you, I didn’t tell anyone.”
“Someone knows. No one is supposed to know. This has to be the person who’s been showing up at my house. Someone has been watching me, I can feel it.”
“What about Vi? You said she bought the tests. Would she tell anyone?”
Her head shakes as she digs into her shirt, pulling out the cross attached to her chain necklace. She rubs it aggressively between his thumb and forefinger. “No, she wouldn’t tell anyone. I don’t think so anyways.”
“Well, apparently she did, because I sure as hell didn’t.”
“I have to go now. Give me the money, Lars.” She holds out her hand like I’m expected to just pull a few grand out of my pocket and say, ‘good riddance.’
“I don’t have that kind of money on me. Not enough to make sure you’re set for a while.”
“Forever,” she says. I question her with a cocked brow. “Not awhile. Forever. I need enough to stay away forever. This is just as much your baby as it is mine. We deserve your financial support since you won’t be helping in other ways.”
“Yeah, well you’re the one making that call. I never said I wouldn’t help take care of the baby. You made my mind up for me.” I cross my arms over my chest and steel my back. “Besides, I’m still not even sure it’s mine.”
“Seriously.” She shoves me so hard in the chest that I stumble back and my feet tangle in a bundle of tumbleweed. Catching my fall, I tear it off my foot. She shoves me again. “You think I’m making this up?” And again. “You think I wanna have a baby with you? I hate you, Lars Titan. You made my life miserable. I wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for you and your friends.” And again. Only this time, I don’t move. This time I grab ahold of her as angry tears continue to spill down her face.
“Stop.” I pull her to my chest. “Just fucking stop. I know you hate me. I know I screwed up. If I could take it back, I would.” Her forehead rests on my shoulder and my hand ghosts her head before finally dropping and stroking her soft hair. “I’m sorry.”
“How long until you can have the money?” she says in a placid tone as she sulks into the collar of my shirt.
“Give me a week.” My eyes close and I inhale the sweet scent of her honeydew hair.
“I can’t wait that long, Lars. I have to leave before anyone else finds out—before Rick finds out.”
I’m not sure why I feel this
