Chapter 5

 

 

I wasn’t sure if there were always extremely happy families everywhere, or if I was just noticing them now. Whatever it was, it seemed like everywhere I went, I saw a mom and dad doting over their children.

They would look at each other with admiration, practically cooing at each other like lovestruck doves. I hated them. Okay, that was probably harsh. More accurately, I wanted what they had. I didn’t want to be carrying my groceries home by myself as I struggled to work out what the hell I was going to do. Which is exactly what I was doing.

By the time I got to my apartment, I was ready for a nap. At least there was one good thing about having a bun in the oven – I could blame the pregnancy for being lazy.

I turned the last corridor and stopped in my tracks. Brady and Robert were standing at my front door. And they looked like they had been there for a while. I felt the urge to turn away and run. I would have, if they hadn’t seen me.

“Caroline!” Brady said, racing over to take my groceries from me. I let him take half as Robert took the other bags.

“You shouldn’t carry heavy weights in your condition,” Robert scalded. I was still too shocked to speak, my worlds were colliding and I had no idea what they had talked about before I arrived.

I rifled around in my handbag for the keys and opened the door. Both of my baby-daddies followed me in and placed the shopping bags on the counter.

“I’ll help you put things away,” Brady offered. He started taking my groceries out of the bags and opening cupboards.

Robert did the same. “I can do this.” As he moved, he asked, “How are you feeling, Caroline? Did you get those vitamins I told you about?”

Brady stopped, a tin of carrots in his hand. “Wait, how did you say you knew Caroline?”

“I’m her… boyfriend.”

“I thought you were her boss or something. You didn’t say that outside.”

Robert stopped to stare at him. “I don’t go around telling strangers my relationship status. How do you know her?”

Brady ignored the question while I held my breath. “You’re the other potential father?” Oh my God, I was seriously about to have a heart attack. I should have said something, what was I supposed to say?

“What do you mean other potential father? I am the father,” Robert replied. They both had a canned good in their hands, a potential weapon if ever I saw one.

Brady looked at me. “He doesn’t know?”

The floor never swallowed you up when you wanted it to. “Uh, Robert, meet Brady. Brady, this is Robert. There may have been some overlap while seeing you both. So, uh, yeah, you both might be the father. I’m really sorry.”

Robert’s mouth hung open. “But you said-”

“I failed to mention it. I’m so sorry, Robert. I didn’t mean for you to find out this way.”

“You lied to me? When were you going to tell me?”

“Chill out, dude,” Brady interjected. “We can be civil about this. They can do a test to see which of us is the lucky winner.”

Proving that I was completely right about keeping them separate, chaos suddenly erupted in my tiny kitchen. Brady and Robert started arguing – loudly.

“You lay another finger on my girlfriend and I will kill you,” Robert said through gritted teeth.

“I can do whatever I like,” Brady shot back. It only spiraled downward from there. I stepped back, trying to think of a way to undo some of the damage I had caused. My mind kept drawing a blank. All I could think of was how small the kitchen was with my entire world stuffed into it.

I staggered back until I found a seat, suddenly needing to sit down. Something didn’t feel right, my head swam as everything spun around me. I was either tripping out or about to faint. I didn’t like either option.

Before I knew it, Brady’s concerned face was in front of me. “Care, are you okay? Look at me.” My eyes flicked up to meet his, they were so black and deep. I tried to focus on them as I took a few deep breaths.

“Look what you’ve done to her,” Robert spat out.

Brady ignored him. “Care, you want to lie down?” I nodded, getting out of the kitchen seemed like a good idea. Anything to stop the world spinning around me.

He helped me into the bedroom, Robert at our heels, and lowered me onto the bed. I rested my head against the pillow and took a few breaths. My eyes closed as I drowned everything out.

My apartment grew silent as the front door slammed closed. Someone was still sitting at the end of my bed, I wasn’t sure who it was or who I wanted it to be. There was only one person responsible enough to stay and that was Robert.

I opened one eye. It was Brady. Perhaps I was still hallucinating? I closed my eyes again and drifted off to a chaotic sleep.