As Ken walked out of his house, his dad’s truck pulled up in the driveway. Brilliant orange and yellow dawn had just cracked in the sky, and the birds danced through the trees, singing loudly for all to hear.
Ken walked out from under the trees to a patch of grass on the side of the house and set down his water bottle and towel. As he kicked his shoes off, his dad approached. He wore the pants from a Korean taekwondo uniform and a black T-shirt.
“Morning.”
“Morning, Daddy. You’re out early.”
“Yep.” He kicked the sliders off his feet. “Thought I’d work out with you.”
They warmed up by going through taekwondo forms. His father had earned his first black belt about a year after his sons had. After about half an hour of forms, they turned and faced each other and began sparring in choreographed movements.
As Ken landed on the hard ground, his feet swept out from under him and his chest aching from the clap of his dad’s forearm, he looked up at him and said, “I didn’t ask for advice.”
He took the offered hand and raised himself up. Philip replied, “I didn’t give you any.”
Ken held the bottle of water out and his father took it. He slipped his shoes back onto his feet and headed back toward the house. “How about an opinion?”
With a chuckle, his dad said, “Son, there’s a saying about opinions. But I won’t darken this beautiful morning with coarse talk. In my opinion, I have your back. Whatever you need.”
They walked into the dim interior. Philip looked around as Ken went to the makeshift kitchen area and pulled another bottle of water out of the dorm fridge plugged into the corner. After downing half of it, he rinsed two mugs out in the portable sink and splashed coffee into each of them.
“Drywall’s looking good.”
“The original plan was weird. I rerouted some of the rooms.” He showed his father the evidence of the old framing and explained how he’d expanded the kitchen and recovered some wasted space.
Ken gestured toward the kitchen space. “A lot of these modern homes have kitchens that are too small to handle the families that would live in houses this size. I’ve never understood that.”
“Can’t wait to see it when you finish.” His dad accepted the coffee mug from him, and they headed back outside. Soon they sat in the very same chairs he’d shared with his mom yesterday.
His father had not asked him a single question, nor had he intruded on his thoughts. The birds sang loudly in the trees. Ken listened to the silence between him and his dad and decided to continue to contribute to it. He wondered what the older man didn’t say in the midst of the quiet.
He had maybe one sip of coffee remaining in his cup when he realized his father didn’t plan to initiate any kind of conversation with him. Ken decided to go ahead and cut to the chase. “If Daisy lets me stay in her life, her baby becomes mine. Boy or girl. White, black, brown, or purple. Don’t care.”
Philip took a sip of the coffee and slowly nodded. “Exactly.”
Ken understood that to mean that his mom and dad would also see that baby as his. He knew his brothers would, too. He just needed Daisy to see it that way. “She asked me to think and pray for a day, so I did. I’m going over there this morning.”
“Think she’ll have you?”
Did he? Could he contemplate the alternative? “I think it’s God’s plan. My faith needs to be in Him. If I believe her faith is in Him as well, then I shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”
His father downed his coffee then stared off in the direction of the rising sun. “You’ve always been the quiet one, Ken.”
Unsurprisingly, Ken didn’t make a response. His father continued, “You love her. Maybe that surprises you. Maybe not. But the way you look right now is the way I looked the second I first saw your mother. I was not a man worthy of her at that time. I was just a shadow.”
Ken turned to look at his father, trying to imagine him as a young man, a man unworthy of the love of Rosaline. His father continued, “But she loved me, son. Rosie realized that if all I showed the world was a shadow, something had to have cast that shadow. She looked beyond that darkness and found the man who cast the shadow. She loved me, and it brought me back to the man I once was. I’d like to think I’m a better man because of her than I ever would have been alone.”
Ken nodded, though he didn’t really understand. His father recognized it and explained, “You’ve always been the quiet one, son. It may be time for you to speak up. Get her to look past the present shadow and see what heights you might reach together.”
To any outside observer, Ken may as well have been a statue. He neither moved nor reacted. After perhaps five seconds, he nodded just once and quietly said, “Thanks, Dad.”
Philip reached over and slapped Ken’s shoulder with his big hand. He squeezed and shook him affectionately. “Keep us updated.”
Ken sat in silence until he finished his coffee, and his dad stood. “We’re having a cookout after the game Saturday. Reckon you’ll be working here for most of the day, but if you come over around five, you can help me on the grill.”
Ken nodded. “We’ll see what the day brings.”
His father didn’t say goodbye. He handed Ken his empty mug and headed to his truck. Seconds later, Ken heard the truck door slam and the crunch of tires on the gravel drive.
Daisy sat at her table and stared at the steam dancing above her cup of tea. She tried not to obsess too much about the morning’s lateness and the fact that Ken hadn’t come by this morning. Honestly, she hadn’t believed he would. As every second ticked by, though, she realized how much she had hoped to be wrong.
Just as she got up to rinse her breakfast dishes, she heard the slam of his truck door in her driveway. She had the front door open before he could even ring the bell.
“I didn’t think you’d come.”
He stepped inside as she stepped to the side. “I had no reason not to come back. I’m not the one who suggested I leave in the first place.”
He smelled like fresh spicy soap and aftershave. She wanted to step closer to him and let him wrap his strong arms around her, but he slipped his hands into his pockets and stood next to her couch.
“Would you like some tea?”
“No, thanks. Listen, I did exactly what you asked me to do. My opinion and thoughts about the subject haven’t changed.”
Her heart leaped at his words. “You seriously don’t have a problem with the fact that I’m pregnant by another man?”
She watched the emotions danced across his eyes, but his expression stayed very mild. “I have a problem with the fact that a man hurt you. That he lied to you and used you, then discarded you. What if I met you and you already had a kid from another man? Is that supposed to change the way that I feel about you? Because I don’t think it would.”
She clasped her hands together so that he couldn’t see how much they shook. “I don’t know what the next few months are going to do to my body.” Her breath hitched. “I’m going to get fat…”
His eyes flashed, and he grimaced. “So now you’re adding shallow to my list of attributes?”
She gasped. “No! I think if I was having your baby, the things my body was going to go through would be things we would anticipate and celebrate. But that isn’t the case. What if you start resenting the baby? What if…”
Ken scrubbed his face with his hands, and his voice impatiently snapped. “Daisy! Why would I resent an innocent child?” When Daisy jumped in startlement at his near shout, he lowered his voice. “Why would I have a problem with your body changing while you nurture a living human being? I don’t even understand what you’re saying.”
She felt foolish. Heat flooded her face, and she wiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks. “Me either. I don’t think I’m handling this well.”
He stepped closer and cupped her wet cheeks with his hands. “Daisy, listen to me. I am in. This is me saying I’m in.”
She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest. “People are going to think it’s your baby.”
She felt his chuckle almost more than she heard it. “Daisy? I never once cared what people think.”
Finally, he put his arms around her, and they stood like that for several moments. The stress and anxiety she’d carried since the moment he asked her to dinner the first time slowly seeped out of her. She didn’t even realize how much she’d clung to it until it faded away. “I guess we both have to go to work now.”
“I reckon so.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and stepped back. “How about we have dinner tonight or tomorrow?”
“I can’t. I’m going with my parents overnight to my cousin’s Quinceañera down in Columbus, remember?” She wanted to see him this weekend, though. She swallowed the invitation to have him go with her and instead said, “How about Sunday?”
“Sure. Want to go to church with me Sunday? I’m on the agenda to speak about the Labor Day house. Thought you’d like to be there.”
“Uh, yeah. I can do that.” She tried to think if anything required her presence at her church on Sunday, but nothing came to mind. “What time?”
“Ten. Pick you up at nine-thirty?” He looked at his watch. “Better get going. I have to cross town, and traffic was already bad getting here.” He cupped her cheek and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Have a good trip and enjoy your family. I’ll see you later.”
After he left, she went up to her room and looked in the full-length mirror behind her door. She lifted her shirt and turned sideways. She had just passed eleven weeks, more than one-fourth of the way through her pregnancy, and still could only see subtle changes in her body. Her waist had thickened, her breasts had gotten fuller, but her clothes still fit.
She grabbed her overnight bag and headed back downstairs. She’d go to her parents’ house and tell them now. Putting it off any longer would only make it worse. It might ruin their trip this weekend, but the stress of not telling them would as well.
It didn’t take long to drive to their house. She knew her dad stayed home from work today because they wanted to leave right after lunch. She walked into the back door and found them both at the table, coffee cups steaming. The kitchen smelled like toasted bread and oatmeal.
“Daisy! We didn’t expect you so early,” her mom said, smiling as she stood and walked toward her. “What a pleasant surprise. Have you eaten?”
“I have Mamá.” She hugged her, then went to her dad, bending and kissing his cheek. “Hi, Papi.”
“Niña.” He set his paper down and slipped his glasses off his face. “How are you?”
“Good. I’m…” Her mom picked up her cup and took a careful sip. Daisy looked from her father to her mother and blurted out, “I’m pregnant.”
For a moment, no one moved. The cup stayed suspended halfway between her mom’s mouth and the table. Her father stared at her, his hand resting on top of the folded paper. Finally, he spoke. “I see.” He sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin with his finger. “I’m a little disappointed. Ken has always struck me as a most responsible man. A man of character. I didn’t think there was any cause for concern.”
Daisy’s mouth dropped open. He talked like they were teenagers. “Papi, Ken is not the father.”
Her mom frowned. “I don’t understand.”
She had to swallow past the humiliation that stuck the words in her throat. “The father knows and isn’t interested. He’s signed over all parental rights to me.”
“No. That’s not right.” Her dad shook his head. “A man—”
“A man who is already married isn’t going to leave his highly successful and beautiful wife for the pregnant woman he had on the side, Papi.” The shattered silence brought to light how callously she handled this conversation. “Obviously, I didn’t know he was married,” she murmured. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she impatiently swiped it away. “I told Ken yesterday. He said he loves me and still wants to be with me. Ken is everything you thought he was.”
“I am not surprised.”
“But will he marry you?” her mom demanded.
Daisy shrugged. “How should I know? Now isn’t really the best time to be talking about something like that.”
Her mom raised an eyebrow. “I think now is the perfect time to be talking about it.”
She frowned and shook her head. “Why should he rush into a decision to cover someone else’s mistakes? Even if he offered—and he didn’t—I think I’d turn him down.”
Her father rubbed his forehead in slow, weary movements. “Daisy, I’m not sure that’s the right decision.”
With a heavy sigh, Daisy said, “Well, Papi, I respect that. But whether you think so or not, it’s my decision. I know in my heart that I love Ken Dixon and want to be with him for the rest of my life. Let’s see how he feels after the baby.”
“When are you due?” her mom asked, tears in her eyes.
“February twenty-sixth. I’m about a quarter of the way there.”
They sat silent for several moments. Tension hung in the air like a cloud. Finally, her mom reached out and took her hand. “How about we pray together? I think that’s just what we need.”
Her dad slowly raised his head. She searched his eyes, seeking any indication as to what he felt right now. She got disappointment, but not condemnation nor anger. “I’m really sorry,” Daisy said in a wobbly voice.
“Daisy, all of us have failed God in some way. I would not even begin to piously judge you. I can only love you and support you and tell you that if you need anything, we are here.” He held a hand out, and she placed hers in his. He sandwiched her hand with both of his. “I’ve never been unmarried and pregnant, so I can’t give you empathy, but I can give you my shoulder, and I’m ready with advice whenever you ask.”
She bowed her head and rested her forehead on the back of his hand. “Thank you, Papi,” she whispered.