Page 118 of Fierce-Baker

“I need to tell my parents,” she said.

“I can be there with you for that. If it will make it easier.”

“I should do it alone, but honestly”—she sniffled again, a few tears landing on his shirt—“I don’t want to be alone.”

“You won’t be,” he said, kissing her on the forehead. “I’m not going anywhere.”

35

READY FOR A CONFESSION

“What was so important that we had to come over today?” her mother asked the next day.

Micah was napping and she’d planned it this way on purpose.

She knew if she brought her son to her parents’ house, he’d want to be entertained. He’d be a distraction when she was ready for a confession.

“I need to talk to you both. Micah is napping. He just went down. It will give us some time.” She took a steadying breath. “No one is sick. Don’t worry about that.”

She could see the fear in their eyes. “I’m glad to hear that,” her father said. “But the way you’re wringing your hands tells me it’s not going to be good news.”

“I don’t know what kind of news it is, but not good,” she said. She turned to look at Baker next to her on the couch.

That was what a loving, caring, strong partner did.

He didn’t flinch when you fell apart.

He held you while you cried. Wiped away the tears you couldn’t stop. Let you break without trying to fix you.

And when the storm passed, when you could finally breathe again, he looked you in the eye and said clearly, firmly, and without hesitation, that he wasn’t going anywhere.

He was standing by you. That he had you.

She threaded her fingers through Baker’s and held on. Because she needed that anchor.

She needed his strength and support.

“Are you pregnant?” her mother blurted out.

“God, no,” she said. That was all she needed right now. “I’m going to tell you about Micah’s father.”

“Oh.” Her mother’s face said it all.

The shock. The questions. The concerns.

“Why now?” her father asked.

“I’m going to cut to the chase first. I never told Micah’s father I was pregnant. He didn’t know.”

Her mother’s mouth opened. “Tasha. How could you not tell someone they were expecting a child?”

“Mom,” she said. “I need to tell it all to you.”

“You don’t look surprised, Baker,” her father said. “Did you know this?”

“I’ve known about Micah’s father for a while.”

Her parents exchanged glances. Part hurt, part confusion.