Page 19 of Ship Happens

He just had to leave Owen behind to take it.

Owen’s not even really angry at him for it. At least one of them had the courage to finally go for the thing they’ve always wanted.

“Are you sure you even want me there?” Owen asks her genuinely. “Even if Jacob and I don’t argue, I’m not sure how much fun I’ll be. You know I don’t like to leave my bubble.” He says the words with humor, but they’re true.

“It wouldn’t be right without you there,” she tells him, and he believes her. “I can’t speak for Jacob, but I want you there. So does Abigail. Kevin too, I bet. And are you really going to let your ex keep you from going on a free vacation?”

Owen feigns a smile.

“Come on! I’m like five weeks pregnant, I’m about to have to stop my entire life to help take care of some crying sack of vomit and blubber for eighteen whole years.”

“Abigail’s more self-sufficient than that,” he jokes. “Give her some credit.”

Kaitlyn snorts before she amends, “I’m about to have to take care of two crying sacks of vomit and blubber. And she’ll no doubt be spoiled by her four uncles who won’t be able to say no to her.”

He hates that he’s imagining being a part of this unborn baby’s life for the first time. Abandonment just always felt like the most expected outcome. But of course Kaitlyn and Abigail would want him there.

“Do you think it’s more about the traveling? Or is it really being with Jacob for a whole week?”

Both, Owen thinks. But one of them is weighing on him more than the other, certainly.

“Wanna know what I think?” Kaitlyn offers when Owen doesn’t reply.

“You’re going to tell me anyway,” Owen replies.

“True!” Kaitlyn scoots even closer to Owen, like that was even possible. “You’re both going to be a part of this kid’s life. And mine, and Abby’s. And I think that it could be beneficial to the both of you to maybe . . . I don’t know, work things out? At the very least, be . . . friendly with each other.”

She’s right. As badly as Owen doesn’t want to admit it, she is. If he wants to maintain his relationship with Kaitlyn and Abigail, if he wants to be the fun guncle who gets to babysit and give this kid too much sugar and teach them swear words, then he’ll have to be around Jacob. There’s no way to avoid it. Even if Jacob keeps moving from place to place for the rest of his life, he’ll come back to see this child. He’ll want to be a part of its life.

Owen’s the only real variable. Just like always.

Kaitlyn sighs, standing and stepping off the stoop. “Come on,” she says, motioning with her head.

“Where are we going?”

“Buck’s.”

“You want donuts at three in the morning?”

She cocks an eyebrow. “Where the hell else are we supposed to get donuts at three in the morning?”

“I could make them?” Owen offers, but she ignores him, continuing down the sidewalk like she expects Owen to just follow her. So he does.

It’s a short four-block walk to the corner of Haight and Central, where Buck’s Donuts sits open twenty-four hours a day. Owen and Kaitlyn found the place after they first moved in together, when Owen’s anxiety over his apprenticeship and studying for his certification tests blended perfectly with Kaitlyn’s late-night studying habits.

“I still can’t believe you managed to keep the secret,” he says to her, hoping that she won’t mind the change in subject. “You’re lucky I already had the needle container for my meds.”

“Yeah, I was praying you wouldn’t notice that I was using it.” Kaitlyn winces. “Sorry about that. I’ll pay you back for the Band-Aids I stole.”

“Have you thought about names yet?” Owen asks.

“Nah, we’re too far away to think about that right now.”

He eyes her suspiciously. “I find that extremely hard to believe.”

“Okay, but . . .” She looks down at her stomach, though there isn’t anything to see yet. “You can’t tell anyone.”

Owen holds out his pinky for her to take.