Curves in the Road (The Southern Devotion Series Book 2) (9 page)

We placed the smoothies on the coffee table then grabbed our snack foods, popcorn and pretzel M&M's for the perfect sweet and salty combination.

When we had taken our seats, and before pushing Play on the DVD player, I asked, "Did you make a decision about moving?" 

Before he could give
me a response, my phone rang. "It's Gracie. I don't think I can talk to her right now."

"Hello?" Tristan answered the phone for me instead. "Um, yeah Gracie she's here but she isn't really feeling up to talking. Can I have her call you later?"  Tristan listened for a moment, then closed his eyes pressed his index finger and thumb against the bridge of his nose and replied, "I'm so sorry. I can tell her or I can let you.  Sure, sweetie. I'll tel
l her and we'll call you back."

"Wha
t's wrong? Is it Ashton? Autumn?" I was panicking quickly wondering what could have made Tristan look so serious after such a short conversation.

He grabbed my shoul
ders, "No MJ, calm down. It's Ashton's father, he was killed in a car accident tonight."

Ashton's father meant Derrick's father and I made that connection immediately.

"Gracie said Ashton called her from Derrick's house a moment ago. Apparently he gave him the news and Derrick didn’t react at all. She said he's in complete disbelief. She wanted you to call him."

Wiping my eyes, I stood up, straightened my clothes and marched off to the bedroom yelling behind me, "I'll do better than that." Tristan followed me into the bedroom where I'd already begun packing my bags.
He called around for flights before we found out that my doctor said I couldn't fly due to my condition. He offered to drive with me instead.

My manager was very generous is letting me push my internship back for another week so that I could have a chance to attend the funeral and find a place to live as well. Tristan asked for the same time off stating he was also a friend of Derrick's so that he could share the ten hour driving time with me.

              I texted Gracie to tell her I was on the way and she offered to let Tristan and I stay with them. In ten hours, I'd be face to face with Derrick again.

Chapter Eleven

**Derrick**

Denial, that’s what I was feeling. My father isn’t dead. My mother isn’t a widow. My daughter will have her grandfather to teach her to drive the way he taught me. Denial, that’s what it boils down to. Ashton didn’t want to let me keep that denial. He keeps calling with questions about funeral arrangements. After the last time of me telling him I didn’t know, he sighed and hung up.

My brother rarely gets angry at anyone, even when they deserve it. At this moment, I deserve his anger. He has to shoulder the weight of everything on his own. He is making arrangements so my mother doesn’t have to. He is the one letting her cry on his shoulder. Gracie is helping too. She has stayed by mom’s side since the accident. I can’t do it. I can’t say goodbye, I can’t feel this loss.

My dad has always been my hero. He’s never turned his back on me, even at sixteen when I told him I knocked up my girlfriend. He wasn’t angry. He simply said, “We’ll get through this, son.” When I told him I wanted to raise Katie, he said, “I’m proud of you. You’ll be a great father.”  He was right, only because I learned from the best.

The call about the accident went to Ashton. He was listed as my dad’s emergency contact because he knew Ash would stay calm in an emergency situation better than mom or I ever could. This wasn’t the easiest news Ash had delivered me though.
I'd barely been home a few minutes from my date with Lanie. He had knocked on my door, face scruffy, hair a mess, eyes red from crying. At first I thought something happened to Gracie or Autumn, his baby. Then he simply placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “Dad was in a car accident. He’s gone.”

Before I could respond he jerked me forward against his chest and held onto me as he shook with sobs. I stood there dumbfounded. I patted his back and told him everything’s okay. I di
dn’t believe that myself though why should he believe it. He asked me to go with him to tell mom but I couldn’t. I made up an excuse that I had something to take care of with Katie.

Katie. I haven’t told her yet. It’s been almost a day and I have no idea how to tell a six year old that her Pawpaw is gone forever. She worships the ground he walks on almost as much as he worships…worshipp
ed
her. Past tense of a word, that’s a start I suppose. 

Everyone
would be at Ashton's house tonight for the wake. How am I going to face the overabundance of sympathy thrown at me when I can barely accept that a funeral is necessary?

"Daddy?" Katie said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. I'd let her sleep in so that I could figure out how to tell her what's going on.  I needed her with me today.

"Hey baby girl. Come here," I held my arms open for her. She embraced me and I hugged her tightly, holding back my emotions. "We need to find you a dress for this evening. We're going to your Uncle Ashton's house. "
              "Are they having a party?" she asks innocently.

Lifting her up, I step back and sit on the edge of the bed with her in my lap. "Not exactly a party like you're used to. Your Pawpaw had an accident in his car."

"Is he ok? Do we need to go see him at the hospital?"

"No, he's not in the hospital. He's in heaven." My voice cracked on the last sentence, but I kept my emotions intact.
"We're going to Ashton's to celebrate his life and talk about how much we loved him."

"He's in heaven? Can I still see him once in a while?" The innocence of her questions was too much for me to handle.
Times like these made single parenting the worst. It had to be easier when you could share these burdens with the other parent; at least I hoped it made it half as hard for them.

"You know, let's go find you a dress and I'll explain this better later."  Later on tonight I could have Ashton and Gracie help me through this part.

Katie chose a red dress that her grandparents bought her for Christmas this past year. It was a red sundress with a black velvet ribbon around the waist.

When we arrived at Ashton's, Gracie answered the door. "Katelyn you look beautiful, Boo."  Gracie bent to hug her,
and then reached for me. She whispered in my ear, "I'm glad you're here."

Gracie took Katelyn's hand and said, "Come with me. I have the perfect thing to match that dress."  She turned her head and said, "Go grab
you a drink in the kitchen." The kitchen was empty so after grabbing a drink I sat down at the table for some peace and quiet for as long as I could get it.

Ashton strolled quietly into the kitchen and relaxed into the seat next to me at the table. “Hey kid, how you holding up?” He placed his hand on my arm in a consoling manner, but I moved it quickly away, not wanting to be coddled. “We need to stick together bro. For mom, for Katelyn, it’s up to us to be strong.”  He paused a moment and adds, “I came in here to give you a heads up. MJ’s here.”

My head sprang up at the mention of her name. “What?” Without thinking, I jump to my feet, Ashton grabbed my arm. “Let me go, I want to see her.”

“There’s something you should know first, it’s important.”

“Nothing’s more important than me seeing her right now.”
  Ashton’s voice follows me as I swung the kitchen door outward to walk into the living room. MJ was there and a man was helping her with her bag. When she turned to thank him, my eyes drift to her extended belly. My chest ached as I calculated time in my head and realized that we hadn’t been together in eleven months. She appeared to be at least seven or eight months along which meant it didn’t take her long to move on. I suppose the father was the man whose arm she had hers linked through.  I stayed back out of sight for a moment as she introduced him to Gracie.

“Gracie this is Tristan.”
  Tristan extended his hand to her but she pulled him into a hug instead. “In this group, we’re family and we hug, none of that hand shaking nonsense.” She winked at him and all I could think is
Traitor
.  As if she read my thoughts, Gracie saw me and offered an apologetic smile. Mary Jane turned to follow Gracie’s gaze and her face fell into a frown as her eyes met mine.

She approached cautiously, “Hi Derrick. I’m so sorry about your father.” She wraps me in the warmth of a consoling hug. Out of habit I nuzzled my nose against her neck, breathing in her sweet scent. She sighed contentedly in my ear
, "I've missed you." When I came to my senses, I pushed her away gently. She turned and pulled her guy to stand beside her. “Tristan, this is Derrick.” 

Tristan extended his hand to me, “I’ve heard a lot about you Derrick.” When I didn’t shake hands he said, “You want a hug too?”
 

I smirked, “No, not really. I suppose
congratulations are in order.” They seemed confused until I pointed at her belly. MJ’s face paled as though she had forgotten she was wearing a bowling ball size bump under her shirt. She opened her mouth and I held my hand up, “Excuse me; I have to tend to my guests. You guys enjoy yourselves.” 

Enjoy yourselves
? That was quite a response to give someone during a funeral wake. Thinking straight was not in the cards for me at the moment. I can’t be held accountable for anything I’ll say right now. For that reason, I needed to go outside and be alone.

I grabbed a cold beer and moved toward the door, letting it slam behind me. Outside, I sat on a bench and began to scrape my fingers through my hair, trying to comprehend seeing the love of my life, not only with another man but pregnant with his child. It hurt, badly, especially during this terrible enough time. How could she spring this on me? I’d rather her not have come at
all; it would’ve hurt less than this does. My thoughts were interrupted by the ‘guy’ coming outside.

He stepped in front of me and extended his hand. “I’m sorry about your father.”
  I shook his hand, reluctantly.

“Thanks.
Sorry, I'm not usually as rude as I was in there.”  

He chuckled and took the seat next to me. “There’s not much I don’t know about you.
"  

That was a curious thing to say. “How’s that?”
 

Tristan looked at me as though it was the dumbest q
uestion he’d heard. “Mary Jane. You’re pretty much everything she talks about.  She misses you and Katelyn, a lot.” It was my turn to offer the crazy look. He continued, “We’re not together. We’re only friends. That’s all we’ve ever been. She’s a fantastic girl and the best friend I’ve ever had.” 

I asked the question that had been killing me since I first saw her. “Aren’t you the father of her baby?”
 

Tristan’s forehead crinkled, “No. I know what you’re thinking and what I’m about to say won’t make much sense but you’re the only one she’s been with.”
 

I rolled my eyes, “I’m not an idiot, I can count. We haven’t been together in a
lmost a year.”

Tristan nodded, “You’re right, you’re not the father. Talk to her though, you’d be surprised at what you find out. It’ll make you feel better.”

He fidgets for a moment, as though fighting with his thoughts. Then he says, “I shouldn’t tell you this, it’s not my place.” He took a deep breath and said, “She’s still in love with you. The moment Gracie called to tell her about your dad, she started calling for airline prices. She found out she couldn’t fly in her third trimester and she panicked. She said she had to be there for you. She walked straight out to her car to start driving. That’s why I’m here. I couldn’t send her off on a ten hour drive by herself, about to pop. I volunteered to drive us. She fidgeted the entire way here worrying about what you would think when you saw her.” 

I sighed, “Why
wouldn’t she tell me she was pregnant?” 

Tristan placed his hand on my shoulder, “Would you have heard her out on the phone with that kind of news?”
  I shook my head. He was right. I’d have hung up on her or zoned out for the rest of the conversation.

“Tristan, can you give us some time alone?” Mary Jane asked, she had stepped outside and was holding the door for Tristan as a hint to go back in. He nodded and kissed her on the cheek as he passed. She did the pregnancy waddle over to my side and leaned back to sit next to me. “Sheesh, I’m the size of a whale.” She said as she finally got comfortable, well as comfortable as one could in her situation.

“You look even more beautiful than ever, exactly the way I pictured you would look pregnant one day.” I glanced away and added softly, “Well, not exactly how I pictured it.” She reached for my hand and I stiffened and then relaxed at how normal it felt. “Tell me how this happened, Mary Jane. Well, I know how it happened, but…”

She stopped me, “No you don’t. It isn’t what you think. I’ve not been
intimate with anyone but you.” 

I stood up, letting her hand drop to the bench. Angrily I ask, “How is that possible?”
  She rubs her belly thoughtfully as something occurs to me. I kneel down in front of her, “No. MJ, were you…was it…? I couldn’t bring myself to say the word.

She gasped, understanding where I was going with it. “No! No, it wasn’t like what happened to Gracie. This was not an ugly thing.” She cringed, “I hate telling you this today of all days. I wanted to be here for you, I didn’t want to upset you.”
 

I relaxed, “Thank god. If that had happened to you…” I shook my head back and
forth; there were no words to what I’d do for this girl if someone hurt her that way. 

I closed my eyes as she caressed my cheek softly. “I love you, Derrick. Always have, always will.
If I didn't I wouldn’t be here today springing this news on you.” 

Those words never hurt so much and felt so good at the same time. “Tell me who the father is,” I pleaded.

“Remember our weekend in Atlanta?”  Of course I remembered it. First it was the last time I’d seen her in person and secondly it was our first time together. Instead of answering, I nod my head so that she’ll continue.  “There was more to that weekend than me wanting my first to be with you and be special. Cameron had come to visit me a week or so before I called you. Gavin was going out of town and they’d been having a rough time so he didn’t want to be alone. He broke down and told me they’d been trying to adopt and that everywhere they went they were either shunned for being a gay couple or suddenly the meeting would take a completely awkward feel when the person realized they were the couple coming to sign up for adoption. His heart was broken and he was hurting so badly. I didn’t know what to do. We started researching everything and suddenly, it dawned on me. Surrogacy. All they needed was someone to carry a baby for them.  In the middle of doing the research, he said to me, “I wish I could find someone I trusted to do this, this seems so scary.”  I offered myself to them, without a second thought about it. He tried to talk me out of it, but I wouldn’t hear it. He’d been our hero for years and I had a chance to be a hero to him.  He was elated until he remembered I was a virgin. He adamantly refused and I told him I had it covered. That’s why I called you and invited you to Atlanta. Don’t be mad, please.” 

My eyes were misted over with tears. This woman was even more amazing than I had ever dreamed. She continued by saying, “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you.
Remember when you went to get your shower that last morning?" He nodded. "I told you I had something important to talk to you about. Then Gracie called about Katelyn being sick and you needed to go so I thought I would tell you later."