“Joe has a kid.” She stared at me blankly as she said the words, as if she wasn’t completely there.

We sat there in silence until Seth reached across the table to take her hand in his. “Tell us.”

It was as if Seth’s simple command opened the floodgates. “He just got a call from Child Protective Services. He has a four-year-old little boy, named Jonah.” Court’s eyes still had a vacant look, but she kept talking. “Joe didn’t know anything about him. He had a fling with the mother when she came to Harbor Shores on vacation, but he hasn’t heard from her since.”

I wasn’t sure why the mother would be contacting Joe after all of this time, but I refrained from asking, deciding to just let Court talk. Seth obviously felt the same way because when she paused, we just sat there, waiting. I looked around the restaurant. Luckily, the dinner crowd hadn’t started to arrive at the restaurant because Joe hadn’t yet emerged from the back.

Finally, she continued, her eyes still glassy as she spoke. “She was in an accident, and she…” Court stopped again, but I was starting to have some guesses about what had happened. I stayed silent waiting for Court to go on.

“She died.” She really looked at me for the first time since sitting back down, and I could see the sheer panic in her eyes. “There aren’t any family members who are willing to take the little boy. Joe is his only hope. They are bringing him here in a little bit. Joe is going to raise him.” She said the last sentences in a flurry of words, as if willing herself to get them out.

This was surprising news, but once the initial shock wore off, I was certain that this would be a good thing. I said as much to Courtney, who floored me by saying, “I broke it off with Joe. I can’t do this.”

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “What?!?” I screeched the word much more loudly than I intended. “Court, he needs all of the support he can get right now. Why would you do that?”

“I’m sorry. I just can’t.” Tears were welling in her eyes as she slid out of our booth and ran for the door.

I started to follow her, but Seth grabbed my arm. “Give her some time alone, Ab. She needs to absorb all of this.” I sat back in the booth, realizing that he was probably right.

I sat there for a few minutes, trying to process it all. “I don’t understand why she would abandon Joe right now.” I shook my head as I said the words. “This isn’t his fault. She had to know that he had a life before they started dating, right?”