She put her arm around me as we started walking towards the dining room, where the rest of her family was waiting for our return. “I met a boy.” She beamed as she told me the news. “I’ve been dying to tell you,” she revealed. “The rest of the family still thinks of me as a little girl who needs to be protected, but I knew that you would be excited for me.”

I was beyond touched that she had referred to the ‘rest of the family,’ implying that she considered me to be a part of their family. “I want to hear all about him!” I was truly excited for her.

“Let’s plan a girls’ night, or maybe we can go on a double date.” I didn’t get to respond to her suggestions, other than a quick nod because everyone turned to look at us as we entered the dining room.

Not skipping a beat, as she and I sat down, Jessie said, “Abby really cares about Sam. Seth has forgiven her for what happened, so I think the rest of us should too. Now, let’s eat.” She said the last part with finality, as if the topic was settled.

Her mother clearly did not agree. Janice rose from her chair to stand over the rest of us. “So, you’re all willing to ignore the fact that this…this…” She was obviously searching for and not coming up with an appropriately scathing description for me. When she finally found her word, it made me cringe. “This slut slept with both of my sons and is now pregnant with a child that could have been fathered by either of them.”

The room was quiet for a moment. Sam broke the silence, but he spoke quietly. “I am the father of Abby’s baby.” He narrowed his gaze at his mother, as if daring her to challenge him on it.

She was clearly unaffected by his cool stare. “How do you know that?”

“I know.” He answered confidently, as if he was completely sure that his claim was the truth. I so wished that we could know for sure that the baby was Sam’s. “Abby’s baby is mine, and she and I will raise it together.” Hearing that last part made my heart swell with joy. I had hoped that the three of us would someday be a happy, little family, but hearing him confirm it to his family was thrilling. Sam continued, saying, “I will not stand for having my baby’s paternity called into question again. Is that understood?” He looked around the room at each of his family members.

Jessie nodded and appeared to be in complete agreement. Sutton kept his face a mask of indifference. So, Janice looked to Seth for support. “Don’t tell me that you are perfectly okay with all of this?”