Needing to know Anna’s intentions, I cautiously asked, “She’s not…she’s not going to…?”

I couldn’t even say it, but Kiera understood my question. She shook her head. “No, she’s going through with the pregnancy, she’s just not sure about…adoption.” Kiera sighed, and I saw the pain and sadness in her. She wanted this baby too. She’d been helping Anna deal with this all alone, and it had clearly been eating at her. I wanted to hold her, but I knew she wouldn’t let me yet. How badly had I messed us up? You broke up with her, dickwad. It’s pretty fucking bad.

I let out a long exhale as I absorbed Kiera’s answer. “Oh, good, I’d hate for…”

I still couldn’t say it. I just kept picturing my mom and my dad and Gavin and myself, and the whole fucked-up mess of my existence. But Mom had kept me, and Anna was keeping her baby too, and that was good. At least the child would have a chance, like me. Maybe a better chance than me. But not with adoption. Sure, that would have been an improvement in my case, but Anna and Griffin…they weren’t my parents. They could do this. We would all help them. They wouldn’t be alone. We would all love that baby…so much.

Fuck. I almost couldn’t believe one of us was going to be a father. And of course, it would be the most irresponsible one of us. Rolling my eyes, I muttered, “Damn, Griffin…I’m gonna kill him…”

Kiera, done with her part of the conversation, started walking away from me. I rushed forward and grabbed her arm, stopping her again. “Wait…please.” She was slow to look back at me. How can I fix this? I tried simple, honest remorse. “I’m sorry, Kiera…please don’t walk away.”

Heat in her eyes, she removed my hand from her arm. “You basically called me a whore and said you never wanted to see me again. Why shouldn’t I walk away?”

I hung my head as shame struck me. I should have at least tried to listen to her. “I didn’t know.” Knowing that was a pale excuse, I peeked up at her. “I thought…Seeing Denny here…and then…those tests…” The pain of betrayal was still inside me, even though I knew I was wrong about her. I closed my eyes. “I just thought…I thought what happened to my dad was happening to me. I thought you had another man’s baby in you. I was just…angry. I’ve never felt that ill…” I made myself open my eyes and look at her. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t believe you.”