Savannah: Hey, I got called in to the bar. Can I drop Ethan off early?

Jacob: I’m at the station.

Savannah: Be right there.

I put my phone on the desk and look over at the picture of me and my son. His smile is everything. He is everything. My mind goes to a place I never let it go.

On prom night eight years ago, Kallie sat next to me, looking more beautiful than ever. With her face done up in light makeup and her long blond hair curled at the bottom, I couldn’t wait to take her back to the barn where I had a special surprise for her. The little black box in my suit jacket pocket suddenly felt heavy. From as far back as I could remember, there wasn’t a memory that I had—good or bad—that didn’t have Kallie in it. But when she finally admitted that she loved me, everything just came together. I loved her. She was everything to me.

We got to the school, and I wanted to leave, but I had promised her a dance. I didn’t even see Savannah when we pulled up, but she stepped out of the shadows, and I saw right away that she was crying.

Savannah, Beau, and I had always had a special bond. Beau as my best friend and Savannah as the pain in the butt who never left our side. She was always the kid picked on because her mother was the help. She would get hand-me-downs and be known as “a boy” since she always dressed in hand-me-downs that either Beau or Liam wore. Beau and I were always saving her one way or another.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her right away, looking around to see if someone was around her.

“I’m in trouble,” she said, her voice shaking. “So much trouble.”

“What do you mean?” I asked her while people walked around us all dressed up.

“I don’t know how it happened,” she said and then sobbed, and I took her in my arms.

“It’s going to be okay.” I rubbed her hair. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay.”

“I’m pregnant,” she said, and I let go of her, stepping back.

“Oh my God.” My hand flew to my mouth. “Who?”

“I …” She looked down at the ground and sobbed out again. “I can’t tell you that.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked her as I ran my hand through my hair. This was crazy because she was already looked down at all the time.

“I know that you and Kallie are going away, but if you can just …” she said at the same time I started to shake my head.

“You can’t be serious.” I gasped out at her. “I can’t. Think about this for a second, Savannah. You have to tell the father.” I tried to reason with her.