“I … I don’t know.”

She blew out the candle and made one simple wish, she wanted to be happy.

****

“Are you being serious right now?” Robin asked.

“I’ve got to go and do a couple of things. Dad will be by to be with you.”

“You promised me you’d be with me for this one. I’ve been looking forward to us hanging out.”

Bishop gripped the back of his neck. Guilt filled him as he made no end of excuses to her. His dad had already yelled at him and gotten him to do some of the worst jobs for a club prospect. He wanted to earn his patch, and he’d been put on toilet duty at a couple of the clubs.

He couldn’t blame his dad for teaching him a lesson. Preacher asked him to stay with Robin, to keep her company, especially on her birthday, and instead, he went and did what he wanted to, without a care for her, or what she wanted.

“I know. I will make it up to you.”

“Why do you have to keep making things up to me? I don’t get it, Bishop. You’re my best friend.”

“I know. I’ll be for the next one.”

“Are you seeing someone?”

“You want to know if there’s a girl waiting for me?”

“Isn’t there? I’m not a fool. I know this is only on paper, but if you really want to be with someone else, then I don’t want to be in the way.”

“You’ll never be in the way.” There wasn’t another girl. He didn’t want to go and sit in a room, staring at the screen to tell him his girl had another man’s baby.

Yes, he wanted to pretend he was the higher person, that he knew more, and he was doing the best he could, but it was all lies. Every single little part of it.

“You better go, Robin. You don’t want to miss the appointment.”

“If it’s not some other girl, it’s this, isn’t it? It’s the baby.”

“Robin, I love you. You know that, but there are some things I can’t handle. This is one of them. I’m sorry. I wish I could say something different, but I really can’t. Give me time. It’s all I ask.”

She nodded, opening the door. “I get it. I do.”

He watched her as she walked across the parking lot. He sat for a couple of minutes as she disappeared inside the building.

“Go in there, asshole. She’s your best friend and was with you whenever you needed her. She was by your side, and she didn’t ask for this but is doing the best that she could. Your dad is handling this shit. Just get in there.”

He didn’t move.