When You Read Between the Lines

After Faith hung up with Joe she walked over to the throng of people walking through the final area of security. She rolled to the balls of her feet, craning her neck for the familiar faces of her parents. Suddenly she saw her. Her mother with her blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail bent over, two bags slung over her shoulder. Faith’s gaze lowered to where her father sat in his wheelchair looking around for his oldest daughter.

“Daddy,” she cried, weaving her way through the crowd.

“Faith,” he whispered, barely audible over the people passing by. Tears sprang to Faith’s eyes as she heard the strain in his voice. She leaned down, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

“Oh Daddy,” she whispered, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, her tears sliding down his skin.

“I’ve missed… you…” he said with some difficulty.

“I’ve missed you too. So much,” she said, straightening up and walking behind him to her mother who held her tightly.

“You’ll get through this Faith,” her mother whispered into her hair.

“I know. I just wish I didn’t have to worry about hurting people I love along the way.”

“I know, sweetheart,” her mother said, letting go of Faith and putting her hands on her husband’s wheelchair. “Ready to go see our baby’s home, Will?”

“Let’s… go,” he huffed and Faith watched as her mother smoothed his hair back with her hand before pushing him towards baggage claim. Faith stood their staring wondering how truly bad her father had gotten that her mother hadn’t told her.

****

Faith stood in her kitchen beside her mother as they both cooked for that evening’s dinner. Her father sat in his wheelchair next to the island silently watching them, observing how his daughter had grown into the woman she had become in only a few months. He felt bad for her, knowing he should have said something months even years ago after meeting both Nick and Joe, knowing that Joseph was right for his daughter.

“So do you have a plan on how to tell Nick that the baby might be Joe’s?” Meg asked her daughter as she shucked some corn.

“If there’s a baby,” Faith said, giving her mother a look. “I’ll have to wait a few more days before taking a pregnancy test then I’ll worry about that.”

“Just know it’s not going to be easy.”

“None of this is going to be easy. I still have to tell my in-laws that I’m divorcing their one son because I’m in love with the other. Plus Joe and I will have to tell them that we had sex meaning he broke his promise he made over ten years ago. And what will this to do to them and to Frankie? I’m just ruining everything,” she said, letting out a sob and crumbling against the counter. Her body was shaking with her tears and she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. Looking up she saw that her father had wheeled himself over and was looking down at her.

“You ruin… nothing,” he said, squeezing her shoulder weakly. “Your mother… and I… love you… Faith.”

“I know Daddy,” she whispered, looking up at him with glistening eyes. “But Lizzy. My baby sister hates me. I’m scared that they might hate me too.”

“They won’t hate you sweetie,” Meg said, kneeling down next to her daughter and husband. “And Lizzy doesn’t hate you. She’s just upset.”

“She doesn’t think it upsets me to not talk to her? To have her ignore my phone calls and e-mails? Sometimes I sit on my bed and look at old photo albums and cry. I’ve let her down and now she hates me.”

“Your sister will come around eventually,” Meg said, smoothing back Faith’s hair and kissing her forehead. “She’s only seventeen. She’ll realize how silly she’s being soon enough.”

“I need her to grow up now,” Faith sobbed, putting her head in her hands. “If there’s anyone I need besides you two and Joe right now, it’s Lizzy.”

“Everything… will be… okay,” Will said and Faith reached her hand up to squeeze his. The family of three sat in silence on the kitchen floor, not even acknowledging the smell of burning food coming from the stove top at the moment.

****

The next day when Faith returned from work her mother walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron, a smile on her face. Faith shrugged out of her coat and hung it up, kicking her shoes off in the process.

“I have an idea,” her mother said, the smile still bright on her face.

“Should I be scared?”

“No, no, no. I think that you should invite everyone over for dinner on Friday night. You can break the news to them. You’ll have to talk to Nicholas before hand of course. And I bought you some pregnancy tests today. I figured you could try one or two today and then again tomorrow if you want to just make sure. Then you can talk to Joseph.”

“You know, Mom? That sounds like a good idea. Not the whole talking to Nick part but I guess that’s inevitable.”

“I’ll get the phone,” she said, turning and walking back into the kitchen.

Faith turned her head to the right to see the previous night’s football game playing on the television. Her father sat in his wheelchair staring at the game. She walked in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Slowly his head turned to her and he smiled.

“Good game?” she asked.

“Good… as it… can get,” he said and she smiled before walking to the stairs to go change into something comfortable.

Once in her room she set her purse on her dresser and searched for her cell phone. She dialed Joe’s number and walked over to her bed, waiting for him to pick up. With each ring she felt more and more butterflies.

“Hey,” he said quietly and she figured Nick might be there.

“Hi, is Nick there with you?” she asked.

“Yeah so I don’t want to talk to long. I’m sorry.”

“No, I completely understand. I was just wondering if you’d want to come over for dinner. My Mom is cooking and um…”

“What?” he asked.

“She bought me some pregnancy tests. I was planning on taking a few tonight,” she said, biting her lower lip. “I thought you would want to be here for the results. Even if it’s not yours.”

“Yeah, definitely. I’ll figure something out.”

“Okay. See you in a bit?”

“Yeah, see you in a bit.”

“Bye,” she said, pushing end and tossing her cell up to her pillows. She flopped down onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. Her hands trailed to her stomach and she wondered if there was a baby growing in there. She wondered whose baby it would be, hoping to God it would be Joe’s.

After changing and putting her hair up, Faith walked back downstairs to see if her mother needed any help cooking. Once her mother pushed her out of the kitchen insisting that she was going to be the cook that night Faith joined her father in the living room. Every few minutes she would glance over her shoulder to see if Joe’s car was pulling into the driveway.

“Anxious?” her father asked, turning his chair to face her.

“A little. Joe’s coming over,” she said as a honk in the driveway caused her to turn and look, a smile creeping up her face.

She jumped up from the couch and walked over to the front door. She pulled it open and stood on the top step watching Joe as he walked up the path. He smiled when he saw her standing there waiting for him. She opened her arms wide once he reached the top step and sighed once she was in his embrace. It had been over a week since she had seen him so this felt like heaven to her. Slowly she backed into the house and closed the door behind Joe.

“Hi,” he whispered, touching his hand to her cheek once she turned to face him again.

“Hi,” she said, feeling her heart beat in her chest. His other hand went to her waist and finally he captured her lips in his giving her a sweet kiss.

“I’ve missed you,” he said quietly, letting his nose rub against hers, their eyes still closed.

“Ditto,” she said giving him one more quick peck. “Come on, they want to see you.”

She took his hand and led him to the living room. Slowly her father turned his head to look at them and he attempted a smile, his eyes barely crinkling like they used to only a few years ago. Joe squeezed Faith’s hand when he noticed the miniscule hesitation she had in her step and she calmed a bit.

“Daddy, you remember Joe,” she said, bringing Joe over so he was directly in front of her father.

“Nice… to see you… again,” he said as he tried to lift his arm for Joe to shake his hand. Joe noticed and quickly bent forward slightly, taking the weak grasp within his strong one.

“Same here, sir,” Joe said, smiling down at the fragile form.

“Mom’s in the kitchen,” Faith said, smiling at her father before taking Joe’s hand again and leading him to the kitchen. “Mom, Joe’s here.”

“Oh, Joseph,” her mother said, wiping her hands on the apron and walking over, her arms stretched out for a hug. Joe returned the hug and felt Meg give him a squeeze before letting go. “You look well.”

“I am, for the most part,” he said, turning to Faith. “You look lovely, as always.”

“Why thank you,” she said, smiling before turning back to the stove top. “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. I suggest you take the tests now if you’re going to take them tonight.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Joe said, looking to Faith for confirmation.

“Yeah, that way I’ll actually be able to eat my dinner.”

“They’re in the upstairs bathroom. Left cabinet.”

“Thanks Mom,” Faith said, exiting the kitchen and heading to the stairs.

Joe followed her into the bathroom. He stood in the doorway while Faith pulled two slender boxes out of the cabinet. She set them on the counter and stared at them. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach as she stared at these two boxes. If they were both positive, she would believe 100% that she was pregnant. If they were both negative, she would take one or two more just to make sure. If one was positive and one was negative she didn’t know what the hell she would do.

One look at Joe and he knew that he should step out. He gave her a smile before stepping backwards and closing the door. Faith took a deep breath and opened one of the boxes and read the instructions. She settled herself on the toilet and peed on her first pregnancy test. Holding it in, she grabbed the second box and tore it open, following suit.

Once she was done she set them on the counter and washed her hands. She opened the door to see Joe sitting on the floor, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. She sat down next to him and looked at her watch. Three minutes. That’s all it took. She rested her arms on her knees and looked up when she felt Joe’s fingers wrap around hers.

They waited the three minutes together with silence between them. Sounds drifted up the stairs. Faith clearly heard a touchdown being scored on the television in the living room. She clearly heard the beeper on the stove signaling for her mother to check on something. Then she heard Joe clear his throat and stand up. She looked up at him and swallowed, nervous to walk into that bathroom. Joe held the door open for her and held his hand out to help her stand.

She slipped her small hand into his large one and stood up, making her way into the bathroom. She closed her eyes, her fingers sliding against the marble top of the sink. Joe stood next to her and she swore she could hear his heart beating loud and fast. She was sure hers probably sounded the same. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked down to be greeted by two clearly positive pregnancy tests. Joe sucked in a deep breath and reached for her hand.

“So,” he whispered. “Where do we go from here?”

“Well, my mother suggested I hold a family dinner here Friday night. Nick and I can tell them about the divorce. I can tell them I’m pregnant…”

“And then we drop us,” he said, finishing her sentence.

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “We’ll drop us.”

“Dinner’s ready!” her mother called up the stairs. Faith left the pregnancy tests sitting on the washcloth and walked towards the stairs with Joe. “So?”

“I’m pregnant,” Faith said, a slight smile tugging at her lips. Her mother beamed and wiped away a tear.

“Come on. We don’t want it to get cold,” she said simply, walking to the living room to get her husband.

“You and me,” Joe whispered, wrapping his arms around Faith. “No matter what.”

“No matter what,” she repeated into his chest. She inhaled his scent and listened to his heart which had slowed down. He kissed the top of her head before pulling away and leading her down the stairs.