Once Upon a Time

I roll over in bed and wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her back to my chest. She groans and rolls over, hiding her face in my neck. I smile. The events of last night still haven’t quite sunk in. On the to-do list for this morning is convincing Teagan to tell her parents. I don’t care if she cries, I’m not going with her. I’ll tell her to take Kim as her backup. Her dad will kill me if I’m there before he gets the chance to cool down. Besides, I have to go to rant to my mom about this. I used a fucking condom! How could this be happening? Again?

“Teag, honey,” I mumble into her ear, rubbing her back.

“Hmm?” she moans.

“So… today I think we should tell our parents.”

She looks up at me then, suddenly wide awake. She shakes her head. “No, Noah I can’t tell them.”

“You’re going to have to,” I tell her.

“Come with me,” she begs, just like I knew she would.

“Teagan, I’m sorry, but I can’t. If you love me, and want me to live, don’t press the issue. When you leave to tell your parents, I’m going to tell my mom.”

“But your mom is so much better with these things! Your mom is cool. My mom is going to freak the fuck out.”

“My mom is too,” I say. “She didn’t want this to happen again. Not so soon, anyway. She loves you, Teag, and she’s going to be okay, but that does not mean that she isn’t going to be in the same place about this that your mom is.”

She pouts at me.

“I love you, baby, you know I do, but we have to do this on our own. If you want to come when I tell my mom you’re welcome to join me, but I’m not making you, so don’t you make me, okay? If I’m there your dad will kill me. If you’re there my mom will probably just burst into tears and hold you, telling you everything’s going to be okay. Now which situation sounds better to you?”

She nods. “I get it. I’m just scared.”

“I know,” I say, taking her face in my hands. “I know you are, just like you were scared to tell me. Just remember, do it fast. Once it’s out there, it’s out there. And if they’re mad, you always have me. Just let yourself in if I’m not here and when I get back we’ll talk… or cry, whatever you want to do.”

She smiles weakly at me. “I love you Noah Roberts.”

“I love you, too, Teagan Foster. Now, come on. Get dressed and I’ll drive you home.”



Teagan is scared to death. I thought she was going to hyperventilate when I dropped her off. I feel bad not staying with her, but my being there would not have helped.

I knock on my mom’s door and then let myself in. I walk into the kitchen and find her feeding Grace. She looks back at me and smiles.

“Hey, Gracie, daddy’s here!” she says excitedly. Grace squeals and grins at me, holing out her arms. I walk over to her and pick her up. She kisses my cheek and gets applesauce all over my face.

“Thanks,” I tell her, grabbing a napkin and wiping my face and then hers.

“Momma?” she asks me.

“Momma’s at her house,” I tell her, kissing her forehead and sitting her back on her high chair. “She’s coming to see you later.”

She claps and pick at her Cheerio’s.

“So…” my mom says now, turning to the sink to clean the bowl Grace’s applesauce was in. “Did you find out what was so special about last night?”

“Actually… I did, but she never said last night was special. She said last night was important, and it was. I’m about to tell you why, but I want you to keep in mind that there is a baby present. Just think about that before you start screaming.”

She turns to me, cautious. “What?”

“Well… Teagan and I might be having a baby,” I tell her slowly.

She just stares at me. “Teagan is pregnant?”

I nod. “Look I understand if you’re mad, or disappointed. I get it, but please don’t let Teagan see it, because she’s already scared enough.”

She keeps staring. “You and Teagan are having a baby? Together?”

“Yes, together. It’s my baby.”

“You already have a baby. I already have a grandchild. That’s double the stress!”

“I know, but this time is going to be different.”

“How?” she demands. She doesn’t seem mad, she just seems worried.

“This time I have Teagan, and Teagan has me. I’m going to take care of her. And when we have this baby, both of us will be able to take care of her. Not only that, but her parents, too. It won’t just be us this time mom.”

She visibly relaxes. “Ugh, forty-two years old and I’m already the grandmother of two.”

I sigh, smiling. “So you’re okay with this?”

“I’m fine… but what happened to using condoms?!”

“I did! And Teagan is on birth control. I don’t understand what’s happening! I was trying to keep it cool but I’m freaking the hell out! What are we going to do? We both have college to worry about now, and I still need my job to take care of them.”

“You don’t have to worry about money. I’ve already told you that. When your father died he left you all of his money. He may have been a bastard, but he was a rich bastard, and he left you his money, so just let him do that for you, Noah. Do it for Grace, and for yours and Teagan’s new baby. All of that money is just sitting there. If you use it, you can quit your job and focus on college and Grace and Teagan, like you want.”

I nod. It makes sense. My dad left us when I was five – couldn’t handle taking care of a child, which is why I was so eager to raise Grace myself, and to prove I could be a good father -- to prove that I was nothing like him. When he died, he left me all of his money, I guess to make up for ditching us, but I didn’t want his money. I understand where my mother is coming from. He’s giving me my opportunity to take care of my children – to take care of my family.

“I guess I’ll have the money transferred into my account. I’ll tell Teagan she doesn’t have to worry about anything.”

“Have you thought…?” she starts, but trails off.

“Have I thought what?” I demand.

“Have you thought about asking Teagan to move in with you? She is having your baby, and you’ve been with her for almost a year. She turns nineteen soon, and she probably wants to live away from her parents anyway now that she’s decided on the College of Newberry.”

I nod. “I have thought about. Before I thought it might just create problems neither of us are ready for, because living with a person changes things, but now I think it might be a good idea. She’s going to be the mother of my child, and she’s already basically…” A thought occurs to me.

“What?” my mother asks. “Why are you making that face?”

“I know maybe it’s a little soon… and I’ll give it a while before I make my decision, or even mention it, but I think if things between Teagan and I work, you know, living together – when and if I ask her – I think I’d like to discuss her adopting Grace.”

My mother smiles. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“I think so, too. Grace loves Teagan, and I know Teagan loves Grace. She already calls her ‘our’ child. I love it when she says that.”

She laughs. “I think it’s brilliant. Y’all are a family, so why are y’all separated? I approve of you asking her to move in, and of her adopting my grandbaby. Especially considering she’s about to have my next.”

“You’re really okay with all of this? I know it’s a little sudden.”

My mom grins and walks over to me, pulling me into a hug. “I’m happy, baby, so don’t worry.” She pulls away. “The real thing to worry about is her parents.”

I nod, but refuse to think of it. I pick Grace up and she looks into my eyes. “Grace, you’re going to get a baby brother or sister. How does that sound?”

She looks at me confused and wraps her arms around my neck. “Where’s momma at?”