Chapter Seventeen: Hailey

Joe had been found.

And thank goodness, he wasn’t into drugs.

His life was filled with way too much drama for a high schooler though.

He had a crush on a girl that went the same school as he did. She was being abused by her boyfriend, a guy who went to the same school but was one year older than them. To add to this guy’s no good tendencies, he was also a small-time drug dealer.

Joe had stolen a stash of the teenager’s drugs in effort to take the guy’s focus off his girlfriend and direct at him.

His plan had worked and he now had a busted lip, blackened eyes and various other scrapes to prove it.

My family and the police hadn’t been the only ones searching for Joe. The small time crook had gotten to him first and given him a beating.

My heart had ached when I saw his injuries even though he had tried to play them off, even going so far as to decline medical attention.

I hadn’t accepted that and had demanded he be seen by a doctor. He had finally agreed when he saw I wouldn’t budge on this and he had been declared not too worse to wear at the hospital.

He was sitting next to me in my car now. He was going to spend the night at my place. He and Dad had a fight. Dad questioned his decisions as of late and Joe hadn’t taken it well. Everyone was very emotional and I thought it best if Joe came with me so the two of them could have a chance to cool off.

I agreed with my dad for once though. Joe’s choices didn’t reflect the smart, level-headed person I knew him to be.

I didn’t interrupt the silence in the car because I honestly had no clue what to say to my brother about his choices. He didn’t need another person breathing down his back right now so I left the conversation for another time.

I glanced at the dashboard. I read the time of the digital clock and mentally confirmed that I had to pick up Noah from daycare soon.

I also realized that I missed all my classes for today and mostly importantly, my talk with Wyatt to reveal that we had a son together.

I got nervous just thinking about it. My hands became sweaty and my stomach clenched.

I found out I was pregnant just after Wyatt had left for the military. I had been heartbroken when he left so suddenly. I had stopped caring for myself and went through life on automatic.

Finding out I was carrying his child had been at once devastating and yet a moment that I remembered with happiness even though I knew my life had just become ten times harder.

I tried to imagine how Wyatt would take the news. We had been careful and I had never missed a day in taking the pill while we were together.

I didn’t think he would welcome the news. Not with the way he left.

I hadn’t wanted to tell him through a letter, email, or even over the phone. This seemed like in person sort of news to deliver.

I had sent him one email with a single line that he never responded to or acted on.

We need to talk. Please contact me when you’re in town.

He came home rarely and we never ran into each other.

As time passed, there also came many missed opportunities to tell him. Then I worried that he would try to take Noah from me or that we would have a nasty custody issue.

It became easier to just keep the news to myself.

Until now…

Would he understand why I kept it a secret for so long? Or would he make me pay for my decision to keep the knowledge of his child to myself?

I pushed the matter to the back of my mind. I could only deal with one thing at a time. The brooding boy next to me needed my attention now.

A few minutes later, we arrived at my place. I told him to make himself comfortable while I went to pick up Noah.

“We’ll talk when I get back,” I said.

“I know you’re mad at me,” Joe said and I stopped in my tracks on the way to the door.

He said it like the words could no longer be contained and I turned back to him.

I was honest when I replied, “I am, but I love you, Joe. Nothing will ever change that. I just wished you would have trusted me to help you.”

He looked down shamefaced. He seemed so young and lost in that moment and I had to go to him. I pulled him in for a hug even though he stood almost a foot taller than me.

He buried his head against my shoulder and let out a shuddering breath.

“Sis, I knew I should have come to you. It’s just my head was so wrapped up in this girl and she didn’t want me to tell anyone. I promised her that I wouldn’t and I couldn’t go back on my word.”

I admired his strength of character even though he was in a difficult situation. I patted his back comfortingly and told him, “I understand. Love makes us do crazy things sometimes.”

Wasn’t that the God damned truth.

He laughed, a shaky sound.

“Yeah, it does,” he agreed.

I pulled back and told him, “I have to go get Noah now. We’ll finish this conversation later.”

“Thanks, sis,” he said.

I headed for the door again and patted my pockets, checking for my cell phone. It wasn’t there.

I had left it in the car I realized.

I got into the driver’s seat and immediately looked for it. I was never without it.

It was in the glove compartment and when I picked it up, I saw all the missed calls I had throughout the day. The daycare and Wyatt’s outnumbered all the others and I called the daycare back first.

They explained to me that Noah had become ill and that they had reached my emergency contact, who had picked him up.

I felt the blood drain from my face.

Wyatt already knew.

This wasn’t the way I wanted him to find out.

I had put his number on the form on impulse, not really thinking that he still carried the same contact number. My parents were usually unavailable to pick up Noah and Joe was too young. I had had no one else to place as a contact.

After I got off the phone with the campus daycare, I knew my day had taken a turn for the worse.

My hands were shaking as I dialed Wyatt’s number.

He answered in the second ring.

“He is at my apartment,” he said, the words coming across without emotion.

“Wyatt, I didn’t mean for you find out like this,” I started. “I swear-”

He cut me off before I could continue.

“Just come over, Hailey.”

He hung up without another other word.

I had to take several moments before I felt calm enough to drive. My mind was a mess and I was panicking, only terrible scenarios playing out in my mind about the upcoming confrontation.

Still, I tried to be optimistic.

A girl could hope, right?

Finally, though, I was able to turn the key in the ignition and pull out of the driveway.

When I showed up at Wyatt’s apartment the door was yanked open before I even knocked.

By the look on his face, I knew things were not going to go how I had hoped.