Chapter 58

“We have arrived at your final destination. The time is 11:05 am and the outside temperature is 93.2 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a pleasure to be your captain on this flight—from all of our crew members, thank you for flying with Air Right.”

Xander took off his eye mask and undid his seat belt. The arid Texan landscape reminded him of the smells and sounds of the home he had missed so much. I didn’t realize I would be so happy to be here again.

A slender, doe-eyed stewardess was in the aisle beside Xander.

“Hello, Mr. Delgado. We have instructions to assist you and your things off of the plane. If you can come with us, we’ll be happy to help you avoid the long line of people waiting to exit.”

Xander was escorted off of the plane and rushed through security before anyone else even left their seats. I guess word hasn’t made it back here yet.

Waiting on the other side of the gate, Xander spotted Johnny standing in the front of the crowd, holding up a bright pink, flowery sign that said, ‘Welcome Home Baby!’

Xander couldn’t help but laugh, pushing the looming conversation he would have to have with Johnny out of his mind.

The glass doors opened and Xander limped over to Johnny, dropping his bags and giving his best friend a hug.

“You look like a pile of crap, but, man, it’s good to see you, Xander.”

Johnny patted Xander on the back, and took a small package out of his satchel.

“I got this for you. A welcome home present, or whatever. It’s nothin’ big, but you said you needed a new one.”

Xander opened the gift box and inside there was a brand new watch. During the incident in L.A., he had somehow broken his in the bar fight.

“Yeah, that’s a story for later. Thanks, Johnny, I’ll take good care of it.”

Johnny picked up Xander’s bags for him and began walking to the car park.

“I can carry those dude, you don’t have to.”

“You have two wrapped hands, Xander, plus you’re limping like an old guy. I think I can manage.”

Over the last week, Xander had dealt with the inevitable end of his career, but Johnny finding out was like opening an old wound, and he would have to relive his mistake all over again. Xander knew the questions were going to come out sooner or later, so he decided to be the first to break the silence.

“Johnny, before you go askin’ why I came home, I’ll just tell you. Street G dropped me, Tommy dropped me, and my career is good and done. I woke up about a week ago in a jail cell with an officer handing me papers that said I committed a number of crimes, all while super drunk, or as I suspect, drugged and drunk. Tommy pretended to be hurt by it all, but lo and behold he was just lookin’ out for number one. Can’t say I blame him. I apparently ended up beating the crap outta some dude whose girlfriend I was hitting on. Broke a bottle and threatened him. The cops pulled me over and clocked me going way over the speed limit, swerving around on the highway and stuff.”

Let me have it, Johnny Boy. Nothing you can say will make me feel worse than I already do.

“Damn, you really went full Beast mode, didn’t ya? Can’t say I’m surprised, what with the steroids Mick gave you a while back. I figured you were gonna get hooked. I didn’t wanna interfere because it seemed like you knew what you were doing, but man, oh man, it takes a certain someone not to lose their minds on that shit, and it probably didn’t help that you were living in fake people central.”

“Wait, so you knew about the steroids, too? How many people friggin’ knew about it and didn’t say anything?”

Johnny ran his fingers through his hair and looked out of the window. Typical Johnny, trying not to give me a straight answer.

“Most of us at the gym figured you were on something. Nobody builds mass like that without a little help. It doesn’t matter though, I’m just glad you’re okay, Xander. I’m serious, I’d rather you be back home anyway. I’m happy for you and all the success you’ve had, but I think there’s something here you’d be…”

Johnny trailed off, remembering what Elodie had said when they were on one of their dates earlier on in the relationship. “ ...if word gets out to Xander and Molly traces it back to me, I’ll get my lips sewn together or worse she’ll disown me completely.”

“Something I’d be…what, Johnny? What is it? I’d take any good news I could get right about now, so let me have it.”

Johnny looked down at Xander’s watch.

“Oh, come on, I already gave you that clunky thing and now you’re askin’ for more handouts?”

Xander undid the watch and jokingly went to give it back to Johnny.

“Okay, fine. You can have it back if you just tell me what the hell you’re talking about.”

He held it out in front of his face until Johnny swatted it away.

“Keep the watch. I didn’t want to tell you like this, but I think you need to hear it. To be honest, I think it’s been kept from you for too long. Promise me one thing, though. When you hear it, you’re not gonna go flyin’ off the deep end at me or something. I swore not to say anything, and if it wasn’t for El, I would have told you ages ago.”

Xander’s heart was beating out of his chest.

“Johnny, I don’t do well with suspense, so just tell me what you’ve got to say and get it over with. Please.”

Johnny popped open the trunk of his vehicle and put Xander’s luggage in. Taking a deep breath, Johnny turned to face Xander.

“Did you ever wonder what happened to Molly the night after you two hooked up? I mean, I know you saw her a few times, and I know for a fact it was her that left your house all pissed off that time, but did you ever actually follow up with her or anything like that?”

Follow up with her? Like what, ask her how her day was? I don’t recall Johnny being so vague and talking in circles about things.

“I thought about her from time to time.”

Right, if by time to time you mean, all the time.

“Well, she’s ... um, you ... uh …”

Xander couldn’t take it any longer.

“Johnny! If you don’t spit it out, I’m gonna cut it out of your mouth. Tell me or I’m just gonna flag down a cab and go home.”

“Okay! Okay. Molly’s pregnant… and it’s yours. Elodie made me swear I wouldn’t tell you, but I tried to explain to her that if you knew, you would be there for Molly and the baby. You wouldn’t have ever left. Right?”

Of all the possibilities in the world, Xander never expected to hear those words come out of Johnny’s mouth. He tried to guess what the news may have been, and the only thing he could think of was that Johnny had lined up some big contract, or one of his other friend’s had opened a new gym.

I’m ... I’m going to be a father? Why ... why didn’t she tell me?

“No, I would have never left. Are you kidding me? I spent months fawning over this girl but you know what ... you know who stopped me? Fuckin’ Tommy. He convinced me I couldn’t do it— that I couldn’t be in love with someone and be a reputable fighter. I can’t believe I fell for his bullshit. I can’t believe I’m going to be a father.”

“Wait, you were in love with Molly that whole time? Wow. Xander. I didn’t think you even liked her. You sure didn’t show it.”

“I know. Keeping it to myself nearly drove me insane. But I thought I had to in order to be successful. Now look at me. But I’m going to be a father, Johnny. That’s better than any champion title some phony jock can give me. I’m going to be a father!”

Johnny hung his head.

What? Why is he upset?

“Xan, you’ll be a father, yes. You can say it as many times as you want, but I don’t think Molly is going to just accept you into her and the baby’s lives after what happened. She’s been mad at you for months. I can’t even say your name around her or El without one of them giving me the devil eyes. It was hard for her at the beginning, coming to terms with the fact that you weren’t going to be around. She’s made peace with it though. I don’t know if you should go messing around with that.”

“Messing around with it? Johnny, I’m the father of a child—a child who’s going to need me someday. Like to teach him how to throw a ball or to warn her about guys like me. I’m just as shocked as you are that I’m actually happy about this, but it’s gotta be that I’m maturing or something, because I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about anything in my whole life. I have to try, Johnny. Please, take me to see Molly.”

Johnny unlocked the doors to his car and walked around to the driver’s side.

“I can’t promise you anything, Xander. She might throw a drink in your face or send Elodie after you, and trust me, you don’t want Elodie to be the one goin’ after you. But if you really want me to take you there, I will.”

Xander looked past the parking garage, down to where the freeway split into two exits going east and west.

“There’s a literal fork in the road up there Johnny, and if I go left it’ll just take me back home where I’ll do the same shit I’ve always done. If we go right, it takes me to Molly, where I have a chance. I know it won’t be easy, but I have to try.”