Chapter Thirty-Six:
Braxton
“So, I called this meeting because we need to decide how we are going to move forward with Spencer leaving in a few days,” Cade addresses the band. We are at our usual rehearsal space, but the mood is gloomy and blue. No one is excited to see Spencer go.
This meeting could go one of two ways: we either decide to keep going sans Spencer and find a replacement, or we don’t keep going at all. I don’t like thinking about the second option. This band has been everything to me for the past four years. It’s been the good, the bad, and even the ugly at times. I’ve been able to tour and live off our earnings. We aren’t raking in a ton of dough, but every show we get gains us more recognition and more cash flow.
Spencer looks the most troubled by this last minute meeting. “Look, guys, I’m really sorry. I wish I didn’t have to choose.”
All of the guys are handling his decision differently. Red seems apathetic, Geo seems really torn up; I know Cade isn’t doing so well, and I’m definitely bummed.
“So should we vote then?” Cade asks coldly. He thinks Spencer is throwing away the opportunity of a lifetime especially with how much traction we have been getting at every show. I understand how he feels, but at the end of the day, it’s Spencer’s decision and his future. I don’t want to influence that in any way; I want him to choose what is best for him.
The vote is three to one in favor of replacing Spencer and continuing with the success of ADS. Red is the one who went rogue. “Do you want to leave too?” Cade accuses in an upset tone.
Red’s eyes widen a little, surprised by the rage he caused. “I never said that.”
“Are you sure about that?” Cade presses, his intensity growing.
“Man, back the fuck up!” Red shouts in his face, standing from the couch.
I know Cade is just upset and probably out of his mind with everything he’s been dealing with. His wife is sitting in the corner of the room silently observing in horror. It’s been close to a month and he hasn’t filed for anything yet. He acts guilty whenever we bring it up, almost like it’s wrong to break off a marriage that wasn’t right or real to begin with. Pooja seems like a nice enough girl; she’s a singer, so she fits very easily into our world.
Cade backs away from Red, his hands held up in the air. “Chill. I’m just trying to figure out if we need to replace one or two of ya.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” Red huffs and then plops back down, arms across his chest.
“So it’s decided then. Out with the old, and in with the new,” Cade jokes in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Spencer stares back at him, his mouth agape.
“I’m just fucking with you, dude. You’re an honorary member, and you’ll always be family,” Cade approaches Spencer and then pulls him in for a warm hug.
Spencer looks relieved that the world isn’t going to stop turning just because he’s moving three thousand miles away.
A text vibrates my phone and I open it eagerly after seeing the sender name. We need to talk.
***
“Hey,” I holler into Emerson’s apartment before fully letting myself in.
She isn’t in eyesight when I first close the door, but as I make my way through, I find her in the kitchen. She is staring down at some kind of plastic stick, but she isn’t saying anything.
I approach her slowly, unsure of what is going on. “Hey, is everything alright?”
She looks up from the countertop and there are tears in her eyes. Rushing to her, I pull her to me. “Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?”
I can feel her shaking her head in the crook of my neck. Releasing her, I hold her face in my hands. She takes a deep breath and then her eyes drop to that silly plastic tube.
My hands drop from her face, and I reach for it, pulling it up to my eyes. Tru Blu is the brand, and there are two solid blue lines staring back at me. I’m not confused anymore. Dropping the plastic stick to the ground, my eyes search hers. “Is this real?”
She nods, her hands covering her mouth.
I feel like the room is spinning and I’m sweating bullets. Unsteadily, I make my way to her dining room table and sit down on one of the chairs, breathing heavily.
How the fuck did you let this happen?
I know I made the mistake of slipping inside without putting a condom on first, but it wasn’t my first rodeo. I’ve done that a few times before and never had anything like this happen. She just felt so damn good. The reality is setting in though because at twenty-five, I can pretty much assure you that I’m not ready to be a father, much less take care of an infant. I still live with my parents for fuck sake.
“Maybe the test is wrong.” I grasp for straws. Anything that could explain what we both saw.
She shakes her head. “Brax, I’m late.”
“Late?”
“Late… meaning I haven’t had my period yet. And I didn’t think anything of it at first, but I was nauseous two days last week.”
I feel like the rug is being pulled from underneath me. “Well… what do you want to do?”
She drops her head into her hands, rubbing her temples. “I don’t know. I was hoping you might tell me what you want to do.”
Now that’s a bunch of pressure to put on someone. If I say she should have an abortion, she may be upset and hate me forever. If I say we should keep it, she may feel pressured to agree just because I want that. I’m unsure what the right answer is. “Put everything aside. What you should do, what is the right thing to do, and tell me truthfully what you want to do.”
She lifts her chin up, staring at me through lowered lashes. “I think I want to keep it,” she says barely above a whisper.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll figure everything else out later, but for now, at least we have a starting place.” Holy shit, did I really just say that? I’m going to be a father…