Page 55 of Upon an April Night

His phone sounded with an incoming text message.

Dréa: This wasn’t how I thought our life together would start.

His heart broke when he saw it.

Duncan: Can I call you right now?

Some time passed before a response came through, and he was sweating bullets waiting for that reply.

Dréa: I’m not ready. My parents and I booked an earlier flight home in the morning. I’ll call you soon.

Duncan: Okay. I’m so sorry.

Dréa: I know you are.

Duncan: I love you.

No reply came, and he was certain his future with Dréa was over.

When Duncan shuffled out of his room the next morning, he could hear Shannon’s voice coming from the kitchen. She was there awfully early. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, but her enthusiastic tone had him standing near the door to eavesdrop.

“I wanted to do a baby shower, but she said it’s too soon.”

“Well, yes, Shannon, I agree. A baby shower is a little premature,” Mama said.

“But it’s okay if I have a little intimate dinner in the back yard, right? Just a few of us. I’d rather it be private than at a restaurant, and it’s much nicer here than my tiny apartment.”

“You’re welcome to have friends here whenever you want. You know that. But will it be awkward for her?”

“I want her to know we accept her and the baby with open arms. She’s going to be around here a lot, and I want her to feel comfortable. And I want to celebrate this decision. It’s so huge.”

Decision? What decision? Keeping the baby? He spat into the sink and walked into the room just as his sister said, “I’ve been praying for this for her.”

“I know. We all have,” Mama replied.

“It’s wonderful news,” Nana gushed.

“What’s wonderful news?” Duncan asked as he stopped next to the kitchen island.

“Jamie got saved while she was visiting her parents,” Shannon told him.

His heart fluttered in his chest. “She did?”

Shannon nodded excitedly.

“Wow! That’s … wow!” He couldn’t seem to form a coherent sentence. Jamie was a Christian? This news floored him.

“Isn’t it exciting?” Shannon was beaming. “I’m having a dinner here for her tonight to celebrate her spiritual birthday.”

Duncan nodded and swallowed hard. “Uh … that’s great.”

“Do you want to be here?” Shannon asked.

“What? No.” He was too confused to honestly consider it. “But that’s great. Really great. Just great.” Why did he sound like such a bumbling idiot?

The ladies all looked at him strangely.

“You already said that. What is the matter with you?” Shannon asked.

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