Page 65 of Our Final Encore

Alex

What a fucking week.

First I find out I’m going to have a kid, since Wednesday I’m officially employed for the first time ever. And now I’m standing on Opal’s front porch, because even though we’re going to have a child together, I still don’t have any other way to contact her.

I knock on the door, a slight breeze hitting me as I stand under the covered porch. The air smells like spring, mixed with a hint of dust that’s settled over the various flower pots and books scattered around me.

The door creaks open and behind the screen door her grandmother appears. I know her name is Darlene, but I’ve just always known her as ‘Mamaw’, so it feels weird to refer to her by her first name.

“Well, fancy seein’ you here.” She grins like she’s in on some kind of joke that I’m not privy to.

“Hey,” I nervously rub the back of my neck. “Is Opal around? I was hoping to talk to her.”

I’m not sure if she knows what’s going on yet, but I’d be surprised if Opal kept it a secret from her. If she does, I realize how strange this probably seems. This is what a twelve year old child does when he wants his friend to come outside and play, not what a twenty-four year old man is supposed to do when he wants to speak to the mother of his child.

“She is.”

She walks away, slowly, and a few moments later Opal opens the door. She looks sleepy, like she just woke up from a nap. I can’t help but smile at how adorable she is in this state, even though she doesn’t look nearly as happy to see me.

“Hey,” she says, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Hey.”

She stares at me, as if she’s waiting for me to speak again. “What’s up?” she finally asks, her brows crinkled.

I chuckle, stuffing my hands in my pockets. “I figured I should probably come check on you, y’know since I can’t text or call you.”

She crosses her arms nervously and looks down at her feet. “Oh. I’m fine.”

“Do you think you could give me your new number? I mean, since you’re my baby mama now, it seems kind of necessary.”

She rolls her eyes, but I don’t miss the tiny smile that forms on her lips. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Maybe you could even unblock me on your socials.”

“Let’s not get carried away,” she says as she pulls her phone out of the pocket of her pajama pants.

“I’m starting work on Monday, so I won’t be at home during the day, but you can call me if you need anything any time.”

Her brow quirks. “Work?”

“Yeah.”

She chews on her bottom lip as she appraises me. “You got a job?”

“Is it that hard to believe?”

“Kinda,” she shrugs. “Weren’t you the one that said normal jobs were boring…or miserable. Something along those lines.”

I can remember the exact conversation she’s referring to. “Yeah,” I laugh. “Things change.”

She nods, still squinting at me like she’s not sure if I’m telling the truth. “Where are you working?”

“Ryder Construction.” It’s true that a traditional job was never in my plans, but if I’m going to work, the last thing I want to do is sit at a desk all day. So working my ass off in the heat it is.

She hums before handing me her phone. “Here, add your number.”

I grab it from her and send myself a text, that way I’ll have her number too. She probably didn’t want me to do it that way, but too bad. I need to make sure I can check in on her.

---