Page 74 of Harper

“You’re her mother,” he shoots back.

“No, I’m not,” I say, raising my chin. “And frankly, I’m getting a little tired of explaining and defending myself. I shouldn’t have lied to all of you, and I’m sorry about that, but if I had told you the truth, you may have tried to force me to do something, to be something, that I wasn’t ready to do or to be. But I’m telling you the truth now, and I’m also telling you that I’m going to have a baby in the spring. It’d mean the world if you could support me.”

My dad blinks several times, then clears his throat. He reaches for his glass of water and takes a big sip.

“I’m here for you, Harp,” he says softly, his voice raspy with emotion. “You know I’ll love any child of yours. I just need a couple of days to get my head around it all.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I tell him over a sudden lump in my throat.

Hunter sits back down and asks Parker to pass him the corn. Sawyer tells Reeve that her biscuits have the same consistency as cement. Gran whispers something to Paw-Paw, who chuckles merrily. And my dad, who still looks shaken, nods his head at me, then offers a very small smile.

Thank you, God, for a little peace.

***

Another handful of days go by, and I still don’t hear a word from Joe. It’s been a week and a half since our blow-up in Centennial Park. Ten days, and…nothing.

I’ve been doing my best to give him space, but my first prenatal appointment in Anchorage is coming up soon, and Joe has a right to be there. So I rustle up my courage on a gray and gloomy Tuesday afternoon and stop by the police station after leading Beers, Brawls and Brothels. At least if I catch him at work, he’ll have no choice but to be civil.

“Hey, Vera.”

“Hello, Harper Stewart,” says the dispatcher. “How can I help you?”

“Is Joe here?”

“No, dear. He’s not.”

I gesture to a bank of seats behind me. “Can I wait?”

“You’ll be waiting a while. Joe’s out.”

“Out?”

“Using up some of his vacation time.”

“Oh,” I say. I can’t remember a time that Joe took a vacation. He lives for his job. It’s everything to him. “He planned a trip, huh?”

“No, ma’am. Spontaneous vacation. But he’s entitled to the time off all the same.”

“I see.”

“You want to talk to Aaron? He’s around somewhere.”

“No thanks, Vera. It’s personal,” I say. “I’ll, um…I’ll figure out something.”

“I guess I could try calling him for you…if it’s urgent and such.”

“It can keep,” I say. “Thanks, anyway.”

I exit the station and hop back into the Jeep, trying to figure out what to do next. I have to talk to him. I have no other option but to drive to Joe’s house and see if his vacation is actually a staycation. When I get there, his car is gone, but I knock on the door anyway. I’m looking into one of his windows when I hear a voice behind me.

“You got some nerve comin’ ’round here, Harper Stewart.”

I turn to find Sandra Clearwater standing at the foot of Joe’s deck steps. The expression on her face is lethal.

I cross my arms over my chest. “Hi, Sandra.”

“You better leave before I make you,” she says, plodding up the steps. The keys in her hand jingle.

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