Page 37 of Second Chance with Seth

“Are you okay?” he asked. I could hear the baby crying in the background, and wondered if it should be me asking him that question.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “That’s why I’m calling.”

“Because you don’t know if you’re okay or not?”

“No. Because I need some time to work out if I’ll ever be okay again.”

There was a moment’s pause and then he said, “Have you been drinking?”

“No. But I took your advice. I’m in Hart’s Creek.”

“You went to see Everly?”

“Yes,” I said, sitting on the bed and letting out a long sigh.

“And?”

“I have a daughter.”

“What the fuck?”

“I have a daughter,” I repeated, even though I didn’t need to. He’d clearly heard me, but it felt good to say it out loud, and I wanted to do it again.

“So Everly was pregnant when you left?” he said, putting the pieces together.

“Yes, but only just. She didn’t know herself… not until later.”

“She didn’t call you?”

“Obviously not. She said she was hurt and angry, and she didn’t want me to come back to her just because she was pregnant.”

I hear him suck in a breath and let it out again. “I guess that’s understandable.”

“Yeah. I mean, it wouldn’t have been like that, but she wasn’t to know.”

“How old’s your little girl?” he asked.

“Three months… and her name’s River.”

“That’s cute.”

“Yeah. She’s adorable.”

“How does it feel, finding out you’re a father like this?” he asked. He wasn’t prying. He was concerned, and I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

“I won’t lie and say it hasn’t been a shock, but it’s one I’d like to get used to. I came here to get things back on track with Everly, but we’ve got so much more to talk about now. More than I ever imagined. I want to be a proper father to River, but the problem is, Everly and I have only had a couple of hours to ourselves. We haven’t been able to work anything out between us yet, let alone decide what we’re gonna do about being parents, and that’s why I need some more time.”

“Take as long as you need,” he said.

I wasn’t that surprised by his response. Aiden had always been the most generous of friends. He was a family man, too, so I knew he’d get it.

“I haven’t finished that project for Langstone Incorporated. Davina’s constant interruptions held me up last week, so there’s still a way to go.”

“Send me an email with instructions for what needs doing, and I’ll get it done next week.”

“Are you sure? I can probably work on it from here…”

“It’s fine. You focus on your family.”

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