Page 7 of The Life We Left Behind

“Don’t forget your check,” Mrs. Farrington scoffed like it was the only reason I was here in the first place.

She didn’t know me, and she sure as hell didn’t get to judge me.

“Go fuck yourself.” My hand paused midair as I reached for the door handle, but I wasn’t going to leave letting her think this was what I’d wanted all along. “I don’t want your money.”

She sighed like she was dealing with a petulant child. Maybe she was, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of admitting it.

“Don’t continue to make stupid decisions, Delaney. Get the abortion and move on with your life. You took your shot, and you missed. You and Trace would never have stayed together, and you knew that deep down. Farringtons marry within their status, and you were never going to make the cut. It’s time for Trace to set aside teenage dalliances and realize his place in the family.”

I felt her slip the check into my coat pocket before she reached around me and opened the door. I wanted to throw it in her face, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I knew this was going to be a hard journey, and while I might notwant their money, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t need it. It wasn’t cheap to raise a child in this world, and until I sat down and fully considered my options, I had to at least leave this as a possibility. Even if it was one that made me want to throw up. I’d already signed her papers. There wasn’t much further I could sink at this point.

Regina trailed me through the house as I walked to the front door, and we didn’t see a single soul on the way. Perhaps Trace’s brothers had gone with him on whatever this trip was. I wasn’t entirely sure why I cared. Deep down, there was a part of me that hoped he was as broken about all this as I was, but I knew it wasn’t true. His life hadn’t changed tonight. He’d go on to live the life his parents had mapped out for him long before he was even born. I was the only one doubting whether this heartbreak was something that could be survived.

As I burst through the front door of my house, I didn’t remember how I’d gotten there. My face was frozen from the cold wind blowing against the never-ending trail of tears that coursed down my cheeks, and I couldn’t seem to catch a breath because of the panic closing in around me.

“What’s wrong?” My father leaped from his seat beside the fire, rushing to the door as he peered outside before closing it firmly and hauling me into his arms. He smelled like pipe tobacco and Old Spice, and I burrowed my face into the soft flannel of his shirt as I continued to cry.

This was the person I should have come to first. He was the only one who would stand by me, no matter what.

“I made a terrible mistake, Daddy,” I sobbed.

He didn’t say a word. He just picked me up and strode over to the sofa, sitting down and cradling me in his lap like he’d done when I was a little girl.

There was no judgment.

No harsh words of disappointment.

He rocked me back and forth, stroking my hair as he waited for my tears to subside.

It felt like hours. By the time my panicking breathing slowed and I’d long exhausted my tears, all that was left was the sick feeling in my stomach. How was I going to survive this?

My father didn’t ask me any questions. He continued to stroke my hair, and I knew he’d be staring into the fire, waiting for me to have the words to explain what was happening.

Except what was I supposed to say?

He’d be so disappointed. I’d let him down and completely blown up both our lives by being so irresponsible. I should have protected myself. I thought I had. But clearly, I hadn’t done a good enough job.

“I’m pregnant,” I whispered, hating how broken those words made me sound.

I felt him tense beneath me for a second before he settled back into the couch. Instead of shouting, instead of chastising me, he reached for the blanket at the back of the couch and tucked it around me.

“Sleep, my beautiful girl. Everything will be fine in the morning.”

“How can it be fine, Daddy? Trace doesn’t want anything to do with me, and I’m…” I didn’t have the strength to say it again.

“Everything will be fine because we’ll make a plan. Whatever you need. Whatever you want. I’m always going to fight for you, pumpkin,” he reassured me.

And I believed him. Why wouldn’t I? He’d been the only parent I’d had for my entire life and never once had he let me down.

“I can’t stay in this town.” I sobbed, feeling the tears starting to rise again.

He hushed me gently, his grip never faltering as if he was trying to guard me from the evils of the world.

“Whatever you need,” he promised me.

The exhaustion of the day pulled at me, and my broken, battered soul ached with a pain I feared would never go away. But for now, I was safe, I was home, and I knew that my father wouldn’t let me down.

My eyes closed, and I let him lull me to sleep like he used to do when I was a little girl. I’d give myself tonight, and then tomorrow we’d do as he said. We’d make a plan, and I’d do a whole hell of a lot of growing up so I could make this child feel as safe and secure as my father had done for me.

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