Page 3 of Daddy's Little Dreamer

By the time she came back, I had both our places at the table set. My dippy sauces were in the lid of the nuggie box and my fries were ready for dippy, dippy, dippy yumminess.

Mom poured a glass of water and took her seat across from me. In my mind, I was already playing with the new toys that came with my meals, and it wasn’t duplicates this time which was awesome. But her words as she finished our conversation stunned me to the point that my brain froze.

“I never knew your father, not really.”

Wait. What?

“As you know, I grew up in this very town where everyone knows, well, everyone and everything and I couldn’t wait to get out of it and college was my ticket. I wanted to break free far away from here. And believe me, I did.”

Stunned silence. That best described me right now so much, so I hadn’t swallowed the food in my mouth.

“College was a great experience for me, and I regret nothing. Least of all you. It was my senior year when I got pregnant. We were at the same party, dancing and flirting. Next thing you know, well, you can figure it out from there.” Mom blushed and triggered mine. “One thing led to another and that was that. I never saw him again after that night, nor did I look for him. I made it through graduation with barely a baby bump, then came back home and a few months later, had the beautiful baby boy I’d always dreamed of.

“Grandma and Grandpa weren’t happy, but I was ecstatic. I worked two jobs, and they watched you for me. Then when I finally got on full time at Sunrise, we got our own place. With that position, I was able to cut back to just one job and have more time with you.”

“So, I have a dad somewhere?”Duh, dork. Well, unless…but now I knew that wasn’t possible though for most of my life I figured I was an invitro baby.

“Most likely. I’m sorry I kept this from you. For years I feared you’d ask, and I had no answer for you, and I hated that. But I have no regrets. You are the love of my life and never a day has gone by that I regretted the life we built for a single moment, Trevor.”

“Grandma never said anything to me about any of this.”

Mom laughed. “That was a miracle in itself because telling that woman anything was akin to announcing it over the PA system at the mall.”

Just that quickly the levity Mom and I always enjoyed was back. But can I just say?

Mind. Blown.

2

My life was forever changed the first time I lactated. Don’t get me wrong, I freaked the fuck out but in the end it all worked out. I didn’t dare tell my roommate or anyone else about it. They’d likely have locked me up if I had. Scared the hell out of me and changed literally everything.

An invincible college sophomore, as we all believe in our younger years, sewing his wild oats. I’d just come back to my dorm after my last class of the day, poised to dive into an assignment that was due by midnight. Totally normal for me, cramming to finish at the last minute. There I sat, with the computer in front of me, when the front of my shirt dampened.

“What the hell?”

I glanced around, figuring I’d knocked a drink over, but the soda can was across the desk from me. Purposely. Not my first rodeo into the realm of spilling on my laptop.

Like any fool, I ran my hand through the dampness and felt an odd pressure when it grazed my chest. So, I lifted my shirt and there was a white, milky seepage coming from my nipples.Needless to say, I shouted a few choice curse words, then drove like a madman to the hospital. Outside of getting the required shots as a kid, I’d never been to the doctor and had nowhere else to turn.

The lady at the check-in desk greeted me. “Hello, sir, how may I help you?”

“Something’s wrong with my chest.” She had to lean across the desk to hear me, I’d whispered so low. “It’s leaking or something.”

The kind nurse smiled and patted my hand then handed me a clipboard. “Please fill out these forms, sir, then we’ll take you back to see the doctor.”

Hurriedly, before my shirt got any wetter and people took notice, I filled them out as fast as I could. As soon as I handed them back to her, she led me back to a curtained space. “The doctor will be in shortly.”

Moments later, he came in.

“Good afternoon, Mister…” He gazed down at the paperwork. “Carter. I see you have a concern with nipple discharge?”

My face heated to Defcon five and my head spun like the exorcist. “Ssh, not so loud. Um, yes.”

“Lift your shirt please.” He poked around the tender area. “Jayger, there is nothing wrong, per se. You’re lactating.”

“What? Men don’t lactate. Have you been drinking?”

Was this guy for real? Should I report him to some sort of doctor’s board or to the lady at the front desk?

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