Page 67 of Pieces

“Figured out?” she echoes, her voice rising slightly. “What is there to figure out?” Stopping short, she glances back at the letter like it’s going to confirm her worst fears. “Are you pregnant?”

I glance at Hudson, and the look on his face is enough to make my heart clench.

“Yes,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “I’m pregnant.”

Mom gasps as my dad’s eyes narrow, his entire body coiled with tension as the realization sinks in. The silence in the room feels like a dam about to burst.

“You,” my dad finally growls, his voice low and dangerous. “You got my daughter pregnant?” My Dad isn’t an angry man, unless he’s losing a game. But Hudson doesn’t falter.

“Yes, sir,” he says, his voice steady but quiet. “I take full responsibility.”

“Responsibility?” he snaps as he takes a step forward. His hands clench into fists at his sides, and the veins in his neck strain against his skin. Oh god, I feel frozen, unable to figure out what to do. “Do you have any idea what responsibility looks like, Hudson? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve ruined my daughter’s future.”

“Elias,” my mom says sharply, her voice cracking as she steps between us. “Stop. Let’s just sit down and talk about this before anyone says something we can’t take back.”

My dad doesn’t move. “No, Serena,” he bites out, but his gaze never leaves Hudson. “He doesn’t get to walk in here and tell me that he’s disrespected my daughter—”

That wakes me up.

“Daddy, stop it,” I hiss. “He’s here, and he’s trying for me. Do you know how many other guys would’ve walked away by now?”

Hudson flinches, his fingers tightening around mine again, but he doesn’t back down. “I’m not apologizing for what happened,” he says. “I know what this means, and I’m here to take care of Daphne and the baby. I won’t walk away from this.”

“You’re damn right you won’t.” My dad’s tone is so harsh it feels like a slap.

“I’m prepared to do whatever it takes,” Hudson replies, unwavering.

“Is that so?” Dad takes another step closer, the tension between them palpable. “Because as far as I’m concerned, you’ve betrayed my trust in the worst possible way. Not only did you get involved with my daughter behind my back, but you also jeopardized both your futures.”

“Dad, stop it!” I plead, stepping between them. “This isn’t all Hudson’s fault. It was my choice too.”

He looks at me, his expression a mix of hurt and anger. It has my chest aching. “I thought we raised you better than this, Daphne. To be responsible, to think about your future.”

A sob threatens to sneak past my lips, but I manage to hold it back. “I’m sorry, okay?” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I never meant for this to happen, but it has, and we have to deal with it.”

My mom stands, firmly placing a hand on my dad’s arm. “We need to calm down and discuss this rationally.”

But he doesn’t respond right away, his gaze cutting into Hudson like a blade. The silence is deafening, and I hold my breath, my heart hammering harder. He steps back, but his jaw remains tight, his gaze bouncing between Hudson and me. “So, okay, let’s talk. What are your plans? Hudson, you’re a college student. How exactly do you plan to support them? You’re living off scholarships and campus resources.”

“Sir, I know this is a shock,” Hudson says. “But I care about Daphne, and I’m here for her and the baby. As I said, I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll figure out a way to provide. I’m not going anywhere.”

There’s no hesitation, no trace of uncertainty. It’s the kind of conviction I’ve heard from him before, but it hits different, stirring something deep inside me and awakening feelings I’ve been trying to repress. Hudson isn’t just saying the right thing; he believes it. He’s here, truly here, willing to carry this with me. The memory of last night, when he held me, let me fall apart in his arms, I don’t know how to ever forget that feeling. My throat feels thick, and I fight the urge to cry again. Not because I’m scared, but because there’s something undeniably powerful in watching someone choose to stand beside you, even when the ground beneath you is crumbling.

Chapter thirty

Hudson

Nothingpreparesyouformoments in your life where you have to stand up and be the person you’ve always wanted to be. To stand up for something, or someone, you believe in. No amount of practice, no pep talk, no game-time adrenaline compares to this.

Standing in Daphne’s parents’ kitchen, under the glare of Coach’s unforgiving eyes, I feel the weight of everything I’ve said and everything I’ve promised. It’s crushing, but I can’t show that. Not here. Not now.

Coach isn’t just angry, he’s furious. His silence burns more than his words, the way he looks at me like I’m something he’d rather scrape off his shoe. But I can’t let that shake me. This isn’t about me, not really. It’s about Daphne, the baby, and the life we’re about to build together, the life that’s happening whether he approves or not.

“I’ll figure out a way to provide,” I’d said, and I meant it. But saying it in the heat of the moment is one thing. Proving it to a man who sees right through excuses is another. His skepticism is palpable, but I refuse to let it crack me. I’m not that kind of guy; my mama raised me better than that.

And yeah, it’s hard not to listen to Coach’s words replaying in my head.Each word he’d said to me tonight was intended to wound, to make me crumble.

He’s right, of course. Idohave a lot to prove. To him, to Daphne, and to myself. I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person who steps up when it matters most, and I like to think I’m a pretty solid guy, but this is the moment that counts, the moment that will define me. And failure isn’t an option. Losing her or the baby isn’t an option either. I want her to see me choosing her over and over, because I know in my gut, that’ll never change. My fists clenched at my sides, every muscle in my body coiled tight. This wasn’t about me proving him wrong, it was about proving I was enough.

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