Page 19 of Knocked Up, by her Best Friend's Dad!

I STARED AT THE DOOR of my son’s house, for the first time conflicted over what I had to do. My focus lately had been so much on Hannah and the babies. I was grateful, because I knew if I really stopped and thought about Jamie and me, I would stress and make myself sick with worry over how everything’s played out. It didn’t help that I felt stupid. I was the father. I should have seen this coming, or something along the lines, but I guess it had been denial on my part too. Denial that I could betray my son the way I did. Denial at my feelings for Hannah and how it would affect the relationship we already had between the three of us.

The door opened taking my choice away. “How much longer you gunna stand there for?” Jamie crossed his arms over his chest and puffed out his body. If I wasn’t feeling terrible already, his defensive body language made me feel like utter shit. I was his father. He shouldn’t feel the need to make himself bigger than me in order to fight. Running my hand over my head, I realized just how much I’d royally screwed this all up.

“I’m sorry.” I let my hand fall and stared into a face so like my own. “You shouldn’t have had to have found out like you did. Damn, you shouldn’t have had to worry about this even happening."

We stood in there for a while, Jamie not saying a word. I opened my mouth to say more. I needed to say more, but I wanted inside first. I didn’t want to say all I had come to say on the bottom step of my son’s house entrance.

“No. I shouldn’t have, but what I did was worse.” He stepped back and turned leaving the door open. I knew this was my cue, that it was not only okay to follow him, but he was ready to talk.

Jamie went to the kitchen and I watched as he got out two beers, passing me one before he went over to the lounge room and sat on the sofa. I followed suit, sitting on the sofa opposite him.

We drink half a bottle before I sighed and knew I had to continue. “I feel so goddamn guilty. I’ve felt like that for years now.” I chuckled; a hollow sound. “The little tease wore my dirty shirts to bed and woke up with them tied in a knot, and her bloody panties showing. I know that’s not an excuse, but then she’d come around when you weren’t there just to watch TV and she’d snuggle against me. She’d listen to me drone on about work and help with what she could to make it easier on me. All that combined, it drove me mad.” I rested my head against the back of sofa, not looking at Jamie anymore and closed my eyes for a moment. “The party. The house-warming party where I couldn’t fight it any longer, I thought I was in your room and not hers. I don’t know if I can blame the alcohol because if I really think about it, I knew my resolve was crumbling. As much as I thought I would be relived she wouldn’t be around to torment and tease me, I knew deep down that I’d fallen for her and was going to miss the hell out her…” I sat up and opened my eyes. “Even more than I would miss you.” I studied Jamie’s face, he didn’t look angry or upset, his face, was blank, like he was a machine and just taking in everything I said. “I love her. I’m in love with her. I’m going to ask her to marry me. Can you forgive me?”

I watched as he downed his beer, grabbed another, downed that and pulled a third out of the fridge before coming and sitting down again. “I realized after my epic fuck-up that I love Hannah, but I’m not in love with her. These last couple of days I’ve called myself a fool more times than I can remember. I was a blind idiot not to see how it is with the two of you. Christ, I knew she had a crush, that should have told me that there was more. What hurts the most I think is, I’m supposed to be Hannah’s best friend and she kept this from me. Hannah has always been there for me. I mean, come on, she moved in here for me, not her. She was perfectly content not paying rent and living between our place and her other friends. She took a massage course and no matter how many times she says it was to help her career, I know that it's bullshit, she did it to help me.” He scrubbed his face before he sighed and finished his third beer, got up and opened another. “I can, I will, um, er, do forgive you. Do you think Hannah will ever forgive me?”

Hannah, wasn’t the type of person to hold a grudge or stay angry. She’d probably already forgiven Jamie, but was still angry at him. I wondered if she was a little upset with herself too for how this had all gone down. I didn’t hesitate in my reply. “Yeah. I bet you already are forgiven. She knows that you’d never really hurt her, she just might take some time. You going to be okay with that?”

He shrugged. “I’ll have to be.” I nodded and stood to leave, glad that we’d sorted it out. “Dad.” I paused and turned to him. “I’m happy for you. To tell the truth, I couldn’t think of anyone better for you to marry. It may gross me out, but, I see why you two make sense.” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Um, er, Dad, I love you.”

Going to him I whispered, “Fuck it.” And pulled him in for a big bear hug. “I love you too son. I love you too.”

I knew then that it would all be okay.

WE WERE GOING TO MY parents for the first time. Together. As a couple. Jamie was out of the way, he knew about Hannah and I, we’d talked and he’d comes to terms with it all. Now, it was time to tell the rest of family. Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous about my family knowing about Hannah and me. I’d stressed about it enough and wanted everything to be out in the open. I was happy with Hannah; she was better than any of my fantasies I’d had. Now that Jamie knew of what I wanted with Hannah, I was eager to share the news with everyone else.

Hannah’s grip on my hand was tight as we entered my parents dining room. “What if they're angry because I seduced you?” I couldn’t help the chuckle that turned into a full-blown laugh as she let go of my hand, puts them on her waist and raises her brow. “It’s not something to laugh at. If I hadn’t thrown myself at you, we wouldn’t be in this.”

I stopped laughing and gathered her closer to me as I tilted her head up. “I don’t regret you coming to me at that party.” I placed my hands on her rounded stomach. “I definitely don’t regret these babies.” I leaned down and brushed my lips over hers.

“Oh, gosh. Adam. Hannah.” I looked up to see my mother with her mouth flapping open.

“Ma, Hannah and I have something to tell you all.”

“Oh, son, I bet you two do.” She looked up and down and then her gaze stopped and I knew what it was focused on. “I think you two need come into the lounge room now.” The voice she used was one I remembered from my childhood, it was one I never disobeyed.

“We’re right behind you, Ma.” I practically had to drag Hannah behind me.

We entered the lounge room where my pa, Jamie, sister Pauline, brother-in-law Hank, niece Rebecca, nephew Bryce and grandparents were all waiting. As soon as we entered the room, all eyes turned to us. They smiled, but when they saw my hand entwined with Hannah’s, and then her pregnant belly, there were gasps, and gaping mouths, all except Jamie.

“Hannah and I have some things to tell you all.” I squeezed Hannah’s hand reassuringly.

“You’ve been busy, bro.” Pauline blurts out.

“Yeah, Uncle Adam.” Bryce added.

Hannah backed up, but I held onto her tight. “Hannah and I are together. She's pregnant with my children. Yes, you heard right. We’re having triplets.”

Chaos ensued, as they all spoke at once. Hannah yanked her hand from mine and ran.

Not caring about my family, I followed Hannah to make sure she was safe. I caught her at our car. “Angel.” I wrapped my arms around her waist. “Slow down, beautiful, before you fall and hurt yourself.” I gathered her into my arms. She broke down into sobs.

“They all hate me now. I bet they think I’ve trapped you,” she moaned.

“Angel, they don’t hate you, and I know you didn’t trap me.” Her face is buried against my chest, but I ease back and tilt her chin up and lean down. “They’re just shocked, Hannah.” I stroked her cheek. “Once they know everything and see how much we love each other, everything will be good again. I promise.” She hiccupped but leaned into my caress. “Let’s go back in there. They've had some time to processes this, and I promise it will be all alright.”

The love and trust that shone from her eyes as she gazed up at me had me knowing I’d said and done the right thing. This time when we walked into the house, Hannah was snuggled into my side and my hand rested on her bulging stomach. There wasn’t any yelling and I knew that it would all work out oaky.

HANNAH

ADAM’S FAMILY CAME AROUND QUICKLY. That first night was awkward, and I almost ran out at least three more time that night, but the last three Sunday nights at his parents' had been great. They’d even started asking about the babies.

My school holidays had been amazing. When I hadn’t been at work, I’d been relaxing at home. Yes, home. Adam’s house was my home. It had always felt like it, but now that we were together, it felt even more like home.

Living with Adam was fantastic, but I now knew he wasn’t perfect. Like, using a new dish or cup for every time and not washing it and placing it in the dishwasher, or not putting his dirty clothes in washing basket, he’d dump it beside the basket or at the laundry door, and then there was the damn driving lessons, let’s just say that I’ll be paying for lesson’s from now on. The day after his family learning of us, he took me in my new car for my first lesson…

“Have you checked your review mirror and side ones?”

He’d asked me this twice now and I was starting to get annoyed. I answered with the same answer I gave him the first two time. “Yes, I’ve checked the mirrors and made sure the chair is enough forward to reach the peddles.”

“Now that you’re sure, I want you to practice turning the engine off and on and learning where the indicators, lights and windscreen whippers are.” He gazed at me and I resisted the urge to snarl at him. I knew where all these things where. I been in the car and watched him drive and this wasn’t my first driving lesson. I’d driven before. Not wantin

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