Page 46 of Zone Protection

He pulls me in for a hug. “Archie, I’m so proud of the man you’re becoming. Even if the timing isn’t the best professionally, babies are a blessing, and we’ll be so excited to meet the next little Griffith.”

I squeeze him a little harder, fighting the tears that just sprang. “Thanks, Dad. I just hope I can be as good of a dad as you’ve been to us. And I also hope I can treat Emma with the same love and respect you show Mama.”

He pulls away but keeps his hands on my shoulders. “Oh, you will, son. ’Cause if you don’t, I won’t have to worry about kicking your ass; your mama will.”

We both laugh as he releases me.

He turns and opens his door. “We’ll see you soon, but you’d better call your mama and tell her about the baby because you know I will when I get home, and she should hear it from you first.”

I nod. “You got it. I’ll call her on my way home. Drive safe and text me when you get there. Tell everyone I said hi and I love and miss them all.”

He tips the bill of his hat. “Will do. Love you, son.”

“Love you, Dad.” I tap the top of his door when it closes.

I watch him drive away and think about how different my path is than his was. While I love the ranch I grew up on, I never had any interest in taking it over. Once I made that first hit in peewee football, I knew where I was meant to be.

Now, I just need to figure out a way to make my dreams and Emma’s mix, so we can both be there to raise the baby. Because I can’t imagine being away from any child of mine. And the more time I spend with Emma, the more I realize that I’m not interested in being away from her either.

CHAPTER

TEN

EMMA

Tellingmy parents I was pregnant went about as well as I’d expected it would. They both started crying, which made me cry. They’re natural worriers, so I wasn’t shocked when they started asking questions. Important ones. Namely about how I’ll be a mother and a student, an athlete, a young woman experiencing life in her twenties.

They’re nervous about my future and the impact that Archie’s career will have on all of this and how we’ll be able to raise a baby together. Will he get drafted and move away? The travel that’s involved and how unavailable he’ll be. I’m not as concerned about that part as maybe I should be. Things with Archie have been relatively easy so far, and while we haven’t had any talks about what we’ll do, I do think we’ll be able to make some of these decisions together.

Technically, I have one more year of premed left, so there are not only considerations to be made about medical school, but also how I’ll finish my premed program and be a new mom. Where the baby and I will live and how I’ll be able to support him or her are at the top of the list of worries. Who will watchthe baby while I’m going to school full-time and finishing out my last year on the golf team? I know sacrifices will have to be made, but school and the team come first, especially since the latter is giving me my scholarship.

My parents have assured me that they will be supportive every step of the way. I know they will, mostly because they worry and their love is unconditional. I don’t want them to feel obligated to raise my baby. I know I need their help, yet that independent woman in me fiercely wants to try to do as much of this on her own.

And of course, they want to be as involved as possible with the baby and making sure the baby’s health is okay. My parents’ love was never in question with me growing up; it was their emotional presence. But time has healed some of their grief, and I think this baby could bring a new connection for me and my parents too.

I know they’re worried like I am about the possibility that the baby could have the same heart defect, but right now, all we can do—all I can do—is take care of myself the best that I can. Which means I need to get a little more rest and make sure I’m eating and drinking plenty of fluids.

Once we got through our talk and got some dinner, it was getting late, so I decided to stay the night with them. I called Archie to let him know I would be staying with my parents. Plus, I wanted to check on him after his game, and he told his dad about the baby, so I wanted to see how that went, but … mostly, I just wanted to hear his voice. It was an emotional day, and he just has a calming presence that makes me feel better.

When I get to my apartment the next day, I grab a small duffle bag of clothes from my car. When I was home, I found a few pairs of larger leggings, T-shirts, and sweatshirts that I’ll probably need sooner rather than later. I’m not really showing yet, but the waistbands on all my pants are definitely getting a bit snugger.

When I push open the door to the apartment, I find all threeof my roommates home. Mia and Livi are on the couch, watching some show about a virus taking over the world, and Peyton is in the kitchen, making quesadillas.

“Yum! Smells good in here, Pey. Did you make enough for me?” I ask her.

“Of course I did. Do you want yours with chicken or just cheese?” Peyton asks.

“Cheese is good. No, wait. Add a little chicken in there, too, if there’s enough.” I need to add more chicken and protein to my diet, although my appetite is finicky.

I walk in and set my duffle bag down next to the couch. I tug on Mia’s ponytail, and Livi holds her hand up for me to take.

“What’s up, bestie? We missed you last night. It was the first time in a while that we came home after a football game and you weren’t here,” Livi says.

I squeeze her hand lightly. “I needed to run up to my parents’ for the day. It’s been a while since I’ve spent time with them, and I ended up staying the night because it was getting late and I didn’t want to drive back to campus in the dark.”

“Fair. Well, you’re just in time for dinner, so yay!” She smiles at me.

My phone chimes from inside my bag, so I bend down to take it out. I see Archie’s name on the screen with a text.

---