Page 13 of Despite It All
“Wh-what?” I stammer. No, we agreed, right? Me leaving that room wasn’t completely on me… was it?
Jett runs his hands over his face and sighs. “I did want your full name. I did want your number. Honestly, I wanted a lot more, which you would have found out had you stayed. And now, five years later, you’re telling me I have a daughter?”
Tears start to pool in my eyes. “I… I…” Words have escaped me. Is this all my fault? I wanted those things from him too, but I didn’t think… A tear spills down my cheek. This is all my fault.
I accepted being a single mom after Stevie was born. I wanted to find Jett but looking for him had to be put on the backburner for a bit. But this? I don’t know how to process this.
“Wyla, hey, Wy.” Jett lifts my chin and sighs. “I’m sorry. This is just a lot to take in.” He wipes away the tear, and I struggle to not revel in that small touch. “You’re sure she’s mine?”
I nod slowly. “Yes, there are no other options. The only person I slept with was you.”
Jett lets go of my chin and falls back in the chair. He stares down at the ground. “But we used condoms?”
“We did… except for that time in the shower.”
“Fuck.” Jett buries his face in his hands.
I wipe another stray tear off my cheek. I want to go sit next to him but before I can, the back door slings open and in runs the little hellion herself with Matt following behind her.
Fuck my life.
“Mommy! Mommy!” She launches herself into my arms. “There you are. Can we open presents now?”
“Sorry, Wyla. She’s a persistent little thing.” Matt glances at Jett, who isn’t looking too hot right now. “You okay, man?”
Jett stands, ignoring Matt completely as he takes in our daughter.
“Um, Matt, this is Jett. Jett, Matt. We work together,” I add. Jett continues to ignore Matt’s presence as he looks from me to Stevie and back to me. “Okay, um, sweetie, we’ll open your presents so soon. Have Matt take you to Wayway. She’ll sneak you a cupcake.”
“Yay!” Stevie squeals and wiggles out of my arms. “Come on, Matt. Let’s go, let’s go.” She hits the ground running and races back out the door.
Matt looks at me. “Are you good?”
No, yes, fuck if I know. “Yeah, I… we’ll… um…”
“We’ll be out in a minute,” Jett snaps, acknowledging him for the first time.
Matt turns to Jett with no regard that he’s a few inches shorter and much lankier than him. “I don’t believe I was talking to you.” He turns back to me. “Wyla, are you good?”
“Yes, Matt. I’m good. I promise. We’ll be back out in a minute.” I try to give him a reassuring smile back, but I'm pretty sure it comes off more forcedthan I’d like.
Matt takes a small step back toward the door but holds his gaze. “Okay, holler if you need me.”
“She won’t,” Jett snaps again, almost possessively.
“Jett,” I warn. The last thing I need is for Matt to try to send my dad in here to check on me. “I’m really fine, Matt. Thank you, though.”
Matt nods and gives Jett afuck offlook, but I don’t even think he notices it or cares, really. I exhale when I hear the door close, and I’m back to being alone with my baby’s daddy.
“He your boyfriend or something?” Jett asks, and the tension is back in his tone.
“No, we’re friends. We work together,” I repeat, because he clearly wasn’t listening earlier.
“Right.” Jett snorts a laugh.
“We are,” I snap, but then hold up my hands. “That’s not what we are talking about right now.”
“Right, we’re talking about how I have a secret daughter,” he snaps back.
