Page 61 of Walker

“That is a long haul every day,” he points out.

I gnaw on my bottom lip. “I’m looking to move closer to Walker’s, I wanted to see if you guys wanted to move closer too?”

He studies me. “I feel like you’re not telling me something.”

Walker is watching us. Should I tell my dad? I don’t even know if I’m one hundred percent pregnant.

“I’m going to tell them,” I state to Darren and Walker.

Walker tucks me under his arm and Darren takes my hand. Fishing is long forgotten, mom and my dads are staring at me.

“Is everything okay? You’re not sick, are you?” Mom asks.

“The reason we were slow getting ready this morning was because I was taking a pregnancy test. I’m pregnant! We haven’t been to the doctor to confirm it yet though.”

My mother screams at the top of her lungs. “OH MY GOD! I’m going to be a NANA!” She jumps causing the whole boat to rock, almost knocking me over.

She pulls me into a hug, crying. “I can’t wait to hold that baby.”

I couldn’t stop the tears if I tried, I cry right along with her and my dads are watching us. My dad, Everett, looks like he is going to cry as my mom moves to Darren hugging him.

I wave them over, hugging Everett first. “I can’t believe my baby is having a baby.” His voice cracks. I close my eyes thinking of all the times he held me when I was sad as a kid.

I hope and pray that I can give my kids half of the childhood they gave me. My dad, Knox, my protector takes his place. “My baby.” He holds me so tight, the tears fall at this point.

“I’m so happy for you.” He pulls back, cupping my cheeks. “This is all that I ever wanted for you, well I did think about killing them at first.” I laugh and let him continue. “Deep down all I ever wanted for you was to have someone to love you more than anything and you found two of them, baby girl. Now you can experience what an amazing and exhausting adventure it is to have a baby.”

“I love you, Dad.” I close my eyes, hugging him one more time.

I wipe my eyes, smiling. “So, I heard you were moving,” Everett breaks the mood.

My mom looks at me horrified. “But the baby,” she starts and Everett raises his hand. “Let’s move too, we have been dreaming of building a new home anyway,” he suggests.

“Let’s do it,” they agree.

“You guys have me a mess,” I sniff, shaking my head.

“You! Look at me, you just made me into a grandma!” she yells and plops down in her chair dramatically.

“You love it, Mom.” I rub her hair messing it up.

“Well, your fishing pole is gone,” Knox says and points to mine where it’s fallen into the water.

“Well, hey.” I bend over the side of the boat trying to grab it out of the water. “You are going to fall in,” Darren says.

“I got it.” I grab the pole out of the water, “Uhh I’m stuck.”

They laugh and Walker lifts me up. “You need to be more careful being pregnant,” he scolds me.

I feel like this is going to be a long pregnancy.

On the ride back, sickness hits me like a ton of bricks; I haven’t been seasick in a long time. Please don’t puke, please don’t puke I repeat over and over in my head.

I see the dock in the distance, thank God. I tilt my head off the side of the boat, breathing the cold air in deep, it helps me feel better.

“Have you even eaten today?” Mom asks, rubbing my back.

“She has, I made sure,” Darren tells her.

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