Page 51 of Knocked Up by Mr. Grump Lawyer

We were nearing his house. I was determined to get packed and leave as soon as possible. I could take care of myself and this baby. I was confident about that. I didn’t need him.

He went straight to his office without a word.

I was furious and disappointed. I thought he’d at least try to negotiate with me. I had actually believed that he cared about me the way I was starting to care about him. But I guess he isn’t cut out for that kind of stuff. He should remain single for the rest of his life.

As I packed my things, I wondered if he’d been like this to Jaynie which could be why she left him. It was certainly possible. I never got to hear her side, anyway.

I was about to leave when I heard Riley come into the house. He was arguing with Anna about something.

When I went to the kitchen, they were hunched over a recipe, trying to figure out something.

“Hi, everyone! What’s up?” I asked. I was going to miss these two. I must tell them I’m going back to my apartment.

“I need help with this baking project!” Riley said, pointing to the recipe he was holding. “Reading this is like trying to understand a foreign language!”

“Let me check…” I offered. I used to bake a lot during my teenage years.

The recipe was not so complicated, after all. Anna could probably figure it out too, but I could tell that she was too confused because there were other things on her mind.

“I think we should just leave Anna out of it,” I told Riley with a grin. He always made me cheer up. “She’s got plenty of other things to worry about.”

“Oh, but---” Anna began to protest.

“It’s fine, Anna,” I said. “We can handle it.”

“Yeah, thanks!” Riley said cheerfully.

I checked the time. I could probably stay for an hour or so to help Riley first. In the meantime, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him my plan yet.

We both got engrossed in the baking process. It was a breath of fresh air for me, a chance to unwind and not think or worry about anything. I didn’t realize this activity could be so relaxing and stress-relieving.

“Ta-da! Looks like my baking skills haven’t become so rusty, after all!” I exclaimed happily once we’d completed everything and placed the baking dish inside the oven. “And you, Riley, have got the makings of a future baker!”

He laughed and gave a little bow.

“Honestly, you did so well,” I told him. “I just helped a bit.”

“Thanks so much,” he beamed, looking proud of himself.

Just then, Robert came into the kitchen. He sniffed the delicious aroma of the bread getting baked in the oven. “What do you have there?” he asked.

His eyes shifted to me, registering surprise. He’d probably expected me to be gone by now.

“Hey, Dad!” Riley said excitedly. “Kayla just helped me bake this bread for school!”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Robert said. “It smells delicious.”

“You should definitely eat some,” Riley said.

“Of course,” Robert answered. He then turned to me and gave me a slight smile. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied, suddenly hoping that he’d loosen up again and we could return to our normal friendly banter. Even our passionate arguments were much better than his silent, aloof treatment.

“I think I’ll be ready for the bake sale at school,” Riley said proudly. “I just need to practice a bit more, and you all have to eat everything I bake!”

I laughed then but felt guilty for having to leave. I needed to tell him now. “Riley, I’m so sorry, but I’m actually moving out now,” I told him very gently. I could feel Robert’s eyes on me. “My baby and I are okay now, so I’m moving back to my apartment… But thank you so much for everything you all did for me…”

Riley looked surprised and disappointed, but he nodded in understanding. He glanced at his father and then turned back to me at once. “You’ll still visit us, right?” he asked with an expectant tone in his voice. “And maybe we can all go out sometimes?”

---