“Tell us something new. Unplanned is your go-to. One would think you’d be smarter and not make the same mistake again.”
He thinks I view him as a mistake?
I shake my head, wondering how the hell I can fix this. Was there even any chance of fixing this, or were we too broken for that?
“I made a lot of mistakes in my life, Daniel, but having you, having Levi, and having this baby isn’t one of them.”
Some of that snarkiness dies down and shame flashes on his face, so he looks away.
“Savannah’s baby is your baby?” Levi’s soft voice breaks me out of the staring contest with my older son. There’s a frown between his brows as he tries to keep up with the conversation.
“Yes, Savannah’s baby is my baby.” I let that sit for a little while. “How do you feel about that?”
If possible, that frown between his brows grows even bigger.
I crouch in front of him and place my hand on his knee, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay if you’re not sure how you feel. If you have any questions, you can ask me anytime, you know that? But this doesn’t change anything. Savannah is still going to be your teacher, and I’m still your dad.”
“And I get a baby brother?”
“Yes, or a baby sister.”
“Are you even sure the baby is yours?” Daniel chimes in. “Maybe she’s trying to dump another guy’s kid on you…”
“The baby is mine,” I grit through clenched teeth, leaving no room for discussion. “Savannah didn’t know me or what I did when we met, and she didn’t bring it up once after she found out. Quite the contrary, actually.”
“Will Miss Parker live here with us?” Levi asks suddenly.
Daniel’s body stiffens at his words, all the color draining from his face at the idea.
I curse inwardly.
“No, Miss Parker will keep living in her house.”
“But then where will the baby live?” His face lights up. “He can sleep in my room! I don’t mind sharing.”
I chuckle softly, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. “That’s really nice of you, buddy. But we’ll have to wait and see what happens. There is still a lot of time before the baby comes.”
“How long?”
I count back to when we first met, which was late March, so that would mean… “Probably sometime around Christmas.”
“Does that mean that Santa will bring us the baby? Like a present?”
“No, Levi,” I chuckle softly. “Santa won’t bring the baby. We’ll take Savannah to the hospital, where she’ll give birth to the baby. Like Becky.”
Levi’s brows furrow in confusion. “How will she give birth?”
“I—”Fuck.I scratch my neck as I try to come up with some kind of explanation. This kid was too curious for his own good. “It’ll come out of Savannah’s belly.”
Levi’s eyes grow wide. “The baby is in Savannah’s belly?”
Before I get a chance to come up with an answer, Daniel pushes to his feet, his knee bumping into the coffee table, as he marches out of the room. I watch the empty doorway for a moment longer, feeling a headache brewing behind my temples.
Before I can do anything, Levi’s arms wrap around my neck. “Don’t worry, Daddy, I love my baby brother.”
“I know you do, buddy.”
He beams at me. “I’ll be the best big brother.”