Page 38 of The Coach

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I say, my voice breaking. “I didn’t come here for this. I just wanted you to know.”

“Ivy,” Carl says gently, “we’re just trying to understand. You’re going to need help. You’re not alone in this.”

“I need some air,” I mutter, grabbing my jacket and heading for the front door.

“Ivy!” my mom calls after me, but I don’t stop. I step out onto the porch, the cool breeze hitting my face, and collapse onto the steps, my head in my hands.

Outside, I pull my phone out of my pocket, my hands trembling. A new message from Lauren lights up the screen.

Lauren: How did it go?

I stare at the text, tears spilling down my cheeks. How do I even begin to explain the mess I’ve just made? I type back quickly.

Me: Terrible. I told them, and they freaked out. Started interrogating me. I had to leave the room.

A few seconds later, her reply comes through.

Lauren: They just need time to process. It’s a lot, but they’ll come around. I know they will.

I sniff, wiping my eyes. I want to believe her, but right now, it feels like everything is falling apart. Also…I realize I haven’t told her thewildesttwist of the whole thing.

About how Jackson has been found.

After a few minutes on the porch, the screen door creaks open behind me. I keep my head down, my fingers laced tightly in my lap, bracing for what’s next.

My mom steps out, her soft footsteps creaking against the wooden planks. She doesn’t say anything at first, just sits down beside me, close enough that our shoulders almost touch. The silence stretches between us, but it’s not as suffocating as before. It’s gentler. Softer.

“You know,” she says quietly, breaking the silence, “when I told your father I was pregnant with you, he wasn’t exactly thrilled.”

I blink, surprised, and glance at her. “Really?”

She nods, her lips twitching in a faint, bittersweet smile. “Oh, he came around, of course. But in the beginning? He was scared. Completely terrified. He didn’t know how we’d make it work. We weren’t exactly in a great place financially, and he didn’t think he’d be a good dad. It was... overwhelming for him.”

I swallow hard, her words sinking in. “I didn’t know that.”

She smiles a little wider, her hand resting on mine. “Of course you didn’t. You were the best thing that ever happened to us. He never let you see his fears, but trust me—they were there.”

I look down at my hands, my fingers trembling. “I’m scared too, Mom. I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

Her grip tightens on my hand. “No one ever feels ready, Ivy. But you don’t have to do this alone. And if this guy—whoever he is—doesn’t step up? If he left you in the lurch? That’s his loss. You’re going to be an amazing mom. And I never want you to feel alone. We’re here for you, okay? Anything you need. Emotional, mental support. Even financial. We’ve got your back. Sorry if I reacted weirdly back there. It’s just, you caught me off guard. And the more information we have, the more helpful we can be.”

The tears I’ve been holding back spill over, and I let out a shaky breath, wiping my face with the sleeve of my jacket. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I just...I didn’t know how.”

Her voice softens, full of love. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m just glad you told us now. We’ll figure it out, one step at a time.”

When I finally step back into the living room, Carl is still on the couch, the TV still muted. He looks up at me, his expression soft, his usual gruffness replaced by something gentler.

“You good?” he asks.

I nod, the weight on my chest lifting slightly. “Yeah.”

Carl leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Ivy, I have to ask. And I ask this from a loving place of zero judgment. You’re my girl. Okay?”

I bite my lip, crossing my arms. “Right. What?”

“Who’s the father? Just curious why you can’t contact him.”

The question hangs in the air, heavy and unavoidable. I glance at the TV, where the Stallions game is paused, the frozen image showing the face of their new head coach—Jackson Knox. His piercing blue eyes stare back at me from the screen, and my stomach twists into knots.

---