Page 100 of Three Pucks and a Baby

As I was changing out of my hockey gear, my phone dinged. Since Grayson and Theo’s went off at the same time, I dove over my padding to grab it.

I immediately opened our group chat. My heart leaped into my throat at the words Vivian had sent.

The paternity test results are in.

“What’s wrong?” Theo asked. He was too enveloped in his gear to be able to look at his phone.

“Vivian texted that the paternity results are back.”

He froze. “And?”

“I don’t know. That’s all she said.”

“I’ll ask her,” Grayson said, as his fingers flew on the keys.

Once he hit send, my breath hitched as I stared at the typing bubbles from Vivian.

Her text said:

I didn’t want to open the email without you guys.

I exhaled a ragged breath. “She’s waiting for us.”

“Then let’s get the hell out of here,” Theo said.

I quickly typed

We’re on the way to your place

before I tossed my phone aside to get dressed.

Fifteen minutes later, we wheeled up at Vivian’s house. After sprinting from the car, we jogged up Vivian’s front walk. I wasn’t too surprised to see her waiting for us on the front porch. Since she was pacing, it was more like she was trying to occupy her mind.

Although it was freezing, we didn’t make a move to go inside. Instead, we stared at the phone in her hand. “What are you waiting for?” Theo asked.

“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “It’s like I can’t bring myself to open the email.”

I closed the gap between us. “Just like we’ve said before—it doesn’t matter what those results say. We’re here for you and the baby.”

As Grayson and Theo nodded in acknowledgment, Vivian drew in a ragged breath. “Okay, then. Let’s do it,” she replied.

We formed a circle around her as she opened the email. “Dear Ms. Whitlock, we regret to inform you that your paternity results were inconclusive–”

“What the hell does that mean?” Grayson demanded.

“It means they couldn’t figure out who the dad was, right?” I replied.

Vivian nodded. “With your gestation of seven weeks, it can be more difficult for definitive results. We encourage you to repeat the test in a few weeks.”

“Well, fuck,” Theo said.

A nervous laugh bubbled from Vivian’s lips. “I would have to agree with that.”

“So, we’ll just redo the test,” I said more for me than for anyone else.

“Exactly,” Vivian replied.

Although we had the answer before us, we still remained standing in the cold. After a few moments passed, Graysoncleared his throat. “Don’t shoot me for this, but why do we have to find out the paternity before the baby is born?”

---