Page 9 of One Pucking Life

Questions come at me in rapid succession, but I’m too stunned to answer them all.

“Okay, okay, okay.” Cade holds up a hand to quiet the room, his face serious. “This is a lot to take in. You’re—what, a dad now? Out of nowhere?”

“Yeah, man. I’m a dad now,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. I glance at Caroline, happily nestled in Ari’s arms.

Finn rubs his eyes, clearly unsure if he’s seeing things correctly. “And you didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know.” I shrug, my chest tight. “I had no idea. But… she’s mine. She’s definitely mine.”

“Not to be insensitive or anything,” Miles says, a little too casual. “But are you sure? You should probably take a paternity test.”

I nod, swallowing. “Yeah, I can, but look at her. I feel like she’s mine.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Eddy leans forward, his eyes wide with disbelief. “So, what, she just handed you a baby and left?”

“Pretty much,” I say, my voice shaky as the reality of it all starts to sink in again. “We talked for a bit, but yeah, that’s the gist of it.”

A heavy silence fills the room as everyone processes the news. Then Jaden, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced with concern, speaks up. “Max, man… this is huge. Are you okay?”

I glance around at my friends, unsure of what to say. I still don’t know what to think, let alone how to feel.

“I don’t know, Jay,” I mutter, my voice low. “I guess I will be. I’m gonna figure it out. But, right now…” I look down at Caroline, and everything in me softens. “Right now, I’m just trying to process this.”

Cade steps closer, his tone more serious than I’m used to. “Max, man, this is crazy, but you’re gonna be a great dad.” His words are sincere, a little slurred from the alcohol, but still genuine.

“You sure about that?” I ask, my voice thick with emotion. “Our schedule is insane. What am I supposed to do? Throw her in one arm and skate with my stick in the other? This is insane.” I run a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.

“We’re here to help you,” Iris says, her voice calm and reassuring.

The others voice their agreement, and Iris continues. “Me, Penny, Ari, and some of the girls from the office can take turns watching her while you’re on the ice until you get a nanny.”

“A nanny?” I repeat, still a little thrown off by the word.

“Of course,” Ari chimes in. “With your schedule, the only way to make it work is a live-in nanny. It’ll make your life so much easier.”

“A live-in nanny…” I repeat, slowly nodding. “Okay, yeah. I guess that makes sense.”

“Yeah, man.” Jaden raises his beer in a half toast, a grin on his face. “You’ve got this. And if you need anything, we’re here. For real. You’re not alone in this.”

I look around at my friends—my family—and feel a small spark of relief. Their support means the world to me. But I know when it comes down to it, this is my responsibility. Caroline is mine now.

I walk over to Ari and carefully take Caroline from her arms. The moment she settles against my chest, she gives me the smallest smile. My heart melts. She doesn’t know who I am—there’s no way she could—but maybe… maybe she feels something. A connection.

“She really is a beautiful baby,” Ari says softly, warmth in her voice.

“Yeah,” I murmur, my gaze fixed on Caroline. “She is.”

Shock still buzzes through me like static under my skin. I haven’t even started to process the last half hour of my life. This morning, I was grateful for my freedom—no ties, no responsibilities. And now? Now I have the biggest, most important responsibility there is. A life. My daughter.

The realization hits me hard, knocking the breath from my lungs. “What do I do now?” I ask, my voice cracking with the question. I stare at Caroline, then at my friends, panic rising fast in my chest. “I don’t know how to change a diaper. What does she eat? Where does she sleep? What do I do if she cries?” My words tumble out in a rush. “I don’t even know where to start.”

I know all first-time parents must feel some version of this. But most people get time to prepare, right? Nine months of preparations, baby showers, and parenting books. I got thirty minutes and a diaper bag. I’m completely out of my depth—and painfully aware I can’t afford to screw this up. She’s not a houseplant I can water and stick by the window. She’s a living, breathing little person. Small. Fragile. Totally dependent on me.

The terror claws back through my veins, turning my blood to ice.

“I’ll stay with you tonight,” Ari says gently. “I’ve watched baby Nolan plenty of times. I can help.”

“I’ll stay too,” Iris adds with a reassuring smile. “I’ve helped with Nolan a lot. We’ll go over the basics tonight, okay? You don’t have to do this alone. It’ll be okay.”

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