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From behind me, I hear Mom choke down a sob. “Oh goodness,” she cries. “August, what is this?”
I walk beside her and kiss her head gently. “It’s freedom, Mom. A little something to ease your worry.”
“Oh, honey.”
Jim clears his throat. “On behalf of Life Space, I’m proud to present to the family of our star player, August Graves, a full-ride scholarship to the college of your choosing, to each one of you.”
“A full-ride?” Levi blurts, eyes going wide. “We get to go to college?”
“What are we riding on?” Delaney giggles. “I hope it’s a horse!”
“Not a horse, sweet girl,” Tenley squats to Delaney’s level. “Youget to go to a fancy school and learn the biggest of things. Anything you could ever dream of. That way, you can be whatever you want to be when you grow up. Pretty cool, huh?”
“I always wanted to be a ballerina!”
“And now you can,” Tenley whispers into her hair.
“I can be a marine biologist if I want to?” Carter exclaims.
“You can be whatever you’d like,” Jim answers. “There’s no expiration date. We just ask that you finish high school strong when the time comes and stay out of trouble. Think you can do that?”
“Yeah!” they all chant before plowing into Jim with a hug of thankfulness. My eyes find Mom again, tears streaming down her cheeks, and a hand over her mouth in what looks like disbelief.
“You okay, Mom?” I ask her, pulling Tenley into my side for support.
“Are you kidding?” Mom sighs. “I’m over the moon. This…this is all too much, but I’d never turn it away. Not if it means my babies get the bright future I always wanted for them. The life I knew I could never give them on my own.”
“You’re not alone, Mom. You never have been. I want you to know how proud I am of you.”
“You’ve always taken care of us, haven’t you, my boy?” Mom pulls me to her, my height causing her to reach. “Now, it’s time for you to take care of your new family. I’ve got this from here.”
I look to Tenley, finding her bright blue eyes filled to the brim with tears. “I’ll makeyou proud.”
“You already have.”
“I’m going to college!” Levi chants from behind us, and suddenly, all is right in my world.
College.It seems the phone call just eight short months ago from Jim wound up being the tool that helped shape the trajectory of my life. Just like that spontaneous night in the storage closet at Joe’s did.
If I never took chances, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
A fulfilled man with a heart that feels really fucking full. The woman that almost got away in my arms. A mother with her head finally on straight. And a son that’s quite literally days away from making his debut.
Life is…good.
“Shit.” I pause, the sound of panic in Tenley’s voice coursing through me like ice.
“What’s wrong, baby? You okay?” I inspect her for damage, unsure of how she could possibly be hurt in less than a second from the last time I looked at her.
“I think my water just broke.” My chest tightens.
“I’d say so,” Mom declares, glancing at the trickling of fluid on the ground. “Looks like he’s ready to finally meet you. Congrats, Mom and Dad.”
It’s time.
We’re gonna be parents, and our future starts now.
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