Page 15 of Protect My Heart
‘Haydon Falls? Um, yeah. I’ve heard of it.’
It’s where the father of my baby lives. The father of your grandchild.
Out of all the towns in Wisconsin, they just had to pick Haydon Falls?
‘If you’re able to, would you like to meet us there for a day or two?’
‘Where? Haydon Falls?’
‘Yes. Your father and I would love to spend some time with you since we won’t be seeing you this summer.’
‘I don’t know, Mom. I’ll have to check my work schedule.’
My summer job doesn’t start for a few weeks, but I don’t want to tell her that or she’ll guilt me into spending time with them in Haydon Falls, just like she tried to guilt me into coming home this summer. I’m done with school, so I could’ve gone back to Boston, but I decided to stay here a few more months. I’d like to say it had nothing to do with Jason, but that’s a lie. I took a job here this summer because I wasn’t ready to leave.
Even before finding out I was pregnant, I wanted to call up Jason and ask if we could meet for dinner. I wanted to see if the way we felt that night was real or just a side effect of the alcohol. But I never got up the nerve to call him. I kept coming up with reasons why I couldn’t. I was too busy with work. Too busy with school. I had to finish a paper first, or a project, or clean my apartment. There was always something holding me back, but I can’t put it off anymore, not after finding out about the baby.
‘Mom, I need to go,’ I say, suddenly feeling sick.
‘Let me give you our flight times.’
‘Just text it to me. I really need to go. I’ll talk to you later.’ Iend the call and race to the bathroom. I’ve gone a couple weeks without morning sickness, which makes me wonder if this is something else, like my nerves acting up because I’m afraid to tell my parents about the baby. I hate disappointing them, and finding this out will definitely disappoint them.
Back in my office, I find my boss standing at my desk.
‘There you are,’ he says, smiling. He’s head of the student counseling center and also teaches some classes in my graduate program.
‘I just stepped out for a moment. Did you need something?’
‘I wanted to ask if you’d like to continue doing some counseling this summer.’
‘I’d love to, but I already have a job. I’m assisting Professor Abrams with some research.’
‘Yes, I heard, but he said it’s only part-time. I thought maybe you could fit in a few hours a week of counseling, unless you have other plans.’
I do have other plans. I want to use the time I’m not working to get ready for the baby and figure out my life as a single mom. The research job is easy and I can do it online, which is why I took it.
‘Could I think about it? I’d love to help out, but I don’t want to commit to it just yet.’
‘Of course. Think it over and let me know.’ He walks to the door, then turns back. ‘You’ve done a wonderful job here. The students rave about you. I’d be happy to give you a recommendation when you start applying for full-time positions.’
‘Thank you. I’ll take you up on that.’
He leaves and I’m reminded of the job I was going to applyfor in Boston. The job is for director of a teen crisis center that works with homeless teens. I’d planned to work at a high school, but this job would give me more responsibly and better pay. I was going to apply for it the day I found out I was pregnant. I decided to wait, but if I wait much longer, the job will be taken by someone else.
There’s so much to think about. So much to decide.
I need to talk to Jason. I really wish he’d call me back.
Chapter 4
Jason
‘Mr. Kanfield?’ Joel, one of my students, comes into the classroom, waking me from my thoughts.
‘Hey, Joel.’ I get up from my desk. ‘Did you need something?’
‘Yeah, I um,’ he checks behind him, ‘wanted to ask you something.’
