Page 28 of Interference
“I don’t want them to hate you.”
“Oh, but they will. At least for a little while. They will learn to love me when I show them how much I care for you and our little apple, but until then, they are going to hate me, and I’m okay with that.”
She finishes her food, pushing a quarter of the burger and fries away from her on the coffee table.
“They are going to be mad at me either way. They sank a lot of money into figure skating. We were going to get the gold. That dream is gone now.”
“Not gone,” I tell her.
“What do you mean not gone? What are the chances that I will actually get back to competition shape?” she asks.
“So I don’t know much, but I do know that Clay’s mom was small when she got pregnant with both of her kids, and she is still small and all that. She said that if you eat properly during pregnancy and watch the weight gain, you can get back into shape pretty quickly after birth.”
She looks at me dumbfounded. “You told Clay’s mom?”
I wince. “I mean, not really, but she totally knows. I called to ask her about pregnancy stuff. I lied and said it was for class, but I think she knows it’s not. She won’t say anything if that’s what you are worried about. She said that if you were active before pregnancy, then you can work back to your shape. Now I know you won’t make the Olympics next year, but we can work toward 2030. We will get you there.”
“You really mean that, don’t you?” she muses.
“Of course I do. We can get this done, buttercup. You only have to have faith.”
She sighs. “Okay, but we have dinner at my place. If we tell them in public, they will yell and cause a scene.”
I smile at her. “I’ll make dinner then.”
Little does she know, I plan to do everything I can to make those people love me.
I’m going to be in their daughter’s life one way or another.
I need them on my side.
seven
Setting down the bowl of salad, I take a step back and stare at the table.
Tonight is the night.
My parents should be here any moment for parents’ weekend. I ordered all of their favorite dishes from places we hit up when they are in town to try and soften the blow. Tonight I have to break it to them that I’m pregnant. I have to tell them that all of our hopes and dreams have gone up in smoke. At least for the upcoming Olympics.
I wish Ashley had gone out or done something, but she said she was going to bed early because practice has been grueling. I can only hope that she is sound asleep with her headphones on like she said she would be.
Brett comes up behind me and rubs my arms.
“You need to calm down. I won’t let anything bad happen,” he murmurs.
Shutting my eyes, I lean into his touch. While his words are comforting, he doesn’t know my parents.
I can’t help but jump when someone knocks on the door.
“Do you want me to answer it?” Brett asks.
“No, I got it,” I say as I force myself toward the door.
Taking a deep breath, I grab the handle and open it.
I force myself to smile. “Hey, guys! Come on in.”
My dad leans down and kisses my cheek. “Hi, sweetheart.”
