Surviving Regret (54 page)

Baby?

A violent stab of pain swirled in my head. I fought against the darkness.

“I’m not leaving them, I can’t.”

I heard the little whimpers of a cry, and then he went back to humming.

What the hell? Someone took my hand. I tried to squeeze but didn’t have the strength.

“Oh, baby girl,” mom said, rubbing circles on the back on my hand with her thumb. “You have to wake up. Your boys need you.”

My boys? My brothers? Hunter? Another memory. I was on my way to meet Hunter. Why was I meeting him?

The pain increased. I couldn’t fight the darkness.

The sound in the room faded into the constant beeping.

“Baby girl, if you can hear me squeeze my hand,” mom said.

Beep

I tried to squeeze.

Beep

Fingers brushed my face. “CC, please open your eyes for me, baby.”

Beep

“I need you; I can’t do this on my own.” I heard him sniffle. “He looks just like you. Same little nose, head full of dark curly hair.” He sniffled again. “I love you, baby.”

Then there was a long beep and the blackness finally took over.

To be continued in
Easy To Love You.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO BONUS SCENE

Cooper, Jaylinn, Chloe, Jackson, and Alex were at MacKenzie’s parents’ house when we got back, but Mason was out picking up Hailey. Elle had Andrew prepare the food on the grill so that the smell wouldn’t make MacKenzie sick. I swear that girl could smell things miles away.

Mason finally showed up with Hailey right as the food was being brought in. Dinner was served and that’s when my nerves set in. It wasn’t because I was nervous about MacKenzie being pregnant it was because I knew my friends were going to be pissed. I promised I’d take care of their sister and here I went and got her pregnant.

MacKenzie wanted to make the announcement to everyone so I was letting her run the show. Everyone was just about done when she took the last bite of her food and set down her fork.

I grabbed her left hand and out of the corner of my eye I saw Chloe take her other hand.

“So, I, um…” MacKenzie started.

I squeezed her hand giving her the courage to finish her sentence. MacKenzie squeezed her eyes shut and she said the words, “I’m pregnant.”

Everything stopped in that moment. Mason was in mid-bite, frozen in place but his eyes darted to his sister. Cooper dropped his fork and it bounced off the plate. Jackson almost knocked over his soda but Chloe was quick enough and grabbed it in time.

“You’re kidding, right?” Mason asked.

MacKenzie shook her head.

Jackson stared at Chloe. “You knew? And you didn’t tell me?” Chloe nodded confirming. Then Jackson glanced at Mason. “She was at the house so early Saturday morning. I knew something wasn’t right.”

MacKenzie nodded. “I was scared, and I didn’t know who else to talk to.”

Mason and Cooper simultaneously rose from the table, Mason disappearing just as fast as he arrived. A moment later, Mason’s car started and the sound of tires peeling wheels out of the driveway grated on my ears like nails on a chalkboard. I ran my hand up and down MacKenzie’s back, trying to comfort her. She was hoping they would be supportive and not freak out.

Wishful thinking.

Jackson didn’t say anything more about the pregnancy; I didn’t really expect him to. He was already a father and knew what we would be in for with the baby coming.

Jackson finished off his soda. “Let’s go.” He placed his empty cup on the table and walked away without a goodbye.

Chloe grabbed Alex from the highchair. “I’ll catch up with you later in the week.” And then the three of them were gone.

Jaylinn and Hailey were both happy for us so that was at least a plus.

I knew I had to go after Mason and Cooper. I had to face them head on even though I knew I had probably lost my friendship with them over this. They’d have to deal with it because I knew I was going to marry MacKenzie eventually.

I tossed my napkin on the table. “I’m going to go find Mason and Cooper.”

MacKenzie gave me a worried look. I cupped the side of her face. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.” I wasn’t sure if it would be but I had to give her some kind of hope.

I went to the one place I knew I could find Mason and Cooper. The baseball field back at our old high school. Sure enough they were there. I cut the engine and climbed from my truck.

Neither one looked at me when I approached. Mason was leaning against the gate by home plate and Cooper was beside him.

I looked off to the side where a bunch of geese were walking around. “I know you guys---”

I didn’t get to finish what I was saying because Mason’s right hook caught me right in the mouth. I should have been expecting that but it honestly caught me off guard.

Reaching up I wiped my lip with the back of my hand and winced a little as the metallic taste of blood in my mouth reminded me why I was here. “That was for fucking my sister, asshole.”

I turned my head and spit. When I swung my head back around to face Mason he got another swing in hitting me in the jaw with a loud pop.

“Fuck.” I muttered as the pain from my jaw cracking rung out through my head.

“That was for knocking her up.”

I waited for a punch to come from Cooper. Thought for sure it was coming but it never did. Instead, his silence was worse.

“I can’t believe you knocked my fucking sister up!” Mason bellowed. “What the fuck is wrong with you? She’s eighteen and still in fucking college.”

“It’s not like I did it on purpose.”

“No one ever does right?” Mason snapped back. “It’s the Golden Rule, Hunter. Wrap it before you tap it.” He grabbed a fist full of his hair. “Even I remember to do that when I’m piss ass drunk. Please at least tell me you were that drunk and that you couldn’t remember.”

He’s right, absolutely right. I have always used a condom regardless of what any chick told me but with CC it was different.

“She was on the pill.” I explained and even saying it then I knew it was a lame ass excuse. “But when she got sick with that ear infection and was put on antibiotics it prevented it from working…neither of us knew that would happen.”

“I bet you’re regretting every single second of that mistake aren’t you?” Mason sneered at me.

“No.” I answered honestly. “Only thing I regret is having a baby so young. I wish it could have happened later on down the road but it didn’t.” I sighed and kicked at the ground. “I’m going to take care of her and the baby. Already bought a house and we’re going to get CC transferred up here so she can finish school.” I glanced over to Cooper since he still hadn’t said a word. “I’m going to take care of her.”

Mason snorted like he didn’t believe me.

“We have your word?” Cooper finally asked. Kind of shocked me because I didn’t think he was going to talk to me at all without punching me first.

“You have my word.”

Cooper nodded. “That’s all I need.”

I waited a minute for Mason to say something else but he never did. “Mase?”

He stared me down for a second. I reached up and wiped the blood from my lip again. “Don’t break your word.” Then he stomped off towards his car with Cooper right behind him.

Well, that went a lot better than I thought it was going to. Only walking away with a bloody lip is a win in my book.

Elle and MacKenzie were in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner when I came back with Mason and Cooper.

I motioned for MacKenzie to follow us into the dining room.

“Before you guys say….” She started to say.

Cooper cut her off. “We talked to Hunter, we’re all good.”

Mason’s voice was on low simmer. “I’m not good with it but I’ll deal. He gave us his word and that’s all I need to from him.”

“What happened to Hunter’s lip then?”

“Nothing,” Cooper said.

MacKenzie rolled her eyes. “Didn’t look like nothing.”

“Kenz, drop it.” Mason said stretching out his hand.

Now that everyone knows, it’s time to figure out what’s next for us in the upcoming months. It’s not going to be an easy battle but at least we have each other and that’s all I need.