Broken Promises

She got a goofy grin on her face. “A book I read years ago. Just felt like revisiting it.” She wiped her hands and sat down. “Now, what makes you think he bought the ring?”

I shrugged. “A feeling?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, pregnancy feelings. They’re strong. Listen to them, honey.”

I giggled. “When should we tell Daddy? Walker said Reed figured it out and I’m pretty sure Court knows too.”

My mother looked away. I sucked in a breath. “Mom! You didn’t! You told her?”

My mother covered her mouth. “Oh, God, I did. I couldn’t help it, Liza! It was too good to hold in, and I had no idea how long you were going to wait to tell everyone.”

My father walked into the kitchen. “Tell everyone what?”

My mother and I exchanged a look. My father was the last to know. I couldn’t let him stay in the dark.

“Um, Daddy? I have something to tell you.”

My mother shimmied in her chair and clapped her hands. I rolled my eyes.

“Well, you see, I’ve got um…I have to tell you…” Oh God. How do I tell my father I’m pregnant?

My mother jumped up and blurted, “Liza’s pregnant! She’s gonna have a baby.”

My father snapped his head over to my mother before staring at me. I was stunned. My mother was the worst secret-keeper ever!

“Mom!” I shouted. She put her hands over her mouth again.

“I’m never telling you a secret ever again! I’m going to make you wait until the baby is born to find out if it is a girl or a boy.”

She dropped her hands and laughed. “Is that all you’ve got?”

“What do you mean is that all I’ve got?”

My father sat down and I peeked over to him. I couldn’t read his face.

“Daddy? Please tell me you’re not upset because I’m so incredibly happy about this.” The second I saw the tears in his eyes, I took a deep breath. “Daddy?”

“I’m going to be a grandfather?” He asked. A single tear rolled down his face.

I nodded as my mother walked over to him. Daddy held her and she sat in his lap. I loved how affectionate my parents were. They were so in love, and showed it all the time.

Daddy looked into my mother’s eyes. They both smiled as my mother whispered, “Our baby is having a baby.”

She kissed my father and I looked away as they shared a tender moment. My heart was about to burst. I pulled out my phone and sent Walker a text.

Me: Daddy knows. He’s beyond happy. P.S. My mother spilled the beans to your mom.

Walker texted back immediately.

Walker: Thank God. I’ve been scared for my life. I knew it!

I laughed and set my phone down. My father smiled and motioned for me to come over. My mother stood up as I took her place.

“Oh Liza, honey, I’m kind of lost for words. I mean, I thought you wanted to teach.”

I wiped my tears away. “I did, too. But life had other plans. I’d like to stay on with you, if that’s okay?”

My father hugged me tight. “Oh, Liza. Baby, you just made me the happiest man in the world.”

I smiled to myself knowing that the two most important men in my life had spoken the same exact words to me when they found out about the baby.

I PULLED UP and parked outside the obstetrician’s office. Walker was meeting me here for our first appointment. We’d decided that the first appointment should just be Walker and me. We’d had to come to their Austin office, since the office in Fredericksburg was being remodeled. I sat in the car until Walker’s truck pulled up. I jumped out of my Toyota 4Runner and made my way over to Walker. I looked behind me. The hairs on my neck stood up again, like someone was watching me. It was the same feeling I’d had that night at the hotel. But I saw no one, so I shook my head and pushed the feelings away.

“Hey beautiful,” Walker said as I walked into his arms.

“Hey back at ya, handsome.”

Walker kissed me passionately as I wrapped my arms around his neck. We were quickly lost in the kiss. I jumped when my car alarm went off. I turned around, but there was no one near my car.

“Why is my alarm going off?” I asked as Walker took my hand and walked us over to my car. I’d parked close to the wooded area of the parking lot, since the car was a graduation gift from my parents. I was obsessed with not getting door dings.

I pulled my keys out and turned the alarm off. Walker walked around my car and said, “Holy fuck.”

“What?” I asked as I made my way to the passenger side of the car. There was a huge dent on the back door. I put my hands up to my mouth. “Oh my gosh! Walker! How could this have happened? I didn’t park around anyone.”

Walker looked around and into the wooded area. “There must have been someone who tried to park here, hit it, and took off before we saw them.”

It looked like someone took a bat to the door. “Or someone whacked it with something and took off into the woods.” I said.

Walker looked at me and then back at the woods. “Yeah. Kids, maybe?” Walker said. “Little fuckers. Give me your keys and I’ll move it next to my truck.”

I handed Walker my keys and he made his way around to the driver’s side. I looked back into the woods before getting into my car. I was almost positive that I saw something—or someone—moving away from me.

“Stupid kids,” I mumbled under my breath.

WALKER AND I stared at the monitor as Dr. Monroe searched for our baby. The moment the little peanut-shaped image appeared, I cried. It was the norm for me, these days.

The doctor did something with the computer and took a picture, then began typing the words “your baby” with an arrow pointing to the peanut on the screen.

“He’s beautiful,” Walker whispered.

A sob escaped my lips. “She is,” I whispered back.

The doctor laughed. “Well, she or he looks to be about seven to eight weeks. You gave me a date of conception. Are you sure about that, Liza?”

I smiled and nodded. “Pretty dang sure.”

Dr. Monroe pulled something out of his pocket and began sliding the tool around. “May twelfth is your due date. Going by the last day of your period, I’d say we’re on target. As long as you’re sure about the date of conception, I’m okay with leaving the due date as May twelfth. Of course, as the baby grows, we can get a better idea.”

Walker and I exchanged a glance. He quickly wiped a tear away and leaned down to kiss me. “May twelfth,” he said against my lips.