“You didn’t need to come, man. Go home.”
“Fuck that,” he says, nodding towards Gabrielle and watching as she jumps into action, pouring him a beer. “What’s going on? After the weekend we just had, you should be celebrating, not sitting alone in a bar, looking as though a house just came down on your mother.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Don’t bullshit me,” he says. “Gabrielle just got my ass out of bed to come and sort you out, and I’m not fucking leaving until I have some answers.”
I roll my eyes, not bothering to feel bad about him being pulled out of bed, but knowing he’s not lying. Chief won’t be leaving this bar until he knows what’s going on with me, even if it means beating it out of me. He’s just that kind of guy.
With that in mind, I look across to my best friend. “I fucked up.”
His eyes narrow as he watches me with concern. “What are you talking about?”
“Jessa, man. She’s pregnant.”
Chief’s brows shoot up as he rocks back on his chair. He turns straight on to face the bar, grabs his beer, and throws it back. “Well, fuck.”
“Yeah,” I grumble. “She showed up at my place when I was with Amelia and acted as though something was going on between us, and despite the calls and messages I’ve sent, I haven’t heard from Amelia since. She fucking hates me. You should have seen her face, man. She was devastated. She thinks I’ve been screwing her around.”
“Shit,” he sighs. “That’s fucked up. Are you sure that she’s pregnant?”
I give him a tight smile before reaching into my pocket and slamming the ultrasound picture down on the bar. “Yeah, man. She’s pregnant.”
“Are you sure it’s yours?”
I shake my head. “I don’t fucking know, but she seemed pretty damn adamant that it is.”
Chief lets out a heavy breath. “I guess that’s what paternity tests are for.”
Ain’t that the fucking truth?
Gabrielle slides a beer in front of my face, and I gratefully take it before taking a long sip and nursing it between my fingers. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Chief. I want to be with Amelia, but how the fuck am I supposed to tell her that I’ve knocked up the woman that made her life hell during high school? She already has too much bullshit to deal with. She doesn’t need this shit too.”
Chief glances down at the picture, studying it for a short moment. “Look,” he says after a short pause. “I don’t know what to tell you about Amelia. She’s a fucking cool chick, and you’d be a fool to screw that up, but she has her own kids to think about. You need to sort yourself out and then go to her. Explain what the fuck is going on before she starts hating you, and tell her exactly what’s been going down with Jessa. Let her know that shit is over, that it has been over the whole time, and then give her space to work out what’s best for her. But just know, that girl deserves the truth, and I’ll be really fucking pissed off with you if you give her anything less.”
I nod. I wouldn’t dream of telling her anything other than the truth. After all, I want to spend the rest of my fucking life with her, and in order to do that, she needs to be able to trust me. Right now, I know she doesn’t, and that fact alone cuts me deeper than any knife possibly could.
“To be honest with you,” Chief continues, sliding the ultrasound across the bar until it’s right in my face, “None of that shit matters. What does, is the fact that if this is your baby then you have a responsibility to make sure that kid has light and love in its life. Amelia doesn’t matter, and Jessa certainly doesn’t fucking matter, but that baby does. Having a child is a fucking gift, and despite this happening in a way that you never expected or ever wanted, you take hold of it with both hands, and do everything in your power not to fuck this up.”
I nod again, unable to find any words that make this feel okay inside, but Chief, he knows me better than I could possibly know myself. He lays a hand on my shoulder and squeezes until I turn to face him. He steps up off the stool and into my side. “You’re going to be a father, man,” he says as a slow smile spreads across his face. “Congratulations.”
For some reason unknown to me, I find myself smiling like a fucking fool. “Thanks, Chief.”
He pulls me into a tight hug, slapping his hand down on my back. “No problem, but get that fucking test done, and talk to your girl. This shit has a way of working out for the best despite how hard it might be to get to that point. You’re going to be just fine.” He pulls back and releases me from his hold. “Now come on, let’s get you home and sober so you can talk to your girl tomorrow without throwing up on her doorstep.”