“You’re my dad,” Georgia says. “This is just so confusing. She said he loved me…”
Mom sniffles. “I can’t do this.”
“You never can,” Georgia snaps, shocking the hell out of me. “She said you killed him.”
Mom gasps, and Dad curses.
“Why would she say that?” Georgia asks. “I need you to tell me, because all I’ve heard about him is from my grandmother, who said he loved me and that you killed him. And she said other stuff too…” She trails off. She might be upset and want answers, but she would never intentionally hurt Mom’s feelings.
Just as I’m wrapping my arms around Georgia, so she knows I have her back, my stomach roils, and I’m jumping up. “Need to go pee!” I yell, as I sprint to the bathroom. I spend the next few minutes dry heaving, since I haven’t eaten since last night. When I’m done, I attempt to wash my mouth out and then go back to join my family.
“Charlie,” Dad says. “I think it’s time we talk to the girls.” I sit next to Georgia, taking her hand in mine in support.
Mom shakes her head, closing her eyes, but then nods. “Hilda was right,” she says softly. “I did kill Justin.”
“It was in self-defense,” Dad adds. “Your mom left him and he came after her. He had a gun and they fought. Had she not shot him, he would’ve killed her.”
Tears stream down Mom’s face, as Georgia and I both fly off the couch and hug her tightly. “I should’ve told you,” Mom says. “It was just a horrible time and I never wanted you to be tainted by it.”
“She said I own his company,” Georgia says. “Reynolds Oil, and she wants me to sign it over to her.”
Mom’s lips turn down into a frown.
“I think she should have to buy it,” I add. “I’ve seen enough shows to know if it’s worth millions, Georgia should be getting money. That woman tried to meet with Georgia to get her to sign it over so she wouldn’t have to pay her. I told her we would have Georgia’s lawyer contact her. There’s no way Georgia is giving that dreadful woman anything for free.”
Dad chuckles. “You sure you don’t want to major in law?” His comment is meant as a joke, but it reminds me of how uncertain my future is. I have a year left of school in a major that will lead to nowhere, and a surfing career that, if I’m right about why I’m throwing up, won’t be happening any time soon.
“So, what do I do?” Georgia asks, thankfully bringing the attention back to her.
“We’ll hire an attorney, as Lexi said,” Dad tells her. “Request to see the will Justin had drawn up and go from there.”
“And don’t worry,” I tell her. “We’ll all be here with you every step of the way. That evil woman might think she could get one over on you, but she doesn’t know who she’s messing with.”
“Thank you,” Georgia says, giving me a hug, then standing to give Dad and then Mom one.
When we get home, it’s almost four o’clock. I place a call to my doctor, and the scheduling nurse tells me they can get me in this week.
“Do you know roughly how far along you are?” she asks.
“Umm… I’m not sure.” I try to remember when my last period was, but I suck at keeping track. Just like I suck at taking my pills…
“No problem, the doctor can figure it out when you’re here.”
“Thanks.”
I end the call and consider texting Alec, but figure I should wait to tell him tomorrow when he’s home from work, in person.
What the nurse asked about my period has me curious, so I pull up my calendar and try to remember when I got my last period. I think about since Alec and I got together…We haven’t used protection, and I haven’t gotten my period once. I swipe back to the previous months, unable to recall when I got it last. My period has always been all over the place, and since I suck at taking my birth control pills, that doesn’t help any.
I should probably be more anxious about possibly being pregnant, but the thought of having Alec’s baby kind of excites me. We’re getting married next week… He has a good job… He mentioned before that if I did get pregnant, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, since he’s all about seizing the day.
I lie back in my bed and close my eyes, imagining our life. Him coming home from work and us spending the day with our baby. Going to the parks and the beach, teaching him how to swim and one day surf. Teaching him art. I bet Alec will love to teach him MMA, just like Mason taught him.