“I was over twenty weeks,” Amanda confirmed.
“You mean you were over four months pregnant, and you never told us?” Natalie said, then added, worried, “I gave you alcohol this morning. Hard alcohol. Did I cause it?”
“No, Natalie. That amount of alcohol wouldn’t have done anything. And Mia drank it anyway. She’s an amazing friend and cousin,” she said, loving how her cousin did everything she could to help Amanda.
“Good, I didn’t want to be the cause of this. Me and my stupid new traditions.” Natalie sounded defeated.
“It wasn’t you. It was always me. I love the new tradition—it was fun. Despite everything that happened after.”
“Can we come down tomorrow to visit and try and cheer you up? I think we all feel bad that you are alone during all this. Just when you need someone to cry with,” Ruth said, and everyone seemed to agree with her that they would go.
“I am here for a few days because of the C-section, but I don’t want you to cry for me.” She wiped her eyes again.
“Stop telling us how to feel. For us, this just happened, Amanda!” Tess said angrily.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to do this. Everything I do I mess up lately.” She closed her eyes to concentrate.
“You don’t have to say anything. We understand,” Hazel said softly. It was the first time she had spoken during the call.
“I wouldn’t have called you guys if it had been a miscarriage. I would have kept that to myself. I would have come up with an excuse as to why I left, and nobody would ever know. I called because the doctor saved the baby. He’s alive.”
“What do you mean, alive?” Natalie said as something fell on their end.
“His name is Noah. I have a son. I can send pictures.” Pulling back her phone a little, she forwarded the pictures David had sent earlier in the day, the ones she still couldn’t get enough of and had to stop herself from staring at him.
“You better,” Hazel said.
“I’m calling Mathias,” Tess said at the same time.
“No, Tess. Please. Hue is calling him. He’s his friend.”
“Okay, but just know we are going to be talking about you later—and Hue,” Tess said.
“I know. I’m going to be the talk of the town by morning,” she admitted and was happy she was out of town.
“I got the pictures!” Natalie announced.
Everyone went silent as they scrolled through them. There were some oohs and aahs, and Amanda explained why there were so many tubes and monitors. She wanted to look through them again herself just to confirm it was true. It was still hard to believe she had a son.
“Should I point out that his name is Baby Boy Strong?” Mia pointed out.
“I saw that, too. I wasn’t going to say anything, but since you did, Mia, I’ll ask as well,” Ruth stated.
“The doctor put Hue’s name on there. He needed to be Strong for a while. But I am thinking about keeping it. Noah Strong,” Amanda said the name out loud and still loved it.
“Are you keeping Hue too? Is he yours to keep?” Tess questioned.
“I’m going to try. He might change his mind by tomorrow. Decide it was just adrenalin that had him agreeing to things.” She admitted. It was her biggest fear.
“I don’t think he’ll change his mind. He’ll take you and a baby,” Mia said.
“I don’t know if he wants me,” Amanda said.
“Oh, he wants you. Since you dumped him, he’s been pretty depressed.” Mia was the only one who would know.
“He dumped me,” she argued, realizing Mia had walked her right into admitting that.
“Whatever, both of you have been a sight.”