After saying goodnight to Noah, I leave their house and head over to mine. I find my mom and Aunt Mel in the game room. They had been watching a movie but Mel gets to her feet as soon as she sees me.
“How was it?” she asks quietly.
“It was great. Really great,” I reply.
“How was what? What’s going on, Mellissa? What kind of shady stuff are you and Michael up to?” my mom questions agitatedly.
I take a deep breath before turning to face her.
“Mom, I have a son,” I announce.
She stares at me. Her expression is carefully blank. Then she blinks. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I have a son. I found out about a month ago,” I repeat.
She gasps and covers her mouth. “I have a grandchild? You got somebody pregnant? That’s great news. When did she give birth? I can believe I’m a grandmother!” she says excitedly. Then she notices the expression on my face and Mel’s, and her smile drops. “Unless it’s not great news. How did you even impregnate someone? You don’t have a girlfriend…”
“Start at the beginning, Mikey,” my aunt prompts.
So I do. I take a seat in front of my mom and tell her one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to say. When I finish, my mom says nothing, she just stares off into space quietly.
“Sam,” my aunt says softly, touching her shoulder. My mother looks up at her.
“You knew,” Mom accuses.
Mel’s expression turns pained.
“I found out about the child when Michael did, Samantha.”
“I can’t believe you slept with your brother’s girlfriend.”
“They had broken up, Mom,” I say quietly.
“Just barely. So that’s not an excuse and you know it!” she yells.
I grit my teeth and stay quiet.
“Is that really what you’re choosing to focus on right now, Sam?” Mel asks.
“Of course not. I have a grandchild. A six-year-old grandchild that I’ve never met.”
She laughs in disbelief. “This is ridiculous.”
“Mom—” I start to say, but she cuts me off.
“Christine ran away from us. All of us. She took my grandson and left without so much as a word. How could she do that? How could she have been so cruel?” Mom asks sadly.
“She was scared, Mom. It was right after Dad died. We were all grieving, and on some level, I get that she didn’t want to have to tell us that she was pregnant with my child when she and Matt had just broken up and we were already so devastated. It would have torn us apart,” I say, defending her.
“Matt is going to be so upset,” Mom states, closing her eyes. “I can’t believe her parents kept all this hidden from us. Carla didn’t tell me. They knew the truth the whole time and yet they continued to deceive me. I’ve never felt more betrayed.”
“They had their reasons, Sammy. They were trying to protect their daughter. I’m sure you can understand that,” Mel says, rubbing my mom’s arm.
“No, I don’t understand anything. This is ridiculous. They went through great pains to hide that Christine was pregnant, and for what reason? Nobody would have killed her if she’d turned up pregnant. Even Matt would have gotten over it eventually. Instead, she chose to hide it from us. I thought we were a family,” she says as tears well up in my eyes.
I sigh and clench my fists. I didn’t mean to hurt her. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.
“What’s his name?” Mom asks tearfully.