could be worse than walking in on Mom mid-coitus.
I was wrong.
I attempted to suppress that particularly traumatic memory, but I’d forgotten one very important person affected by my…discovery.
Dad.
Monday morning was a tightrope walk of phone acrobatics, tricks at the copier, and a lunchtime trip for the office to the busiest restaurant on the block. With a dedicated effort, I managed to avoid any one-on-one time with Dad through lunch. I lasted until that sticky, slow part of a workday afternoon where everyone gave up at three o’clock and migrated to the candy box.
Then he called me to his office.
What was I supposed to say to him? Anything about Mom would crush his heart as thoroughly as she crushed Marcus Washington’s legs.
And there were those thoughts again, swirling in my head. If nothing else, Mom’s scandal did give me something to worry about that wasn’t Nate and the baby. Good on her for always knowing when to butt into my thoughts.
Oh, I really, really didn’t want to think about her butt now too.
Dad gestured for me to sit, and he nudged his garbage can and the bag of chips under his desk. Great. Junk food twice in a day. He’d be a block of salt by the time he got home, and now Mom wasn’t there to make sure his dinner was a salad instead of a log of pepperoni and a handful of olives.
“Mandy…” Dad drummed his fingers against the desk—the same nervous rhythm I patted on my thighs. “Look, I think we need to talk about what happened this weekend.”
I bit my lip. “I’m not really the one to talk about this—”
“Of course you are. And I know it puts you in a very awkward position.”
I figured Mr. Washington was the one in the uncomfortable position, but I wasn’t saying a damn thing. “I don’t think it’s my place to say anything—”
“I don’t want you to be mad at your momma.”
I looked up. Dad rubbed his bald head with a sigh.
“But she—”
Dad nodded. “I know. It was inappropriate, and it caused quite the scene. But, you’re young. You understand. Sometimes people make mistakes in the…heat of the moment.”
Yeah, but my mistake created a life, it didn’t ruin a marriage.
“I thought you’d be more…upset?” I said.
“You know I love your Momma. We have our issues, but it’s nothing that can’t be worked out.”
“That’s very…optimistic.”
“Well, she’s worth that fight, Mandy.”
“But what about the…Washingtons?”
Dad waved a dismissive hand. “They’ll get over it. It was a momentary embarrassment.”
Wow. He was really optimistic. And maybe a little naïve? Nate was right. It was best to let them figure it all out.
“So, now that’s settled,” Dad said. “You don’t have to worry about anything. Your mom and I have an understanding, and it won’t divert any attention from your sister’s wedding.”
Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure, but he sounded confident. “Good. We don’t want any distractions.”
Like me and Nate.
Or the baby.
“You okay?” Dad asked. “Something’s bothering you.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Aw, come on. You can’t hide anything from your dad. Remember that time I found the mid-term report you hid under the bed? The C in math?”
“Dad, I was eleven.”
“And I knew then, just like I know now.” He crossed his arms. “Spit it out, Mandy-Pandy.”
Oh God. Wasn’t talking about Mom’s sex life bad enough?
I heaved a breath, meeting my father’s gaze for what had to be the first time since I found out I was pregnant. Somehow, Dad could make me feel like I was a kid again, in trouble for breaking the glass face on Mom’s grandfather clock.
But this time, the trouble was worse.
I hadn’t told Mom I was pregnant yet, partly because I knew how she’d react. She’d yell. Compare me to her engaged daughter. Fret and scream and blame herself all to get me to console her. I could handle that, I had all my life.
But Dad?
We were always the closest. I didn’t want to hurt him.
The last thing I wanted in this world was to disappoint my father.
“It’s kinda complicated…” I should have spilled it then. The words caught in my throat.
“Boy trouble?” Dad winked. “Well, I guess man trouble.”
Sure. That was easier to talk about. “I guess so.”
“Found a guy you like?” Dad’s eyes narrowed. “Is he treating you good?”
“It’s not that. It’s a…possibility that will never, ever happen.” I bit my lip. “Did you always want to marry Mom?”
“God no. Have you met your mother?”
“Then…why?”
“Because she was the one I thought about when I went to bed at night, and she