Robert Colt:Keep it simple, but they don’t need to know the details.
Robert Colt:I’ll let you in on a secret—a lot of parenting is just dealing with people you hate. Sometimes it’s teachers. Sometimes it’s other parents. Learn it now.
Dean Briggs:Got it. I’ll see it as practice. It’ll keep these people off the baby’s mom, and I’ll do anything for that.
Ryan Kim:Isn’t this the girl you said you didn’t wanna get attached to? Got some updates for us, buddy?
“You got a lotta nerve,you know that, right?”
I had barely gotten out of my truck when I heard her voice. I sighed and turned to Tammy.
“No one said I didn’t.”
“You better treat that girl right, you hear me? None of this playboy shit.”
If only she knew I hadn’t been interested in any woman other than Grace since I met her. “Grace and I have already talked about that. And I’m not the kind of person who would leave mychild. Or her.”
Tammy watched me with narrowed eyes, and I waited for her to argue more. I doubted she would let it go.
“You got any pictures?”
I paused. “Of what?”
“The kid, dummy. I wanna see little Grace.”
“You’re supposed to yell at me.”
“Don’t tell me what to do. I wanna know stuff now. And close your mouth. You’ll catch flies.”
I did so, remembering that she only wanted information. She probably still didn’t like me.
After getting my phone out, I showed her the picture of Grace’s first sonogram. It was the only one she’d gotten, and I was eager to get more.
“That’s a whole baby!”
“Did you think we were having half of one?”
She shook her head. “I mean, she’s far along. Eighteen weeks is a lot, huh? I guess I owe you a congratulations.”
“Uh, thanks.”
Tammy gave me a smile and then handed my phone back to me. After, she turned and walked away.
“Wait a second. Is that seriously it? Don’t you have more for me?”
“You’ll be getting plenty throughout the day. Don’t you worry. I got to see the baby, and that’s all I wanted.”
“Still . . .”
“You have it in your head that you seem to know who we are.” She paused and turned back. “Now we just need to prove you wrong.”
I only had a moment to take in what she’d said before someone else found me.
“There you are. I finally found ya!”
“Hey, Dale.” I gave him a wave. “I’m assuming you have questions for me?”
“A few. You know, this is a big adjustment for all of us. We see Grace one way and now ... you know.”