and
will be missed.”
“I heard she left you loaded.”
I hated talking about money. With a
smile I said, “What lies has Steve been telling you?”
“He didn’t tell me anything, not
even after I begged him to tell me. Rumor has it she left her only three
grandchildren millions each in a trust fund they can’t touch till they’re like
thirty or something. Is it true?”
I was surprised the rumor was pretty
accurate. The only discrepancy was it couldn’t be touched until I turned twenty-five,
not thirty. I winked at her and said nothing.
“So it’s true? You are loaded. Come
on Drew, tell me,” she pleaded.
“I will neither confirm nor deny.” Doing
my best to ignore her I tried to change the subject. “So, Paige can I get you
something to drink?”
Smiling she said, “Yeah, I’ll take a
wine cooler, if you don’t mind.”
“Want to come with?” I asked as I
extended my hand out to her.
Jen crossed her arms pouting. “Fine
Drew, I’ll stop asking. I can take a hint, you know.”
I reached out to Jen, wrapped one
arm around her shoulder, and kissed her on her head. “Come on, let’s go get Paige
a drink.” The three of us walked to the bar Steve had set up next to the pool.
Several drinks later I realized I
spent the majority of the evening talking to Paige. She was going to school to
be a graphic designer. She was the fourth of six kids. She worked at the mall
so she could get a discount on clothes. She loved to shop. She asked about my
family, my grandmother, where I grew up and if I was truly loaded. I answered
all her questions except for the one about money. I even managed to kiss her
once or twice before the evening ended.
The following morning I woke to the
sun hitting me in the face. It took me a minute to realize I was not in my
bedroom. I was not wearing any clothes and a naked Paige was sleeping on my
arm.
As I lay in bed trying not to
disturb Paige I thought about the women I had slept with over the past several
years. They all served a single purpose. Sex. Nothing more. Paige was no
exception.
Over the next month, when time
allowed, Paige and I hung out together, ate together, and slept together. We
even managed to go on several dates. I wasn’t looking for a serious
relationship. I enjoyed our time together, but beyond that I had no intention
of continuing our relationship once I left for training in a couple of weeks. I
didn’t want to complicate my life. She was a summer fling. No more, no less. Besides,
as soon as I complete training I had every intention of finding Esperanza. I
missed her. I needed her.
Chapter 19
Fall
Drew
In early September, three weeks into
training, I finally decided to return one of Paige’s many calls. I opened a
bottle of water, picked up my phone, and dialed her number.
“Hey Paige, it’s me.” I said
nonchalantly.
“I’m glad you called.”
“Oh yeah?”
Silence .
Oh shit , silence is never
good.
“Paige, what’s going on?” I asked,
regretting my decision to call her.
“I’m pregnant.”
My heart stopped beating. My water
bottle fell to the floor.
“What?”
“I said I was pregnant.”
At first I thought she was going to
be upset I hadn’t called. Ask me why I’m ignoring her? Why didn’t I like her? I
thought maybe she was going to rip me a new one for being an inconsiderate selfish
ass. Then I would have to tell her I wasn’t looking for a serious relationship.
Blah, blah, blah. Nowhere in the scenario in my head did I ever think she’d
call to tell me I knocked her up. Nowhere! Wasn’t even on the radar.
I put my free hand on my forehead,
disbelieving I was having this conversation. “I thought you were on the pill?”
“I am. Was.”
“What does that even mean?” I asked
matter of factly. “Explain. Please.”
“I don’t know what happened.”
Raising my voice a few octaves I
asked, “What do you mean you don’t know what happened?”
More silence.
“Are you sure it’s mine?” I
will be missed.”
“I heard she left you loaded.”
I hated talking about money. With a
smile I said, “What lies has Steve been telling you?”
“He didn’t tell me anything, not
even after I begged him to tell me. Rumor has it she left her only three
grandchildren millions each in a trust fund they can’t touch till they’re like
thirty or something. Is it true?”
I was surprised the rumor was pretty
accurate. The only discrepancy was it couldn’t be touched until I turned twenty-five,
not thirty. I winked at her and said nothing.
“So it’s true? You are loaded. Come
on Drew, tell me,” she pleaded.
“I will neither confirm nor deny.” Doing
my best to ignore her I tried to change the subject. “So, Paige can I get you
something to drink?”
Smiling she said, “Yeah, I’ll take a
wine cooler, if you don’t mind.”
“Want to come with?” I asked as I
extended my hand out to her.
Jen crossed her arms pouting. “Fine
Drew, I’ll stop asking. I can take a hint, you know.”
I reached out to Jen, wrapped one
arm around her shoulder, and kissed her on her head. “Come on, let’s go get Paige
a drink.” The three of us walked to the bar Steve had set up next to the pool.
Several drinks later I realized I
spent the majority of the evening talking to Paige. She was going to school to
be a graphic designer. She was the fourth of six kids. She worked at the mall
so she could get a discount on clothes. She loved to shop. She asked about my
family, my grandmother, where I grew up and if I was truly loaded. I answered
all her questions except for the one about money. I even managed to kiss her
once or twice before the evening ended.
The following morning I woke to the
sun hitting me in the face. It took me a minute to realize I was not in my
bedroom. I was not wearing any clothes and a naked Paige was sleeping on my
arm.
As I lay in bed trying not to
disturb Paige I thought about the women I had slept with over the past several
years. They all served a single purpose. Sex. Nothing more. Paige was no
exception.
Over the next month, when time
allowed, Paige and I hung out together, ate together, and slept together. We
even managed to go on several dates. I wasn’t looking for a serious
relationship. I enjoyed our time together, but beyond that I had no intention
of continuing our relationship once I left for training in a couple of weeks. I
didn’t want to complicate my life. She was a summer fling. No more, no less. Besides,
as soon as I complete training I had every intention of finding Esperanza. I
missed her. I needed her.
Chapter 19
Fall
Drew
In early September, three weeks into
training, I finally decided to return one of Paige’s many calls. I opened a
bottle of water, picked up my phone, and dialed her number.
“Hey Paige, it’s me.” I said
nonchalantly.
“I’m glad you called.”
“Oh yeah?”
Silence .
Oh shit , silence is never
good.
“Paige, what’s going on?” I asked,
regretting my decision to call her.
“I’m pregnant.”
My heart stopped beating. My water
bottle fell to the floor.
“What?”
“I said I was pregnant.”
At first I thought she was going to
be upset I hadn’t called. Ask me why I’m ignoring her? Why didn’t I like her? I
thought maybe she was going to rip me a new one for being an inconsiderate selfish
ass. Then I would have to tell her I wasn’t looking for a serious relationship.
Blah, blah, blah. Nowhere in the scenario in my head did I ever think she’d
call to tell me I knocked her up. Nowhere! Wasn’t even on the radar.
I put my free hand on my forehead,
disbelieving I was having this conversation. “I thought you were on the pill?”
“I am. Was.”
“What does that even mean?” I asked
matter of factly. “Explain. Please.”
“I don’t know what happened.”
Raising my voice a few octaves I
asked, “What do you mean you don’t know what happened?”
More silence.
“Are you sure it’s mine?” I
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