Page 91 of Offensive Plays
I look over at Liam who’s now skating backwards as he instructs Phil on a technique.
“Yeah, looks like your nephew’s got this.”
We find a quiet space high up in the arena. Far enough away from everyone and sit down in the middle of a row.
I wait for her to start. She looks torn.
“So… am I going to be a daddy?”
Her eyes shoot up to mine. And tears pool on her bottom lash line. She nods her head softly.
I sit up straight in my seat and face the arena. “Wow.”
“I know this isn’t what we expected,” she begins. “And we both have our careers. So I don’t expect you to change anything. But…” she sits up straight. “I’m keeping this baby, Michael.”
I turn to look at her. Why in the world would she not?
“Libby… I… wouldn’t expect you not to.”
I reach for her lower belly and hold my hand there. “This is our baby. I want to keep it just as much as you do. Are you kidding?”
She gulps and places her hands over mine, “Seriously?”
“Yes. Oh my god, a thousand times, yes.” I pull her hand to my lap and reach for her cheek. “Libby, I… I love you. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. This is the best news you could’ve ever given me.”
She sobs and places her other hand over mine on her cheek. Tears flow down her face.
“Butterfly,” I whisper. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”
I smile. And she does, too.
“I thought for sure you’d ask me to…” she trails off.
“To what?”
“Just… I don’t know… not have it. But I look at Liam,” she shifts her body toward the little boy below. He sees us looking at him and waves. We both wave back. “And I just think, what a beautiful thing. To get to raise a human being. To teach them and give them more than I ever got.”
She turns to me. “With a man… that I love.”
I’m overcome with the desire to make this woman mine. I hold her chin up to look me in the eye.
“Then be mine, Libby. Let me love you. Let me love this baby. Fuck what anyone might think.”
She swallows.
“I want that more than anything.”
“Then what’s stopping us? Zane will get over it. Jonah’s getting married.”
“Your mother, Michael. That woman would never approve of us. Of this,” she motions to her belly. “And I’ve had enough people in my life try to tell me I’m not worthy of things.”
“I don’t care what my mother thinks, Libby. She’s going to have to accept this or be banned from having a relationship with her own son and grandchild.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not. I’m telling you that it’s just how things will have to be.”
I take her hands in mine and bring them up to my lips. Kissing them softly.