How to save a life - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“I’m confused.”

Melissa looked at Chris. They were waiting for Tyler to be discharged. Blake and Gillian had gone to the cafeteria to get something to eat and she and Chris were standing just outside the pediatric ward while Josie signed the discharge papers.

“How did Josie have a baby?” he asked apparently to himself. Melissa looked at him amused.

“I thought you’d know where babies come from by now.” She said smirking. Chris nudged her gently.

“Shut up, you know what I mean. When did this happen? I mean, how could this happen? She’s our baby, right? How can she have a son already?”

Melissa sighed and looked down. Chris looked at her frowning.

“How did this happen, Mel?” he asked gently. “And who’s the father? Where is he?”

“I can’t tell you that. It’s not my place to tell you.” She said sadly.

“What, did he leave her? Just tell me who he is and I’ll go and beat the shit out of him right now for messing with my little sister.”

Mel laughed bitterly. He had no idea. If only he knew it was his very best friend.

“I can’t, Chris. Josie is the only one who can tell you.”

Chris nodded and they were silent for a few minutes.

“How old is he?” He asked suddenly.

“Six.” Melissa replied distractedly. Chris’ eyes widened.

“Oh, my God.”

“What?” Melissa said confused. Then she realized what she’d just said.

“Mel, he’s Blake’s, isn’t he?”

“What, no!”

“Mel.”

She let out a heavy sigh and covered her eyes. She wanted to kick herself. Josie was going to kill her.

“Blake is his father, isn’t he? If he’s six, then it’s the only possibility.”

“Chris, please, you can’t tell Blake about that. Or Josie. If she finds out you know, she’ll never forgive me.” she said desperately.

“I can’t believe this.” He said leaning his head back against the wall. “Why didn’t she tell him she was pregnant?”

“We tried to convince her.”

“He had a right to know.”

“I know that, but don’t you remember what happened? How things ended between them? Josie’s stubborn. She decided she wasn’t going to tell him and we couldn’t change her mind.”

Chris looked at Tyler who was standing next to Josie at the reception counter.

“He looks just like Blake. I can’t believe I didn’t notice right away.” He shook his head still in shock. “This is so surreal.”

“I know.”

“I can’t believe that little guy over there is Josie’s and Blake’s kid.”

“Chris, seriously. You can’t tell Blake about this. And yes, I know it’s his right to know. But you can’t, ok? Josie has to do this herself.”

“Aunt Mel!” Tyler called out and ran to them. “Mom said you’re coming over!” He said happily.

Melissa smiled at him and ran her hand through his hair.

“Yes, I am. Why, you don’t want me to?” She said with a wink.

“Of course I do. Can we watch a movie like we did last week?” He asked. “With popcorn and soda and everything?”

“Well, you’ll have to ask your mom.” She said and he ran back to Josie.

Chris shook his head and laughed. Melissa looked up at him smiling and leaned against his side.

“This is so weird. I feel like I’ve stepped into a parallel universe or something. Josie has a kid, Blake is his father. I just… I can’t believe it.” He said quietly.

“I know.”

“She said we can, Aunt Mel.” Tyler called out, running back to them.

“That’s great, baby.”

Tyler turned to Chris and looked up at him.

“Wanna come over too?” he asked excitedly.

“I…”

“Ok, we’re all done here.” Josie said walking over to them. “Where are Gilly and Blake?”

“Right here.” Gina said. “Hey, Ty, look what I got you.” She said and handed him a chocolate bar. His eyes widened and he jumped in her arms.

“What do you say, Ty?” Josie said pointedly.

“Thanks, Aunt Gilly! Can I have it now, mama?”

“Only after lunch.” Josie said and Tyler looked at her pouting. “And don’t give me that look cause it won’t work.” She grinned, ruffling his hair. “Come on.”


~*~


“Do you like basketball?” Tyler asked Blake as they were walking through the parking lot.

Blake looked down at him and shrugged.

“Not my favorite, little dude.” Tyler looked shocked. Blake smiled, amused by the kid’s reaction.

“How come you don’t like basketball?” he asked looking up at him.

“Honey, it’s not everyone that loves basketball. Blake just likes other sports.” Josie intervened. Tyler looked a little disappointed that his new friend didn’t like his favorite sport.

“I love it! My grandpa used to play for the Knicks and my uncle Peter plays for the Lakers. He always plays with me when he’s visiting.” He explained.

“Really?” Blake turned to Josie. “How’s he doing?”

“Peter? He’s doing great. He’s been playing for the Lakers for two years now.” She said proudly. She was also proud of herself for being able to have a somewhat normal conversation with Blake. She thought it would be a total disaster once Blake met Tyler.

“Ok, so how are we gonna do this? You want us to give you a ride home?” Blake asked after a few seconds of silence.

“No, that’s ok. We’ve given you enough trouble already. We’ll just take a cab to where we parked my car earlier and then we’ll go home from there.”

“We’ll give you a ride there, then.”

“Blake, it’s really ok. You don’t have to do this.”

“It’s on our way home. It’s no trouble.” He said opening the car door. “Hop in, Ty.”

Josie looked helpless. “Ok, thanks.”

“That’s a really cool car.” Tyler said excited.

“You like cars?” Blake said. Tyler got in and Blake secured the seat belt on him.

“Yeah, I have a lot of them at home. But I don’t play with them much cause I don’t want to break ‘em. Maybe you could come and see them.” He said smiling.

Blake smiled back. There was something about this kid that was just drawing him in. Maybe it was his adorable, partially toothless smile. He had always been a sucker for kids. He just loved them.

“Sure thing, you can show ‘em to me sometime.” He said and went to open the front door but paused when he looked at Josie. She was looking at him with a weird expression that he just couldn’t tell what it was exactly. “You ok?” he asked her. She blinked.

“Yeah.” Blake still looked at her skeptically. “Let’s go. Come on, you guys!” She called back at Chris, Melissa and Gillian who were talking a few feet away.

“We’re going with them again?” Gillian asked confused.

“We’ll give you guys a ride to wherever it is that Josie’s car is.” Blake said.

Melissa and Gillian looked at Josie with a frown. She gave them a pointed look and shrugged. Blake was confused. What hell was going on?

~*~

Once everyone was settled in the car, Chris drove away. It was a short drive, only ten minutes, but that was enough time for Josie to think and freak out about what had just happened. Tyler was talking animatedly with Blake. How did that happen? She had been so careful. What was she going to do now? Blake was going to figure out Tyler was his son eventually. And when he did, what would she tell him? What was she going to say to Tyler? She couldn’t believe this. Her life had turned upside down in just a few hours. She never meant for this to happen. She remembered when she and Blake were still together and how they talked about having kids one day. How Blake wanted to have at least five kids and how she told him he was insane to think she was going to give birth to five babies.

She looked at Tyler again and he was now wearing Blake’s hat and they were both laughing.

“Now, you’re looking cool, Ty.” Blake said grinning. “Just turn it a little to the side. There you go. That’s my boy. You’re looking really good.”

Josie smiled bitterly at this scene. If things hadn’t gone so terribly wrong, this could have been her life. She shook her head and looked at the rearview mirror, only to find Chris looking at her. She smiled and he smiled back but he was looking at her differently. She wondered if he had figured it out already. If he did, then it was only a matter of time for Blake to know.

“Ok, we’re here.” Chris said parking the car.

They stepped out of the car and Chris and Blake hugged Gillian and Melissa. Chris gave Tyler a high five and opened his arms for Josie. She stepped into his embrace, hugging him tightly. She had missed him so much all these years.

“I can’t believe my baby sister has a baby.” He said in her ear. She chuckled.

“I know. Sometimes I can’t believe it either.”

“Hey, mom, can they come over for lunch?” Tyler asked tugging on her shirt.

Josie looked at him not knowing what to say. She looked at Chris hoping he would say something but he didn’t. She looked at Blake and didn’t get anything either. Starting to panic, she looked at Melissa and Gillian and they shrugged. Traitors. How was she supposed to say no now?

“Sure.” She said after a few seconds. “Do you guys wanna have lunch? Since we never got to.”

Blake smiled and Chris looked happy and worried at the same time. Josie looked helpless.

“Can I go with you again?” Tyler asked Blake excited.

“Have you asked your mom?” Blake said nudging him.

“Can we go with Blake, mama? Please?”

Josie looked at Blake and he smiled warmly at her. She couldn’t help but smile back. He always got this reaction out of her. And the fact that even now, years later, she still had the same reaction to his smile scared her.

“Is that ok with you?” She asked him.

“It’ll be my pleasure, Sparkie.” Blake said and she smiled.

No one had called her that in years.

~*~