Falling in Love Backwards

What do i say?

Thanksgiving was fast approaching and it felt like the bakery was under siege. As soon as the town stared decorating for the upcoming holiday, the customers started rolling in. It seemed like everyone was throwing parties, needing cakes and cookies and other treats to serve their friends. These people where running me ragged.

But I loved every second of it.

"I need more caramel glazed mini-cakes!" Daria called from the front. I nodded from my place in the kitchen, starting a new batch of cake batter in the mixer.

For the last month or so I had been working hard at the bakery, trying to save money to take off after I have my baby. Faye was a saint, giving me extra hours and a pay raise after I told her why I needed the money. She was as excited about the baby as Maggie, not to mention the rest of the girls at the shop.

"Why don't you take a break, Paige. I'll finish up this batch." Faye said pulling on an apron, and shooing me out of the kitchen.

I was grateful for the break, I had been on my feet all morning and I could feel them beginning to swell. Being almost eight and a half months pregnant made me tired and achy, but I was determined to work just as hard as everyone else. I didn't want special treatment.

Baby girl was kicking up a storm as I sat down in the back room, she was getting quite big and running out of room. I was due the first week in December, and Kade was meant to be home the very next week. I still hadn't worked out how I was going to tell him, but Maggie said that she would be glad to help in any way she could. I still had a few weeks to think about it, and really I should be focusing on graduating at the end of the month.

I had worked tirelessly to earn my degree. Determined to give my daughter a good life. She deserved more than I could give her had I dropped out, and I had just a couple weeks left until I got my diploma. My professors where all so proud that I had persevered. And truth be told so was I.

***

"Jen, I need to ask your advice, but to ask it, I first need to confess something."

Jen and I had been setting on the couch watching a movie. We had made a day of watching stupid rom-come and eating too much popcorn. It was my first day off in over a week and we both needed the free time, it allowed us to catch up.

She turned to face me, clearly intrigued.

"Alright, let me have it." She said smiling in an amused sort of way, as if she knew what I was going to say.

"I'm going to tell the father about our baby, and I need advice on how I should tell him." I was looking at the bowl of popcorn in my lap, already embarrassed at what I was about to say.

"Are you finally going to tell me that Kade is the father?" Jen asked grinning widely. I looked up in surprise.

Was I that transparent?

"How did you know it was Kade?"

"I didn't know for sure until just now, but I've suspected for a while. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I was embarrassed that I even let it get that far. I mean, I gave him my virginity. And I was really stupid about it." I say gesturing to my rounded stomach.

"And now you'll have beautiful baby girl. Kade will love her. If that's what you're worrying about, stop, and he'll get over you not telling him. Everything will be fine. Stop overthinking it."

I knew she was right. And I couldn't regret losing my virginity to Kade or getting pregnant, because it gave me the drive to finish my degree and finally get my shit together. 

Now all I had to do was tell the truth and hope for the best.

Should be fun.

***

"Paige, set that down before you hurt yourself." Maggie chastises me, taking the serving dish from my hands. I can't help but roll my eyes at her overprotectiveness. How am I supposed to help get Thanksgiving dinner ready if I'm not allowed to carry things?

"I really don't think that carrying a casserole is going to hurt me, Mom." She had been so good to me and when she asked me to call her mom, I obeyed.

"What if you pull something carrying this heavy thing? What if it hurts my granddaughter?" She asks laying a comforting hand on my very large and distended belly. I shake my head at her ruefully, smiling none the less.

"Kade's the father?" A voice asks startling us both.

Duke walks in with his wife Cara, whom I had become friends with after spending so much time at Maggie's home these last few months. Befriending Cara and witnessing the love that they so obviously shared had helped me to see that I had never truly loved Duke. I had only been in love with the thought of loving someone,but their love was real.

"I knew it!" Cara says smiling and walking over to hug me. "I get to be an auntie! I'm so excited. This is the best thanksgiving!"

"Thank you, Cara." She hugs Maggie as well and excuses herself from the room, leaving me facing a stoney faced Duke.

"He doesn't know does he? We talk every week, he would have told me." The accusation in his voice was evident.

"I'm planning to tell him after he comes home. I never meant to keep this from him, but then he left and. . ." My excuses where feeble and I wilted under his scrutiny.

Maggie came to my rescue.

"Leave her be, son. Everyone has made mistakes in this. No one is at fault, alright? Now, go set in the living room with the rest of the family until supper is ready."

Duke leaves the room but not before giving me a long look. He thinks I was wrong to keep this from Kade.

And he's right, but there's no going back.

Now I have to live with my choices and try to do what's right for my baby girl.