Joey (18+)

Fourteen/sixteen

Help, I lost myself again
But I remember you
Don't come back, it won't end well
But I wish you'd tell me too
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Four years later...

Joey's POV

We are a normal family in this small town. Baby is a star basketball at the high school and Ryan is in junior high, still. Callum and I have agreed to let Ryan and Baby date, but they couldn't be alone together in the house.

Callum was totally against it, but I convinced him to let her make her own mistakes. He didn't talk to me for a few days after that. Their first date sounded amazing, from what Ryan told me.

Caleb, though, keeps to himself and still goes through the same routine everyday. He looks exactly like Callum, but hell change into his own characteristics over time. He earns straight A's at school, as does Ryan and Baby. We don't accept anything below an A. They makes us so proud.

"Hey, mom, I need to talk to you and dad about something." I look at Ryan and see the anxious look on her face.

"Uh, he should be in the back restocking shelves." She nods and goes to the back to get him.

We opened a shop in town that sells our wine. I mostly run it while Callum works at the vineyard. It also helps with keeping myself busy when the children are at school. It's a nice change from all the chores back at home. I see Ryan walk in the kitchen with her father in tow, that anxious look still in her eyes.

"So, what is it that you need to talk to us about?" Callum crosses his arms over his chest. I hop up on the counter and look at her as she fidgets with her fingers. "Spit out, Ryan, we don't have all day..."

"I haven't got my period in four months." Callum tenses as he stands beside me. I place my hand on his bicep. "I'm sorry."

"What do you mean you're sorry for missing your period for four months?" I hop down and stand in between Callum and Ryan, my hand still on Callum's.

"Daddy, I'm pregnant." I take a deep breath and turn around. Callum steps away from my hand. I look at him and see the anger and rage twinkle in his eyes. He's one step away from unleashing hell on earth with that look on his face.

"Callum, I need you to calm down... I need you to stay calm, please, for me." I touch his arm again, but he jerks away from me and accidentally hits me in the face. Ryan gasps and I hold back the tears. I know he did not mean to actually hit me, but it still hurt. I thought he was over his old habits...

Callum storms out of the store and I look at Ryan. "Close up the shop, now! And find a way home on your own!" 

I run outside and see Callum walking to his car. I rush to him and stand in front of him. "Callum, baby, stop."

He looks at me and I see tears pour out of his eyes. It surprises me to see him crying like that. He not even once shed a single tear in front of me. Without an ounce of hesitation, I quickly wrap my arms around his neck, and hold him as close to me as I can. Callum cries into the crook of my neck and I gently rub his back up and down.

"It's going to be okay. We will get through this. We're a team. It's going to be alright." He pulls away and looks at me then nods. I wipe away his tear-stained cheeks as he inhales deep breath after deep breath.

Ryan walks to us and hugs Callum as she cries on his chest. "I'm so sorry, dad... Please forgive me."

Callum wraps his arms around Ryan. "Let's get home. Baby and Caleb should be there by now."

Getting home is the easy part, but him confronting Baby about the situation is a whole other ball game. Pulling into the driveway of our home, we see Baby's car parked behind the truck. We pull in, park, and quickly get out.

Ryan and I make it inside the house before Callum does. We make our way into the living room to see Baby and Caleb on the couch watching a basketball game.

I clear my throat and they look at me. "Caleb, dear, I need you to go upstairs to your room."

Caleb nods, gets up and leaves. Ryan and I go sit on the opposite side of Baby as Callum walks in. He stands by the front window and glares at Baby.

"Why the hell did you two have sex? When the hell did y'all even have sex? Why the fuck didn't you or her come talk to us? We would have helped you, for fuck's sake!" Callum roars. I stand up and touch his shoulder making him back hand me sending me to the ground. I hold my cheek and stand up. "I don't want you near Ryan anymore! Y'all can't even be alone together!!!"

"Dad, what the hell?! I can't get even worse here. I'm already fucking pregnant!" Ryan screams at him, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Ryan, you need to chill. It's not good for the baby." Ryan nods and runs out the room. I look at Baby then at Callum. "You need to get your shit together, or get out!"

Callum stares at me then walks out the living room. I look at Baby. "I'm sorry, Joey. It just happened one time. It was just one time. I swear. You guys left for a date, and it was just the three of us, and she told me she wasn't fertile, but that was definitely not true. I never thought this would happen... I'm still shocked myself..."

I sit beside him and hug him as his deep voice plays in my head. "Everything will be alright. We will get through this and help you, but you guys are going to have to do this alone, too."

"I know, ma'am, I'm very sorry." I nod.

"Everything is going to be okay."