Big Chicas Don't Cry(84)

I shrugged. “Yeah, I think most of it has to do with luck. I’m actually surprised that I’m keeping up. It’s been a while.”

“I’m glad you came tonight. I was worried that you wouldn’t because of what happened at the funeral.”

The anxiety I’d been feeling in the car came back. I hadn’t had enough tequila to have this conversation. Not that I was planning to drink more than one margarita since I had a long drive back home.

“Well, I figured I needed a little fun.”

Espy nodded. “I’m sure you did. Divorce is hard—believe me, I know. I was younger than you when my first marriage ended. I’m sorry you have to go through that.”

I heard the sincerity in her words, and I wanted to accept them. But Espy was the last person in the world that I wanted to talk to about my failed marriage. Luckily, Erica came into the kitchen and told us we were going to start back up in five minutes.

I excused myself to go to the bathroom before Espy could see just how bothered I was. At that moment, it didn’t matter if what she’d told me at the funeral was true or not. Because she wasn’t the one I needed to hear from.

When I was ready, if I was ever ready, then I’d ask my dad all the questions I had.

Until then, I still didn’t know who or what to believe.





Chapter Fifty-Three


GRACIE


St. Christopher’s annual fall fiesta turned out to be quite the social event in town. There were carnival games, a handful of rides, and lots and lots of craft and food booths.

But the biggest draw so far had been the live bands.

Even though I was happy, I still couldn’t wait for everything to be over.

I still hadn’t told Tony anything. He’d gotten the job in Texas after all. And between all our last-minute preparations, I didn’t want that hanging over our heads.

I’d tell him Sunday evening. One more day wouldn’t hurt.

So I focused on walking from food booth to food booth to make sure all the volunteers had what they needed. Tony was checking in with the carnival games.

I greeted Sister Catherine at the fish fry table. “I’m so glad to see you. We’ve run out of change again.”

“Didn’t I leave an envelope of dollars and fives in your cash box an hour ago?” I asked.

“No. Perhaps you left it with a different booth?”

My brain seemed to be all over the place these days. I couldn’t remember the simplest of things. In my head, I retraced my steps after leaving the office with the cash. I had stopped by the crafts booth to check out the beaded jewelry, but I hadn’t bought anything because I didn’t have my wallet on me. So I’d gone to get it from my backpack, which I’d stashed in my classroom’s storage cabinet. I must have left the envelope inside my backpack.

“I think I know where it is,” I told her and headed toward my classroom.

As soon as I unlocked the cabinet, I could see the envelope sticking out of the top of the backpack and reached to grab it.

“Did you find it?” Sister Catherine said over my shoulder.

I hadn’t realized she’d followed me. I jumped at her voice and knocked my backpack onto the floor. Everything spilled out. The cash, my keys, a copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and a printout of an ultrasound with my name on it.

She picked up the book and the ultrasound.

“When were you going to tell us?” she said, looking at the paper. “I mean, I, we, didn’t even know you had a boyfriend.”

I tried to talk without breaking into tears. “I was going to announce it when I was ready.” She looked at me with an expression of both disappointment and shock. I knew the questions weren’t going to stop.

“Are you getting married?”

“No. I mean probably not. I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Sister Catherine sounded frustrated, and I wondered why she was taking such an interest in this at all. “Gracie, you are the most responsible woman I know. How could you get pregnant without knowing for sure that the baby’s father was committed to . . . wait. Dear Lord, do you even know who the father is?”

My embarrassment quickly turned into anger. “Of course I know who the father of my baby is, Sister!”

“You’re pregnant?” I froze at the sound of Tony’s voice.

He was standing in the doorway holding a stuffed toy puppy. It was brown and beige and had a pink heart on its belly. It was adorable. Tony’s expression, however, was not. As he walked toward us, his eyes never left mine.

Sister Catherine gave me what she was holding and picked up the cash and walked out.

“I won this for you.” He held out the stuffed puppy. He wasn’t smiling, and I couldn’t stand to look at his face anymore. I turned to walk away, but he grabbed me by the chin and whispered, “Tell me, Gracie.”

“Yes, I’m pregnant, and it’s yours,” I whispered back. He let go of my chin and ran his fingers through the sides of his hair.

I stood there holding the stuffed puppy, and my eyes followed him as he paced back and forth in the classroom. He stopped suddenly and came back toward me.

“And you’re sure it’s mine?” He looked different to me. Desperate, scared even. It wasn’t a good look for him.