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Jaxon
Dinner??
I’ll even take you to that Thai place you love
You know the way to my heart
How do I get between your legs??
That’s where I’m hoping to end the night
Play your base right boy and see where the night takes ya
Better be a base knock
Callie’s staring up at the ceiling, quiet for a minute. Finally, she says, “Do you think I should get a paternity test? Like, now? Or wait until…” She trails off, tracing a finger over the hem of her shirt.
Smiling at Jaxon’s flirting, I roll onto my side, propping my head on my hand and flip my phone over on the mattress. “I mean, it would answer a lot of questions. But if you’re not ready?Nobody can force you.” I pause, searching her face. “How far along do you think you are?”
She sighs, then sits up, grabbing the edge of her oversized T-shirt. “Well, uh… This far pregnant.”
She lifts her shirt, and it’s not a food baby. There’s a definite bump—round and impossible to ignore, pressing out against the soft cotton.
“Whoa, Cal.” I don’t bother hiding my surprise. “That’s… real.”
She gives a dry laugh. “Tell me about it. I kept pretending it was just bloat, you know? Too many late-night pizzas, stress, whatever. But then I missed two periods and now…” She pokes at her belly, half in awe, half in disbelief. “I’m pretty sure I’m at least four months. Maybe five.”
“Yeah, there’s no hiding that.” I reach out and gently touch her arm. “You need to see someone, babe. A doctor, and yeah, probably a paternity test. Just to know. It’ll be less scary once you have answers.”
She sighs, hugging her knees, T-shirt falling back down. “I know. I just… I keep thinking if I never get answers, I won’t have to deal with them.”
I nudge her leg with my foot. “Girl, what? You have to deal with this. It’s not going away. You hit clutch threes with five seconds left. This is easier than that.”
She smirks. “I’d rather take a full-court press than go to student health right now.”
“Yeah, well, full-court press doesn’t come with free ultrasounds and awkward pamphlets.”
She laughs, but it’s shaky, her eyes glassy again. “What if it’s not Jameson’s?”
I squeeze her hand, feeling the weight in the air. “Then you do what you always do. You play the hand you’re dealt. And ifSawyer’s the dad? We’ll deal with making his dumb soccer-ball-loving ass step up. No matter what, I’ve got you.”
She pulls me into a hug, her voice muffled against my shoulder. “You’re gonna be the godmother, right?”
“Obviously,” I say, squeezing her back. “And chief donut supplier.”
She laughs. “Well, I guess it won’t be that bad. Until I tell my parents and they freak out and say I’m ruining my life.”
“I don’t think they’ll say that, Cal.”
I’m still sitting next to Callie on the bed, watching her stare at her baby bump like it might give her the answers she needs. She looks up at me, eyes worried and vulnerable in a way I almost never see.
“Cam, what if they kick me off the team? What if they take my scholarship and I lose everything?”
I shake my head and reach for her hand. “That’s not how it works. I looked it up after… well, my scare freshman year. The NCAA can’t kick you off the team or pull your scholarship just for being pregnant. Seriously. You’re protected. They have to work with you.” She looks skeptical, so I keep going. “You don’t have to quit basketball forever. You might be able to take a season off—take a medical redshirt for the year. You’d sit out the season, and as long as you’re in good standing, you keep your eligibility and your scholarship. You can come back and play after the baby’s born. As soon as you’re cleared by your doctor, you can lace up again.”
Callie lets out a shaky breath, some tension melting from her shoulders. “So I could… pause? Not just give up my dream?”
I squeeze her fingers. “Exactly. You don’t have to lose everything. You just have to take a detour. And you don’t have to do it alone. I’ll help. The team will help. You’ve got options, Babes. Don’t let fear talk you out of them.”