My father snapped his head over to my mother before staring at me. I was stunned. My mother was the worst secret-keeper ever!
“Mom!” I shouted. She put her hands over her mouth again.
“I’m never telling you a secret ever again! I’m going to make you wait until the baby is born to find out if it is a girl or a boy.”
She dropped her hands and laughed. “Is that all you’ve got?”
“What do you mean is that all I’ve got?”
My father sat down and I peeked over to him. I couldn’t read his face.
“Daddy? Please tell me you’re not upset because I’m so incredibly happy about this.” The second I saw the tears in his eyes, I took a deep breath. “Daddy?”
“I’m going to be a grandfather?” He asked. A single tear rolled down his face.
I nodded as my mother walked over to him. Daddy held her and she sat in his lap. I loved how affectionate my parents were. They were so in love, and showed it all the time.
Daddy looked into my mother’s eyes. They both smiled as my mother whispered, “Our baby is having a baby.”
She kissed my father and I looked away as they shared a tender moment. My heart was about to burst. I pulled out my phone and sent Walker a text.
Me: Daddy knows. He’s beyond happy. P.S. My mother spilled the beans to your mom.
Walker texted back immediately.
Walker: Thank God. I’ve been scared for my life. I knew it!
I laughed and set my phone down. My father smiled and motioned for me to come over. My mother stood up as I took her place.
“Oh Liza, honey, I’m kind of lost for words. I mean, I thought you wanted to teach.”
I wiped my tears away. “I did, too. But life had other plans. I’d like to stay on with you, if that’s okay?”
My father hugged me tight. “Oh, Liza. Baby, you just made me the happiest man in the world.”
I smiled to myself knowing that the two most important men in my life had spoken the same exact words to me when they found out about the baby.
I PULLED UP and parked outside the obstetrician’s office. Walker was meeting me here for our first appointment. We’d decided that the first appointment should just be Walker and me. We’d had to come to their Austin office, since the office in Fredericksburg was being remodeled. I sat in the car until Walker’s truck pulled up. I jumped out of my Toyota 4Runner and made my way over to Walker. I looked behind me. The hairs on my neck stood up again, like someone was watching me. It was the same feeling I’d had that night at the hotel. But I saw no one, so I shook my head and pushed the feelings away.
“Hey beautiful,” Walker said as I walked into his arms.
“Hey back at ya, handsome.”
Walker kissed me passionately as I wrapped my arms around his neck. We were quickly lost in the kiss. I jumped when my car alarm went off. I turned around, but there was no one near my car.
“Why is my alarm going off?” I asked as Walker took my hand and walked us over to my car. I’d parked close to the wooded area of the parking lot, since the car was a graduation gift from my parents. I was obsessed with not getting door dings.
I pulled my keys out and turned the alarm off. Walker walked around my car and said, “Holy fuck.”
“What?” I asked as I made my way to the passenger side of the car. There was a huge dent on the back door. I put my hands up to my mouth. “Oh my gosh! Walker! How could this have happened? I didn’t park around anyone.”
Walker looked around and into the wooded area. “There must have been someone who tried to park here, hit it, and took off before we saw them.”
It looked like someone took a bat to the door. “Or someone whacked it with something and took off into the woods.” I said.
Walker looked at me and then back at the woods. “Yeah. Kids, maybe?” Walker said. “Little fuckers. Give me your keys and I’ll move it next to my truck.”
I handed Walker my keys and he made his way around to the driver’s side. I looked back into the woods before getting into my car. I was almost positive that I saw something—or someone—moving away from me.