My Stolen Identity (Complete)

Chapter 46 - An awkward dinner

"So Tyler's here AND he's staying to eat dinner with us?" Knox whispered to me, raising his eyebrows after Juni walked away to answer the door.

"Yes he is. Go easy on him okay? He's really trying to step up and be a father for the baby. Juni said he's gone to a few of the doctor's appointments with her and he wants to be there for the birth."

"Shouldn't he be leaving for college soon?"

"Under the circumstances, UCLA decided to let him do his classes virtually for the next two weeks so he could be home for the birth."

Knox rolled his eyes. "Oh well that's just great. So we're going to have him hovering around our house for the next two weeks?"

"Hey," I whispered, turning him around to face me. "This time is really important for them. You don't want to scare him off and be the reason that Noah doesn't get to know his father do you? He could resent you for the rest of his life for something like that."

Knox looked into my eyes, thinking.

I let out an exhale and said, "Trust me, I know. Not having your father around really sucks. Even if you don't like the guy, Juni and Noah need him."

Knox reluctantly nodded and said, "You're right," shaking his head and pacing the floor as he ran his hands up through his hair.

"I know this is hard for you because you want to protect your baby sister, but she's eighteen now Knox. She's a grown woman and she's about to be a mother. She's old enough to make her own life choices and she's choosing for Tyler to be in her baby's life, so you need to be supportive of that or you could push her away."

I stepped forward and cupped the sides of his face, looking into his eyes. "Okay?" I asked softly.

He exhaled and said, "Yeah, you're right. I know if Juni hadn't liked you I would have told her to get over it. I'm a grown man and I can date whoever I want. She's an adult now too, so I probably need to let her do the same thing."

"Yes you do," I said with a smile, leaning forward and kissing the tip of his nose. "She's already been through so much and if having Tyler here makes her happy then he should be here. From what she's told me, he seems like a good guy that just made a mistake and now he's trying to make up for it."

"Yeah, I guess," he said with an exhale. "You know, before the whole, dumping her for being pregnant thing happened, I actually used to like the guy. I thought they were good together."

"Really?" I asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I had a conversation with my Mom and Dad about him not too long before the accident. They really liked him too and thought he was good for her. I wonder if they'd still think the same thing now after what he did?"

"Well I never met your parents, but I bet they would be willing to forgive the guy that made them grandparents, even under the circumstances. As for me, I want to give him a second chance. I mean, if it wasn't for him and that baby, you and Juni wouldn't even be here."

He scrunched his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Juni told me the day of the car accident you and her were supposed to go with your parents to watch Noah's game, but she was really sick with morning sickness because of the baby and that's why you and her stayed home."

I saw Knox's eyes widen in realization.

"Oh wow. I never even thought about her being sick that day because of morning sickness. I guess the baby really did save our lives."

"Yes he did," I said with a smile. "If your parents were here, how do you think they would want you to treat Tyler, the father of their first grandbaby? Just think about that," I said giving him a kiss and then walking out of the kitchen carrying the casserole dish to the dining room.