Backseat Driver (Wilkins Brothers Book 3)

Chapter 8

LANDRY

It has been three weeks since Jasper shocked me with his confession that night at my place. I had pushed him until he just blurted it out, clearly, he had no intention of telling me the way he did. I think he was just as shocked as I was because he left my place and drove off right away, not even letting me get a word in edgewise. What words would I say though?

Three weeks later, I still hadn’t figured out what I was going to say either. It isn’t that I’ve been avoiding him or anything. That’s a lie, I was avoiding him like something crazy. For example, everybody was at Camila and Gruff’s new place, but rather than go during the arranged time, I showed up afterward and just had a private tour instead. Jasper wasn’t the only one who was a coward.

Mom: Almost to your place.

Me: I’ll be outside waiting.

I quickly braided my hair and slipped on a pair of Ugg boots so my mom wouldn’t have to wait long. Today was the day of our big ultrasound. When I woke up this morning, my heart sank a bit. This was a huge milestone that Tristen and I were supposed to be going through together. I should have made this appointment sooner, but I was dealing with the fallout from the breakup and by the time I remembered to make the appointment, I had to get one at twenty-three weeks rather than the normal window. They insisted that it wouldn’t matter that I was coming in a bit late.

My mom rolled up in her car and I slid into the passenger’s seat. She held up a coffee cup, “Hot cocoa?”

“That smells amazing. Thank you, Mom.”

“No problem. How are you doing today?” It was a loaded question, but I knew my mom meant the best. I wasn’t supposed to be going to this appointment with her. Originally I had planned on going alone, but Bellamy and Hattie insisted that I needed somebody to be by my side. Asking my mom was a no-brainer and she jumped on the opportunity.

“I think I’m okay. It is just a lot, you know?”

“I can’t pretend to know what you’re going through, Landry, but I want you to know that I am so proud of you. Darren and I are here for whatever it is that you need.”

“We talked about this, Mom, I don’t want you guy feeling like you need to step in. I can do this. “

“I’ll never doubt your ability to do something that you put your mind to, but I also know that you get stuck in your head sometimes, thinking you need to be completely independent. You have a full group of people that are family that will drop everything if you’re in need. There is nothing wrong with asking for help, even when you’re doing stuff on your own.”

“Thanks, Mom. I know that you’re all there. I know I can always count on the two of you and Hattie and Bellamy. I just don’t want to feel like I’m dependent on that, you know?”

“Oh don’t I know it. Your father and I did our damndest to raise you to know that you weren’t less than just because you were a woman. The fact that you don’t think you need anybody right now is proof that all those years telling you that you could do anything you wanted really sunk in. Sometimes I wonder if it sunk in a little too much, though.”

“Mom…”

“Don’t, ‘Mom,’ me. This isn’t dropping everything to travel the country, this isn’t buying a mobile home so you never have to settle anywhere too long, this isn’t just being financially dependent on yourself. This is having a baby, Landry. We weren’t meant to go through pregnancy and raising a child on our own.”