And Baby Makes...?

Chapter 66

Tyler POV

Samantha seemed to accept that I wasn't mad at her. And I wasn't.

But I was scared. Scared she'd want to stay in England if we let her go.

But how do we say that she can't go if she wants to? That would be unfair to Samantha. To keep her away from the only person who can tell her anything about her mom and her family?

I lay in bed that night, after getting both girls to bed, just staring up at the ceiling.

"What's wrong, Tyler?" Jenna asked.

I told her.

"I'm worried about the same thing. How do we say no? How do we convince her to come home? How do we deny her if she wants to stay? I don't know if I can handle losing her," Jenna  said. I nodded.

We talked until we fell asleep. We hadn't come to any solution or conclusion. We'd just have to see how things played out.

In the morning, I got up to get Sam ready for school. She was already awake and dressed, gathering things for school and the things she'd bought for her friends. She seemed to be in a pretty good mood and so I wasn't going to ruin that by discussing the summer. We had time.

"Morning, teenager," I said to her.

"Good morning adult," she quipped back. I smiled. She's a quick one.

We went downstairs and I made Sam a quick breakfast and walked with her to school. We chatted on the way. We did talk about London, but we talked about the trip. Not the summer.

I left Sam at the door with Jill and her friends and walked home alone. It made me sad because even though Sam was just at school, this is what it would be like without her here. Although I wouldn't be walking to the school at all. Because she wouldn't be here.

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Samantha POV

I was so excited to see Jill and Morgan and Blaine. We met at the front of the school on the first day back after Spring Break.

At lunch we all talked about what we did. I gave my friends their souvenirs that I'd bought in London.

They asked about Mark and his family and I told them pretty much everything. I didn't mention that they asked me to come visit in the summer. I still wasn't sure about it.

On one hand, I wanted to go. I wanted to get to know Mark and Carol and Benji and Emma better. And Mark had so many stories about my mom.

But I didn't want to leave Mom and Dad. I didn't want to go by myself. I knew I'd have to talk to Mom and Dad about it eventually. But I wasn't ready yet.

In the spring, I tried out for the baseball team and made it. Mom and Dad came to every game. And Aunt Debby and Uncle Josh were in visiting once. So they got to come to a game, too.

Rosie started walking in May. It was adorable. She started by taking just one step, then two, then four and then she just didn't stop! She was so proud of herself and when I came home from school and if she wasn't napping, she'd come toddling over to me calling her version of my name: SaSa.

We had a concert at the end of the school year and I sang with the choir, but I also had a solo. Mom and Dad were there and they said they were so proud.

Then it was graduation and next year I'd be in high school.

Mom and Dad hosted a party for me and my friends at our house. We had a few other kids that we were friends with come, too.

It was a fun night. I went to bed at 1 am, after my friends left, and Dad came in to say goodnight.

"Sleep well, eighth grade graduate," he said. I rolled my eyes.

The next morning I got up and went downstairs. I didn't bother getting dressed yet. It was summer vacation anyway. Mom and Dad were already downstairs drinking coffee. They stopped talking when I came in.

I made myself a bowl of cereal and sat at the table with them.

"Morning sweetie," Mom smiled at me.

"Morning," I said.

"Honey, have you come up with a decision about visiting Mark in England this summer?" Dad asked.

I looked between the two of them.

"Um, no. Not really," I admitted.

"Mark wants an answer," Dad said. "They're trying to make plans and want to know if they're including you in them."

I swallowed hard. I hadn't really thought about it.

And so I told Mom and Dad just that.

Dad sighed. He didn't seem disappointed or anything.

"It's all I've been thinking about since we got home," he said.

"Sweetie, we understand if you want to go and spend some time with them," Mom said.

"That's the thing. I do. But I don't want to go without you," I admitted.

"Well, we weren't invited," Mom smiled. "They want you to visit and get to know them. And even though they're your family, we are, too. And we will support whatever decision you make."

"But," I started. "I don't know. I mean, part of me wants to, but I don't want to be away from you and Rosie."

"It would just be for a month. Less if you really want to come home sooner," Dad said. He said it like he was sort of wishing I'd either say no, or say that I'd come home sooner.

"I don't know," I said.

"At the end of the day, it's your decision," Mom said. "But it would be nice if we could let Mark know one way or the other by your Zoom call on Saturday. Fair?"

Saturday was still four days away.

"Okay," I said. "I'll think about it."

I finished my breakfast and went upstairs to shower and get dressed. I texted Jill and asked her advice.

By Thursday I'd decided. I was going to go to England.