Papá's Girl

Secret's Out

©JRF2016

I walk into the infirmary with Shane to talk to Denise. "How's Carl?" I ask as I look into the back room to see Rick with him. "He's fine, he'll be fine." She pulls up a chair and sits down in front of the two of us, "What was it you two needed to talk to me about?" Shane pulls up two chairs for the both of us and we sit down with her. I look over at Rick and Carl unsure of where to start and if I should with him so close by. Denise gets up and shuts the door between us and them. "Go ahead."

We finish our conversation and leave the building. I'm shaking and tears are welling up in my eyes. "It's okay Izzy, it'll be okay. I promise." Shane wraps his arms around me. He rubs his hand across my back. "How do I tell him? How do I break the news to Papá?"

"We'll think of something."

For the next week Shane and I try to come up with the best way to give Papáthe news.  I've been avoiding him for the entire week as we brainstormed. I just can't figure out how I'm going to tell him this. He'll be devastated. He'll hate me. He already hates Shane I can see it in his eyes whenever he sees us together.

"Hey, there's my little girl. Where you been hidin' baby?" I jump and turn around to be face to face with Papá. I certainly can't avoid him now.  I smile at him nervously and finally manage to answer. "I've been around Papá, where have you been hiding?" He laughs as he hugs me. "Whatever." He pulls me along beside him as we walk down the quiet street. Neither of us say a word until Shane walks up joining us. "Have you told him yet? I thought we were going to fill him in together." I start scratching my arm and look back and forth between the two most important men in my life. "Fill me in on what?" Papáasks as I stand there fidgeting. I keep scratching at my arm. "What's wrong with you Bella Rose? Are you okay?"

"Papá, I, uh, we..." I stop and stare at my feet, "I can't. I can't do this, not now." I run off toward the house. I hear Shane's footsteps behind, or maybe they were Papá's, but I couldn't stop. I just couldn't tell him. Not now.

"Izzy," Shane says softly as he peeks in through the bedroom door, "You'll have to tell him sooner or later. He's gonna find out, don't you think it'll be a whole lot better if he finds out from you and not someone else?" I look up from my wet pillow and stare at him. "I don't think it is going to be as bad as you are making out to be." I sit up on the edge of the bed as Shane wraps his arm around me. "Maybe you're right. I am being stupid about this." Shane stands up and pulls me off the bed. He hugs me tight rubbing his hand across my back.

Halfway down the stairs I hear Papá's laugh and I freeze. I wring my fingers and take a deep breath as Shane stares at me. "I can do this, I'm good. Let's go and get this over with." We finished descending the stairs to see Papáon the couch with Carol. I clear my throat and they both look over at me. "We need to talk to you, Merle." Shane speaks for me. He turns from his position facing Carol to face us. He waves a hand over the chair next to the couch. "Well, sit, talk." I take a seat in the chair and Shane sits on the arm of the chair with his arm around me. I can't say anything for a long while, I just imagined every possible reaction. I glance over at Carol. "You can say whatever you have to say in front of her baby. She ain't gonna judge or nothing." Papátells me and then wraps his arm around Carol. "Quindi voi due siete davvero una cosa ora?" {So you two are really a thing now?} Papájust smiles and squeezes her tighter. She puts her hand on his knee and smiles up at him. I stare at the two of them as I realize my Papáis actually happy, truly happy. I look back up at Shane and he gives me a nod. "Papá, si sta andando ad essere un nonno." {Papá, you're going to be a grandpa.} I watched as Papá's head slowly turned back to me and his jaw dropped. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Shane. Carol sat there staring at the two of us, unknowingly. She had no idea of the bombshell that was just dropped onto my Papá. I looked over at Shane, who had learned quite a bit, but was unsure of exactly what I said. He knew the secret and by the look on Papá's face he could guess what it was. Shane pulled me up into his lap and wrapped his arms around my waist placing his hands on my stomach. He finally spoke as he stared into my eyes, "Stiamo avendo un bambino." {We're having a baby.} I started to tremble a little as Shane placed his hands over mine. Papácaught my attention when he jumped up off the couch. I jerked my head around and stared at him waiting for his undoubtedly loud response. I got it but it wasn't at all what I was expecting. He took my hand and pulled me into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground, spinning me around. He started laughing. "This is amazing news baby girl! I thought you were going to tell me you were bit, or something like that." He finally put me down and stood in front of Shane. He held out his hand. Shane smiled as he took Papá's hand. "Guess I have to like ya now since you did give me a grandbaby."