Even Through the Storm

23. A New Roommate

It's seven o'clock, I just got home from helping Ash move into the apartment. Cassie and my Dad are sitting on the couch holding hands and looking at me. I take off my shoes and sit down across from them. "What's going on?" I ask. Cassie looks at my dad before turning back to me.

"Someone will be moving into this house in a few months," she says.

"What? Who? Is that why Asher had to leave?" I ask calmly. Cassie laughs.

"No, nothing like that, but we are going to have to turn the upstairs guest room into a nursery."

"Wait, what?" I jump up. "You're having a baby?" I give them a hug. "How is this possible? What about the wedding?"

"We are moving the date back. We're hoping they're a little girl so that they can be the flower girl, and so this house will be just a little more even."

"What? That's awesome! Do the boys know yet?"

"No," Dad says. "We're not trying to keep it a secret or anything, but we're not going to make a big deal out of it for a few months."

"Okay. Do you have any name ideas?" I ask.

"Yeah," Cassie says. "For a girl, I like the name Willow, and for a boy, I have no idea."

"Ooh, I like Willow too. How about William for a boy?"

"Oh, I like that. Will slash Willow it is!"

***

It's the next day, and Dri and I are hanging out in my bedroom.

"She's what?" Dri asks. "But you're sixteen."

"I know," I say. "But the boys are barely in elementary school, and my parents had me before they even left college. It's normal. Asher's stepmom has a three-year-old. That's normal. And Cassie's only thirty-four."

"So? Anyway, where's your brother-friend?"

"My what?"

"Brother-friend. Your dad is taking care of him, brother, but he is your boyfriend. Thus, your brother-friend."

"Please don't ever say that again. And his mom got discharged a couple of days ago, so he and Ms. Reynolds moved into an apartment."

"Ooh, that must sting."

"No, not really. But he is working full time now so he can get his cell-phone-money back."

"Ooh, wanna' take a trip down to the mall? There's a new girl at the food court, and..."