Your Time

Chapter 49

{October 2032}

Harrison and Carrie took Billie and Ben to an Astros playoff game. When they came home after the game, Adam and Joanne where there, which was a huge surprise to everyone.

Over the summer, Joanne graduated from college and starred in her first movie, while Adam was only a junior at Clemson. It was a very odd time to see Adam since it was the middle of football season. Harrison and Carrie pushed the surprise away, thinking Clemson had a bye week. Adam would explain it to them.

"Mom! Dad!" He said upon seeing them walk in.

"Adam?" They both asked in unison. "You didn't tell us you and Joanne were coming."

"Sorry mom and dad. But since we had a bye this week, I decided to stop home and say hi."

By now Billie and Ben made their way in the house, the surprise obvious on their faces. "Adam?"

"Hi guys."

As Billie and Ben helped Carrie unpack everything, Harrison asked Adam, "everything okay with football? We really weren't expecting you."

"I know," he answered. "I'm sorry."

Harrison was waiting for him to say he needed help with something, but he didn't. He put both his hands on his son's shoulders. "Everything okay at school?"

"Yeah dad. Like I told you and mom, we have a bye and I didn't have anything to do this weekend so we decided to come home for the weekend."

"Okay."

In the kitchen, Joanne was talking with Carrie and the other kids. She was telling Carrie all about her first movie where she landed the main role. Joanne who was two years older than Adam, graduated Clemson last year. They met in high school Adam's sophomore year, but they didn't start dating until his junior year. At that time, Joanne was attending college nearby before she transferred to Clemson for more programs that would help her become an actor.

It had been four years since Adam and Joanne started dating. In those four years, the two of them bonded so much. They acted so much like they were married. Someone who didn't know them would think they were married. It didn't seem like Adam was too concerned about getting married right now, since he hadn't asked Harrison or Carrie about it.

After they were done putting everything away, Adam asked to see his parents alone, which also struck them as odd.

They followed him into the living room while Joanne kept Billie and Ben busy in the kitchen. Once the three of them sat down, Harrison asked, "Adam seriously, is everything okay? In school, in football, in general?"

"I'm with your father," Carrie added. "You don't seem like yourself."

He nodded. "I know I don't seem like myself. That's because I have something to tell you and I'm not sure how you guys are going to react to it."

Harrison and Carrie looked at each other. "Adam go ahead."

He took a deep breath, opening his mouth and closing it again. "You can tell us Adam."

Adam nodded. "Okay. Here it goes." He took one more deep breath. "Joanne's pregnant."

Neither of his parents responded right away. They were too surprised to say even anything. "She's pregnant?" Carrie asked in disbelief.

"Yes mom."

"Are you ready for this?" Harrison asked. "To be a father?"

"Adam, you're young."

"Mom and dad, I'm ready to be a father. I want this as much as Joanne does."

"What are you going to do about school? About your football career you've worked so hard at?" Carrie asked.

He took a breath. "This is something Joanne and I have been thinking about for a while now. Way before we found out she was pregnant."

"And what were you thinking?" Harrison asked.

"I was thinking about entering the draft early. I was thinking about this before Joanne found out she was pregnant. I've been doing very well lately, dad you even said so yourself. With the season I'm having now, I think I have a good shot at being drafted early. If I enter the draft early, it would give me more time to help Joanne with our baby."

Carrie stopped him there. "Was her pregnancy planned Adam?"

He shook his head no. "We both want a baby. We want one a lot. I told her I would do whatever she needed to help with the baby, even if it was giving up football for a little while."

Carrie nodded hearing that. He was committed. And that was also a sign that their once little Adam was growing up. He was going to be a dad.

"Another reason I want to enter the draft earlier is because I'll be able to support them easily. Just like you did dad. You and mom had me when you were really young."

"Is Joanne ready to have a baby?" Harrison asked.

Adam nodded. "It's really hard to tell which one of us wants a baby more."

Carrie thought back to a few years ago when he and Joanne were in the living room, talking about what it would be like to have kids. Now they had their opportunity.

"Adam, if there's anything you or Joanne need, don't hesitate to let us know. Okay?"

"Okay. Thank you guys so much."

"You're welcome Adam."