Three's Company

23

*Email alert*
Your diagnostic test results are now available! Click here to view.

Shit! When I went back to the center to turn in Deon's swabs, I signed a consent form to receive online results. I clicked the link in the email, which led me to their website.

*Enter first two letters of last name, last four digits of your SSN, and the last four digits of your phone number to log in*

I carefully entered the information, hoping for a miracle. I was taken to a screen with a list of test results. One showing Deon's name and one showing Garrett's name. I click Garrett's name closing my eyes as the webpage loaded.

"Based on the testing results, the alleged father, Garrett Walker, is not excluded as the biological father. There is a 99.999999% chance that the alleged father IS the biological father of the child, since all data gathered from the test supports a relationship of paternity."

My heart sank into my chest. I took a screenshot and forwarded it to Jayden. Tears filled my eyes. I already knew he was, but to see it was a whole different story.

Jayden: Oh, baby. I'm sorry!

Me: Hey...can we talk?
Garrett: Sure. Is everything okay?
Me: When can you meet me?
Garrett: I can leave work now.
Me: Okay.
Garrett: Give me 30 minutes?
Me: 👍🏾
Garrett: Can I bring you anything?
Me: No thanks.
Garrett: See you soon.

I emailed my two clients for the day and asked if I could reschedule due to illness and told my secretary that I wasn't coming into the office. Wiping my tears away, I sat trying to figure out what words I would say to Garrett when he arrived.

*25 mins later*

*ding dong*

I went and opened the door to let Garrett inside. He was dressed in a black button down and some grey slacks and he looked the fuck good!

Me: Hi, come in.
Garrett: Have you been crying? Is everything okay?
Me: Yeah...just come in and sit down.

He came into the living room and sat on the loveseat. I intentionally sat away from him on the sofa.

Me: So umm...I really don't know how to say this but...I'm pregnant.
Garrett: Oh shit.
Me: And the baby is yours...
Garrett: Okay. Are you sure?
Me: I'm sure. It's not my boyfriend's.
Garrett: The guy that showed up that one time...
Me: Yeah...
Garrett: I mean...should we take a paternity test?
Me: I did. It's not his. You're the only other man I've been within in the last six months.
Garrett: Okay. How far along?
Me: Almost ten weeks.
Garrett: So what do I need to do?
Me: I don't know. I'm still in shock.
Garrett: Does he know?
Me: Not yet. I literally just found out less than an hour ago.
Garrett: How doesn't he know if you got a test?
Me: I'm not proud of what I did. But I swabbed him while he was asleep.
Garrett: Oh...
Me: Yeah...
Garrett: Alright then...So you'll need support for the baby. I'm willing to do that. Unless you're not keeping it. How does work? Don't they still need to swab me to confirm?
Me: I already did?
Garrett: What?
Me: A few days ago...I was hoping the results were a mistake. So I swabbed you when you fell asleep.
Garrett: Wow, Jess. You could've just told me. I would've done it voluntarily.
Me: That's what I came to do but when I saw you, I got scared. And I wasn't planning on doing that, but you fell asleep.
Garrett: Well shit.
Me: I am keeping it.
Garrett: I'm glad.
Me: ...
Garrett: So about you and this guy...
Me: I'm going to tell him.
Garrett: Is he gonna be cool?
Me: I hope so.