Getting It Right (BOOK THREE)

Chapter 11

She watches them from the middle of the stairs. Keenan is playing with Nevy on the couch and she makes happy gurgling noises in response to him tickling her. Its a bittersweet moment to watch. Aubrey knows there's only a matter of time before Jeremiah shows up at her house again. She's been on edge ever since his last visit two days ago, and the reminder that he's only giving her two days before he intervenes dwells in her mind. Every time Keenan kisses her, touches her, tells her he loves her, she feels guilty knowing that its all going to have to end soon.

"Hey Bre," Aubrey walks down the rest of the stairs into the living room when Keenan calls her. "Come look at these cute letters I got for Nevy."

Aubrey sits down beside and watches as he reaches into a Target bag and pulls out a pink wooden letter 'N' that's encrusted with sequins and glitter. It has a pink ribbon attached to it for when its hung on the wall. "I was thinking we could paint her room yellow and use these to hang her name on the wall when we get our own place." Keenan tells her. She gives a miniscule smile and takes the letter, using her thumb to run it over the sequins from biggest to smallest. With a heavy heart, she places the letter back into the bag and stares at the other letters that make up Neveah's name.

Keenan stares at her as she blankly gazes into the bag like she doesn't understand what she's looking at. "Are they ugly? We can bring them back and keep searching." He says in a response to her quietness.

Aubrey breaks her gaze and looks up at him. "No, they're beautiful. It's just..." She can't bring herself to say the words. One because of fear and two because her mouth has gone dry.

Keenan moves the bag from between them and places it on the table. Shifting Nevy in his arms, he gazes at Aubrey. "What's been up with you lately? You've been acting weird around me."

"I'm sorry. I have a lot on my mind right now." Aubrey looks down in her lap and twiddles her thumbs around to keep her busy.

"Like what?" Keenan questions. He hates when she shuts him out or holds back her feelings. The key to a relationship is communication and he'd rather lay everything out on the table than hide it away in shadows.

Aubrey stares at her lap and nibbles on her bottom lip. "I don't think we should move in together." She finally says.

Keenan's eyebrows crinkle. "What?" He whispers. "But that's all you've been talking about for the past couple days. And suddenly you've changed your mind?" It all sounds ridiculous in his head and the fact that Aubrey's whole attitude has changed makes things even more complicated. "We don't really have a choice Bre. Your aunt is basically kicking us out and my parents won't let us move in with a baby. We have to find our own place."

"No, I have to find my own place. For Neveah and I." She insists, still avoiding his eye.

Keenan squints at her like she's a difficult puzzle. "What are you saying? That you don't want me to live with you guys? I'm her father!"

"No you're not..."

The room goes silent at those words. Keenan stares at Aubrey and she stares at the floor. He doesn't know what to do, so he lets out a dry laugh. "That's not funny Bre."

"Who said I'm joking?" She asks, she finally looks up at him and her eyes are so sharp that it takes him by surprise. One look into her light brown eyes, he can tell something isn't right.

Keenan's face goes completely straight. "What do you mean I'm not the father?"

Aubrey drops her head in her hands and closes her eyes. "I lied to you Keenan. I lied about everything. I've been lying since I met you." Her voice cracks but she keeps going. "After we slept together that first time, I never got my period but I calculated the time span and it didn't add up to you. It added up to my ex...Jeremiah."