Serendipitous

23.

The cool water runs down my throat making me feel a little more awake than I did two hours ago after breakfast. My wrist wipes my lips to get rid of the remaining water on them as I set the water bottle down on the small wooden table outside where I go to sit. Shane sits across from me, thankfully it's just the two of us right now since my mom and the other women are hanging up the laundry to dry. Carl and Glenn are washing the apples they just picked this morning, Shane and I have the perfect opportunity to talk about finding out when we can tell my dad I'm pregnant.

"Did you take your vitamins this morning?" He asks me cautiously, I nod my head as his eyes seem to relax. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I'm not really hungry" I tell him honestly, but I know his questions are going to persist until I do eat. Worry fills his face, he stands up from the table before grabbing a clean peach from the bucket as well as a small bowl of mangos. "I'm fine, really"

"Yeah, normally I wouldn't bother you if you hadn't eaten yet. But now you're eating for two" He says, I can't help but smile as I watch his eyes seem to light up at hearing those words.

"Fine" I roll my eyes, taking a bite out of the peach as he smirks in satisfactory. "So, when do you think would be a good time to tell my parents?" My voice softens, Shane's expression turns serious as he sighs deeply.

"I was just thinking about that. I don't know," He pauses, "Your dad seemed to get over it quicker than your mom did when he found out about us, maybe we'll tell him first" I nod understandingly at his words taking another bite of the peach.

"Okay, we can do that" I say, agreeing with him. "Maybe he'll be nicer since he's going to be a grandpa" Shane laughs at my words.

"Better now than in nine months when you've already had him" Shane says, my heart jumps at his words making me smile.

"Him?" I repeat his wording, a sheepish smile forms on his face as his eyes avert to the ground for a moment.

"It's just a guess, maybe a girl, I don't know" I try to picture a baby with Shane's eyes and his dark hair, a little us in a baby blanket with a happy smile.

"Maybe it is a boy" I smile agreeing with him, finishing my peach we both stand up from the table. "Okay, let's rip this band aid off and tell my dad he's going to be a grandpa" Shane laughs lightly again before taking my hand.

"Here we go..." He mumbles, we begin walking toward Hershel's house where my dad's went into this morning to speak with Hershel about staying on the farm. Shane and I make our way to the porch as we enter the large farm house, my eye's land on my dad who's standing between the hallway and a room.

"What's it gonna be, man? Which way does this thing go?" Shane folds his arms over his chest clearly frustrated with the situation between my dad and Hershel.

"I don't know yet" He answers back dryly.

"Well, what did he say?"

"We're negotiating" He mumbles quietly, it's like he knows Shane is going to lose his cool. He doesn't know why, he doesn't know the other reason—Now Shane not only has to help look after the camp but also me ten times more now that I'm pregnant.

"You're nego—" He rephrases with irritation clear on his face, "Clock's ticking, Rick"

"No it isn't, Shane. That barn—the barn is secure. We didn't even know about it till this morning" My dad responds curtly, Shane sighs.