Unexpected | Calum Hood

13.

"Jes and I....well um...she's....we're" He fumbles and his eyes look pleadingly up at me.

Band-aid method Jessie. "I'm pregnant." I say quickly. The silence that follow is haunting. I wait, taking deep breaths, for some kind of reaction.

"I'm going to be a grandma?" Joy asks and I give a small nod. She replies with a big smile and wrapping her arms around Calum. I see him visibly relax as his mom takes our news as he had hoped she would. His dad follows suit offering congratulations and moving to hug Cal.

"Obviously it wasn't planned and we barely knew each other but we're both really excited about it."

"How far along are you?" His mom asks.

"20 weeks tomorrow. We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet, we're waiting for Cal to come back so we can find out together. He really thinks it's a girl though."

"Aw if it is a girl she'll have Cal wrapped around her little finger." I laugh and nod in agreement. Only now do my eyes meet Calum's again and see the worry hidden there. Only now do I notice Mali's absence. Cal sits quietly as his parents pepper me with questions about my job and the pregnancy. Finally, Cal asks them to say goodbye to me promising that we'll video chat again and meet in person soon. He takes the phone and walks to a separate room in his house, closing the door behind him.

"Cal?" I ask

"Yeah babe"

"Where'd Mali go?"

I watch his Adam's apple bob as he swallows. "She's went up to her room." He's obviously hurt by her reaction and I want to at least try to fix if for him the way he's always been able to fix my problems since the day we met.

"See if she'll talk to me, just girl to girl."

He nods and again we're moving through the house. I here a light tap on the door and his sisters light voice inviting him into what I assume is her room. He mutes the chat so I can't hear what's being said. I try not to be annoyed by it but I quickly grow frustrated. Just as I'm really starting to get angry the screen is thrust in front of Mali and I find myself staring up at the beautiful blonde.

"Hi" I offer with a small smile once I've been taken off mute.

She returns the smile but it's obviously forced and the light in her eyes earlier is visibly dimmed now.

"Please don't be mad." I nearly beg.

"I'm not....mad. I'm concerned." I nod urging her to continue. "Cal's got such a big heart and he's just so trusting and I know he's completely smitten with you and it worries me." My heart sinks, she sees what he doesn't, he's far too good for me. "I'm not saying you're not a great girl, I'm sure you are and I really am happy to be meeting you it's nothing against you, it's just, he's my baby brother and this is a lot to take in. You have to understand where I'm coming from, do you have siblings?"

"No, I'm an only child unfortunately."

"It's just hard to explain, he's been my best friend since he was born and I've seen him get his heart broken. I know he's gonna be a great dad and you seem lovely. But what if you get a year into this and decide it's too much? Will you just disappear and we'll never see the baby? I know getting attached like that and losing everything would kill him."

"I'm not going anywhere. Calum and I aren't even dating, not that I don't wish we were. I would never keep the baby from him though, or you guys, no matter what happens between he and I." She seems to soften hearing all of this.

"I'm sorry for being a right bitch" She says dabbing tears away from her eyes. "I was, no, I am so excited to be meeting you it's just a lot to take in. We rarely see him as it his, I suspect with a baby in America he'll really never come home to Oz  or to visit me in the UK now."

"No way, you guys are family and I'll make sure we, or at least Cal and the little one visit."

She seems to find a little comfort and peace in my words and some of the bright cheeriness she'd shown at first reappears. We small talk for a few moments before she ask if I want to speak to Cal again. I agree and his face again fills my screen. Once we're safely back in his room he puffs up his cheeks and blows out the air.

"Well I think that went...decent. I think Mali feels better after your talk, thanks for that."

"It's no problem, she's just worried about you. Just being a bit protective of her baby brother." I've moved from my couch into my bedroom and I settle into my bed still talking to Cal.

"Yeah, yeah."

I yawn as he replies and he seems to remember our massive time difference.

"It's nearly one in the morning there, you should get some rest Jessie."

"Mmhmm" I mumble. "Hey Cal?"

"Yeah, Jes"

"I saw the video from Amsterdam." I say sleepily

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, I wish I was beside you too" I let out a yawn and close my eyes, slipping into a dream before I even end the call.