Together, We Rise

Chapter Ten: Surprise, Surprise

Chapter Ten

Luke

Waiting for Melody was torture. The time seemed to go by fairly shortly while she was in the bathroom.

In the meantime, Laura came back downstairs. "I know you told me to stay upsairs, but Eli is annoying me.'

Eli hurried down the stairs. "Whatever she tells you is wrong!" Eli said quickly. "Oh, hey Luke........Why are you back here?"

"Reasons," I replied.

"He won't tell you," Laura said. "Anyway, Elijah is being very annoying!"

"Annoying?" Eli asked. "You're the one who's blasting Miley Cyrus on the stereo!"

"Kids!" John interrupted. "Upstairs. Now. We're trying to deal with something very serious."

"But......" Laura began, but John pointed upstairs. They both sighed and went back upstairs.

My cell rang and even though I didn't want to answer it, I pulled it out of my pocket. Since Evan's name was on the screen, I pressed TALK and held it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Luke, we have a serious problem," he said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Our hotel room sucks!"

"Wait......hotel room?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Mom was able to get two weeks off of work and she wanted to come to Miami," Evan said. "So here we are, in Miami, in a crappy hotel."

"Which hotel?" I asked.

"Well, I think some basketball teams are here," Evan replied. "And I could have sworn I saw Melody's uncle......."

"That would be the hotel I'm staying in," I replied.

"So where are you right now?" Evan asked.

"At my aunt's," I replied, temporarlly forgetting I was talking to my brother.

"We have an aunt in Miami?" Evan asked.

"No, not us, just me," I said. "I found my birth dad."

Suddenly, a gasp from the bathroom caught mt attention. The bathroom door opened and Melody walked out slowly.

"Hold on a second, Evan," I said. I pulled the cell away from my ear. "So?"

"They both.......they both read positive," Melody replied quietly, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. "I'm pregnant."

I walked over to Melody and gave her a hug. "Oh Melody......." She quietly sobbed in my shoulder. I looked over at John. "My family is in Miamk right now. Would you mind if they came over?"

"I wouldn't mind," he replied and Jane nodded her head in agreement. "It may be awkward to see Sandy, but this is more important."

Keeping one arm around Melody, I lifted the cell to my ear. "Evan? Any chance you guys are willing to come over here? And by you guys, I mean Mom?"

"I'll ask," Evan said.

"Tell her it's really important," I said.

"Okay," Evan said. There was some talk before Evan got back to the other line. "She asked if there was a man named John there."

"Yeah," I replied.

There was more talking. "She said she's not so sure."

"Evan, tell her it's extremely important and I really need her here," I begged. "Please.