Free Walk Beside Me (Walk Series) by H.J. Bellus Page B

me to do?”
    Kara turns on her fake tears as her mother comes to her rescue. I turn to walk away. I need to get to Tessa. Fuck the stress and fuck her for not listening to me.
    “Son, please.” Facing back to the house I see Kara’s dad standing on the doorstep.
    “Sorry, sir, I just don’t belong here.”
    Kara’s dad truly is the most sincere out of the whole group.
    “Just an hour. It would make Kara’s evening. Being pregnant and everything has been really hard on her.”
    He’s right. It would be the right thing to do, but as soon as an hour is up I’m heading to Tessa. She’s going to listen to me whether she wants to or not. I need her in my life. Without a word, I turn back to him and walk inside their elegant home. It’s not warm and homey at all. It’s decorated to the tee in a Victorian style that screams how rich they are. I’d rather live in a shack before I survived in this sterile environment.
    Kara was right about my dress. Everyone is dressed very formal in nature with suits and dresses while I stand in jeans and a flannel shirt with unkempt hair. Typically I might be embarrassed and feel like an outcast, but this time I’m proud to be where I’m standing and how I’m looking.
    A catering company has provided the meal and decorated the table. We all sit at the table where cream-colored place cards have all of our names. I’m seated right next to Kara and she can’t seem to keep her hands off me. I try to listen and act interested when she talks about her pregnancy. She goes on about decorations and doctor appointments. I feel like an ass and find myself starting to ask her questions. When she realizes it, Kara instantly perks up.
    “How was the last doctor’s appointment?” Kara’s fork falls to her plate.
    “Well, Finn, you should know Kara said you took her,” Kara’s mom chimes in.
    Craning my head I look straight at Kara. I haven’t been to one of her appointments yet. I offered but she always turned me down. Her face is pale and a slight murmuring begins to overtake the table. I hear my dad clearly begin a new topic about the afternoon’s football game. I don’t take my eyes from her.
    “What did your mother just say?”
    “Finn, please don’t,” she whispers.
    Genuine tears fill Kara’s eyes as I press her for some answers. She squirms in her seat under my watch. My curious gaze is beginning to turn to anger as I wonder what in the hell is going on.
    “You two love birds, how are the wedding plans coming along?” This time it’s Kara’s grandmother asking the questions from the head of the table.
    “What wedding plans?” I ask.
    Kara flies from her seat, running down the long hallway with my dad right on her heels. All eyes watch as the two of them make their way from the table. The reaction is fucking odd. Not one other person stands to go see after Kara.
    “Excuse me, Finn, did you ask what wedding?” Kara’s grandma asks me.
    “Yes, I did.” I place both hands firmly on the dining room table in a stance demanding for answers.
    “Well, yours of course.”
    “I’m not getting married.”
    “You proposed to Kara, silly.”
    “I don’t mean to be rude, but I never proposed to Kara.” Screeching caused by me pushing the chair back and standing up catches everyone’s attention. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not marrying Kara nor have plans to.”
    Escaping all the questioning stares, I walk down the hall following the same path as Kara and my father. I recall the floor plan of this home from our childhood when we used to spend hours playing. I peer into Kara’s old room and find nothing but can hear a slight mumbling a couple of rooms down. The closer I get to the voices the more heated they become in a rhythm alternating between a male and female voice. I find the voices are trailing from the large family room. They’ve left the door ajar.
    “Finn is going to find out.”
    “Kara you need to settle down. You busting out on a family