Free Everything Changes by R F Greenwood Page A

knocked up”, he says running his hand through his hair. I just stare at him in shock. He always drilled protection into my head.
       “ How?” I ask. I can’t keep the shock out my voice.
       “What do y ou mean how? Obviously you know”, he says, he sounds tired and defeated. Not a good combination.
       “I mean. How the hell did you get someone pregnant? You and Jack basically ingrained it in my brain that you have to use protection. Remember ‘don’t be silly wrap your willy’ I may not have one but I know that they have got to wear one”
       “I don’t know Cass. I honestly don’t know. I was careful, unless the condom split?” he sighs and leans back in the armchair. I look over at Jack and see he has a weird look on his face.
       “And what’s your input Jack? Since you’ve had some much to say today” He glares at me then looks back towards Justin.
      Never thought I’d see the day that Jack and I would butt heads. We’re all pretty close but it was always Jack I went to if I had a problem. Justin now has his own problems.
       “ Not a lot to say really. Is she a nice girl?” he asks.
       “ What I can remember of her she is” I narrow my eyes at him.
       “This was a drunken one night stand?” he sighs again, no wonder he was off this morning and quiet through dinner.
       “So what are you going to do?” he shakes his head. I stand up and walk over to the armchair. I perch on the arm and lean over and rest my head on top of his and wrap my arms around his shoulders.
       “We will figure this out together. You won’t have to go through it alone. Winters freeze together” He smiles weakly up at me.
      Sunday is meant to be a day of rest. I look over at Tyler, he’s sitting there listening to everything quietly.
       “Do you even know the girl’s name Justin?” I ask him.
       “Melissa. I don’t know her second name. This was about a month ago we slept together. She told me last nigh t. I went to the club where we met and she tracked me down. Obviously I said it wasn’t mine but she had a picture and it had her name on and everything and the timing was right. She didn’t seem conniving. If anything she looked innocent” I sit up.
      I’m still not sure. Until I meet this Melissa, I’m not going to believe it all the way.
       “Do you have a number for her?” he nods and gets his phone out of his pocket.
       “Invite her over for dinner on Wednesday night. And we can talk it all out then and I can check her out to see if she is jus t trying to trap my big brother” He nods, I climb off the arm of the sofa and go and sit back next to Tyler.
      I turn to look at Jack.
       “You and I need to talk in the kitchen” He nods and gets up and walks to the kitchen without saying anything.
       “Two minutes ” I whisper to Tyler. He nods and I follow Jack into the kitchen.
      I find Jack leaning against the far kitchen side near the window, with his arms crossed. I walk over to him until I’m standing in front of him.
       “Can we please get over this thing with Tyler?” I say in a hushed voice.
       “Cass, I’m probably never going to like him, the way you were last Sunday was bad enough, what happens if your feelings are hurt worse because of this forced engagement he’s in?” I sigh. And there is the main problem. He isn’t going to drop it until he knows the full extent of this ‘forced engagement’.
       “It’s not my story to tell. But it’s some serious shit with this engagement. Not everything is what it seems Jack. Can you at least say you will try for me? I know Justin won’t be a problem, conside ring he has bigger problems now” I shake my head. I’m still in shock with that.
       “Can I just ask you one thing Cass? You’re not sleeping with him are you?” he looks uncomfortable asking me that question. He stuffs his hands in his basketball shorts.
       “I’ve slept with him yes, sex, no”, he frowns.