Effortless (58 page)

And now…the time was upon her. He was here, she was here, and
with her tight, clingy, outfit, even Griffin wouldn’t miss the fact
that she was clearly expecting.

She stood up quicker than I’d seen her move in ages, since she
liked to play up the helpless pregnant role. Breathing faster than
normal, her eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape.
Kellan walked up to greet his band mates as I grabbed Anna’s arms,
holding her in place.

“Let me go, Kiera,” she snarled.

I shook my head. “No, you have to tell him, Anna. He has a right
to know.”

She grit her jaw and glared at me, but it was too late for her
to escape—Kellan was bringing the boys to the table. With my
parents watching the exchange between Anna and me curiously, I let
her go. She started shaking as Griffin approached her.

At first, Griffin didn’t notice. A crooked grin on his face, he
walked up to her and nonchalantly shoved his tongue down her
throat. Anna made a slight noise and her knees seemed to buckle a
little. My stomach turned at the sight. Dad looked about ready to
clock Griffin.

Evan and Matt behind Griffin were staring at Anna wide-eyed.
Clearly, they’d noticed what Griffin hadn’t. They both looked up at
me. I waved a greeting, then nodded at their unasked questions.
Yes, she was really pregnant. Yes, the jackass kissing her was the
father. Both of their mouths dropped open as they looked back at
Griffin.

Finished mauling Anna, he wrapped his arms around her. That’s
when he seemed to notice that there was more of her to hug. Looking
down, his light brows furrowed in confusion. “Uh, Anna?” Stepping
back from her, he poked a finger into her stomach. “What happened
to you?”

Anna batted his hand away, her lips tightening in a classic,
hormonal mood swing. “
You
happened to me…ass hat.”

Griffin twisted his lips, like he didn’t understand. Matt
smacked him over the head. “Dude, I told you to wrap it up! Don’t
you ever listen to me?”

Griffin sneered at his cousin behind him. “What the fuck are you
talking about?”

I cringed at Griffin being so crude in front of my father. Dad,
his face pale as he realized just who his grandchild’s other half
was, stood up. His thinning hair seemingly graying by the second,
he poked Griffin in the shoulder. Annoyed, Griffin twisted back
around.

Lifting his chin, our dad calmly told the bassist, “You will
watch your language around my daughter, especially when she’s
carrying
your
child.” He raised his eyebrow to Griffin, to
drive that point home, in case Griffin was still confused.

Griffin shook his head, then finally the light turned on. His
eyes widening, he stared at Anna’s stomach in absolute horror.
“You’re pregnant?”

Anna smirked and rolled her eyes. “God, I hope our daughter
somehow gets Kiera’s smarts…otherwise she’s doomed.”

Griffin’s face softened as he looked up into Anna’s eyes.
“Daughter? We’re gonna have a girl?”

A slight smile crept into his face and Anna’s eyes moistened.
She shook her head. “I don’t know yet, I just feel like…I feel like
we made a girl.”

His face more serious than I’d ever seen it, Griffin slowly put
his hand on Anna’s stomach. Her eyes welled so much I doubt she
could even see the father of her baby anymore. Surprisingly,
Griffin’s eyes were a little moist too, as he ran his thumb over
the bump. I hoped and prayed the baby took this opportunity to
kick, so he would feel it.

Everyone around us was silent as Griffin stared at Anna’s belly.
Then, so soft I almost missed it, Griffin murmured, “A girl…I’m
gonna have a little girl?”

Tears dripping down her cheeks now, Anna whispered, “I don’t
know if I’m keeping her.”

My mother took a step forward at hearing Anna admit that; she
hadn’t admitted it to anyone but me. Dad grabbed Mom’s arm, though,
stopping her as he watched Griffin intently. Mom bit her lip,
looking like she wanted to start in on a four hour speech. It was
her first grandbaby after all.

Griffin snapped his head up. “What? You can’t give away my kid?”
He looked around the bar until he found Kellan, watching from
behind Matt and Evan. “She can’t do that, right, Kell? Don’t I have
a say?”

I had to swallow the lump in my throat at the look on Griffin’s
face. I’d never, ever seen him look so…panicked. It was like he’d
just been offered something he really wanted, and then had it
snatched away. He looked terrified.

Kellan started to answer him, but Anna brought her fingers to
Griffin’s cheek, forcing his eyes back to hers. Griffin was shaking
when she spoke. “I won’t…if you want to keep her…if you want to do
this with me…I won’t give her up.”

I held my breath, waiting for his answer. I noticed my mom and
dad clenching hands as they waited, too. We all wanted this baby,
but it wasn’t our choice. Apparently…it was Griffin’s.

He swallowed, then looked down at her stomach again. After what
seemed like an eternity, he looked back up at her. “Can we name her
after my grandma?”

Anna started to sob, then nodded and threw her arms around his
neck. Griffin smiled, inhaling a deep breath as he held her back.
The rest of the band glanced at each other, smiling. Through my own
tears and sobs, I heard Matt lean down to Rachel by his side. “One
of us should probably tell her that Grandma’s name was Myrtle.”

I laughed through my sobs, grateful that at least Griffin would
have his more sensible band mates to help raise this baby. Thank
God for that.

I turned away from the happy couple when I heard Griffin murmur,
“Can we still screw when you’re like this?” I noticed a group of
people that had quietly entered the bar during that dramatic
moment. My jaw dropped as I stared.

An older, middle-aged man was standing awkwardly by the bar.
Dressed in a nice, black, collared shirt and khaki slacks, he
seemed like he could be heading out to one of the golf clubs around
the area. Lean and muscular with a head full of thick, sandy brown
hair, he was one of those men that you knew would age well. He’d
still be attractive at sixty. But that wasn’t what stole my breath.
It was that his looks were a spitting image of Kellan’s. Or rather,
Kellan was a spitting image of him. The resemblance
was…unmistakable. The jaw, the nose, the brows…everything…right
down to the midnight blue eyes.

I was staring at Kellan’s father, his natural father.

The man noticed me staring and nodded, lifting his hand in a
small wave. I waved back, then noticed the two kids by his side.
Well, one was a kid, the other was probably just a few years
younger than me. The girl, Hailey, was Kellan’s sister. She had the
same light brown hair and dark blue eyes that Kellan and his father
had. Seeing her father wave at me, she waved, too. A grin broke out
on her face when she noticed her half-brother. The grin was so
similar to Kellan’s, I blinked.

Beside her was a young boy, maybe ten. Like the rest of Kellan’s
family, he had light hair and blue eyes, although his were a more
traditional pale blue. He was staring at Kellan’s back with a look
of awe on his face. I had a feeling he’d heard a lot about his
older brother lately. He clearly already idolized him.

My eyes slowly swung to Kellan’s. He was in a conversation with
Evan, most likely about making sure to keep a close eye on Griffin
around his future child. Kellan hadn’t noticed his family yet.
Feeling my eyes on him, he lifted his gaze to mine. Not able to
change my shocked expression, I watched Kellan frown. Then he
seemed to realize what I’d be so shocked about and his face
paled.

He closed his eyes, willing himself not to turn around. I
quickly worked my way around the people congratulating Griffin and
Anna. Making my way to him, I cupped his cheeks. “Kellan…it’s
time.”

He shook his head, his eyes still closed. “I can’t, Kiera.”
Peeking his eyes open, he cringed. “Ask them to come back later…I
just can’t right now.”

I shook my head, brushing my thumbs over his cheeks. “You can do
this, Kellan…I know you can.”

He exhaled a shaky breath, then slowly started to turn his head.
His breath was faster when he finally spotted the man who’d created
him. Taking a step back, he reached down and clenched my hand,
hard. His whole body started to tremble as he stared over at the
three people that had turned his life upside down. Kellan’s father
lifted his hand, then let it fall when Kellan didn’t react.

Kellan snapped his head back to me. “I can’t…I can’t do
this…please, let’s just go.” Turning to me, he grabbed my arms.
“I’ll go anywhere you want to go. Let’s just sneak out the back and
we can do anything you want to do…”

Inhaling a deep breath, I stared Kellan down. He stopped
rambling about all of the places we could go and all of the things
we could do, and stared back at me. When he was calmer, he
whispered, “I’m scared…”

I nodded, tears in my eyes. “I know…but I’m here, and I’ll help
you. Besides, what’s the worst thing that could happen?”

He swallowed and murmured something that sounded like, “I could
care.” Closing his eyes, he nodded. He took a minute before facing
his father. When he did, he seemed stronger. In fact, his strength
seemed to grow with each step he took towards the man. I wasn’t
sure if he was drawing the courage from me, but I hoped so, since
he constantly gave me courage.

When he was almost toe to toe with the man, he stopped. Kellan’s
father smiled; it was a sad one. “Hello, son,” he whispered.

Kellan stiffened, clenching my hand, and nodded but didn’t say
anything. A tension built up as father and son stared at each
other. Their appearance was so incredibly alike that I had to
imagine every person in this bar now knew that the man who’d died
in a car accident a few years ago, hadn’t genetically been related
to Kellan. This man before him now…clearly was.

Just as I wondered how to get one of the two silently brooding
men to speak, Hailey stepped forward. She sighed as she looked
between her half-brother and her father, then put a hand on
Kellan’s arm. Kellan looked down on her and his entire posture
relaxed; I could feel the blood returning to my fingertips.

Putting her hand on her other brother’s shoulder, she introduced
him to Kellan. “Kellan, this is Riley. Ry, this is our older
brother…Kellan.”

Riley, still dazed, extended his hand to Kellan. “Wow, I watched
some of your shows online. You’re…really good.  I just started
playing the guitar, but I hope I’m as good as you some day.” He
gave Kellan a charming, awkward smile, and Kellan laughed a
little.

Reaching out to scruff his hair, he murmured, “Maybe I can teach
you a thing or two one day.”

Watching Kellan start to bond with the family he’d never had, I
felt the tears stinging my eyes and closing my throat. I choked it
back as Kellan’s dad cleared his throat. It was obviously affecting
him too.

Kellan timidly looked back up at him, and Hailey, seeing the
beginning of a serious conversation, started leading Riley over to
the pool tables. “Come on, Ry, let’s give them a minute.” I thought
to do the same, but Kellan’s death grip returned when I tried to
pull my hand away. Resting my other hand on his arm, I gave him
what support I could as his father began to speak.

“Look, I know you’re mad at me…for walking out on you, and I
don’t blame you, but I was young and foolish and I hope you can
give me a chance to make—”

Kellan cut the older version of himself off with one sharp
question. “Do you know what they did to me?”

His father bunched his brows. “Who? Your parents?”

Kellan nodded, his jaw tight. “Did you know what they would
do…how they would raise me…when you left? Did you know what sort of
people they were?”

Again, his father blinked. “John and Susan? What are you talking
about?” His eyes narrowed as he eyed Kellan cautiously.

Kellan cringed at hearing his parents’ names spoken, then he
took a step towards his father. When he answered his father’s
question, his voice, his jaw…his entire body was tight. “Did you
know that you left me with people who would viciously abuse me…day
in, day out?” His voice shaking, he quietly spat out,
“Did…you…know?”

His father’s face paled as he finally understood what Kellan was
telling him, what Kellan had experienced growing up in that
hellhole. By the tears in his eyes and the horror on his face, I
don’t think he knew. Sometimes people that you thought you knew
really well, could turn out to be people that you didn’t know at
all. That seemed to be the case here.

“Kellan…no…I had no idea. I thought…” He swallowed, his eyes
misting. “I thought I was leaving you to a happy home, happier than
I could have given you back then.” As Kellan trembled, his father
put his hand on his arm. “I know you won’t understand, but I was a
mess back then. I didn’t know what I was doing. I got caught up in
something with your mother that…” he sighed, “was a horrible
mistake.”

Quickly, he amended with, “Not that you were a mistake, just,
the situation…”

Kellan sighed, softening as he looked down on me. “Yeah, I think
I get that part.” He held his eyes to mine and I could see the
guilt in them, for what he’d done to Denny with me. If Kellan had
gotten me pregnant back then…I wondered just what he would have
done. Tried to raise the baby with me? Or left the baby with the
person who
he
believed was the more responsible parent, in
our case, Denny?