Heartburn: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World) by Tarrah Anders (100 best novels of all time TXT) 📕

the hospital. And I wouldn’t have left. That night took me away from everything and everyone that I loved.”

“Quit beating around the bush and just get to the point.” I grit out.

“The hospital did a tox-screen that night and they knew that I was impaired. Another car hit us, we ran over a fire hydrant, our car rolled, and we hit a pole. When I woke up, we were upside down, there was smoke, and I was bleeding. There was so much blood. So, so much.” Tears are streaming from her eyes.

“Wait, what do you mean?” I ask, uncrossing my arms and leaning forward.

“I lost the baby.” She averts her eyes and looks at the condiment basket. “That night, during the accident.”

Nessa, our server, places our meals in front of us and smiles. Not knowing that I feel like throwing up.

“And you couldn’t stick around to tell me this? You let me think for the last eleven years that I have a kid.”

“I thought that my parents would tell you. I didn’t think.”

“Your parents shut me out and didn’t tell me a damn thing. It was your responsibility to tell me.” I feel my blood boiling and know that I need a minute.

I stand up and rub my palms on my pants.

“Ro?” She begins, but I hold up my hand to stop her from continuing.

“I wasn’t expecting that. I was hoping that you would tell me that we had a moody pre-teen that I would finally get to meet. I’m going to need a minute.” I walk out the front door, and begin pacing in front of the diner.

I push my hands through my hair and pull at the ends in frustration.

All this time I thought that my kid was out there. I have been pissed off at the world for not being able to be a part of his or her life, and even more angry at Kindra for taking the experience of being a father away from me. However, now things are different. How do I react to this news?

I walk back inside and take a seat in front of her again.

“Do you know if we had a girl or a boy, Kindra?” I request.

“I never asked.” She replies while shaking her head.

“I don’t even know what to say right now.” I lower my head and say.

“You don’t have to say anything, I know this was a little more information than you were expecting. And we can just leave it at this. Let’s just eat in peace. When and if you want to discuss the past, then we can.”

And that’s what we do.

“I have to tell you something and I really don’t want you to get mad,” Kindra walks up to me and places her hands on both sides of my face.

I reach up and grab her wrists, pulling them down and smiling.

“K. When you start things like that, you make it sound terrible. C’mon babe, I’m sure that there’s nothing that will get me mad that you did unless it was really, really bad. What happened? Did you run over another mailbox when you were practicing driving?”

“No.” She laughs.

“Did you burn something down?” I ask.

“Not today. But I think that it would be smart if you were to sit down and prepare yourself. This is information you should be sitting for.”

“You’re breaking up with me, aren’t you? Your parents finally did it. I knew that they would get inside your head. We are good together; they know that deep down. They can’t control who you love and that’s me!” I step away from her and begin to pace, my all time go to nervous habit.

I knew this day would come. Her parents always thought I was trash because my mom lived on the wrong side of town and I didn’t have a dad to guide me through life. Because I don’t have a clue as to what I want to do after high school. I knew that there would be something that they would do or say to her to get us to split up, and they finally succeeded.

“What did they offer you? Money? All expenses trip around the world? What did it take for them to get us to break up?” I turn to her and ask her angrily.

The scared look on her face tells me that I’m right.

“What? No. It’s not that.” She rushes to stand in front of me and pulls my hands into hers. “They can’t tear us apart. There’s nothing that they can do to do that, never, Ro.”

“So, we’re not breaking up?” I ask.

“I’m yours, Ro. There is no one that can dictate what I do, you know that.”

“Well, it is hard to contain you sometimes.” I smirk.

“You better believe it. Now, will you please sit down?”

“What kind of news can be so bad that I need to sit down for?”

“Fuck it, fine—you stubborn jackass. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Just give it to me, Mason.”

She stands up and wrings her hands in front of her. She looks at me every few seconds with an unsure look in her eyes. She finally lets her hands relax and places them by her sides.

“Please don’t be mad,” she asks with a tremble of her chin.

“You’re worrying me over here. Can you please tell me what’s going on?”

“Fine. Just pull the band-aid off, I can do this.” She bounces on her feet and shakes her hands out, amping herself up, and I can’t help but to stifle a laugh behind my hand.

“Everything will be fine,” I promise her, hoping that I can keep my promise.

“Okay. Okay. Phew. I can… okay. I’m… I’m pregnant!” She blurts out and freezes all her movements.

And I’m not mad. Not one bit.

10

Kindra

After eleven years, I finally told Rogan the truth.

Something that I should have done before I left town. Something that I’ve had plenty of time to do every day since.

But I haven’t. All this time, I have refused to acknowledge that my decisions