Take Me Home Tonight // Eddie Money

I'm holding Hannah in my arms. It feels like a dream. I've been living in a waking nightmare for weeks, sick of myself and the path I felt was inevitable. But here we are together in her room, laying on her bed. It is nothing short of miraculous.

My hand absentmindedly skims Hannah's stomach. Her womb. Our child is growing there. I untangle my arms from around her and slide myself closer to the place where new life is beginning. I owe our baby an apology, too. With hands on Hannah's hips, I lean forward and place a tender kiss over this precious life.

"I'm so sorry I made Mommy sad. But Daddy is going to work hard to be the man you both need. I already love you, little one." I rest my head on Hannah, right in the same spot I spoke to, and wrap her up in my arms. I can't believe I'm going to be a father, that I'm going to hold this life in my arms. And I'm going to make sure this baby knows how much I love it every single day.

I look up to find Hannah watching me, tears streaming down her face.

"I love you so much, baby." I haven't earned her forgiveness yet, but she's freely given it. There is so much more at stake now. But I have hope.

"I love you, too." She smiles through her tears. "We need to tell your mom. Unless you've already told her?"

"No. I didn't want to say anything until after I talked to you. And to be honest, I didn't think it would be so soon."

"Soon? It's been weeks and weeks since you and I have talked."

"I meant so soon after starting therapy. My first appointment was just this afternoon. I figured this lady would have me doing all kinds of work on myself before I would be allowed to reach out to you."

"And she didn't?"

I pull myself up to tell her face to face. "No. She basically told me I'd made a huge assumption based on zero evidence and I should trust you. We've always been a safe place for each other. Tiffany pointed out that you'd already shown me you could handle yourself around me."

Hannah throws her arms around me and pulls me in close. "I think I like Tiffany."

I nod, soaking up her warmth, basking in her scent and allowing myself to finally breathe. Then I remember that I owe her parents an apology for the way I treated their daughter. I picture Hannah and I having a little girl, and how I would feel if a guy she loved treated her the way I treated Hannah. I wouldn't be happy. I might get a little violent.

But I've felt guilty for so long...

"How will they ever forgive me?"

Hannah pulls me closer. "My parents? They will."

"How did you know that's who I meant?"

I feel her shrug through my embrace.

"It makes sense that's who you'd worry wouldn't forgive you. They're sad that this has been difficult for you and me, but my mom has understood where you were coming from. She's been cautioning me not to jump to conclusions or hold your actions while grieving against you. And truthfully, I didn't give them details. I just told them that you and I were taking a break."

I scoff. That's not what was in my head—a break.

"Can we talk about something else now?" Hannah's voice breaks so I cup her face and bring her gaze to mine.

"Never again. I'm in this. I'm doing the work no matter how rough it gets. I'm yours, baby."

After a shaky breath, Hannah nods and returns to our cuddle. This is home, right where I need to be. I can't believe I left it for so long. Hannah's arms are the only place I've ever felt truly loved, accepted. Seen. Adored.

***

The next afternoon, between classes, Hannah and I drive home. I open the door to my family's house, hand in hand with Hannah, and call to my mom.

"I'm home." I say as I walk toward the kitchen.

"Back here, Matt." Mom's voice comes from the back room, so we change course. Mom is sitting on the couch with a book.

"Hi." Her mouth drops when she sees me with Hannah.

"Is Mark home?"

"No. He's at Ryan's. Again. I can't seem to keep him around much anymore."

Mom sounds exhausted. There's not much emotion in her tone, other than when she greeted Hannah. The two of us sit down next to her. Hannah gives her a hug which my mom returns limply. It's like the life was sucked right out of her, which boggles my mind. My dad was such a heavy presence when he was alive. I wonder if she's dealing with anger as much as anything else and doesn't know what to do with it.

I need to pull her aside and talk to her about things, soon. But today is for happier news.

"Hannah and I have something to tell you."

"Are you two back together?"

I never told her much about our time apart. I didn't talk to her about anything, actually. Mostly I stayed away from her and Mark as much as I could. But obviously, my mom saw through me.

"Yes," Hannah says. "But that's not what we came to say."

"Hannah's pregnant." It's like ripping a band aid and I don't know how Hannah did this with her parents all by herself. It's not that I'm ashamed, but it certainly wasn't in our plans to have a baby right now.

"A baby?" There's a light in Mom's eyes that I haven't seen before.

Hannah nods. "I have an appointment next week to find out more, but I think I'm almost 8 weeks."

My mom looks at me, really looks, and I feel like she might be seeing me for the first time.

"So young. But I don't think you two will make the same mistakes." Her hand reaches up to my cheek. "You're stronger than I am, Matt."

"I started seeing a therapist, Mom. And that's going to be the reason I won't make the same mistakes. I'm sorry for how angry I've been. I'm sorry I've taken it out on you."

My mom closes her eyes, tears already spilling over. "Don't be sorry. We were terrible examples for you to follow. I don't blame you for anything you've said."

This is the moment I see how broken she is. And it's not just how hard our family life has been. I'm sure I don't know the entire story, all that she's gone through and put up with. But it's brought her to the edge, and I see her hanging on.

"Maybe you should speak with Tiffany, too. I think she'd help."

"Maybe I will."

I nod, saying nothing else because I don't want to hope too hard that she will follow through. We end up talking for a few more minutes about how Hannah is doing so far with the pregnancy before the two of us head back to school. She has an evening class and I have team workouts.

"What will you do about soccer?" I ask on the drive home. I've been wondering how her scholarship will be affected.

Hannah shrugs. "I'm not sure, other than dropping off the team. I have to talk to Coach and my counselor before I make any decisions."

"It's early enough for you to red shirt. That could save your scholarship." It's something I would have done if things with my dad had happened earlier. As it is, my season is nearly over so red shirting wasn't an option.

"I thought about that. But how practical would me being on a team with a baby really be? Away games and practice, along with classes...I don't know if I can manage it all."

I reach across the center console to grab her hand. "You aren't doing this alone, Hannah. I'll be right here with you. If you want to continue playing, we'll figure it out together. I know my mom will help us. I finally saw a spark of life return to her eyes when we told her. She'll want to be involved."

"My parents will step in, too. I know they will. I don't know how to be a mom. I don't know what the best decision will be."

"No one knows with their first kid. Your parents, mine...every first-time mom and dad have to find their way. I think we have some good role models to learn from. Well, from your family at least. Even Jeff's parents will step in and show us what to do. They've been like family to me, too."

Hannah grips my hand in hers. "We really can make this work, can't we? I was too scared to hope, but I can finally see it now."

"Absolutely. Tomorrow let's start working things out. Living arrangements, appointments, scholarships...all of the details nailed down so we can ease our minds. I need to be with you, baby. I've been without you for too long already."

"Okay. Tomorrow." Her hand firmly in mine, I'm calmed by her agreement.

I drop Hannah off at her dorm so she can gather her things for class then I head to the locker room. Teammates start trickling in a few at a time and dress for the weight room. Micah and Gio walk in at the same time and smirk in my direction.

"What's got you smiling?" Micah bumps my shoulder with his.

"He had to see about a girl," Gio says, still smirking.

"And what do you know about that?" I narrow my gaze at him.

"Hold up, Romeo. Your woman came tearing in here last night on a mission to hunt you down. By the look on your face I'd say she found you. And I don't see any visible bruises so I can assume it was kiss and make up, not banshee unleashed."

I shake my head. "How are you always a man with information."

He shrugs. "Right place, right time, my man." He claps me on the back then continues on to his locker. "Don't worry, I'll keep this on a need to know basis."

"Who'd need to know?" I call out to his back.

"Never can tell."

Micah laughs next to me. "Glad he finally has someone else to harass. My ass is getting sick of it."

"How's he harassing you?"

I look over at Micah when he groans. "I had to open my big mouth." He rolls his head back and forth then looks directly at me. "Gio's got it in his head that I've got a thing for my friend, Charlie. I've known her my whole life. It's not like that."

"Hmm." I get the intense feeling that there's more going on here than simple harassment. Maybe something more like denial.

"Hmm, what? Not you, too? You've never even met Charlie."

I throw my hands up. "I didn't say anything."

"Right. Sure. Of course you didn't. Damn, I'm going to lift." Micah throws on his shirt and books it to the weight room.

It feels good to not have a pit in my stomach and for once be able to rib a friend. Life has been entirely too heavy for my liking. Before I'm able to follow Micah and start my own circuit, Jeff calls out to me.

"Hey man, how did everything go?"

"Good. I think we're going to be okay."

"That's a relief."

"You're telling me. I had no idea how suffocated I was feeling until I finally talked to Hannah."

Jeff nods. That's when I notice the change in him. Something is different, even though I can't pinpoint it.

"I feel the same way."

"About me and Hannah?"

"Nah," he shakes his head, looking down for a second. When he looks back up at me, I see the peace surrounding him. That's what it is. "About me. And Allison. I want you to meet her."

"Yeah, sure. Anytime, just let me know."

With a huge smile, Jeff bounces away. I don't know what had been weighing him down, but he's clearly found a way out of it.

Ah, the sweet reunion *heart eyes* that we've been waiting for. Last week was the relief. This week was the connection. Matt stepped up in a big way. I hope it feels natural and not too fast. In my head, he was just waiting to hear what Tiffany told him, some evidence that he really could be with Hannah and not ruin it. Once he did, he was all in.

I'm planning one more chapter and then an epilogue or two. And then I'm starting Jeff's story!! Okay, I have a question...if I ever publish these books (once I clean them all up and make them pretty) I was thinking about changing Jeff's name to Jonah. Here's why - Jeff from inevitable lives in the same story universe as this Jeff and I'd like them to be clearly distinguishable. Also, the first part from Jeff's story started as a one shot chapter I wrote with characters named Jonah and Alison. Any way, what do you think? Would it bother you if he was Jonah in the published version?

Have you read Not Another Diva??? It's about to be featured by Wattpad!!!! This is book one in the Hollywood Story series. More books will come soon but I have a few others to write first. 😉💕

I'm not sold on this week's song. The vibe isn't quite right, the lyrics don't really work but it was the best one on my playlist. If I find a better one, I'll add it in.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

I'd love to connect with you! Hit me up =>