Colby

"Oh, shit," a surprised male voice utters.

The front door to my house opens in front of me before my hand even reaches the handle, and I jump back to find Wyatt standing there. A nervous flutter fills my stomach when I see him, and I love that despite all of the years we've known each other, that the feeling has never gone away.

"It's fall, B," he says, taking in my appearance as an easy breeze washes over my skin, sending a chill coursing through my body. I'm still dressed for cheer practice in my spandex shorts with a tank top, and he shakes his head chuckling. "Here, take this." He removes his long-sleeved flannel, leaving him in his traditional white t-shirt and jeans. He hands me his shirt, and I pull it over my bare shoulders gratefully.

"Thanks, Dodge," I chirp, shivering as I hug myself into his pre-warmed shirt. "Wait, why are you here?"

"Mom's still working, so I thought I'd drop by with some dinner for her," he shrugs. "She comes home pissy if she hasn't eaten."

"You mean, you weren't just sittin' here anxiously awaiting my arrival home?" I ask, doe-eyed. "I'm hurt, babe."

"Listen. I know you want more of all this," he says, gesturing toward his physique. "But you're gonna have to wait. My lips are still numb from earlier, and I've got Spanish homework that Ari needs to finish for me."

I giggle, nodding in response. As much as I'd love for him to stay right now, I didn't get to see mama much yesterday, and I need to talk to Wynn. It's about time we iron matters out.

"That just means you'll have to make up for your absence later," I say, closing the gap between us. I take a fist full of his shirt into my hand, pulling him close. He leans down, kissing me softly as his thumb brushes over the length of my cheekbone, his eyes meeting mine.

"Deal," he says, grinning.

Reluctantly, I pull myself away from him, watching as he makes his way down the steps of the porch where he waves goodbye before I close the door. I remove Wyatt's shirt from my shoulders, tying it loosely around my waist before I run up the stairs. He can have it back once it loses his smell.

The door to my mama's room creaks quietly as I open it. I peek into the space before entering, and I'm caught off-guard to find her awake, her ocean colored eyes watching me move to meet her.

Anymore when I come to see her, her eyes are closed, and she's somewhere else. I always pray that her dreams are beautiful and bright and that they grant her a way to live a life through them that her condition no longer allows.

She smiles when she sees me, and tears begin rolling endlessly down my cheeks. I come to see her daily, but more often than not, she has no recollection of who I am. Each time, another piece of my heart breaks away. Days like today change my perspective, even though I know I won't get to keep her. Our time is fleeting, but I see that through any darkness we face in our lives, God gives us glimpses of light to help us move forward. Right now, her smile is my light.

I sit across from her in Gramps' old blue chair, cupping her frail hand between both of mine.

"You're beautiful," she croaks weakly, the first word only a whisper. It's the first time I've heard her speak in weeks, and I soak the sound of it into my soul for safe keeping. Her hand twitches in mine as one of my tears splatters onto her satin skin. I never expected this level of responsiveness from her again. I lean forward, wrapping my arms around her petite frame. She's incapable of returning my embrace, but I hold her against me.

When I pull away from her, a tear slips from the corner of her eye. I remove the bowl of uneaten applesauce from the mini refrigerator we've left in here and uncover it. I was told she'd refused to eat for most of yesterday, but today is a good day. Her doctor says she's in the final stage of Early Onset Alzheimer's, meaning we could have weeks, or we could have months.

I spend the next hour by her side feeding her and talking to her. Only I am speaking, but her eyes are still alert, taking in my every movement. I tell her Wyatt and I are back together, and she closes her eyes tightly, her lips curving into a hint of a smile. As much as she could, she'd always expressed her desire for us to work things out.

My phone begins ringing, waltzing its way across the dresser on the other side of the room. Initially, I opt to ignore the call, but when I look back at Mama, she seems to have drifted off once again. I rise to my feet, smoothing her dark blonde strands away from her face.

"Love you, Mama," I say quietly.

"Love you more," she whispers, much to my surprise. Her eyes remain closed, and she looks almost ethereal as she lays there. I smile, even though I know she won't see it, and let her rest.

My phone rings again as I walk down the stairs. When I look at the screen, Lana's name along with a photo of her fills it. I answer her Facetime call, and I see not only Lana but Morgan as well. They look like they're ready to burst.

"Where the hell were you, B?" Lana demands. Her eyes are clearly focused on her own image on her phone as she fluffs her hair while she's speaking.

"Sorry guys, I was with my mama," I reply. The two of them have never understood the gravity of her condition, and I really don't feel like trying to explain it to them.

"Well, thank goodness you finally answered, because we have things to tell you," Morgan says, attempting to fit her face into the picture as Lana continues primping. I raise my eyebrows, urging them to spill their guts, as if it takes any effort.

"Morgan and Mr. Carter saw Wynona and Wyatt leaving the doctor together," Lana blurts. She looks expectant, like I should know immediately what that means. After a pause, it registers.

"She's pregnant, B," Lana spits, her conclusion matching my own. "It's no wonder she's been such a bi—"

"We don't know that she's preggers, Lan," Morgan interrupts, resulting in a shove from Lana as Morgan's face disappears from the view of my screen.

"Wyatt was with her. Do you think he's..." Lana says, trailing off suggestively.

"The daddy?" I supply.

"Why else would he go with her?" Lana fumes.

"Anything's possible, I guess," I reply casually. I have my own daddy suspicions if they're right about all of this. Really, it all makes sense now. It explains her mood, and why she hasn't wanted to talk. Mostly, it explains her tantrum about Cole and their interactions.

"I told Lan that I don't think it's Wyatt," Morgan says, her face finding its way back into the picture. "I think he just went as moral support."

"Well, I'm sure we'll find out soon," I assert. It's a lot to take in. In all honesty, I was an idiot to think it was about Cole and me. I guess it was in a way, but not for the reasons I'd thought. "I'd better get going guys. I think I'm gonna try to talk to her."

"Yeah," Lana says, nodding eagerly. "Call us back if she dishes anything."

"Sure. Wait!" I add, suddenly remembering something Lana mentioned before dropping her bomb on me. "Did you say Morgan and Mr. Carter were out together?"

Morgan's face pops back into view, grinning. "It's okay, B, really," she says confidently. "We were clear across town, and it was during practice. Nobody would've seen us."

I'm baffled by the sheer stupidity, mostly on Mr. Carter's behalf. The utter lunacy! I try not to show my shock. If they saw Wynn and Wyatt, what makes her think nobody saw them.

"Yeah, okay," I say nodding. "Your romance could ruin both of you if y'all aren't careful, though."

"Don't worry," she replies earnestly. "We're always super sneaky when we go out."

With that last statement, I'm all but certain the pair will be discovered. They should know better anyway.

"'Kay, guys," I say, wrapping it up. "I'll catch you later." I end the call with no intention of calling them back if I gain any information from Wynn.

I may be frustrated with her, but I can't imagine how scared she must be right now. She never should've hidden her relationship with Cole from me, but I've always questioned her feelings for him.

She's been avoiding me for weeks now, so a call or text won't do any good. I don't exactly want to invite myself over to her house, but she needs me, and goodness only knows how long it'll take for her to seek me out. I also need to warn her that the school's two biggest gossips are now at large with her secret.

I pull up to Wynn's house where I see her little brother Zach skateboarding on his ramp in the driveway. I guess he's not so little anymore now that he's fourteen. He tries to flirt with me all the time, but today his creepy hormones may work to my advantage if Wynn has told him to ward off any visitors. I wave to him as I shut off my car, and he greets me eagerly at my door.

"Hey, Colby," he says, grinning widely. The boy has stars in his eyes when he looks at me, and I'm already happy for any girl in his future that he'll look at that way.

"Hey, Z," I say, ruffling his hair. He deflates a bit, realizing I still see him as the kid I've always thought of as my own younger brother. "Is Wynn inside?"

"Sure," he replies, kicking at some loose pebbles on the edge of the driveway. "You can let yourself in."

I smile in thanks, and he drops his skateboard back to the ground, planting a foot at its center to steady it. I head to Wynn's room upstairs, making my way through the quiet house I know every bit as well as my own.

I find Wynn holed up in her bedroom with her door cracked open. I peek through before entering, and she's staring at a small image.

An ultrasound photo.

Sympathy for my friend wins out over any hostility I've felt towards her when I see her sitting there helplessly, her legs crossed beneath her on her bed. She's so young to be staring motherhood in the face, but if anyone can handle it, it's Wynn.

I knock gently on her door, before letting myself in. She's crying softly, but wipes her tears away the instant she sees me, dropping the first picture of her baby behind her.

"B, you scared me," she says, surprised. She plasters on a fake smile, her eyes still red from crying.

"I know," I begin cautiously, taking a seat beside her. I tuck my knees up to my chest, resting my chin on them. "Wynn, we gotta talk. I know what's been going on."

Her dark eyes meet mine, filling with tears again. She covers her face with her hands.

"I'm not mad at you, Wynn, I just wish you had trusted me," I confide. "Also, I think you should know that Morgan and Mr. Carter saw you and Wyatt leaving the doctor today."

"Crap," she groans, averting her gaze. "They're idiots for being out together like that," she adds, glancing at me again as I smirk. She knows I share her feelings on that matter, and her lips twitch into a half smile.

I nod, draping an arm over her slim shoulder. "You okay?"

She shrugs, reaching behind her to grab the ultrasound image. "Makes it pretty real, huh?"

I take the photo from her, examining it to the best of my ability. She points out what the various shapes and curves are supposed to be, and I can't stop my own tears from forming at the sight of this little person she's growing.

"It's so tiny," I manage, once I understand what the photo is showing. "I was mad at you," I add, and she chuckles.

"I would've been too," she agrees. "I've been awful. Partly because I've been puking my brains out, but mostly because I'm scared out of my mind." Her admission brings the tears back to her eyes. "I'm just so sorry."

"Stop apologizing," I demand, shaking my head. "I already told you, I just wish I could've known sooner... I would've handled things differently. And, despite Lana's conviction, I know that Wyatt's not the daddy."

She looks at me apologetically. "I should've owned that there was something going on with Cole any of the hundred times you asked, but I didn't want to admit it to myself. I'm such an idiot." She buries her face in her trembling hands.

"Stop," I say, her tears breaking my heart.

"He even asked if we could be together, and I told him no," she continues. "That's when he started chasing after you."

"You haven't told him yet, have you?" I probe. She shakes her head, dropping her gaze to the floor.

"Wyatt already told me that I have to. Like, right away," she says, rolling her eyes. "I will. It's not right to keep it from him."

"The time's never gonna feel right," I observe, and she nods slowly in agreement. "Wyatt can take the heat 'til you're ready to talk to Cole, but you'd better make it quick because this news is gonna spread like wildfire."

She smirks when I offer up my boyfriend as her faux baby daddy, but these are the things best friends do when one of them is in need. Still, I can see the drama snowballing already, and I know she does too. At least now she's not facing it alone.