*Author's Note*

Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.

Something Really Important To Tell

Novella POV:

I was sitting on the toilet, with the lid shut, in the bathroom of my uncle's firm. The plastic one step test stick sat on the edge of the sink. I had my phone in my hand, watching the timer of the alarm I had set count down. Dear lord this felt like the longest 2 minutes in my life. I mean the results of that test was going to change shit for me, big time.

Ting-ting-ting! My phone chimed as the countdown struck zero. Standing up I took the test off the counter and looked at it. My hand held it in a vice grip as I saw the + sign staring right at me. Oh my god, I was knocked up. Those damn pills failed me.

I had'a tell Cap. I was worried and scared cause this wasn't in the plan. This baby might not belong to him since on my birthday… Oh dear lord I needed to see Cap. Of course, he would drop me off, convince me that we only needed one truck to get to town with.

Grabbin' my phone I quickly opened up my message app. Within a minute I sent him the text of:

I need to see you for lunch. Got something really important to tell you.

I stood in the bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror, while anxiously waiting for my boyfriend to reply. It felt like hours, but in reality, was only a minute or so, before my phone dinged indicating that I had a new text. I quickly opened the text, which read:

Sure babe, pick ya up round noon.

My thumbs flittered over my phone screen as I quickly typed up a reply of:

Text me when you get here. I'll meet you in the parking lot.

I grabbed the test and tossed it into my purse, which was on the door hook. As I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder my phone dinged. Before leaving the bathroom, I looked at Cap's simple reply text of:

Ok babe.

I was nervous as I walked towards the parking lot to meet Cap. I had the test gripped tightly in my hand, it digging into my palm, since I planned on giving it to him as soon as I got inside the truck. I wasn't sure how to tell him, so I settled on just showin' him. My heart raced rapidly along to the clicking off my heels against the pavement as I made my way closer to the large Dodge Ram.

When I reached the truck, I opened the door and got inside. "Here." I told Cap, who had turned his head to watch me get inside when he noticed the door open, as I held the test out for him to take.

Silently he took the test from me and looked at it. A large grin formed on Cap's face as he chuckled, "So them pills didn't work."

"No, reckon they're defective." I told him as he put the truck in gear, backing up. As he pulled out of the lot I revealed, "I'm not sure how far along I am, but I surmise anywhere from 3-6 weeks."

"Six weeks…" Cap trailed off, his mismatched eyes downcast. He didn't say it, but I knew he was referring to my drunken birthday hookup with Tolbert. We both could do math; 3-5 weeks meant the baby was Cap's while an extra week meant it my client was the baby daddy. "I'm raisin' this kid, no matter how many weeks 'long ya are." He told me, his deep voice firm with his declaration, as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"But he knows I'm pregnant. Tolbert's the one that figured it out since I had a bough of mornin' sickness whenever he came into my office this mornin'." I explained as Cap drove us down the road, taking us to wherever he wanted to get lunch from.

"Don't matter, it ain't his." Cap said in a cemented voice, his tone deep and firm.

"But what if-" I began to ask until I got interrupted by Cap's deep rollin' timbre loudly breaking out with, "No, he's not goin' to have anythin' to do with the baby. I don't care if he's the blood father or not." Shaking his head my boyfriend scoffed, "Tolbert's up for life in prison or the death penalty, 55-years with parole eligibility in 20 if he signs a plea deal, and that's not the kind'a father a kid needs." Looking between me and the road he said, "He'd never be there for the kid. I'm here, blood or not that baby's gettin' the Hatfield name."

Tolbert, despite his faults and ill-tempered ways, was a good father. He'd never let another man raise his child without a fight. With a heavy sigh I told my boyfriend, "Cap, we both know he can demand a paternity test to prove his parental rights. Can have a lawyer file for him. My Uncle Perry'd do it too."

"Unless we get Uncle Wall to marry us. We're married when the baby's born then I'm automatically assumed the father and by law my information's recorded on the birth certificate." Cap pointed out as he switched lanes.

"Married? But, Cap, we've only been together roughly 5-6 months. Most couples don't start talkin' marriage til maybe a year." I wasn't even sure if I was even ready for marriage, yet here Cap is tossing it out as our only option if I it seems that Tolbert's the baby daddy.

"Yea, well, most couples don't gotta deal wit' Tolbert McCoy either." Cap deeply scoffed, flipping on his blinker as we got closer to the A&W Restaurant.

"I know…" My flowing voice trailed out in a long sigh as we waited for a clearance to turn into the restaurant.

"Make an appointment to see the doc soon. We'll know if we need'a shot gun weddin' by Uncle Wall or not after we hear from the doc how far 'long ya are." Cap told me as we turned into the A&W parking lot and finding a place to park.

"Okay." I told him as he turned the truck off after parking it.

Cap just nodded before we got out of the truck. Holding hands we silently walked across the lot towards the restaurant.

At 5 o'clock sharp Cap was at the firm to pick me up. He texted me to let me know that he was in the parking lot. I said my goodbyes to everyone, that being my uncle, brother, and old decrypted Betty, before exiting the building and heading to the parking lot. A small smile crossed my face as I spotted his large black truck.

"Hey, babe, how was your day after lunch?" Cap asked me as I opened the passenger's side door, getting inside the truck.

"It was okay. I called up Doc Rutherford, made an appointment for this Wednesday." I answered, shutting the door and buckling up.

Nodding and putting the truck in reverse, backing up, he said, "Sounds good, what time we gotta be there?"

As Cap pulled up to the entrance/exit of the parking lot I told him, "9 o'clock, it's at his Pikeville office. He's got an office over in Mate Creek too."

"You wanna swing by your uncle's to grab the rest of your stuff while we're in town?" Cap asked in his deep waving tone as he waited on a few cars to drive by so that he could have enough clearing to pull out of the parking lot.

"We should, but I don't wanna face Roseanna just yet." I told my boyfriend as he turned out of the lot and onto the road. Poor Roseanna, she was going to be crushed by my role in all of this mediation stuff. I wanted to avoid her cause I didn't want to deal with seeing her hurt by me.

"Okay, well we could just have your brother pack up your stuff and bring it over when he gets the chance."

"Yea, let's do that since I just wanna go home."

"You want to grab some drive-thru? I doubt you're up to cookin' after the day ya had." He suggested as we headed towards the main highway.

"Yea, we can do that when we're in Mate Creek." Food would be cold if we got it here in Pikeville. Besides Mate Creek and a few fast few places, a few diners and restaurants too.

"Sure, babe." Cap nodded, giving me a small smile, as he pulled onto the highway.

Moses POV:

I lied to Uncle Perry and told him I was headed up to Louisville to hang out with some friends of mine, do a trivia night thing at some pub. He bought my lie and told me to have a good time. In reality I was headin' over the Tug to see Devil Anse, to tell him 'bout Uncle Perry gettin' Bad Frank to put a hit out on Johnse.

Dear sweet baby Jesus I still couldn't believe that my uncle did that. He just never seemed like the type, but I guess looks can be decievin'. I mean I don't look very bright. I'm big and look like nothin', but brawns, but I'm a computer hackin' whiz.

Pullin' up to the large loggin' enterprise of Devil Anse was an experience. There was only one way in and it was gated, guarded too. Guarded by Skunk Hair, a lanky guy rockin' Cruella deVille style hair. Met the guy last time I was here, he wasn't much of a talker. Looked like he'd get blown 'way if a good wind storm came thru too, that's how lanky he was. Comin' to a stop at the gate I pressed the button on the call box, requestin' entrance.

"Who's there?" Skunk Hair's voice sounded out over the box.

"Moses Quincey, come to tell Anse 'bout some shit I heard. Heavy shit, man, so let me in."

Instead of replyin' he buzzed the gate open. I drove inside, noddin' my thanks to him as I passed by. I knew he was Cap's best friend, Selkirk told me that, so I was gonna make sure to be nice to the guy. Didn't need to piss off my future brother-in-law's best bud. Eh, Cap and Novella weren't engaged or nothin' like that yet, but it was only a matter of time.

I parked my Chevy into an open spot in the parkin' lot, that was quite a walk from the office buildin'. Hell, after gettin' outta my truck I had to walk by a few different saw worker stations 'fore I reached the buildin' with the large sign readin' Tug Fork Saw Mill. I opened the door and walked inside. I went by the waitin' area and the kitchenette area, walkin' til I reached the door marked Anse Hatfield, CEO.

"Dude, we got some big problems." I told Anse as I waltzed right into his office.

Taking his eyes off of the paperwork he was reading on his desk he asked, "What kind'a problems?"

"Uncle Perry's a shady ass lawyer that's just gone straight up gangster. I overheard him on the phone with Bad Frank Phillips orderin' a hit on Johnse." I bluntly told my boss as I took a seat in a chair adjacent to his desk.

"A hit on my son, why?"

"Cause he don't want Johnse to get any parental rights to Sarah Elizabeth. The door was cracked opened, overheard his entire plot when I was in the hallway."

"Perry's always been a bamboozler, but never thought he's stoop this low." Devil Anse shook his head, sheer disbelief in his cold hard blue eyes. You and me both dude, never thought my good ole uncle would have it in him either… "You're good wit' technology, think ya can plant some bugs in Perry's office?" He asked, his tone deep and serious.

"Yea, I can do that." I nodded confidently. Leanin' back in my chair I explained, "Can get the little cameras the size of buttons an' hide 'em, have the feed sent straight to your desktop if ya want."

"Yes, do that." Anse confirmed, his pipe bobbin' in the corner of his mouth. Takin' his pipe from his mouth and pointing it at me he said in his deep tone, "Also, tell me everythin' ya know 'bout this hit on Johnse."

"Sure, reason why I'm here after all." I mean this kinda shit ya had to tell in person, it's not something to be explained over the phone. Unlike my jackass uncle I don't talk hit details over the phone in my office where anybody can walk by and overhear.

And then for the next few minutes I spilled the beans on everything I overheard.

Novella POV:

Once we reached Mate Creek we pulled into Wendy's and got something for dinner. After getting our fast food order we went home. It's funny how all my life I was leery of West Virginia cause of the way my uncle raised me and now I live there in a beautiful house with my boyfriend. My boyfriend that could become my husband sooner rather then later cause of my pregnancy.

After arrivin' home we put the food in kitchen and then went upstairs to change. Currently we were changed into lounge wear, sitting at the kitchen island eating our dinner. Something so simple that would be changed in 9-well 8-months. Soon 'nough we'd be eatin' dinner with a baby, having a high chair in the kitchen by the island.

"What'cha thinkin' bout, babe?" Cap asked 'round a mouthful of his baconator.

"Nothin' really," I shook my head before goin' on to add, "just that in less a year we'll be parents."

"Yea, excitin' huh." My boyfriend smiled while I just ate some fries. I'm glad he's excited. I mean I was afraid that he wouldn't take the news too well cause of the baby daddy mystery issue, but apparently he wants to step up and be a father no matter what.

"I'm a bit nervous to tell my family tho."

"Moses'll be happy for us, it's just Perry and Roseanna that's gonna shit."

"I'm afraid that Tolbert's going to tell Perry bout that birthday hookup."

"Don't matter if he does or don't, we're gonna get hitched if you're close to 6-weeks anyways. He ain't gonna have any claim to the baby." Cap told me, his deep rolling timbre firm, as he grabbed his cup and took a sip of his pop.

"I know." I nodded before taking a bite out of my burger.

I didn't know if I really agreed with Cap's plan. I mean my dad died when I was 5, horrible work accident where a saw sliced his chest clean in half, and I'd give anything to be able to have more time with him. My memories of him are faded bits and pieces. Even tho my step-father Fred's a piece of shit he still checked in on me and Moses growing up, would also randomly visit my brother at times too. I believed that a child needed to know their father. I know that Tolbert's facing jail time, either life in prison or death row, but the man was a good father. I just didn't know if I wanted to lie bout the baby not being his if it was.

I mean if I lied bout the baby to Tolbert wouldn't that make me just as bad as Roseanna, who lied to Johnse about him having legal rights of his own daughter and not letting him see Sarah Elizabeth when she was a newborn in the hospital? Roseanna's seedy actions have now caused some reactions that are a bit drama filled. I don't want to be dealing with drama down the road.

But on the other hand, I get where Cap's coming from, we're together and since Tolbert's most likely gonna be in jail he's going to be the sole father figure in the baby's life. Cap wanted to be daddy, not step-daddy, and I commend him for that. I mean obviously we were considering having a family since we tossed out the birth control pills, we just weren't anticipating the pills to be defective or expired and me getting pregnant before we decided to just go with the flow.

AN:

And the drama continues. Ooo, Novella might be either engaged or married to Cap by time the trial starts depending on how far long she is in the pregnancy. My oh my, Moses is gonna be planting bugs for Anse all up in Perry's office. Nothing can be simple with Hatfields & McCoys huh. Anyways next up is the doctor's appointment and some other things.