Chapter 14

"There must be some mistake," Parker told the nurse. "There is no way in the world-"

"Parker, we did the test three times. We took blood. They all came back positive. You're pregnant."

She bit back a retort. Yes, there was a way in the world. Her drunken one night stand with that damn Kelly Severide. And now she was going to pay the price for her stupidity. She rose from her seat. She had a lot of thinking to do.

She drove over to her grandmother's and let herself in. Mary Alice looked up when she reached the doorway of the living room. She took a look Parker's face and opened her arms. Parker made a mad dash, not waiting till her Grandmother was hugging her before the tears started falling.

"It can't be that bad," Mary Alice soothed when Parker finally came up for air.

"I'm pregnant," she sobbed.

"Does Kelly know?"

"How did you-" she broke off.

"Come on, Parker. I might be old, but I'm not stupid. I knew you were in love with him the night he came to the Cubs game with us."

"Oh, Grandma, if you only knew," she sighed.

"Kelly's a stand up kind of guy. He'll come through for you, you'll see."

Parker snorted. "Oh, he pulled the wool over your eyes too. He's a player. He's not gonna step up. And that's okay. I'm not keeping this baby."

"Parker! This is your child you're talking about! You can't be saying things like that!" Mary Alice scolded. "And you forget this is my Great Grandchild!"

"Yeah, I know, Grandma. But I can't raise a baby by myself. And I'm not going to. This child needs and deserves two parents that love him or her. They're not going to get that, and it's not fair to them. It's not the baby's fault his or her parents were irresponsible and got drunk and had unprotected sex. This child shouldn't be punished for that."

"And they won't. You'll do the right thing and everything will all work out. You'll see."

"Always the optimist, Grandma. But as much as I love you, you don't get a vote. My mind is made up. This baby is going up for adoption and there is nothing you can say or do that will talk me out of this."

"Ok, but you still need to tell Kelly," Mary Alice conceded.

Mary Alice knew Parker was upset, hormonal, and hadn't fully accepted that she was pregnant yet. She also knew that she would change her mind eventually. She also knew Kelly would come through for Parker once he knew and had time to adjust to the news. She knew this, because seventy years ago, she was in the same boat as Parker. Parker, however, had no idea about that. They had always claimed her Uncle John had been premature.

"I'm not telling Kelly. I'm not ruining his life. Besides, he made it perfectly clear he does not want to see me again."

"WHAT? When did that happen?"

"Four, five weeks ago? It was the morning that we went to the Cubs game and we ran into Jimmy. He was on shift, and I put together this breakfast picnic, complete with checkered blanket and mimosas. I met him at the statue at Jackson Park, and when I gave him a hug, he stiffened up. Then he got pissy and asked what that was all about. So I gave him his plate and took off."

"And did he call you and apologize?"

"Yes. I let it go to voice mail," she admitted.

"And of course you didn't call him back."

"Of course not."

"Honest to God, Parker, you are so damn stubborn."

"He didn't mean it, Grandma. He probably thought if he apologized he could work his way back into my bed again. He's a player. I'm sure he's moved on by now."

"Do you really think that little of him? Do you really think he wouldn't help you? I think you're wrong, Parker. Regardless of how you feel and what you think, that boy has a right to know he's going to be a father. Once he knows, both of you can decide together what to do."