Part 20 (2/2)
Reid leaned against the edge of his messy desk. ”Look, it's no big deal. Penny's been thinking about having a baby for a long time. She's always wanted a family.”
Cal knew exactly just how long she'd been thinking about it. He didn't even have to close his eyes to see her curled up next to him on the sofa, her hand on his thigh as she leaned close and whispered, ”Let's try again, Cal. Let's have a baby.”
”She hit thirty and realized she'd better get going,” Reid continued.
Cal grabbed him by the front of his s.h.i.+rt. ”Is it you? Did you sleep with her?”
His normally laid-back brother instantly stiffened. Reid's hand covered his own in a grip that both punished and threatened.
”I'm going to give you ten seconds to take that back, then I'm going to wipe the floor with you,” Reid growled.
”What makes you think you could?”
The two men glared at each other. Reid backed off first. He released Cal and raised both hands in the air.
”No one slept with Penny,” Reid said. ”It wasn't like that.”
Cal released him. ”What do you mean?”
”There's no guy. Penny went to a sperm bank. You know, one from column A, one from column B. She picked the sperm out of a computer list. Crazy if you ask me, but she didn't.” Reid poked him in the chest. ”Why didn't Penny tell you about the in vitro fertilization herself?”
Cal shrugged.
Reid poked him again. ”You didn't give her a chance, did you? You jumped to conclusions. Dammit, Cal, why do you always think the worst of people?”
”I don't.”
”Sure. You're a regular ray of suns.h.i.+ne. You have to trust people to do the right thing. Penny would never get involved with a guy who would abandon a child, okay?”
Cal took a step back. He didn't know what to say to his brother. Somehow Reid had gotten right to the heart of the matter. That's what Cal couldn't deal with-the thought of a man walking out on his own child. Because an adult would have choices-choices he hadn't had at seventeen.
”You're right,” Cal said. ”Good point. I, ah...thanks for explaining things.”
His brother leaned back against the desk again and folded his arms over his chest. ”You're pretty screwed up, you know that?”
”Tell me something I don't know.”
”We all are. Thanks to Gloria.” Reid shook his head. ”That b.i.t.c.h. The things she made us do. Always threatening us. So many d.a.m.n secrets.” He looked at Cal. ”Penny wants this baby. She'll be a good mom.”
”That's not the point.”
”Isn't it? Are you all jacked up because of Lindsey?”
Cal stared at his brother, unable to believe what he'd just heard.
”You know?” he asked, his voice harsh with shock.
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