Part 2

"There she is!" Johnny shouted, stumbling to where you were seated at the bar. There was another guy trailing behind him and you recognized him immediately as Matthew Tkachuk, right wing for the Calgary Flames and one of Johnny's friends.

"Y/N, this is Chucky." Johnny said, tossing an arm around your shoulders. Your best friend was very drunk but you knew the look in his eyes when he grinned at you.

"Chucky, this is Y/N. I think you two will get along." He winked at you before stumbling away but not without embarrassing you by shouting, "use protection!"

You could feel how hot your face was when you turned around to look at Matthew who was leaning against the bar casually. You'd heard stories from some of the girls about how he slept with girls and the tossed them out the next day like garbage so already, you disliked him and it only got worse when he leaned towards you and smirked.

"Do we have to do the whole get to know each other thing or can we just head back to my place?"

Maybe it was the fact that you drank more than normal or because you'd just gotten dumped by your boyfriend of two years but Matt's comment made your blood boil and without thinking, you tossed your drink in his face.

. . .

It's been a week and a half since you told Matt you were pregnant and since then, you hadn't heard or seen him. Part of you is relieved because you're not sure you can handle him right now when you're still trying to process the fact that you are pregnant. A quick trip to the doctors and some bloodwork confirmed what the seven pregnancy tests showed. You're seven weeks and five days along.

The thought scares the life out of you because you feel like you can't possibly be a mother. You can barely keep a plant alive, let alone a child. But you have to and you're not sure what made you not even consider taking the easy way out but just the thought of getting rid of the baby made you sick to your stomach.

The only problem is Matt.

Matt, who you haven't heard from since you dropped the baby bomb on him. Part of you isn't surprised because it's exactly what you were expecting but another part of you is upset because despite some things you've heard about Matthew, you've also heard that he's a decent guy so you thought there might be a chance he wouldn't leave you to raise the baby alone.

But you also know that you don't need him. You have your family and friends and you're surrounded by people who you know would do anything for you but there's still the part of you that doesn't want to have your child grow up without a father.

And it breaks your heart thinking about it.

. . .

Matt doesn't exactly know how he ended up in the baby isle in Walmart but what he does know, is that there are far too many things that a baby needs. Diapers, formula, clothes, pacifiers, cribs, the list goes on.

He knows that he's an ass for not going to see Y/N yet but he just needs time to process it. It felt like someone slapped him in the face when she showed up and told him she was pregnant with his child. It's not something he ever thought he would hear until he was settled down with a wife and a house – not with the woman who despises him for reasons he doesn't know.

He's aware that the entire world thinks he a pest and he knows that he can be an asshole but Y/N has a hatred for him that he doesn't understand and he's not sure he ever will.

His head is spinning by the time he leaves but he's carrying a bag with a bottle of prenatal vitamins and a Calgary Flames onesie so that's something, he supposes.

. . .

"Hello, favourite brother." Taryn says when she answers the phone. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm telling Brady you said that." Matt chirps. "Is dad home?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can I talk to him?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because." Matt says sharply. "Jesus, you sound like that talking snowman from that Disney movie."

"Chill out," his sister mutters. "something crawled up your ass."

"Taryn."

"Okay! Okay! Here's dad."

Matt mutters a thanks before preparing himself for the lecture he's going to receive from his father. He can avoid it by just not telling him, but he needs advice and he doesn't know who else to go to that he knows will keep it a secret.

"Hey bud." Keith says, "What's up?"

Best to just get right into it.

"You remember Johnny's friend, Y/N?" Matt asks, hoping his father knows who he's talking about so he doesn't have to explain more.

Keith hums and Matt can picture his father nodding.

"Yeah. Nice girl. Hates your guts. Can't say I blame her." Keith jokes, letting out a loud belly laugh. "What about her?"

Matt hesitates before sighing. "She's pregnant."

"Wow! Good for her." His dad says earnestly. "Tell her congrats from me and your mom."

Did I sound this fucking stupid?

"Um..."

"Oh, don't tell me it's Gaudreau's kid. That boy has a girlfriend!" Keith scolds and Matt has to stop himself from tearing his hair out. How has his father not picked up on it yet?

"Yeah, no. It's not Johnny's kid."

"Well whose is –" Keith stops mid-sentence and Matt cringes, waiting for the fury.

"You didn't."

"I -"

"Didn't what?" Taryn pipes up from the background and Matt groans, knowing his sister was most likely listening.

"You did not get a girl pregnant."

"It was a mistake."

"Dear Lord, help us." Keith mutters.

"Matt knocked somebody up?" Taryn squawks and then Matt hears a voice that makes him wish he was never born.

"Matthew Tkachuk," His mother shrieks. "You did get a girl pregnant."

Matt sighs and looks up at the ceiling in regret.

. . .

"And don't you think for a second that I won't be calling her to make sure you actually go see her." Chantal says firmly and Matt knows that she will so he nods even though she can't see him.

"Yes, ma'am."

She mutters something under her breath before sighing. "Your father wants to talk to you."

Matt doesn't get so much as a goodbye before his mom hands the phone off.

His father doesn't say anything for a moment but lets out a deep breath.

"You fucked up." He says in a tired voice.

"Yeah, I did." Matt agrees.

"I had a friend when I was in my twenties who got a girl, he was dating, pregnant." His dad says. "They were only seeing each other for a few months when she found out, and you know what he did?"

"What?"

"He left." Keith tells him. "He ran away and left the poor girl alone and pregnant. Two years later, I heard that he showed up and wanted to be in the kid's life."

"What did she say?" Matt asks, never having heard this story from his dad but knowing now why he's telling him.

"She told him to fuck off."

Matt chuckles. "Good for her."

Keith lets out a small laugh. "She was tough as nails, that girl." Then he sighs. "you know why I'm telling you this, right?"

"Yes."

"And you know what you have to do."

"I do." Matt says, already looking for his keys and a jacket. "I'll call you tomorrow, dad."

"Good luck, bud."

"Thanks."

. . .

It's late when he shows up at your apartment and you're absolutely furious at him, not because he's standing at your doorstep 11 o'clock at night but because he made you wait long enough that you were scared that he was never going to show up.

"I uh... I read that you're supposed to be taking these." He says, offering what looks like a bottle of prenatal vitamins and although you already have them, it still makes your eyes water and your heart warm and you blame it on the stupid hormones when you reach out and pull him in for a hug.

"I'm really sorry." He whispers into your hair and even though it's not, you still tell him it's okay and if his shirt is wet with your tears, well, you can blame that on the hormones too.

The two of you stand there hugging until your neighbour, Ms. Walters. opens her door, making you pull away from him.

"Hello dear," she says kindly before looking at Matthew with a raised eyebrow. She doesn't look impressed with him when she notices you tear stained face but there's no way you can explain that they are happy tears so you just shoot her what you hope is a reassuring smile.

It must be enough because she smiles and walks away, leaving you and Matthew standing in your doorway.

"Can I come in?" He asks gently and you nod, stepping back to let him walk past you. He kicks his shoes off and walks to the living room with you trailing behind him, trying to think of how to start the conversation.

But he beats you to it.

"I'm sorry, for how I reacted when you told me." He says. "I should have handled it better."

You nod, sitting on the couch and motioning for him to sit as well.

"You should have, but I also should've broken the news better." You say. "We both could have done better."

He nods. "I just want you to know that I support whatever you decide to do."

"I know." You tell him, waiting a minute before smiling. "I'm keeping it."

You're not expecting the wide grin that crosses his face and it makes your eyes water again, making his eyes widen.

"I'm sorry!"

"No, it's not-" your face turns a light shade of red and you look at the ceiling. "I've been crying a lot lately. Hormones, I guess."

"Yeah, I read something about that."

You raise an eyebrow and grin. "Read it, huh?"

His face turns red now and he shrugs. "I had a bit of free time."

You just smile at him again but don't tease.

"Did you want to watch a movie?" He asks and you grin.

"As long as it's not What to Expect When You're Expecting."