You'll never know unless you walk in my shoes

 It was going so happily. Bren knew everyone was excited about her expecting. The trip to the doctor went well. Of course, Cam (Mario's dad) practically wanted them to get married by next week. She could see Mario still thinking, "Oh, Dad, there's still time." Of course, he didn't have the time with his new job. And she understood, but Bren promised it would be soon.

Of course, Liv was in shock. "Why?" She was full of questions.

"Why not," Bren shrugged back. What was really on Liv's mind? She was no longer at the grocery store. Bren had no reason to even go to the coffee shop. After all, she found it expensive. It was like they'd cut all ties. Although, she hadn't meant for that to happen, but she could see Liv was growing too. And Bren wondered how much longer Liv would be with Rico. 

But there was Bren's dad who was on again and off again. She'd given him her phone number. Only he never called. She could tell he felt bad about everything. 

It was quite a long story to listen to. His past was old wounds that never completely healed. "I've always loved your mother. Always." She remembered him recalling lots of fond memories with her. He'd actually followed her here, thinking it was the right thing to do. 

"But, you know how it is," he shrugged about his real family. "It wasn't what I wanted, but my family had other plans, and as much as I wanted to escape it." It was like he couldn't even tell her everything. Evidently, he'd married the woman his family chose for him, and he wouldn't have done it, but she was suicidal and only thought of her own happiness.

It felt that was all he'd left Bren with, a very sad story. As brief as their conversation was back in early July, she hadn't heard from him since. She wanted to tell him her news, but a part of her couldn't make herself do it. 

Every time, she tried to text she backspace out of it. Maybe it was best this way. After all, he had a son. She had a half-brother. It brought her to tears when she thought of it.  But then maybe the baby was making her emotional.

And then she got a call from the ICU, her father was in the hospital.

"It's a bacterial infection," the nurse told her when she got there. Oh, it didn't look good. He was weak and hooked up to breathing machines.

Immediately, Bren started to cry. After all, she went alone. She didn't know what to expect. The cellulitis had moved into his lungs and fluid was filling up fast.

The nurse told her how he was finally managing to sleep. Of course, he said, "I can hear you, you know."

"I guess he's getting better," she then left Bren and her dad alone.

He finally managed to sit up to tell her what happened. "I drove myself to the hospital, you know." He could hardly stand up then. He didn't even know how he actually got here on his own. He didn't even know he had a fever. "It was just a little scrape out on the golf course."

"The golf course?" Bren didn't understand.

"Oh, I just thought I'd perfect my game, leave the rest of you alone," he tried to smile, but she knew he was upset that his son wouldn't keep in touch with him. After a long bout with a cough, he said he thought his son was blocking his calls.

"I'm sure he's just busy," Bren tried to make light of it, but he grabbed her hand as if he hoped she wasn't too busy for him.

She looked at the condition he was in. Even if he got better didn't mean he could be on his own. She asked where he was staying. It was just a motel on the outskirts of town. He assured her, he had money. He just didn't know where to go. Evidently, he'd never really been on his own.

"Well, you'll just come home with me," she said. 

"With you?" She could tell it brightened his day. She smiled back knowing he needed her. He needed someone to be there for him.