Gregory groaned. So much for breaking the man in gently. As if things couldn’t get any worse. “I take it he didn’t take it well.”
“That’s an understatement. Diane texted me. She said that her father’s told her to stop seeing you from now on.”
“He does realize that he can’t force a grown woman to do something like that, doesn’t he?”
“You don’t know Pastor Gilbert when he’s angry. Also…” Maggie made a sound that could have been her swallowing. “He’s moved up the wedding between Diane and Brent.”
That had Gregory shooting to his feet.
“He’s done what?”
“He doesn’t want people to know that his daughter has been loose with someone else and that he had to hide it with another man. Apparently, Brent doesn’t care as long as he has a wife.”
“I’m sure,” Gregory muttered. Aloud: “What century does he live in? Does he seriously think this is going to work?”
“I don’t think he’s thinking clearly. All he knows is if it’s discovered about his daughter being wayward then he’s going to lose face.” Maggie hesitated. “And if she ends up pregnant, they can cover it with a wedding.”
There was something in her voice that Gregory picked up on.
“What aren’t you telling me, Maggie?”
“It’s not my place to say.”
“Make it your place to say. What is it?”
Maggie took a deep breath.
“Diane’s pregnant. She found out earlier today.”
There was a loud thump right by his foot, and Gregory realized that he had dropped his phone. He grabbed it up off the floor, and his legs gave way, resulting in Gregory just sitting on the floor.
“Did…did you just say…Diane is pregnant?”
“Yes. I don’t know if Pastor Gilbert knows, but he will further down the line if Diane doesn’t say a word.”
Now things were beginning to spin. Gregory lay on the floor and stared at the ceiling. Diane was pregnant with his baby.
His child. His.
“Greg? Are you there?”
“I’m here,” Gregory’s voice sounded strained. He cleared his throat, “it…it’s just…I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Well, that’s your kid. Are you going to let her marry someone else?”
“Does she want to marry Brent?”
“Of course, she doesn’t, but unless you step in and say something, it’s going to happen in the next couple of weeks.”
A couple of weeks. Gregory could see the timeline moving forward rapidly in his mind. All because Diane’s father was ashamed of what his daughter had done. She was going to end up trapped and miserable because of his ideals. How was that worthwhile?
Getting up slowly, the room still tilting a bit, Gregory fumbled with his things.
“Can you meet me at Diane’s house? Both you and Clint?”
“Sure, but…what are you going to do?”
“It’s best that I have some backup. If it comes that I need to remove Diane from the house, she’s going to need a friend.”
“Okay,” Maggie sounded unsure, “but don’t you think that might antagonize the pastor if you arrive with us in tow.”
“Just as long as he agrees to hear me out. If he won’t, I’ll just leave with Diane anyway.”
“What if Diane doesn’t want to go with you?”
“Normally, I’d go with what she wants, but not this time. I’m going to look out for Diane and our kid.”
Gregory knew he was going a little nutty, but the thought of Diane getting married to someone else, someone who didn’t even care for her, made him feel sick. He wanted her out of there. God, this was going to be tougher than he thought.