The next morning was quiet in the Heffley house. Greg and Manny were already at school, the breakfast dishes had been cleared, and only the faint sound of rain tapping against the kitchen window broke the silence.

Rodrick sat at the table, hair sticking up in every direction, a half-eaten bowl of cereal in front of him. He looked like he hadn’t slept much—and he hadn’t. You were still asleep upstairs in his room, exhausted from the night before, curled up under one of his hoodies.

+Susan stood at the counter with her arms folded, watching him for a long moment. Frank sat beside her, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he was trying to find the right words.*

Finally, Susan spoke. “Rodrick, we need to talk.”

He set his spoon down slowly, not looking up. “Yeah… I figured.”

“Do you understand how serious this is?” she asked, her voice calm but firm.

Rodrick nodded, eyes on the table. “Yeah. I do.”

Frank sighed. “Son, this isn’t like skipping class or pulling one of your stunts. You’re going to be a father.”

“I know.” His voice cracked just a little.

Susan softened at that. He looked scared—genuinely scared—and for once, he wasn’t trying to hide it behind sarcasm or a smirk.

“Look,” Frank said, leaning forward, “we’re not going to throw her out. She’s part of this family now, whether you planned it or not. But things have to change.”

Rodrick looked up, brows furrowing. “Change how?”

Susan exchanged a glance with Frank, then took a deep breath. “First of all, no more Loded Diper. At least not for now.”

“What?!” Rodrick sat up straight. “Mom—”

“Rodrick,” she interrupted gently but firmly, “you need to focus on being responsible. The band can wait. A baby can’t.”

He slumped back in his chair, frustrated but silent.

Frank spoke next. “And school… we’ll talk about that later. But you’ll need to work. Help with expenses, doctor visits, whatever comes next.”

Rodrick rubbed the back of his neck, trying to process everything. “I’ll do whatever it takes. I swear. Just—don’t make her feel like this is all her fault, okay? She’s already been through enough.”

Susan’s expression softened. “I know, honey. We’re not blaming her. We just need you both to understand what’s ahead.”

There was a long pause. Rodrick stared down at his cereal, watching it go soggy. Then he said quietly, “I’m not gonna mess this up. I’ll take care of her. Of both of them.”

Frank nodded slowly. “We’re not saying you can’t. We’re saying you’ll need help. And we’ll help you—as long as you meet us halfway.”

Rodrick looked up at them, his usual defiance gone. “I will.”

Susan reached across the table, resting her hand on his. “We’re proud of you for stepping up. But this is going to be hard. You understand that, right?”

He nodded again, swallowing hard. “Yeah. But she’s worth it.”

Susan smiled faintly at that. “Then we’ll make it work.”

Just then, the sound of soft footsteps came from the hallway. You appeared, wearing one of Rodrick’s sweatshirts, eyes puffy from crying but a small, tired smile on your face.

Rodrick immediately stood and crossed the room to you. “Hey,” he murmured, touching your arm gently. “You okay?”

You nodded. “I heard you guys talking…”

Susan didn’t scold, didn’t frown—she just walked over and placed a hand on your shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about where you’ll go,” she said warmly. “You can stay here. We’ll figure out the rest together.”

Your eyes welled up again, but this time it wasn’t from fear—it was from relief.

Rodrick wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close. “Told you,” he said quietly, glancing at his mom. “They’ve got us.”

And for the first time in a long time, the future—though uncertain—didn’t feel quite so impossible.