Together: A Surprise Pregnancy Romance

by Jennifer Van Wyk

  “Legal stuff,” I repeat, wanting to reach over the table to pull her hair. She’s never talked down to me like this before. It’s like she’s an entirely different person than the Grace that I know.

  She seems unfazed by the fact that I can hardly breathe. “It’s just a legality, you know? Making sure that we’re covering our bases. Look, this might seem out of the blue to you, but if you sit and think about it, you’ll realize it makes a lot of sense. You’re worried about the money part, and I’m sure that Nik can’t help much there.”

  “Where do you get off…”

  She continues as if I didn’t speak, “And you’re not really mentally prepared to be a parent anyway. I mean, what are you going to do for a babysitter while you work? What about where you’re going to live? That house you’re renting is hardly ready for a baby to live in, not to mention…”

  “Grace,” Lucy hushes her. “Enough.”

  “Not to mention, what? You’ve gone this far, might as well bring it on home.”

  Grace sighs as if I’m the one being a jerk right now. Like I’m inconveniencing her by making her finish her asinine speech.

  “Grace?”

  “Fine. You want me to say it? I will. You’re a mess, Ashley. You’re not mother quality. You got drunk and had a one-night stand and got pregnant. That says a lot about your character. You weren’t a good athlete in high school. You didn’t participate in band or choir. You just kind of floated along as if just attending school was enough.”

  “Because I didn’t play high school sports or music that means I can’t be a mother?!” I screech.

  “That’s not the only reason,” she says as if all logic isn’t completely gone from the conversation as I know it. “You’ve jumped from relationship to relationship your entire life, and now you’re pining over some lowlife who knocked you up.”

  “Did you just call Nik a lowlife? What the fuck, Grace? Why are you being so nasty?”

  “I’m not. I’m simply telling the truth here. You would be doing both yourself and this baby a favor if you’d sign the papers over to me and Samuel and let us raise him. Think of all that we can give him that you can’t. Vacations, the best private schools, a college fund to set him up so he doesn’t have to worry about paying for it himself. The nicest clothes and shoes so he doesn’t feel left out at school. Fees for all those sports clinics and camps and whatever else they do so they’re the best at each sport they want to be involved in. That’s expensive, you know. Have you thought about that? How you’re going to even pay for the stuff after you get him through diapers and formula and baby food? Do the right thing,” she says, pushing the envelope over to me. “I promise you we’ll be excellent parents. This is what we have wanted for a long time. The fact that I can’t get pregnant and you got pregnant so easily is a sign. It’s meant to be. Samuel and I, we need this.”

  If I sit here any longer, I’ll say something I won’t be able to take back and I won’t stoop to Grace’s level. Rather than respond to any of her hate-filled lecture on how I’ve been a massive screw-up my entire life, I reach into my purse for my wallet, pull out thirty bucks, toss it on the table and stand up.

  Without a goodbye to either of my sisters, I turn and walk away.

  I keep my head held high and my tears at bay, not allowing either of them to see what Grace’s words did to me.

  By the time I make it to my car, I’m trembling from head to toe.

  My emotions are all over the place.

  I’m so mad I can’t think straight. My fucking sister. Who the hell does she think she is? Adopt the baby? Where does she come up with this shit?

  Years of being a selfish asshole, that’s where.

  But I’m also so incredibly sad. How did she think I was going to take that? Why would she think I’m incapable of being a good — actually any type of — mother?

  I’m not sure that anybody is truly ready to become a parent until the baby comes into their lives, but I know I’ll be a better mother than Grace ever could be. First of all, she never once mentioned love. She’ll buy the baby things. That’s all. If that’s her idea of being a good parent, I’m scared for when it does happen for her.

  One thing I know for certain, though, is that she won’t become a parent because of this baby. I’ll be hard pressed to let her near him, even.

  My phone rings and I take a deep breath before looking to see who it is.

  With a shaky hand, I reach into my purse and pull it out, releasing a deep sigh when I see it’s Nik.

  “Hey,” I answer.

  “You alright?”

  I’ve kept my tears held back until hearing his voice. Two words. That’s all I had to hear and my eyes are leaking like a damn sieve. “How’d you know?”

  “Lucy texted me. Or, actually, Grant did. We exchanged numbers, you know? Lucy texted him and told him I needed to check on you immediately.”

  “That was nice of her,” I mumble. It would have been nicer if she would have spoken up while Grace was being a monumental bitch earlier, but I guess better late than never.

  “What happened?” he asks gently.

  I swallow down my tears, not wanting my sisters to walk out of the restaurant and see me sitting here crying. I want to leave this parking lot with what’s left of my dignity intact and that won’t happen if I’m blubbering like an idiot. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Maybe you need to.”

  I shake my head and start up my new SUV, cranking the air conditioning even though the temperature outside isn’t that bad. Still, though, I feel like I’m overheating. Likely because of the emotional turmoil I just suffered. The motor purrs as it sits idling. I have to give Nik credit. When he not-so-gently suggested this vehicle for me, he knew what he was talking about. I feel safe and secure and I know it will be much safer for the baby, too.

  “Hang on a second.” I switch the phone over to hands-free quickly, one of my favorite features that I didn’t have on my old car. “Okay, I’m back.”

  “Tell me what went down, Ash. I’m getting a little worried because I know Grace can be a bitch but usually Lucy just keeps her mouth shut, you know? If Lucy brought it up to Grant, that’s not good.”

  I shift the car into reverse, look in my rearview back-up camera, and reverse out of the parking spot before heading down the road.

  “Honestly? It wasn’t good. It was actually really bad. I’ve never heard Grace talk like that. She wasn’t just condescending like normal, which she used to not be anyway. But this was so much worse.”

  “Worse how?”

  I see the sign for one of my favorite fast food restaurants and pull in to go through the drive-thru because I might not have had an appetite to eat with Grace and Lucy, but I’m hungry now.

  “Worse in that she told me I was an unfit mother, for one.”

  He’s quiet on the other end of the line and I wonder if the call was dropped even though it didn’t beep at me to alert me that it was dropped.

  “She said what?” he asks in a low and, quite frankly, scary voice.

  “Yup,” I say, letting the P pop at the end. “I’m grabbing some food. I didn’t stay to eat my dinner. Want anything?”

  “Where are you getting food from?”

  “Take a guess,” I say, smiling. He knows my food obsessions well at this point.

  “Figured. If you get something for me, too, does that mean you’re coming over?”

  It takes me a second to realize that’s where I was headed and when it clicks, I don’t know how I feel about it.

  “By your silence I’m going to guess that you’re having a little internal meltdown right now but shut it off and come back to reality. Yes, I definitely want you to come over and I’m glad you planned on it without thinking it through. Yes, get me some food. I’m starving. If you’ll get me a chicken sandwich, macaroni and cheese, and one of their cookies, I’d be forever grateful.”

  He’s so unbelievably sweet. He could have made me feel awkward about as
suming that I would be going to his place, but he rolled with it like the kickass guy he is. I’m falling so hard and fast for this man and nothing seems to be able to slow it down.

  “You know I’m not sharing my nuggets.”

  “You know I’m not sharing my mac and cheese, either. So get an extra order of each of ‘em. And the waffle fries, too. We’ll eat it. Ain’t worried about it going to waste.”

  “Grace and Samuel think I’m fat.” I have no idea why I blurt that out. Maybe it’s because we’re talking about all this fast food I’m about to inhale when I get to his house.

  “Then we’ll send them a picture of your rockin’ fucking body and prove them wrong. They’re both assholes. Want me to go beat the shit outta Sammy boy?”

  A giggle bursts out of me and a tear slips down my cheek as I wait in line at the best chicken fast food place on the planet. “Not that I don’t think you could, because obviously he’s no match for you, but Grace would probably do her lawyer thing and he’d tell the police about it and claim you assaulted him. It’d become a whole big thing and I’m not really up for it right now.”

  “If you change your mind, you let me know.”

  Even though he’s not an aggressive person by nature, I have no doubt that he wouldn’t follow through and go to battle on my behalf.

  “I’ll do that.”

  I pull ahead in line and place our order, two of everything because we’re a couple of monsters when it comes to eating. But spending the night on Nik’s couch pigging out over chicken nuggets and waffle fries sounds like the perfect way to end this shit-tastic day.

  “Okay, I’m back. It’s busy tonight.”

  “It always is,” he reminds me. “Best chicken on the planet, right?”

  “Fucking right, it is,” I say, causing him to burst out laughing.

  “Oh, man, Grace must have really pissed you off tonight if you’re pulling out the fucks.”

  “She really did.”

  “Can you give me a hint?”

  “Hang on. I’m getting the food.”

  He waits on the other end as the lovely lady who holds my bag of deliciousness takes my card. After our meal is safe and sound on the front passenger seat, I drive out of the parking lot, heading toward Nik’s.

  “I’m a little afraid of telling you what happened because I know for a fact that you’re going to freak out so I need you to promise me that you won’t do that first. I feel like there’s something going on with Grace for her to say what she said, but I can’t be sure.”

  “You’re not selling this very well, baby.”

  “I know, I know.” I stop at the stoplight and wait. “Okay, so you know how she and Samuel have been trying to get pregnant?”

  “Yeah? Let me guess. She’s mad at you that you got pregnant first.”

  “No. Well, maybe? Kind of? I don’t know for sure. But they decided on adoption.”

  “Oh.” He pauses, thinking. “That’s not so bad, right?”

  “Them adopting? No. Whose baby they want to adopt? Yes.”

  “Care to elaborate on that?”

  “They want to adopt our baby.”

  “What the fuck!” he shouts. “Are you fucking kidding me? Is she insane? She’s gotta be, right? That had to be a sick joke.” I couldn’t agree more with that.

  The light turns green and I take off once again.

  “Oh, she’s definitely… oh shit!” Out of the corner of my eye I see an incredibly large SUV careening toward me at a high rate of speed. The vehicle hits me in the passenger side with such force, my head hits my driver’s side window and I skid across the intersection, smashing into an oncoming truck. Glass shatters on impact all around me and the sound of metal crunching and tires squealing rings in my ears.

  In the distance, I hear Nik frantically calling my name.

  “Baby! Ash! What the fuck happened? Are you okay? Talk to me! Ashley!”

  He’s shouting to me and I want to call out to him to let him know that I’m here and I’m okay, but the truth of the matter is, I don’t know if I’m okay. I cradle my stomach and look around, barely able to see anything through the splintered windshield.

  “I’m…” I trail off, not able to say anything more. It feels like I’m being suffocated and I realize it’s because I’m still strapped in with my seat belt and the airbags all around me deployed.

  Raising a hand, I try to unlatch my seat belt but I can’t seem to find the button to release it. I don’t hear Nik’s voice anymore and that makes me sad. I really need to hear him tell me that I’ll be okay and that the baby will be okay. I just need him.

  Outside of my car, I hear commotion all around me. People shouting at me, trying to get my attention and letting me know they’ve called an ambulance. I loll my head to the right and see the vehicle that hit me. Their front end is scrunched up like an accordion and I can see that their airbags deployed as well.

  I turn to the left again, which is easier for me because then I can rest my head against my window and see people all around me. Their phones to their ears, hands on their heads. I feel something sticky on my left temple and wince when I feel a sharp tug against my skin when I shift it against the window.

  Everything I do seems to be in slow motion and when I look at the window beside me, all I see is shattered glass and bright red smeared all over.

  I guess that explains the stickiness. My head must be bleeding.

  I wish I had the energy to talk out loud so I could reassure the baby that he and I are going to be just fine. I might be a little banged up, but I’ll survive as long as he’s healthy.

  “Ma’am, are you okay? Can you hear me?” a guy shouts, his phone pressed to his ear. “It’s only her in there. Oh shit… I think… she’s pregnant. Fuck. Hurry up. Where’s the damn ambulance?!” he yells into the phone. “Okay okay. Yeah. I’ll stay on. Ma’am. Can you hear me? Talk to me, okay? I saw the whole thing and that was some crazy shit. Crap, I shouldn’t say that. I’m sorry, I’m not good in these situations. I get all tongue-tied and nervous. Listen, I know you’re hurting and you’re probably scared out of your damn mind and that’s totally understandable because that was fucking wild, but you’re going to be fine. The ambulance should be here in two minutes.”

  I stare into his bright blue eyes, full of kindness and fear and I so wish that I could respond. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Through the broken window, he reaches in and grabs my outstretched hand. I don’t even remember stretching it toward him.

  “My name’s Max. I won’t leave your side until they kick me out of here, okay? That’s a promise. Just stay awake. I think that’s something they say, right? Did you hit your head? It looks like it. Then you might have a concussion so you need to stay awake.” His rambling is somehow calming me down and I feel my breathing starting to slow down. I take a deep breath and nod.

  “Thank… you,” I whisper.

  He gives me a gentle squeeze just as I hear the sound of sirens blaring in the background. “They’re coming, you hear that? The medics are about here and they’ll help you. Just hang on.”

  “Ba…by,” I manage to croak out.

  The look on his face does not reassure me in the least. “Yeah. Your baby, too. You’re both going to be fine.”

  I want to tell him he can’t be so sure of that but I choose to believe the empty promise anyway. I will be okay. My baby boy will be okay.

  What commotion was happening seconds ago is only kicked up a notch when the ambulance arrives. The stranger steps back after giving me one more hand squeeze and in his place, are the faces of determined paramedics.

  The firefighters appear out of nowhere, helping to clear out the wreckage, all while I’m barely hanging on to consciousness. All the voices and sounds are muffled and I feel like I’m looking through a tunnel.

  “Ma’am? I’m Carter from the Liberty Community Ambulance Department. Can you tell me your name?”

  “Ash…ley,” I croak.

  “Ashley, we’re go
ing to get you out, okay? The fire department is here working quickly. Were you traveling alone? Anyone else in the vehicle with you?”

  Shaking my head, I confirm. “Just me.”

  He looks me over, his eyes landing on my legs that are wedged between the dash and door. “Can you move your legs?”

  I test my legs and can’t move them, but I can feel them. Thankfully it feels like I’m just pinned in the car but I can wiggle my toes.

  Licking my lips, I clear my throat and pray I can speak a little more clearly. “I’m… stuck.”

  “We’re working on it. We’ll get you out. Do you have feeling in your legs?”

  I nod and close my eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted.

  “Okay. Good. Good. Ashley? I need you to stay awake for me. Look at me. Tell me a little about yourself. Can you do that?” I slowly open my eyes, my face turned toward Carter. He gives me a smile. “You’re pregnant, right?”

  This time I smile in return and wrap my arms tighter around my abdomen.

  “How far along are you?”

  Raising my hands, I gingerly lift seven fingers.

  “Seven months?” he guesses and I nod. “My fiancée’s just ahead of you. She’s eight months along. We’re getting hitched a few months after my baby girl arrives.”

  I can hear the pride in his voice when he talks about his fiancée and unborn daughter and it makes me think of Nik and tears spring to my eyes. He’s so excited about the baby and I’ve never felt as cared for as I do around him.

  Loud noises that I don’t care to decipher echo all around me. The sounds of people working to get me and anyone else involved in the accident free. Carter continues to talk to me, keeping me focused on him. “Do you know what you’re having?”

  “Boy.”

  He smiles. “Maybe ours will end up being friends. Wouldn’t that be something?”

  “Yeah,” I agree. “It would.”

  “How are you feeling right now? Where does it hurt?”

  “Head.”

  “Your head. Got it. What else? Your neck? Back?” I shake my head. “Good. That’s good news, Ashley. What about your arms? Can you squeeze my fingers?”