The Pregnant Mate

Seven:Chocolate cake and disagements

***Tom***

"It's almost Valentines day, " mom said.

"It's barely the first of February, " my dad, Alexander, replied slightly annoyed. We sat at the dining room table enjoying moms famous chocolate sheet cake.

"I'm just saying that if you boys are going to make plans, you should get on it!" mom said.

"I'm already set, mom."

"What are you going to do, honey?" mom asked.

"Maggie and I are going out to a nice restaurant the night before so we can beat the Valentines day crowds and then we'll have a nice evening in on the day."

"That's amazing!" mom said clapping her hands like a little girl. "Only..."

"What?"

"You missed Christmas and new years with your mate; you should get her a present to make up for it." mom explained.

"I don't think that's a good idea, " I say thinking about Maggie. It's been a month since I last saw her and if the pictures Charlotte has texted me are anything to go by her belly is noticeable. I haven't told them yet about Maggie being pregnant, and I don't want to.

"Honey, a little unexpected gift for your mate will go a long way. Isn't that right Darling?"

"Son in all my years of marriage to your mother I've learned that when it comes to marriage, your mother is right, " dad said.

"Then it's settled, " mom said all excited.

"But I'm running back! I won't be able to carry anything!" I protest.

"That's ok honey we'll bring it for you!"

"What..?" I say confused.

"Do you think your mother will wait to meet your mate?" dad asked.

"But-"

"Your mother and I discussed this, and we are going to meet this Maggie girl, " dad informed me.

"Fuck me!" I groan lining back in my chair.

"Hey! Language!" mom scolded.

"Sorry mom, " I say heaving a sigh. "Mom, dad, I need to tell you something... "  I don't want to say what I'm going to say. "...about Maggie."

"What is it, honey?" mom asked. "Is she a vamp, or a fay?"

"She's human, mom like I told you before."

"Whatever it is we will understand as long as she's not a witch."

"The reason Maggie can't come here is..." Please, moon goddess, strike this house with lightning, tornado, earthquake, flood! "...is because..." If not a natural disaster how about killing me? "...because she's..." Please, please don't make me say it! "...she's pregnant."

"Reject her!" dad said.

"Oh! Alex, stop!" mom scolded. "Honey, I don't understand? If she's pregnant with your baby, then she needs to be here so that this pack can welcome the next alpha child!"

"It's not mine, " I say sheepishly.

"REJECT HER!" dad bellowed.

"Calm down, darling. We don't need to jump to such hasty actions. If she gets an abortion, then she'll be free of this 'commitment.' " mom said.

"I can't ask Maggie to do that, " I say hanging my head.

"And why not?!" mom asked.

"Because i-it's Charlottes."

"What?" dad whispered so low I almost didn't catch it.

"I think your mistaken, Honey, your sister is two months pregnant, " mom said.

"No mom, Maggie is four months pregnant with Charlotte's baby!"

"Are you calling your mother a lier?!"

"No, dad, I'm saying she's miss informed!" I yell at dad.

"What do you mean?" dad asked leaning forward.

"I mean that Charlotte told mom that she was two months pregnant so when mom came for the delivery of her first grandchild the baby would already be born! And Maggie would be gone!"

"But Charlotte can get pregnant, has gotten pregnant, " mom said deep in thought.

"Mom, how many miscarriages has Charlotte had?"

"Two or three, I think..."

"Three, " dad said.

"Charlotte has had seven miscarriages that I know of," I say. "If you ask Maggie and me to get an abortion you are asking us to kill Charlotte's child, your first grandchild!" Both my parents stare at me wide-eyed in shock.

"I h-had no idea..." mom said stumbling across her words, dad just stood up and moved to mom placing his big hand on her little shoulder.

"Look, you don't have to like this situation, you don't even have to understand what's happening completely, but if you come to Charlottes, you do have to accept that this is how both your children will find our happily ever after."

***one hour later***

"Oh! I finally got Charlotte to watch Dead Like Me," Maggie said into the phone. These nightly calls have become an evening ritual for us. We spend about an hour or so telling each other about our day or our childhood.

"Really?! Did she like it?"

"Well... she did after she explained that grim reapers and gravlings don't exist."

"That's my big sis for you," I say with a chuckle.

"So, how much longer till you come back?" Maggie asked. My heart skipped a beat hearing this. She misses me!

"Maybe in a week or two, " I said grinning like a fool. "Ah... I need to tell you something, " I say remembering the argument from earlier.

"What?" she sounded concerned.

"My parents are going to come to Charlotte's house."

"D-do they know about me?"

"Yes, and they want to meet you, " I say trying to sound encouraging.

"Do they know that I'm..."

"Yes, I told them tonight."

"How did it go?"

"Not good at first, but I think they understand, " I say. "Can you put Char on?"

"Of course, she should know."

"Hey baby, I love you."

"Ok, " Maggie said. "Here's Charlotte."

"Night, baby."

"Night, dar..." Did she almost call me darling?

"Hello?" Char asked.

"Hey, sis."

"Hey, what's going on?"

"I'll be back before the end of the week."

"Okay, " Char said sounding confused.

"Mom and dad will come up a week after."

"WHAT?!" Charlotte yelled. "They can't... It's too soon... What if they find out?"

"Charlotte!" I yell sharply. "They know."