Devine

35

"Devine...Devine wake up." I open my eyes. "Hm?"

"Can you help me with my project?"

"What kind of project?"

"I don't know. Something for science." I sat up. "Shit."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. When is this due?"

"Thursday."

"We'll do it tomorrow. I always used to do my projects a day before they're due and they come out better that way."

"That's horrible advice babe."

"Shut up. We'll do it tomorrow but you should do the work and then I'll help with your board."

"Okay." He walked out. I laid back down. "By the way, you know I'm having your baby soon, right?"

"Mh."

"Do you want them to share a room with River or Paris?"

"What?"

"River or Paris?" He turned around. "None?"

"So you want my baby out on the street?"

"Of course not. I just don't understand."

"Well, my baby has nowhere to lay his head.x

"Are you telling me something?"

"Hurry up and get the fucking house is what I'm telling you."

"I'm getting it. Don't worry."

"Mh. You've been getting it for months."

"I'ma get it."

"Whatever."

"Just go back to sleep."
~~~~~~~~~
I wake up. I look at the time. Everyone left already. Wow. I'm basically alone cause Joshua likes to sleep all day. I get out of bed and start my day. I might get some groceries. I don't know. I go downstairs to the kitchen and look in the fridge. I might need to. But probably not. I just wanna eat and sit around cause I'm huge. I need to start relaxing. I'll make Dallas go later. I sat on the couch after getting a box of ice cream.
~~~~~~~~
1:30
"Go up to your room!"

"Leave me alone!" I open my eyes. I stretch and sat up. Dallas came in. He threw his stuff down. He walked around frantically. "Dallas?" He stopped. "Are you okay?" He stared at me. "Are you?"

"No I'm not."

"What happened?" He picked up Joshua and sat down."You know, I had thought everything had changed since we got River to be better. It did change and we were really good and he's doing good in school but Paris is the complete opposite."

"What did she do?"

"Remember when you took them shopping?"

"Mh."

"You know what I'll show you. Paris!" She took a while to come in. "What are you wearing?"

"She went to school wearing this. The school doesn't let me know about anything cause they don't really care. Anyway, they caught her and a boy kissing in the bathroom. "

"Just kissing?"

"They were having sex."

"Oh." A flashback of me losing my virginity in the bathroom played in my mind. "Babe?" I look Paris in her eyes. "Paris... Having sex at your age is so irresponsible. I would know... you could get pregnant and you're not old enough to get a job. I just happen to be the age I could work..."

"Why would I need a job if-."

"Paris.. don't have sex if you can't deal with the risks. I doubt your dad will be able to take care of you and the baby when it's not even his baby. It's yours. I have babies of my own. So you won't be able to do anything unless you give them up for adoption or.... the other choice...." He rubbed my back. "Paris, what's she's saying is if you don't want to have a baby don't have sex, I don't care how careful you think you're being, you can still get some kind of disease that you'll live with forever well it depends but still. I can't take care of your kid cause it was your choice. You guys can stay but that's it. Excluding the baby's dad. Do you understand?"

"Yes..."

"Okay. Take a bath and change your clothes. You don't leave the house without showing me or Devine what you look like."

"Okay..." She walked out. "I'm tired of that damn school. They're so horrible. They don't tell me shit. My kid could be dead and they wouldn't tell me."

"So what are you going to do."

"It's still early in the year so they're moving schools. I'll have to take everyone to school but I have to."

"Just take my van. That's the only way they'll fit."

"I know. By the way. You blanked out when I was telling you what Paris did. You okay?x

"That's how I lost my virginity....in a bathroom at school with Kris. Cause I was being fast. That's when I got pregnant with Faith."

"Oh. I'm glad you're trying to not let Paris make that same mistake."

"That's why I wanted to be a counselor mainly so I could help with sex questions."

"That's good. You're gonna be amazing." I smile. "I love you."

"I love you too. I need you to make groceries by the way cause I'm not going anywhere."

"You got a list?"

"Mh. I put the specific names so you would get the right stuff."

"You act like I don't know what we use and eat."

"You should but you don't."

"Whatever. I pay bills that's good enough."

"Whatever you say. I need you to do that today. So you can make dinner."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I'm working nine hours a day and now I gotta come home and make dinner?"

"Well if you want your girlfriend who's having a baby in a month to do it, she'll be okay. Let's hope she won't have the baby early and home alone due to stress or anything." He stared at me. "Why do you do that?x

"Do what?x

"That. Like you talk about yourself without saying it's yourself."

"Well. I'm being sarcastic. Cause you'll wanna argue with me so I need to get you to do it somehow."

"But then you like say a bunch of other stuff."

"That's to make you feel bad."

"Okay wow. I'll do it. I'm just not used to having a woman boss me around not in a sexist way. But like a wife kinda way."

"I know."