unsolved disappearances » otis and ruby

Part 7

The car ride between Jakob and me is completely silent. We arrive home without another word but a warning that my mother was extremely disappointed in my actions.

Walking the house, I cringe at the sound of my mother crying. "Otis." Her voice is laced with disappointment, as she instructs me to sit across from her at the table. "Is there a chance you're a father?"

The question is blunt. 

My memory had always proven to be reliable. At this moment I couldn't pull the required memory that would trace the origins of having unprotected sex. My only memory is the first time Ruby and I had sex, where I lost my virginity, and she made my purchase her the morning after pill.

"I don't know," I answer, not sure in myself. "We used protection all the time."

"Was Ruby on some form of birth control, because condoms are never 100 percent certain." She explains, making my cheeks flare red. This conversation was an awkward subject. I didn't want to discuss my private sex life with my mother!

"No...not that I was aware of," I say honestly. 

"Do you know if there were any other guys involved?" My mother asks.

I shake my head. At the time of our relationship, we had only spent it investing time with each other. "The only other guy she hung out with is gay," I inform her.

My mother nods understanding. "If Ruby is found safe, there will be big conversations between the two of you and what will happen." My mother informs me.

"You'll force her to get an abortion?" I ask suddenly.

"That is completely up to her, that's her choice that I would never take away from her. It will be considered in these conversations Otis, there are plenty of options including adoption." She explains. "But if she does want to go through and keep the child then you can say goodbye to your childish ways."

I just nod my head, there was enough shame running through my mind without being lectured about the subject. "Right now, no matter how rude I think that girl is, I'm just hoping she comes home safe." She says, her tone changes to show kindness. "I can't imagine what her parents must be going through right now."

I let out a long sigh. "Otis, darling, I want you to go up to your room and finish any homework you have." My mother instructs me. 

Without any argument, I agree to her request and rush up to my room. Locking the wooden door behind me. Unlocking my phone, I jump back onto my bed scrolling through the photos on my phone.

It was still in my recent photos, the selfie that Ruby had taken of herself. She had a large grin on her face, as she tried to force me into the frame of the photo. All you could see was the corner of my face on the right side of the photo.

I felt guilty that it was my fault that Ruby had decided to skip town. Because I could've knocked her up. "fuck." I mutter to myself, I remembered the day it probably happened.

The day after we broke up and Ruby requested one final round of sex in the back of her car. I wasn't going to deny that opportunity. I don't remember bringing a condom along with me, because it was a rushed offer. She assured me she would get the morning-after pill. The moment was enjoyable able to have a lot more feeling between the both of us, which was usually separated by a piece of rubber.

The memory made my penis rise. Groaning, it was not the time to let my hormones get the better of me. It was my fault I had let Ruby run off scared. 

She left without telling anyone where she was going. I just hoped she was in a safe space and away from danger because as each day passes there were more chances that something bad had happened to Ruby. It was a big world and there were a lot of people with bad intentions out there.

That made me worry.