Karma

Love Is a Battlefield

My biggest mistake was not using protection when I had sex with Hailey, and now the consequences are staring me in the face. When she told me that she was pregnant, it came as a shock to me since we had just been intimate days prior. Knowing what I did about her possibly being unfaithful to me with Quay only made the situation worse.

I was silent on the phone for a few moments, and then heard her ask me, "Can you come over? I really need you right now."

Taking in all that had happened this day - Top's death and finding out Hailey was lying to me about not seeing Quay had been festering within my heart.

With no energy left in my body, I answered her nonchalantly with an exasperated, "I'm on my way," before hanging up.

In my rage-filled fury, I flipped over the bench table and dropped down to my knees. My heart felt like it was being ripped into pieces as tears streamed down my face. Tim ran up next to me and squatted beside him in solidarity; he knew what kind of person Quay was yet couldn't believe Hailey would be involved too.

He put his hand on my shoulder as he looked into my eyes knowingly saying softly: "I'm sorry, man. We already knew what kind of person Quay was; we just didn't expect that from Hailey."

Through tears I looked at him and told him the news: "It isn't about that... She's pregnant".

I finally wiped away my tears and got up. Tim nodded his head towards the car, a silent cue for us to leave.

Once we arrived back at Hailey's house, I stared out the passenger door window as an uneasy feeling overcame me - Quay's car was gone, and it had me wondering if she had already told him that she was pregnant. Taking a deep breath in to steady myself, I opened the door and stepped out. Before I closed the door Tim said "Keep it cool, don't let her know you were here earlier today. Just see if she lies about being with Quay, I'll be outside waiting for you to get back."

I gave him a pound and walked up to Hailey's door and knocked. She immediately opened it with teary eyes embracing me before kissing me on my cheek. We walked into her living room where she snuggled up next to me - but all I could feel was my own heavy heart still burning from not knowing the truth.

"So, how did you find out you were pregnant?" I asked her, my voice wavering as she wiped away her tears on my shoulder.

"Earlier today when I told you I was spending time with my mom," she said, "I was actually vomiting my guts out - so I rode with my friend Tina to pick up a pregnancy test and found out at the store. When we got back home, all I could do was cry from fear of not knowing how to tell you."

Everything she said seemed like a lie - when I called her earlier there had been the sound of music playing in the background and then who I now believe is Quay's voice talking shortly before she hung up. But before letting myself get too angry or interrupting what she had to say, something made me stop and listen further...

"I just didn't know what to do!" She wept, her voice quaking with emotion as tears coursed down her cheeks. "I couldn't tell my mom because I knew she would go off the rails and I know you had your own issues to deal with so I didn't want to add any more stress to your plate. I'm sorry, baby!"

I removed her head from my shoulder and grabbed the remote from her coffee table. She looked baffled as I turned on the TV and began to channel surf. Through my peripheral vision, I could feel her eyes burning into me as a sarcastic chuckle escaped my lips.