Confessions of A Teen Mom

Chapter 5

"Go take a nap. You have-" mom glances at the clock. "You have thirty minutes. Then you need to get dressed and come back down here to help me set the table" she says. I nod and go upstairs, I set an alarm and lay down on my bed. I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. Thirty minutes comes too soon, I feel like I was only sleeping for ten minutes. I get up anyways and take a quick shower then get dressed. I put my hair in a bun to get it off my shoulders and make my way downstairs. 

Mom is sliding food out of the oven when i walk into the kitchen. I grab some plates and start setting the table. I go back to the kitchen and forks, knives, and glasses. I set them on the table and look up when the door bell rings. "I got it!" Emmett calls out, seconds later I hear his footsteps and then the front door opening. "What's up douche bag." I hear him say. I smile. "Emmett shut up and go help your mom and sister." I hear dad say. "James, Olivia please come in." he says. Emmett walks into the kitchen and ducks when mom tries to pop him with a spoon. 

"What?" he grins. "He is a douche" he says. Mom turns away but I can see her smiling slightly. "Doesn't matter. We respect people in this household. Boy if you don't get out of my kitchen!" Mom says when she catches Emmett dipping his finger in the pudding. She flicks the towel at him as he runs out of the kitchen. "He's is certainly his father's child" she mutters. I laugh softly and put the cornbread on the table. 

I go back into the kitchen and grab the dish filled with collard greens. I carry it to the table and set it down. "Hi Pepper! How have you been?" Ben's mom Olivia walks in and pulls me into a hug. I pat her back. "I've been better. How about ya'll?" I ask. "Just fine, just fine." she nods. "Melissa honey, is there anything I can help with?' she asks my mom. Mom walks into the dining room carrying a plate filled with ribs. "Oh no, please just sit and make yourself at home." Mom smiles and heads back into the kitchen. 

I stiffen when I see Ben and follow mom into the kitchen. "I don't know if this is such a good idea."I whisper. "Oh hush now, that boy and his family deserve to know. What's done is done. No backing out now." she grabs the pitcher of tea and goes back to the dining room. I follow reluctantly. "So Olivia, how's that business of yours going? What is it again? A nail salon?" Mom takes a seat. "It's going fine. Just the way it should be considering I spent thousands of dollars just to get it open." James answers for her. 

I see Emmett roll his eyes and smile as I sit down. Ben and his family take their seats as well as my dad. Mom purses her lips and then plasters on a smile. "Well that's lovely. Let's say grace shall we?" we all bow our heads and grab hands as my dad says grace. After he finishes we start putting food on our plates. "That's quite a lot of food you got there gal. Slow down, it ain't going nowhere" James chuckles. I blush and look down at my plate. Out of my peripheral I see my dad clench his hand into a fist on the table. Ben shakes his head. "James leave that girl alone, she can eat all she wants." Olivia says. 

I stare at my plate silently eating as our parents talk. Emmett glares at Ben as he eats his food. Ben squirms uncomfortably under Emmett's stare. "So David why did you and your family call us over here? This meal is nice and everything but I know ya'll didn't call us over here just enjoy a meal" James says. Dad clear his throat and wipes his mouth. "You're right. Why don't we all get a bowl of pudding and move to the living room." he says. "Daddy I wanna go play dollies" Starla says. "Go ahead, Emmett go with her" he says. Emmett nods and swings Starla into his arms. He tickles her and she giggles as they head upstairs. 

After we've all gotten our pudding and moved into the living room my dad starts talking. "We have some news. And it's not very good." he says. James sits back. "Alright so talk. Stop beating around the bush" he says. Olivia pops his arm. "James don't be rude. I'm so sorry. Go ahead" she nods. "Pepper do you want to tell them?" dad asks. My head shoots up and I shake my head frantically. Ben glances between us curiously. 

Dad nods. "I think you do. Go on, it's alright" he looks at me. I look to mom for help and my eyes water when she shakes her head at me. I take a deep breath and turn to Ben and his family. "I-I'm pregnant" I whisper. "Speak up girl" Dad says. "I'm pregnant. With Ben's baby" I say louder. Olivia gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. James pops up in his seat and turn to Ben, he glares at him. "Boy what did I tell you about using protection? Now look what you've done!" he says. Ben stares at me shocked. "You're serious? When did you find out?" he asks. I look away from him. "Yesterday afternoon" I say. 

"Now just wait a darn minute. How do we know exactly that this is Ben's baby? For all we know-" dad cuts James off. "Now you wait a minute, what exactly are you trying to say?" he says. James purses his lips. "I think you know exactly what i'm trying to say" he says. "James!" Olivia hisses. "No Lizzie, for all we know the girl doesn't even know who the father is and she's just trying to pin that baby on Ben" he says. "You will not talk about my daughter like that. My child does not sleep around, unlike yours. And I don't appreciate what you're trying to accuse her of!" dad yells jumping up. 

Mom stands and places her hand on dad's arm. "Why don't ya'll just settle down now. Let's talk like adults." she says. Dad mutters and sits back down in his seat. "I believe her" Ben says. "What did you say boy?" James asks him. "I said I believe her. Pepper isn't like that. I believe that it's my baby" he says. Olivia stares at him and shakes her head. She turns to my parents. "So what? What have ya'll decided? Is she gonna keep it?" she asks. "We haven't decided all of that yet. But it's Pepper's decision" mom says. Olivia turns to me, "So what do you want to do? Keep it? Give it up for adoption?" she asks. 

And just like that all eyes are on me. I look down at the carpet and study the designs. "I-I think i want to keep my baby" I say. I glance up at Ben. "You don't have to hel-" he cuts me off. " I want to help" he says at the same time his dad says, "He's going to help." he says. "I just hope ya'll know what you're in for. Raising babies are extremely hard. Especially with how young ya'll are. Which means both of ya'll need to start saving up money from those jobs you got. We're not going to be paying for everything." James says. Mom and Dad nod in agreement.  

I glance at Ben and look down when I find him staring at me. I grab the empty bowls. "I'm gonna wash the dishes." I say. Ben stands. "I'll help you" he follows me to the kitchen. "I can't believe you're actually pregnant. A-are you sure you want to keep the baby? I'll be here for you no matter what you decide." he says. I fill the sink with water. "I'm keeping the baby Ben. And don't think for one second that just because I told you we're friends or anything remotely close. I was forced to tell you. I don't forgive you for what you did to me. Maybe one day I will, but as of now I can't stand you." I start washing the dishes. 

Ben nods. "I know. I deserve that, but I hope that one day you will forgive me because i'm sorry for what I did to you." He dries the dishes and puts them in the dish washer. I purse my lips. I'm not entirely sure I believe him. But i'll try to for the sake of our baby. He or she is already going to grow up in a broken home, there doesn't need to be any extra tension.