Don't Ask Me Who The Father Is (completed)

Mac-N-Cheese and Overhearing

After church Johnny drove us to our spot. I wore yellow tights with a dark green dress that bore a black bow around the collar. We sat in the car and just talked. It was nice not being at the house with my grandparents who wouldn't stop looking at my stomach. One of them asked if Johnny and I were planning on marrying and have a shot gun wedding. We laughed it off but something inside me yearned for a life with Johnny.

When we got back my parents were arguing with my grandparents.

"All I'm saying is that Jessica is going to be a bum all her life and live off of you two if you don't figure something out now!" My grandma spat at my mother. They were standing in the kitchen still in their church clothes. My dad was eating French toast in a pair of jeans and a sweater. My cousins were quietly playing in the family room as my aunt sat at the bar on a stool.

I grabbed Johnny's hand and he squeezed it tight.

"Jessica is fifteen!" My mom yelled back. My grandpa was on one of the other bar stools and was shaking his head. "Of course she's going to live off of us for a while!"

"Can we please just stop talking about this!" My dad cut in. "Look at my daughter!" Everyone turned to me, even my cousins. "She's scared! She made a stupid adult mistake! And now she's paying for that! Literally! You think Sarah and I are letting her off easy? We're making her work at the ... "

I jumped and grabbed my dad's arm. It was enough if my grandparents knew about me being pregnant but it was going to be too much if they knew I had slept with three boys and don't even know who the father is.

"I'm working!" I butted in. My dad looked at me surprised at my hold on him and I gave him a pleading look. He sadly understood and nodded. I knew in his eyes that he was trying to say sorry for almost making things worse. We looked over at mom and I think she got the message as well.

"That's right," she began, "Jessica is working because we told her she must learn how to be an adult. Soon enough she'll be driving and she'll learn to shop on her own and pay bills. Isn't that right honey?" My dad and I both nodded. They of course have never actually talked to me about that but I knew the topic would soon most likely be unavoidable.

Everyone's eyes were on us except one pair.

"Where's Aunt Belinda?" I said with narrowed eyes. Everyone looked around themselves until a few of us began shrugging. My mom then hit herself on the forehead and said,

"We left her at the church!"

"I'll go get her," my dad offered grabbing the keys to the car.

"I'll come with," Johnny volunteered. I reached for his hand and held it tight while giving him a pleading look to not leave me. He returned a sad smile and said he'd be back.

He and my dad left and I couldn't help but think that he wanted out of this contentious home just as much as I did.

I stayed in my church clothes waiting for Johnny to come back. I started a game with my cousins and aunt and climbed to my feet from off the floor when I heard the door click open and everyone cheering now that Aunt Belinda was found. People were apologizing that they left the poor, old woman at the church but she just patted people's shoulders and hands and forgave them. Her presence brought peace to the heated house.

I walked quickly up to Johnny and clung to him. I knew that I was being clingy but he was the only life support I had these past two days.

He seemed to like it, however, because he gladly wrapped his arm around my waist and held me close to him.

Early this morning we had driven to Johnny's for church clothes and a few extra items of clothing. He planned on staying through Christmas just like my relatives.

Late Sunday night we watched a Christmas movie together on my bed. He had his arm wrapped around me as my laptop sat on both our thighs. I asked if he wanted a midnight snack and he said yes. We snuck downstairs and made up some Mac-n-cheese.

"Jess," he began as he held a spoon full of yellow noodles in his hand, "I want to tell you something," I turned to him after shoving a spoon in my mouth. "I dated so that I could get over you ... . But it didn't work." His deep, brown eyes bore into mine. "I was super jealous whenever River or Carson were around you. I—" he looked away. "I'm sorry I got mad at you at the hospital that day. I was just ... so frustrated that your life was put in jeopardy because of Carson. I hate him. I hate him with a passion!" Johnny's face began to turn red. "I've liked you for the longest time. And yet that boy always stole your attention from me." I grabbed his hand. My chest was getting heavy. My legs were tensing up. My mind was scattered.

"Who's the one with my attention now?" Johnny huffed a chuckle as his eyes slowly closed, poised on my lips. We kissed and held it until we both heard a cough. We both gasped as my grandpa stood their with folded arms. My stomach began to gurgle and I ran to the bathroom. I heard Johnny get up from his seat and follow. He held my hair back as I released the Mac-n-cheese and dinner into the toilet. Once I felt better I told him that I had to go to the bathroom and asked him to leave.

Once I was done I realized I hadn't locked the door. At first I felt stupid and embarrassed but then I stopped and listened.

"You seem like a sensible young man." I heard my grandpa say in his husky voice.

"Thank you?" Johnny replied in an uneasy tone.

"You're sixteen right?"

"Yeah,"

"And Jessica will be sixteen next month." Johnny must have nodded. "Why don't the two of you just get married?" Silence.

"I'm about to tell you something I've never told anyone." My chest lifted at Johnny's phrase. "My mom got pregnant in high school with me and my dad married her because he thought it was the right thing to do. Only a few years later did they divorce. Sir, I want the best for Jessica. I love her—hah, I love the girl no matter how stubborn or clingy she is. I want her to make that choice to marry me." I couldn't hear anything and almost peaked through the crack in the door until my grandpa called out.

"You almost done in their Jessica?"

"Yeah!" I quickly responded. I flushed the toilet and washed my hands. I went out to see them and acted as though I didn't hear.

All I knew, though, was Johnny would stay with me no matter who's baby it was.

^*****^

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and hope that you are enjoying the story! I'm sorry the updates are slow. I'm having just a little bit of writer's block. Please correct me on any grammar errors if there are any. Give some suggestions if you'd like on where you want the story to go.  Please like and comment.