Organised Chaos

Chapter 13 - Papa

Riya went home after work. She knew she couldn't go to the bar and drink up a storm anymore. She hoped that her previous weeks drinking hadn't affected the baby. Her baby - wow. This was all too weird. She wasn't sure she was ready for this. She had never wanted a baby....she never even wanted children in the future. Her belief was that if she had children, their lives would be messed up - because she knew she was messed up. She didn't want to cause any innocent child heartbreak or pain. She had felt enough heartbreak to last multiple lifetimes and didn't want to inflict that on anyone. Although she knew she was probably hurting her father. She sighed. What would she tell her father when he got home from work? Should she hide it for awhile? Or was it better to just come out and say it?

Riya lay in bed staring up the ceiling for what felt like hours before she heard the garage door open and close. He was home. She had decided to tell him and get it over and done with. In another couple of months it would be impossible to hide. She heard her father coming upstairs and left her room to intercept him before he retreated to his room.

"Papa hi!" She said pleasantly.

"Riya what are you doing home?" He was surprised. She hadn't been home this early for as long as he could remember. Somewhere down the line he had lost all control over his daughter.

"Uhm I just felt tired so I came home to rest. No outings tonight!" She said smiling. Her father looked tired and she felt bad dropping this on him now. "Can I get you some dinner?" She offered instead.

"Wow I don't think you have ever offered me even a glass of water let a lone an entire meal." He said giggling. What had gotten into her?

"Well you could have just said no. Didn't need to make a big deal out of it!" She said rolling her eyes. Her nice gestures never went noticed anyway in this house.

"Okay okay, I'm really tired Riya, I'm going to shower and head to bed." He said turning toward his room.

"Papa, I have something to tell you" she blurted out. She had to say it before she changed her mind.

"What is it?" He became concerned. He couldn't remember the last time she had wanted to tell him anything.

"Can you sit down before I tell you. Please!" She said taking his arm and dragging him to the sofa. "Now don't get mad ok, please promise you won't get angry." She said seating him down and kneeling near his leg. She felt terrified of how he would react.

"What is it? You're really scaring me now."

"Promise you won't get mad!" She insisted

"Okay okay, just say it." He said getting impatient. How could he promise this without even knowing what it was?

"I'm really sorry Papa. I'm pregnant." She said unable to look him in the eyes. She felt so scared and so ashamed at the same time to admit this to him.

"WHAT?" He said immediately standing up and clutching his hair in panic. "How? When WHAT?" He could barely make out his thoughts let a lone formulate a proper sentence. He was completely dumbfounded. "Who?" He asked pulling Riya up to face him.

"I'm sorry Papa. Just someone I know....it wasn't planned...I, I don't know...I can't believe...." she didn't know what to say.

"Riya oh my god! How could you?" He asked desperately.

"I didn't get pregnant on purpose! I'm sorry I honestly am. But we can figure this out." She said trying to calm him down. She didn't want him to fall sick because of this.

"I didn't even think you were....doing that with someone!!" He couldn't even say it. She felt immediately embarrassed and looked away.

"Papa it's 2018, please!" She said not wanting to get into that with her father.

"We have one solution! I'll take you to a clinic tomorrow." He said taking out his phone to research. Wow, was he really okay with this? Was he going to support her!

"I have to tell the father." She said feeling lighter than before. Maybe everything would be okay.

"Don't tell him. Don't get him involved." Her father snapped, browsing for clinics on his phone.

"What? The baby needs a father!" She said feeling shocked that he would even suggest that.

"No, you're getting an abortion!!" He said not looking at her.

"What?" She couldn't believe what he was saying! How could he even suggest this? His own grandchild?

"You're not having a child out of wedlock Riya! I will not have our family friends and associates calling you names and telling me I'm a bad father!! How could you do this to me?"