Keeping Up With the Briefs

Expecting

"Oh, Panny," Chi-Chi whispered quietly.

Pan crumpled over and broke out into a loud sob. She was glad her tears covered her eyes because she didn't want to see the look in her parent's eyes. They hated her now - she just knew it!

She was ready for a heavy scolding, but Pan gasped in surprise as she felt arms wrap around her and hold her tightly. She opened her eyes and through her blurry eyes she could see her Mama holding her tightly and rocking her. Her Papa was still rubbing her back gently. Both of them were cradling her so gently that Pan couldn't help but continue to sob.

Pan wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but it felt like hours before her cries finally turned into soft sniffs. Chi-Chi pulled away and reached over to the small table beside the couch and pulled out a tissue from the box. She wiped Pan's cheeks and then her nose. Pan couldn't meet her eyes; she was too ashamed.

"I'll let you two talk," Goku said softly before he gave Pan's head a gentle pat.

"Come on," Chi-Chi said as she grabbed Pan's hand and led her into the dining room. She sat Pan down at the table before she went into the kitchen and started making something. Several minutes later, she came back out with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and sat one down in front of Pan.

Pan grabbed the mug in front of her and stared at it. She didn't know what to expect, but she knew her mother would be asking a lot of questions.

"Is it Shun's?" Was Chi-Chi's first question.

Pan nodded. "He's the only guy I ever -" she cleared her hoarse throat. "We only did it once," she whispered. "I never would have thought -" she shook her head, ashamed.

"Sometimes it only takes one time, I would know that from experience," Chi-Chi said, her voice still soft.

Pan glanced up at her Mama. Her eyes felt swollen and sore, but she could see the comforting smile on her Mama's face. "You?" She whispered.

Chi-Chi nodded. "The truth is, I was pregnant with Gohan when I married your Papa."

Pan's eyes widened. The statement was news to her. When her Mama had given her the sex talk at twelve, she had made it clear that she had waited until her wedding night.

"Your Papa and I hadn't been dating long," Chi-Chi admitted. "We had only been seeing each other for a few months when he stayed the night with your grandfather and I. He had his own room, but of course, I went to visit him. One thing led to another and we made love for the first time that night. It was almost a month later when I realized I was pregnant. When I told your Papa, I suggested that we go ahead and get married, and he - " she let out a small laugh - "agreed, even though he had thought marriage was some type of food."

Pan felt her lips twitch. That did sound like her Papa. "So you two had a shotgun wedding?" She asked in surprise.

"I guess you could call it that," Chi-Chi said with a small nod. "Everyone thought Gohan was conceived as soon as we got married, and that he was born a month early. With Goku being his father, no one was too surprised to see that Gohan was big and healthy. No one but me and Goku knew that Gohan was actually a few weeks past due," she gave Pan a smile. "Even though your Papa and I got married because I was pregnant, I was very lucky to find a man who truly loves me. Not all shotgun weddings work, you know."

Pan nodded slowly. She felt a little at ease now that she knew that her Mama had a similar experience than her. "I'm sorry, Mama," she whispered. "I wish I had talked to you about birth control or something. I guess I was too embarrassed."

"So do I, but we can't change the past, Panny. We have to look toward the future now," she reached out and grabbed Pan's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Have you told Shun?"