Chapter 24
-- Ali's POV --
“Who is this other guy?”
Summer pursed her lips, remaining silent.
“Tell us, sis,” I said smoothly, a delicate smile stretching onto my face as I placed my hands on her shoulders. “We just want to help...”
We were trying to get my sister to spill the beans. According to her, there was about a two week difference between the... two occasions... and from that, she had now figured out who was (probably) the father to her unborn child. Gina and I were desperate to help, but she refused to tell us who it was. I, in particular, was curious. My heart was determined it wasn’t Dennis, but my mind was more open to the possibility.
“Talk!” snapped Gina, and both Summer and me jumped when she slammed her fist down onto the table. I gave her a wide-eyed look but she just ignored me. “We’re letting you live here, kid, so start talking or you’ll be out on the streets. Got it?”
The look in her eyes was fierce. She leaned down onto the table, her fiery hair falling into her face, and she looked exactly like a police officer who was trying to get information out of the suspect. I suddenly realised our roles: Gee was bad cop, I was good cop.
She raked a hand through her hair and then stared straight at me. “It’s better you don’t know.”
I swallowed nervously. What did she know..? It suddenly dawned on me and I had to look away from Summer so she wouldn’t see my reaction. She knew...
She knew... about Dennis...
I bit my lip. How, though? How?
“Ali?”
I turned around. “Yeah, Sum?”
“It’s –“ she fiddled nervously with her fingers, “It’s – it’s Dennis.”
My heart stopped.
**
I stared sadly at Summer as she spoke calmly to Dennis on the phone. She was incredibly patient, since I could hear, from quite a distant away, him shouting from the other end.
I still didn’t want to accept it. There was no way Dennis and me could be together now, not with Summer and her baby. I knew how it would end up: at first, he would tell me we could still be together but then, gradually, he was start to drift away from me, and probably would end up getting back together with my sister, and it was likely that that was partly her intention in all of this, and they would live happily ever after as husband and wife, and I’d be back to square one... life is shit.
My thoughts wandered back to Ian. What would he do if he were in Dennis’s situation? Would he leave me and give it another go with her, or would he fight for me? From experience, I already knew the answer – of course he wouldn’t fight me, he didn’t do it the last time.
“Okay,” said Summer, taking a shaky breath, as if she was about to cry and clutching the phone to her ear. “I know... yes, I’m aware of that – Okay, okay, enough! There was a reason I called – don’t you take that tone with me! Oh, no, no, no, you aren’t innocent in all of this, Dennis, you drove me to it!”
I sighed. They were bickering... again.
“With Shelly! Don’t pretend there was nothing between you. Don’t lie, Dennis, I’m not stupid – oh shut up!”
I stood up and walked towards Summer, holding out my hand. At first she looked confused, but when I glanced pointedly at the phone, she understood. Reluctantly, the phone was passed to me.
“- you bitch, don’t even try –“ he was saying.
“Dennis.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Ali?”
I was very aware of Summer hanging onto my every word. “Yep, hi. It’s me, Summer’s sister.”
“Ali, what’s up? Why are you being –“
“Listen,” I cut him off abruptly, “Summer’s got something really important to tell you and I really think you should meet her.”
“What? You’re okay with all of this – hang on, why are you two even in the same room? Ali –“
“So you’ll meet her?” I chirped. “Great! Thanks, sir!”
“Um, I never said –“
“She’ll meet you at our place now! Bye!”
I hung up before he could say another word.
Summer’s arms locked around my shoulders and I was tackled into a bone-crushing hug, staggering back slightly from the weight.
“Uh, Summer?” I said, puzzled. “Why are you hugging me?”
“You’re amazing,” she replied, laughing. “You’re actually the best sister ever! I love you!”
I patted her back awkwardly, a lump forming in my throat. “Y-yeah... you too.”
I most certainly was not the best sister ever. Quite the opposite...
**
– Summer’s POV –
“So...”
“So.”
I drummed my fingers on the table, avoiding Dennis’s intent stare. Ali and Gina had left, giving us a bit of privacy, but not before Ali gave me one subtle, but noticeable, searching look, like she was trying to figure something out just by my expression.
I was pretty confident why.
Before, just before I admitted the name of the father, I could sense something wrong with my sister, ever since we started talking about the father. She knew something. I wasn’t 100% sure, but I was pretty confident.
“You said you had to tell me something?” asked Dennis coldly, his hands clasped together like he was praying.
“Uh, yeah,” I said.
“Well?”
I licked my dry lips and tried to think of the words to say. What I really wanted to do was blurt out those two life-changing words: I’m pregnant. But I had to gradually do it.
“Something’s happened,” I said slowly, “that concerns you and, uh, it wasn’t... planned.”
His eyes searched my face, just like Ali had. “And what is that?”
“Before you... dumped me, we –“
“Dumped?” he said. “I had no choice, Summer. You cheated on me.”
“I know, I know,” I said dismissively, “I’m a bitch. Anyway, I was saying that we had –“
“You certainly are,” he muttered under his breath. It was quiet, but loud enough for me to hear, which I was sure was his intention.
I took a deep breath, letting the insult slide. “It’s really important, okay? We had sex –“
He chuckled. “Of course we did. We’re not sixty.”
Warmth spread through my heart. He wasn’t as angry or as cold as he was a few minutes ago. I took his hand in mine and sighed.
“Listen to me, Dennis. This is so important.”
He was silent.
“I...”
“Spit it out,” he said.
“I’m...”
“Summer!”
“I’m pregnant!”
If the situation wasn’t so serious, I might’ve laughed at Dennis’s reaction. It was like any normal reaction, like how Gina and Ali reacted when they first heard, except this was about a thousand times worse.
His mouth hung open, so wide you could probably fit a bus in there and you’d still have some room. Those blue, blue eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. He stood up abruptly, causing the chair to topple to the floor behind him because of his force.
“What?” he hissed.
“Y-you’re the father,” I added weakly, shrinking away.
I could tell how he was feeling from just his face – anger, shock, worry, hurt, guilt (wait, what?)...
“Oh my God,” he whispered, “shit...”
“C-calm down,” I tried to comfort him, offering him a consoling hand. He slapped it away angrily.
“You... you... baby... dad... crying... nappies... it...” the words tumbled out of his mouth, seemingly against his own will. He seemed incoherent of proper speech.
“I can’t do this,” he said stiffly and he grabbed his jacket quickly. I shook my head frantically, following him and blocking the door as he tried to leave.
“No!” I sobbed. “You can’t just leave! We – we have to talk at least!”
“Get out of the way,” Dennis ordered.
“No,” I repeated in an irritated voice. “I’m keeping it, and I need you!”
“How do you even know I’m the father, eh?” he cried, lifting his arms up in exasperation. “You’re a dirty little slut, you know that?! I might not be the dad!”
“You are,” I responded firmly. “Trust me, I know.”
He glared at me and then grabbed my upper arm to push me out of the way. I stumbled sideway, almost toppling over when all my weight was forced onto my left foot. When I managed to regain balance, the door slammed and he was already gone.
_______________________________________________________________
NO MORE UPDATES TIL NEXT WEEKEND.... PROBABLY! I got exams all next week so I have tons of revision to do, but I made this as long as possible. So sorry this isn't all that exciting but hey, all stories have their crappy chapters, and this is one of mine.
Also....
<< VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
I know this is pushing my luck, but can we try for 20 votes? We sometimes managed to do it! Even if we don't that far, it's all good. But TRY! :D And comment too, I want your thoughts! Any ideas about what's gonna happen next? :P
~ :)