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3 Weeks Later
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“Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, hey do tou have the assignment Mr C-“ I stop short when I see Jacob’s eyes glance away from me and towards my house. I glance over my shoulder and see Edward staring at us through the window. I sigh. He’s not gonna ever forgive Jacob.
Apparently, Jacob is not allowed back in the house, at least that’s what my brothers said. “Can you tell him to stop staring at us every time I drop you off and pick you up? What’s he think? That we’re gonna have sex in the car, right in front of the house?”
I roll my eyes, “I tell them EVERYDAY! They just wont listen and they’ve stopped trusting me.”
“I’m sorry,” Jacob says giving me hand a reassuring squeeze. I smile at him and kiss his cheek before getting out of the car. “See you tomorrow.”
I nod my head and lean in the car whispering, “Tomorrow, after school, we’re going to your house. Not mine.” He nods his head.
“You got it, bye.” Jacob drives out of the driveway, gives my house once last glance then drives away.
I stare after him for a while then turn to the house where Edward still sits staring at me. I run to the front door and storm inside. “Edward Mason Royce!!” I growl as I make it into the living room. Edward stands up from the window sill and turns to face me. “Would you stop staring at us everytime we come home from school!! It’s not like we’re gonna have sex in the car or something! GEEZ, give it a break!!”
“Yeah, it doesn’t even matter anymore. She’s already pregnant Ed.” Emmett says as he enters the room holding Rosalie’s hand.
“Shut up!” I growl at him, already pissed off because of Edward. “Just back off me okay?!” I run upstairs and into my room until dinner time. Considering I’m grounded for life.
At around 7 o’clock I hear someone knock on my door, but I don’t answer it. I ignore it and continue to scribble down in my notebook. “Alice.” I hear Edward call right behind me. I jump scared and turn to face him. “Calm down Ali. It’s just me. Here…” He tosses an envelope at me.
“What’s this?”
“I don’t know, but it’s addressed to you.”
I roll my eyes, “What… did you already read it? Did you already invade my privacy? Considering that ever since you found about the baby, that’s all you’ve done.” Edward shakes his head, and opens his mouth to say something, but someone cuts him off.
“I wouldn’t let him.” Bella says walking into the room. “To thank you for not spilling our secret to your parents.”
With no gratitude or emotion in my voice I say, “Thank you.”
Bella nods her head and grabs Edward’s hand. “Let’s leave her alone.” She whispers before exiting. I close and lock the door again and turn to the envelope in my hands.
He answered back!! I hope the best when I open it. I dump out everything and I’m left dumbfounded… What? These are all the letters I’ve sent Michael over the past 3 weeks. Near the bottom is a note that didn’t come from me. I pull it out and start reading,
To whom ever this concerns,
The soldier that these letters were addressed to went MIA a couple weeks ago. No one is sure of his whereabouts, although as of now, he is presumed dead.
It seems as if every single nerve in my body shuts down.
He’s… dead.
“No… no… it cant be. He cant be…” I reread the letter more than once and just as my tears begin to escape I toss the paper to the side. Someone knocks on my door, “Go away!!” I scream at whoever is there. I don’t want to see ANYONE!! I want to leave and be alone right now!
“Alice…” Mommy says from outside my door. “Are you okay?”
“NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!”
“Alice sweetie, open the door.”
“NOO! I WANT TO BE ALONE!!!!”
After a while mommy stops knocking at my door and I hear footsteps walk away. I put my face in my pillow and scream. I scream and cry until my voice is almost gone. Michael cant be dead! He’s at fucking boot camp! I refuse to believe it. Its a mistake. Michael is fine, he probably just got separated from everyone else.
I need to get out of here. Talk to someone. Anaiya? No, she’s at home spending time with her boyfriend. My parents? Hell no! Brothers? Not even an option. Bella and Rose? I don’t trust them… I guess the only person left is Jacob then.
I pull out my phone and with shaking fingers dial his number. He answers on the first ring, “Hey Ali, what’s up?” He says happily. I open my mouth to answer, but a sob comes out instead and I collapse to my knees. I sob into the phone trying to control the emotions running through me. “Alice! What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is it the baby?” He asks worriedly. I try to speak again, but only sobs continue to come out of my mouth. I cant speak, it’s difficult to breath… “Alice!” Jacob screams through the phone. My fingers give way and the phone easily slips between my fingers and onto the floor, face up. Jacob’s voice continues to speak through the speakers. “Alice, answer me! Damn it!” No answer, only sobs. “I’m coming over! I’ll be there in 5.” And he hangs up.
I curl into a fetal position and bring my knees up to my chest. My heart aches horribly and I cant feel my body. This cannot be happening… It cant! Michael was about to be a father. He is a father! He cant leave me… leave us. He promised!!
My hand flies automatically to my stomach. My baby… our baby cannot grow up without knowing it’s father. It’s actual father.
My sobbing turns to sniveling. I glance at my bedroom door and without thinking, jump up to a standing position. I head to the bathroom, do my best to rid myself of tears- even though it’s easily noticeable that I’ve been crying- and change into different clothes. Once I pull my jacket on my body, I run to the door and open the door hoping to find no one standing outside my door. Unfortunately, the universe hates me and I’m facing my brothers. I’m so not in the mood for this.
“You aren’t going anywhere. Your grounded remember?” Emmett says, crossing his arms across his chest. I try to refrain from speaking, if I do I’ll start crying again. I just push past them, pull my hoodie over my head and keep walking ignoring their protest. I make it to the front door by the time they block my way again. “Alice your not going anywhere.”
I hear Jacob’s honk outside. I try to go past, but they wont let me. Rosalie looks out the window, “Jacob’s here.” She tells them looking over at me. “Alice… are you crying?”
Edward snarls, the comment about me crying going over his head, “Your definitely not going with him!” He raises his voice.
“What’s going on?” Mom asks as she walks into the living room.
“Alice you wanna tell mom where your going and who your going with while your grounded?” Emmett says smugly.
“Thanks Emmett, Edward, but I don’t need you to speak for your father and I . We’re her parents, now go…” Mom shoos them away.
“Come on Ed. Em.” Rosalie grabs their hands and takes them out of the room.
I turn to my mom and she sees the tears beneath my eyes. “Baby what’s wrong?” She asks worriedly, walking up to me and cupping my face.
A tear slips past my eyes and I stare at her desperately, “C-Can I go… *gulps* w-with Jacob. Please?” I beg grabbing onto her hands tightly. “We wont d-do a-anything… I promise…” I whisper so silently, the last part was almost inaudible, but my mother knows what I said. “I-I really need… him right now.” My voice only manages to get a few inches higher in volume. If I go any louder, I know I will start crying. Mommy hesitant before looking out the window, lacking in answer. “I-I’m gonna spend the *sniffs* night at Jake’s… He’ll d-drive me to school and to and from work. I’ll be back tomorrow night. I promise.” I hurriedly tell her because I can feel the tears coming. Kissing her cheek, I open the front door and run out without her answering. I cant stay in that house one more minute, if I do I’ll go crazy. Once I run out the door the tears begin to spill like an endless river down my face. Once I’m in Jacob’s car I turn to face him and burst out in tears, “Drive! Go to your house or something, but.. just get away from here!!” I try to tell him over the constant shutters of my sobs. Jacob starts driving without question and he drives in the direction of his house. Knowing the beach has too many memories to return to right now.
Once we’ve parked in his driveway, he pulls me in his lap and up against his chest. “Ssh… ssh, it’s okay. Alice what’s wrong?” I don’t answer him I just sob. It hurts too much to talk about Michael right now. Too much.
I hold onto Jacob tightly and bury my face in his chest. “C-Can… I-I stay with… you ton-tonight?”
He nods his head, “Of course. Come on.” Jacob turns off the car and gets out with me in his arms. When he walks inside we’re met with his dad, but I keep my head in his chest, too ashamed to face his father.
“Son?”
“Dad, can Alice spend the night?” I don’t notice their entire conversation. I block it out. Only I am aware that Jake is climbing the stairs afterwards. I close my eyes and hold him closer to me as I whisper,
“Does he know?” I ask looking up at him
Jacob nods his head, “I had to give him an explanation as to why I have bruise marks on my face.” Jacob opens his bedroom door and takes me to his bed. Placing me down, he takes that time to go to his dresser, and rummages through there for a moment. Seconds later he pulls out one of my nightgowns that I keep here when I spend the night. He places it right beside me watching me with concerned eyes. I nod my thanks, but don’t make a move to grab the clothing.
I watch as Jacob goes to his dresser and grabs his PJ bottoms. I watch as he takes off his shirt, how his muscles flex at just that simple movement and how sculptured his upper body is. Normally I would make fun of him and tease him about being on steroids, but right now I don’t feel anything. I just feel numb and I cant do anything, but watch. Soon Jake begins to undo the belt on his pants making his pants hang, his hips being the only thing holding them up. He’s about to pull them down, but then remembers that I’m in the room. And also I’m watching him. He stops. “Sorry,” He whispers before walking into his bathroom. He didn’t have to do that. I wasnt uncomfortable, I was actually at peace. I’ve seen Jake with no pants and shirt on before, he’s seen me so there shouldn’t awkwardness between us.
Then I remember… it’s the baby. I stare down at my stomach until Jacob emerges from his bathroom. “You can change now Ali.” He says gesturing to the bathroom. Only I don’t move from my spot. I cant move. It seems as if all the muscles and functions in my body had stopped. The minute I had read that note.
Jacob seems to realize because he sighs and walks over to me. Taking the nightgown in his hand, he gestures to my body then the gown. I nod numbly not caring anymore. I don’t care, I’m just tired. He slips my shirt off my body and swiftly replaces it with the nightgown. He then lays me down and slips off my jeans easily. Once they’re off, he moves me and tucks me under his sheets. I don’t complain, I let him baby me. Because I cant seem to do anything for myself at the moment. He grabs tissues from his bedside table and hands it to me. I blow my nose, nosily and messily as I try to cover up what I’ve done to myself. I probably look like a mess. I feel bad for Jacob having to watch me like he is. He grabs the tissue from me and throws it away then comes back to my side. He kisses my forehead then lays down on the floor.
Seeing Jacob grab pillows and blankets from underneath his bed, I react almost instantly. “Jacob no…” Wow, my voice sounds horrible. So hoarse and unused and it forces me to clear my throat before continuing, “Here take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.” I start to get out from under the covers and out of the bed.
“Alice stop, it’s okay.” He says smiling up at me. “You take the bed.”
“No this is your room, your letting me spend the night so you should take your bed.”
Jacob sighs, “Your so stubborn.” He gets off the floor and pushes me back onto the bed. He tucks me in tightly and sits down next to me. “I’ll be fine. Now just sleep.”
Jacob turns to go lay back down on the floor, but something possesses me to reach out and grab onto his wrist tightly. When he turns to face me with an eyebrow arched, I look up at him sadly. Desperately. “Sleep with me?” I ask him innocently. My other hand reaches out to grab onto his forearm with all the strength left in my body. “Please? This bed is big enough for the both of us.” I tell him. He looks at me hesitantly, uncertainly. He opens his mouth to protest, “I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.”
Jacob bites his bottom lip. “Are you sure? I don’t want to do anything your not comfortable with.”
“I’m more than sure. Please.” Jacob glances over at the empty side of the side, at me then at my stomach. I grab onto his hand and sit up. I then place his hand on my stomach. “Sleep with me. Just sleep. I want you to… we want you to. We don’t want you to slep on the floor.” I tell him playing the baby card. He smiles at me sweetly then kisses my forehead. “We want… d-daddy to sleep with us, don’t we baby?” This is the first time I’ve called Jacob the father of my baby. And it seems very strange because he’s not. But I wont say that. Besides it wont harm anyone, but me.
I push the thought away before I can burst into tears again and focus on Jacob’s face. This seems to surprise him, but not me. He stares at me shocked. “I-I… I thought you didn’t want me to-“
I hug him tightly, “I don’t want you to. I really don’t.” I reply honestly. “But… this is your decision. I cant stand in the way of what you want and what makes you happy. You have to do what you want and… if you want to be the father of my baby… I’ll allow you too.” I whisper hugging him tightly.
“Thank you.” He whispers putting his other hand on my flat stomach. I offer the biggest smile I can give him, which is just a tug of the corner of my lips. “Lay down.” He tells me pushing me back down on the bed. He gets off and walks over to the other side. Once he’s climbed in, I turn to face him and grab onto one of his hands.
“Thank you for being here for me.” I whisper getting sleepy.
“Alice, I’ll always be here for you… Always." He reaches out and strokes the hair out of my face. This gesture seems normal, no hint of love or admiration and I like it. I don’t want him to stop. And he doesn’t… he keeps doing it till I fall asleep.
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The Next Day, At The Diner…
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I walk inside and there is Anaiya. Sitting there waiting for me nervously. I walk up to her and she greets me. “Hey.”
“Hi.” I’m not in the mood for being nice. She seems to notice, so Anaiya gets downs to the point.
“Alice… I heard... about the baby.” Anaiya says sympathetically . Of course she did. I didn’t tell her what the test said when I tested it at her house. I just left with the promise of a phone call that I never did..
I nod my head and walk towards the back with her following. I walk over to the wall and pin my nametag to my shirt. “Yeah.” Is all I say. The mention of the baby is getting me upset because it reminds me of Michael.
“It’s his… isn’t it?” she whispers behind me. I freeze in my spot, afraid to turn around and look into her eyes. I look down at my stomach,
“I don’t know what your talking about.” I tell her getting stuff ready for work.
She walks up behind me, grabs my hands from what their doing and turns me around to face her. “That Michael guy. Everyone is saying it’s Jacob’s, but it’s not… Is it?” I keep quiet and put my head down. I’m in danger of tears. “Sweetie it’s me. You can trust me. You know you can.” I sigh and give it up. She’s my second best friend and since she already knows it’s not Jacob, why lie to her.
“Fine… yes it is Michael’s. But Jacobi s gonna be the father, no one else, besides us and him, are going to know about Michael. This baby is only gonna have one father and it’s going to be Jacob. I’ve already talked to his father and my parents. Jacob is the father and no one can change that.”
Anaiya whispers, really low, “What happens when Michael comes back?” I bit my quivering bottom lip and turn around, clutching onto the counter as sobs escape my body. “Alice… sweetheart-“
“He’s dead… Michael’s dead. He’s never coming back!”
I hear her gasp from behind me, but I’m to preoccupied with my uncontrollable sobs that I don’t notice. I grip the counter hard and slide down to the floor. Anaiya follows after me and hugs me tightly. “Oh, I’m so sorry baby girl… How do you know?”
“They s-sent… a let-letter yesterday telling m-me… that he went missing. They presumed h-him dead.”
Anaiya brushes hair out of my face. “…What are you gonna do?”
Staring past her and at the floor I give her my most honest answer, “I don’t know.”
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Later That Night…
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I walk inside and into the living room where my parents sit watching T.V. I debate on announcing when I’m home until I hear my father laugh. I stop myself and watch as my parents, happy together, have a good time. This is the first time I’ve seen my father smile since I told him I was pregnant and I miss watching him so happy. Every time I enter a room, his smile gets wiped off his face and he leaves without another word.
It hurts, but I don’t try to do anything about it. If my dad doesn’t want to be in the same as me for a while, I can understand that. I smile at them then walk out of the room and upstairs. I make it ot my room in once peace. Anaiya and I had a long talk after closing down the diner early and I am okay. She helped me try to get my life together. This is what I know Im going to do.
Jacob is the father of my baby. He’s going to make a great father. We wil love this baby with all our hearts and this baby will get love from his grandparents, uncles and aunts. I’m going to carry this baby for 8 more months considering there isn’t much to do at this point.
I’m so exhausted and all I want to do is sleep. I change into my PJs as fast as I can then climb under the covers. Maybe I can have a peaceful night. Just one peaceful night is all I ask for. I close my eyes and let my body relax. I’m out like a light when my head makes contact with my pillow.
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