At the NJC
Stacey's pov
I sent Sean back to his apartment before going to break the news to my cousin and sisters. I wanted to do this alone, knowing they would probably ridicule me mercilessly before ultimately offering up their undying love and support.
Sitting on the floor of our room with Carrie and Lisa, I FaceTimed Julie.
"I have something I need to tell you guys and I wanted to do it all at once, so here goes. I'm pregnant and Sean's the father," I said quickly, taking the ripping off a band-aid approach.
Carrie's eyes widened as big as saucers, Lisa's jaw hit the floor, and my stupid cousin just laughed her ass off.
Wiping the tears from her eyes once she was able to contain her mirth at my expense, Julie said, "Oh, honey, you really have no taste when it comes to fornication or procreation. Do you?"
"You suck, cuz," I replied jokingly, knowing Julie was just being a smart ass.
"Yeah, but at least that won't get me knocked up like you," Julie retorted.
"Well, at least I'm not still hung up on a guy I went to grade school with," I sneered at my cousin, holding my phone up to see her reaction.
Julie chuckled.
"No, you've just got the spawn of dumb ass sired by the first guy you were horny enough to fuck as a sophomore percolating in your uterus," she taunted. "And I'm not hung up on Dan anymore, thank you very much."
"That's your first cousin once removed you're referring to as the spawn of dumb ass," I retorted. "Real nice."
"Um, hello!" Lisa interjected.
I turned to look at Lisa, positioning my phone so Julie could see her as well.
"What?" my cousin and I both said at the same time.
"You're kinda missing the big picture here." Lisa looked at us expectantly. "Stacey's pregnant. This is huge news and you two are arguing like idiots."
Julie replied, "Okay, first, we know she's pregnant. I was hearing it the same time as you. Second, we're not arguing and third, I think our banter was quite witty and far from idiotic."
Carrie hugged me, ignoring her sisters' inane chatter.
"I'm so happy for you, Stacey. I mean, this is a good thing right? You're going to have a baby."
Carrie was so sweet and sincere, I couldn't help smiling from ear to ear as I returned her embrace.
"Thanks, baby sis. Yes, this is a good thing. We know it's not gonna be easy but we'll love this baby and I hope his or her aunts will too."
"Of course we will, sis," Carrie replied emphatically. "Right guys?"
"Yeah, absolutely, you know we will," Julie echoed.
Lisa hugged me and said, "How could you even ask that, Stacey? Of course we'll love the little squirt. Just think how gorgeous this baby's gonna be." Lisa pulled back and put her hand on my stomach.
"Let's just hope it has your brains, cuz. I don't want to have to put my first cousin once removed on the short yellow bus when he or she is thirteen and still in fourth grade." Julie laughed and winked, "Ya know what I mean?"
We continued to joke around giving each other shit until Mike knocked on our door.
Poking his head in, he said, "Sorry to interrupt ladies but, Stacey, if you hear from your cousin, I need you to tell her that if she doesn't respond to my texts or answer my calls, I'm going to bring the belt we purchased together at the leather shop with me when I pay her a visit at her school and everyone in her dorm will know, without a shadow of a doubt, the type of correction I'll be administering to get her back on track."
We sat there silently, waiting for Mike to leave but he wasn't budging.
Finally I said, "Uh, alright, Mike. If I hear from her, I'll be sure to pass along your message. Ok?"
"Thank you, darlin'." Mike smiled at us. "Carry on then," he quipped in a light-hearted tone, before retreating into the hall.
Once Mike was safely out of earshot, I held my phone up and asked, "Did you get all that, cuz?"
"Yeah, I heard him," she replied, in a less than jovial tone.
"What did you do?" Lisa asked Julie, as she sat close enough to me to see my screen.
"Honestly, I'm not sure exactly how much Mike knows but I'm guessing he got the notification letter from the Dean of Students indicating there was an alcohol sanction imposed," Julie replied, slightly embarrassed as indicated by her cheeks flushing bright red.
Carrie came in close on my right side so she could see Julie on my screen. We waited patiently for about ten seconds for Julie to offer further details on the bombshell she just dropped.
"OH MY GOD, JULIE, TELL US WHAT HAPPENED!" Lisa blurted out loudly.
"It's not that big a deal," Julie said, perhaps trying to convince herself more than us. "The R.A. came by one night to tell us to turn the music down cuz it was quiet hours or some bullshit and she saw our bottle of Malibu on my desk so she fined me two hundred bucks, which I had to pay with the credit card and I have to complete some stupid drug and alcohol education program and the dean sends some stupid letter to your parents. So not that deep. Right? Just some stupid b.s. ya know."
The three of us were utterly speechless. My cousin is so fucked and I'm damn well certain she knows it.
"You're joking, right?" I asked. "You have to know you're screwed, cuz."
"Don't say that. It's not that bad. Right?" Julie sounded worried despite trying to brush this off as inconsequential. "I mean, you getting pregnant is a way bigger deal."
"Yeah, but Mike and Shane can't spank me while I'm pregnant because it could hurt the baby," I said matter of factly.
"So Mike's gonna annihilate your ass, Julie, especially since he can't take Stacey over his knee. You know that right?" Lisa asked, seriously starting to question our sister's mental status.
"I can't believe Mike's not at your school right now," Carrie said.
"Yeah, beating your ass," Lisa added.
"Thanks guys," Julie quipped sarcastically. "Look, I gotta go. Congrats again, cuz, on the little bun in the oven and I'll probably be seein' ya all real soon since I'd rather have my butt beat in the confines of my own home rather than on campus. Later, bitches." Julie ended our FaceTime call.
Mike's pov
I sincerely hope Julie has the good sense to call me so we can deal with this situation before I'm forced to go to her school and sort her out. Shane and I were really worried about letting Julie go to a school almost three hours away because of the bouts of age regression she's been experiencing as a means to cope with stressful situations. Turns out our fears were quite unfounded as Julie's been very comfortable living in the dorms and being so far from home. A little too comfortable, judging by the letter we received from her dean. Shane and I were afraid if she acted like a three-year-old while on campus, both her academic and social life would suffer. We should have been focused, however, on the problems she'd have acting like a twenty-one-year-old, even though she's only eighteen.
Julie's pov
I stared at my phone for awhile, debating what to do. Should I call Mike and just get this over with? Should I just text him and tell him I'll come home next weekend? Or should I just wait for him to contact me again? I sighed and tossed my phone down next to me as I collapsed on my bed. Staring at the ceiling, hands behind my head, I waited for divine inspiration to guide me.
Closing my eyes, I said a silent prayer, asking God to advise me on my best course of action. Not even thirty seconds later, my phone rang. Incoming call from Mike. Taking a deep breath, I swiped to answer.
Sitting up, I hesitantly greeted him, "Hello."
I heard Mike sigh softly before responding, "I'm glad you finally decided to take my call, darlin'. We have a lot to talk about now. Don't we?"
Despite wanting to downplay the seriousness of my recent transgressions, I knew I was in a shitload of trouble and hearing Mike's stern tone, interlaced with unmistakable disappointment, made it incredibly obvious.
"Yes sir," I responded, with tears in my eyes.
"I received the letter from your Dean and we saw the $200 charge on the credit card statement. I think it'd be best to have this conversation in person, in private, with Shane present. Don't you?"
Mike sounded so defeated, it broke my heart. I knew without a shadow of a doubt, he was so disappointed in me right now that he wasn't even letting his anger show. I wiped the tears from my eyes but I couldn't find my voice. I sniffled and swallowed hard.
"Julie?" Mike was waiting for me to respond.
"Do you want me to come home on Friday?" I asked timidly, trying to steady my nerves.
"You know I do, young lady. I expect you to be on the five o'clock bus and I'll pick you up at the station at 8:30pm. Understand?" Mike spoke with authority but there was definitely a hint of sadness in his tone as well.
"Yes sir." I choked up. My heart ached knowing how much I disappointed Mike. I was expecting him to be furious but this was so much worse. His anger is always understandable but when he's hurt by something I've done, it becomes personal and heart wrenching.
"Julie, I love you and I'll see you Friday. Take care, sweetheart. Goodbye."
I managed to squeak out, "Bye," before Mike ended the call. I am not looking forward to going home this weekend, not in the least.