AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But the thought of crawling home with my tail between my legs almost sounds worse than staying and dealing with my crazy, abusive, pregnant girlfriend. I’m fucked. That’s all there is to it.
During my lunch break, I sit in my car in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant when my phone rings with a call from my mother. I almost ignore it, but it’s better to talk to her now when I’m away from Lila than when I’m around her.
“Hey, Mom.”
“FC, I’m disappointed in you.”
“For what?” It’s not every day Mom calls and tells me that.
“Well, when I hear I’m having a grandbaby, I expected to hear it straight from my son’s mouth.”
I sit up straighter. “What are you talking about, Mom? Did Lila call you?”
“No, I saw it online. She made a post. You’re tagged in it, FC.”
Like I’ve been online today. I sigh. Thank goodness Idaline and I aren’t connected on any social media sites. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t know she was going to do that. We just found out yesterday. She hasn’t even been to the doctor yet. It’s premature to announce it, but I was going to tell you after she went to the doctor Tuesday.” I would’ve been dreading it, but I would’ve told her.
“You don’t sound excited, FC.”
“The news is still sinking in. What about you?” I ask.
“I’m not thrilled with how Lila handled things, but I’m happy for you. A baby is a wonderful thing, FC. And this will be my first grandbaby, so he or she will certainly be spoiled. You and Lila might have to move here, so we won’t have to drive so far to see the baby.”
There’s no way I could live near them with Lila. I’d have to wear makeup too often. It’ll be too hard and stressful to hide the ugly parts of our relationship if we were closer. “We’ll think about it,” I tell my mom anyway.
The line is quiet for a few seconds before Mom says, “FC, can I talk to you for a moment?”
I chuckle. “We’re already talking.”
“I meant about something serious.” She doesn’t wait for me to answer. “I feel like you’ve been distancing yourself from us ever since you moved away. I don’t know if it’s something we’ve done or because of something going on there, but you know that you can always talk to us about whatever is happening, don’t you? I worry so much about you because you just don’t seem like the same FC as when you left and this FC…well, he seems like he’s struggling.”
My eyes squeeze closed to stop the tears from falling. I do feel like I could tell my mom or my dad anything. Anything but this. I can’t comprehend how to string together the words to form the sentences that will create my story. My nightmare. All I can picture is this disgusted, pitying, saddened look on their faces that I’m absolutely sure I don’t want to see.
“I’m okay, Mom,” I say.
“I’d rather hear you’re great, but I guess I can accept that you’re okay, too.”
We talk for a few more minutes before hanging up. Before I return to the apartment at the end of the workday, I stop by the store for my cell phone carrier. I explain the issue with my phone, especially since I can’t find anything on my
phone where she might be able to track me, and they do a factory reset. If that doesn’t work, I’ll buy a new phone.
When I walk into the apartment, I slam the door, earning a glare from Lila.
“What’s your problem?” she asks.
“You posted you’re pregnant online? My mom called me upset that she didn’t get a call first! Did you even call your parents before posting it?”
“I called my parents last night. Did you tell your mom I was sorry?”
“Tell her yourself.” I walk into the bedroom and retrieve one of my hidden bottles from behind the entertainment stand. I have the next two days off. Might as well get drunk.
“Babe. FC. Wake up!” Lila rocks my shoulder back and forth, but before I have a chance to open my eyes, she punches me in the stomach.
“What?” I snap, definitely awake now.
“I can’t sleep.”
I sigh, see the shot she left on the nightstand for me, and knock it back. Ah, that’s better. I turn toward her. She immediately snuggles against me, so I wrap my arms around her. My head pounds with a hung-over headache. I need to go back to sleep as soon as possible or start drinking again. “Why can’t you sleep?”
