“What did you tell them?”
“The truth. What else could I tell them? What would you say to them if they found out from a doctor that you’d had sex with their only daughter?” He sounded so distant, so lost.
“I don’t know.”
“I didn’t know either so I thought the truth would be best.”
“I guess you’re right. How did they take it?”
“Like any parent would. They wanted to know if we’d used anything, which we didn’t, and what I was going to do if you were pregnant, which should be obvious. I would stay here and take care of you both. I’d even give you my name if you wanted it. You know that right?”
“Of course I know that.” I wanted to convince him of that but he didn’t seem like he was. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. I love you so much.” He reached over to hold me and I tried to hold him back but I had to settle with putting my hand on his head.
In that moment we needed nothing else but each other and nothing else in the world mattered except that. With that thought in my mind I fell asleep holding him.
* * *
When I woke up again Aiden was gone but Nikki was in the chair beside the bed. “Hey babe.”
“Hey.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better.”
“You look a lot better.”
I looked down at myself. The IV was gone but I could feel the bandages under the gown I wore.
“Want some Pepsi?” She looked awkward like she was afraid to do something wrong but she’d never been like that around me so what was wrong now?
“What’s wrong?” It stopped her in her tracks.
“What?”
“You’re acting funny. What’s wrong?”
It took her a moment to answer, like she didn’t know what to say then, “Are you mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“I’m the one that called the ambulance. Well Bear and me but still.”
“I’m not mad at you Nikki.”
“Why not?”
“Do you want me mad at you?”
“No, I don’t but I want to know why you’re not.”
“The truth. What else could I tell them? What would you say to them if they found out from a doctor that you’d had sex with their only daughter?” He sounded so distant, so lost.
“I don’t know.”
“I didn’t know either so I thought the truth would be best.”
“I guess you’re right. How did they take it?”
“Like any parent would. They wanted to know if we’d used anything, which we didn’t, and what I was going to do if you were pregnant, which should be obvious. I would stay here and take care of you both. I’d even give you my name if you wanted it. You know that right?”
“Of course I know that.” I wanted to convince him of that but he didn’t seem like he was. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. I love you so much.” He reached over to hold me and I tried to hold him back but I had to settle with putting my hand on his head.
In that moment we needed nothing else but each other and nothing else in the world mattered except that. With that thought in my mind I fell asleep holding him.
* * *
When I woke up again Aiden was gone but Nikki was in the chair beside the bed. “Hey babe.”
“Hey.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better.”
“You look a lot better.”
I looked down at myself. The IV was gone but I could feel the bandages under the gown I wore.
“Want some Pepsi?” She looked awkward like she was afraid to do something wrong but she’d never been like that around me so what was wrong now?
“What’s wrong?” It stopped her in her tracks.
“What?”
“You’re acting funny. What’s wrong?”
It took her a moment to answer, like she didn’t know what to say then, “Are you mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“I’m the one that called the ambulance. Well Bear and me but still.”
“I’m not mad at you Nikki.”
“Why not?”
“Do you want me mad at you?”
“No, I don’t but I want to know why you’re not.”
