Pregnant with my two best friends

Chapter 9

Now all the men look at her with such intensity. Her words shocked them. “Emma, sweetie,” Mr. Anderson says gently. “Are you sure? You still have time to think about it, you’re still pretty early in your pregnancy. You need to carefully think about all of your options, sweetie. We’re only talking about things now, looking at our options. But we do not, I repeat we do not, make any kinds of hasty decisions tonight.”

“Yes, Em,” Chris says. “There’s so much to talk about, still. Options to explore.”

“Then we still need to talk to your mom,” Mr. Anderson reminds her gently.

Now all the kids sigh. That will be the part that they’ve been dreading, talking to the parents. “Ah, yes,” Parker groans. “Your mom, our parents.”

“Can’t wait,” Chris adds sarcastically.

“This will be a disaster,” Emma says. “Oh, God! Mom’s gonna kill me!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, sweetie,” Mr. Anderson says with a smile. “Your mom won’t kill you. She might get hysterical, but she won’t kill you. I’ll make sure too that.”

Emma sighs. “Well, that’s reassuring.”

Mr. Anderson laughs bitterly before glancing at the clock hanging on the wall. “I think we’ve had enough talking now, guys. We’ve been running around in circles. Tomorrow’s another day, you boys should head home now and we’ll continue this with clearer heads tomorrow. Go home and get some rest.”

The boys nod their agreement. They kiss and hug Emma, promising to come back the next day, and the day after that. Emma, too, needs her rest.

***

Parker lays down on his bed with his eyes wide open, sleep has not graced him with its presence tonight yet. Parker doesn’t mind, though, sleeping is not something he wants to do at the moment. He’s made plans for his future, with Emma. And now his plans have been shattered. But it doesn’t matter, Parker is good with making plans. He will just have to make a new plan.

It will be much better for everybody if Emma agrees to an abortion. They can all just continue with their lives, more carefully so. But even Parker knows that things won’t be that easy. Abortion has its consequences too: physically and/or psychologically. Parker simply can’t live with himself knowing he’s the one who gives Emma those possibly bad consequences. But giving the baby for adoption will be even worse.

Both Parker and Chris come from respectable, old-money families, their parents will never agree to that. It will be embarrassing if people find out. Their parents might lose their faces because of the atrocity. They’d much rather have the baby aborted then giving it away to be taken care of by someone else. They’re selfish like that. Parker knew that much about his and Chris’s parents.

Parker himself also knows that he can’t give his baby away. Knowing that somewhere out there someone else has his baby. What if they’re not good to him or her? What if they abuse him or her? What if they exploit him or her? These kinds of thoughts will only ruin him. And Emma, these kinds of thoughts will only ruin Emma as well.

No, adoption is not an option.

Slowly, Parker’s mind is drifting towards Princeton. Nobody knows this except for his dad, but Parker too has applied to and accepted to Princeton. He will have to pay a full tuition as he never applies for a scholarship there, but he has been accepted. He even went as far as paying the enrolment fee, using his own saving, keeping that a secret as well. Parker doesn’t know why he’s never told anybody about it.

Perhaps because he and Chris have always been expected to go to Harvard, following their fathers’ footsteps. But the truth is, Parker never really wanted to part with Emma, couldn’t really see himself not seeing her on a daily basis. He loves her that much. That was why, without telling anybody, he made himself apply to Princeton anyway.

Is this the answer, though? Him joining Emma at Princeton. Well, it’s a possibility. One that Parker can see himself following through. The thought makes Parker feel better, so much better he’s finally able to doze off. He still doesn’t have all the answers, there’s so much to think about still. And oh, there’s always the logistics to dampen the mood even further.

The next day Chris calls, telling him that he’s on his way over. When he arrives, he looks like hell. Parker can tell that his friends didn’t sleep at all last night. Chris walks to Parker’s bedroom and paces back and forth like crazy. He’s out of it, completely. “I can’t do this, Park,” he says, rather hysterically. “I’m sorry, Park. I just can’t. I’m not even eighteen, yet.”

“What are you saying, dude?” Parker asks. “Are you bailing out?”

Chris suddenly stops moving. He looks at Parker straight in the eyes before slowly turning away. He looks defeated, he sounds defeated. “Whatever you say, Park. I just can’t. Emma must have an abortion. That’s the only way I can see it. We can’t give the baby for adoption, Park. If people know, that will tarnish our parents’ reputations in society. They’re freakin rich, for God’s sake! Rich and respectable. They can’t have their flesh and blood adopted.”

“I know that,” Parker says. “Believe me, I do. Adoption is not an option for me either.”

“But Emma can’t have the baby either,” Chris says again. “I can’t help her there. I’m barely an adult myself. What do I know about raising a kid?”

Parker doesn’t immediately say anything. When he finally speaks, he does it softly. “I might, I might just do it. Raising the baby with Emma, I mean.”

“Are you fuckin kidding me?!” Chris shouts. “And sacrifice yourself? How about school, you i***t?!”

“I can still go to school,” Parker says slowly. “I don’t know why I’ve never told you this, but I actually also applied to Princeton and was accepted. I haven’t officially rejected the offer; I’ve been putting it off. Perhaps, perhaps I should go there with Emma, instead of Harvard.”

Now Chris stares at Parker. He couldn’t believe what he just heard. He feels beyond angry, and betrayed. “So, you’ve never wanted to go to Harvard all along, huh?! All this time, you just wanna be with Emma at Princeton. When are you actually planning to tell me this?!”

“That’s not true, dude,” Parker answers fast. “Yes, I did apply to Princeton, but the plan has always been Harvard, with you. That’s the reason why I never told you about it, no point in doing so. I mean, look at you, you’re angry.”

Chris shrugs his explanation off, doesn’t wanna hear anything anymore. How could Parker betray him like that. “Screw you, Park!” he says before storming out of Parker’s bedroom.

***

Chris is not coming back again to see Parker that day. He doesn’t even come to Emma’s house even after Parker’s continuous texts and calls. He ignores all of them. He does, however, write Emma a text, telling her that he needs some time for himself. He tells Emma not to worry, he will come when he’s ready. This makes Emma nervous, but Parker hugs her, telling her that everything will be okay, that Chris will come around, eventually.

Parker then ponders. Chris being flaky might actually smoothen Parker’s plan better than expected. This may actually work for his advantage.

When Emma takes a nap, Parker meets her dad to talk. He sits down in one of the dining chairs and politely asks her dad to do the same. His confidence impresses her dad. He’s proud of the boy. Somehow, Mr. Anderson thinks he will have no problem having Parker as his son-in-law someday. “There’s something I want to talk to you about, sir,” Parker starts.

Her dad nods. “I’m listening,” he says.

Parker exhales then starts. “Chris… he might not come as often as I will.”

Her dad raises an eyebrow, now that is not the news he wants to hear. “And why is that?” he asks slowly.

“We’ve talked and we think that it’s for the best,” Parker answers, lying by omission. “There are two boys here. Should Emma decide to keep the baby, the image might not be good for her. If I’m the only one that’s here, then people will automatically think that I’m the father. Besides, people always see me with Emma more so than she with him.”

“Are you saying that you’re taking the responsibility?” her dad asks again.

Parker nods, he looks certain and somehow ten years older than he really is. Very self-assured, very proud. All of a sudden, he doesn’t look like a boy; he’s become a man now. “Yes, sir, I’m taking the responsibility here. I want to, happy to.”

“Are you planning to keep the baby?” her dad asks again.

“Well, that will be up to Em,” Parker answers. “But whatever she decides, I’m planning to be with her every step of the way.”

Now her dad laughs. “How can you? Pretty soon you’ll be at Harvard and she’ll be in Princeton, assuming she still wants to go. How can you be with her every step of the way?”

“Because I’m going to Princeton as well,” Parker replies simply. “I actually applied to Princeton and was accepted. I’ve never written my official rejection letter, so I guess I can still go if I immediately pay for the tuition. Crazy, right? But it’s true. I really love Em, sir. Always have. That was why I also applied to Princeton; I’ve never wanted to be far from her. The thing is, sir, Em and I, now we both can go to Princeton together.”

His explanation shocked her dad. “Wow, I don’t know what to say. This is selfish of me, but it’s actually the best news I’ve heard so far,” her father says, his voice is shaky a little, full of hope. “But Parker, what about your parents? What do they think about all of this? You can’t certainly expect everything will go smoothly, can you?”

Parker laughs a little. For the first time, he sounds a bit nervous. “Of course not, sir. Somehow, I’d still like to think that my dad is a reasonable man, too. Like you. Perhaps, he will entertain the possibility of talking to me, listening to me.”

“I sure hope so, son,” her dad says. “I sure hope so.”

That night, when Parker’s about ready for bed, he gets a text from Chris. It says: I’m bailing out. Sorry, Park. I can’t do this. Tell Emma I’m sorry.

***