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“Hoping what?” Dad interrupts. “You think you can take advantage of our generosity? Shame my name like this and then come back and I’ll welcome you with open arms?”
My heart breaks, and with that pain comes a small rise of shame. Honestly, what else did I expect? Time and time again, they have shown me what they really think of me and what I do. Did I really expect anything different this time?
My dream of their support helping me with this baby and what to do next crumbles into dust.
They’re so focused on themselves, on what I owe them and on what they think I should do that they haven’t stopped once to even ask me how I am.
The realization comes like a cold sliver of ice sliding into my heart. They don’t care about me, not really. And they definitely wouldn’t care about my baby.
They’re too cold to care about anyone other than each other.
I’m not sure how I make it out of the house in one piece, but I manage to hold it together until I’m in my car. Then, the tears come. They’re familiar tears that have been triggered by my parents countless times over the years, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.
I need a distraction otherwise I’ll shake apart at the seams. I think about calling Finn and the others, but they mentioned they had something to deal with today so instead, I call my best friends.
“Emma?” Meghan sounds like she’s outside by how the wind seems to steal her voice as she speaks. “Are you alright?”
“What’s wrong babe?” Ana asks.
I focus on the road and grip the steering wheel, doing everything I can to stop the upset from taking over.
“I went to see my parents,” I say, fighting the sobs.
“Oh, honey.” Ana’s understanding is immediate.
“I went to tell them that I’m pregnant. I had this stupid hope that maybe it would suddenly fix everything between us and they would remember that I’m their daughter. That they’re supposed to love me but instead, my dad is yelling about me wasting his money and my future. Somehow I’m going to have to pay back the tuition they paid for. And my mom. She looked at me like she couldn’t believe we were related.”
“Hold up!” Meghan yells. “I’m sorry, I know you’re upset but did you just say you’re pregnant?!”
“You took the test!” Ana squeals. “Oh my God!”
Their warm reaction makes me smile amidst the slow falling tears. “Yeah, I uh…yeah. I am. I haven’t told anyone though. I wanted to tell my mom because I—fuck, I don’t know. I wanted my mom’s love or something and instead I got her hatred.”
“Congratulations!” Ana and Meghan yell at the same time.
“Wait,” Meghan adds. “Are you happy about the baby? Is this a good thing?”
“I don’t know,” I weep. “I never told them, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“Fuck your parents,” Ana remarks. “You don’t need that kind of bullshit in your life and honestly, your baby doesn’t either. Your guys, on the other hand, I bet they’ll be over the moon!”
“You think so?” I ask through my tears.
“We know so,” Meghan says.
“I don’t know. Babies are big. They’re huge. And each of them has lived their lives, right? Do you really think they want to be changing diapers at their age? We’ve never even mentioned something like this before. It’s all been about fun.”
“Honey, men who only care about fun wouldn’t have stuck with you through all the bullshit. I mean, Caspian’s studio? You sleepwalking into the woods? Finn getting attacked in your apartment?” Ana scoffs goodheartedly. “Girl, they’re in it for the long run if that didn’t send them fleeing with their tails between their legs.”
“You think so?” I laugh wetly, pulling to a stop at a red light.
“I know so,” Ana continues. “I mean, you still have to talk to them about it but I guarantee, men that are willing to give up their jobs for you are not the kind of men that run away at the thought of babies.”
“Exactly,” Meghan agreed. “Didn’t they have a whole speech about being men and not boys?”
“Something like that,” I sniffle, already starting to feel calmer.
“Besides, if they do fuck you over and you want to keep the baby, we’ll help you,” Ana declares. “I’ve always wanted to be a cool aunt.”
