Vying for one man - Ch. 1

Ch. 1 – Surprise up their sleeve

“Jake, somebody mailed you a letter, son! Come down and get it. I have to go soon.” Tess shouted out and began to get ready for her dance lessons.

As Jake came down the stairs, he thought to himself, Wow! Somebody sent me a letter! And it’s not even bills either. Who could it be?

He picked up the letter from the bench by the front door and checked the back of the envelope. Hmm, this is weird. Why would Lynn send me a letter? She can just call me. With much enthusiasm, he pried the envelope with his bare hands.

Dear Jake,

I didn’t know how to tell you this because I’m sure we didn’t expect this from our get together a month ago. I am pregnant. I have taken up every pregnancy test from the drugstore counters, and even went to the doctor two days ago. They all say one thing: I’m pregnant. I can’t fathom how this could have happened even though we used protection that night we shared. I don’t know how to deal with this: should I go ahead and have the child and be a single mother or have an abortion and continue on with my life? Do you think we can talk about this together and soon?

Yours truly,

Lynn

He couldn’t stand still after reading that letter and had to hold onto the stair railings to steady his balance. This is so messed up. How could this have happened? What do I do? It was supposed to be casual. How can this be? What do I tell her? I need to sit down.

Paul was going to his room upstairs when he saw the color drained from his brother’s face. “What’s wrong? Something happened?”

Jake replied, “Oh, it’s nothing. Just surprised a friend sent me a handwritten letter.”

That night, Jake thought of calling Lynn, who he had been friends with since high school. He thought of that night when they went to a bar together because they were both feeling down from the routine lifestyle and not meeting anybody they could connect with. Tired of being cancelled by their other friends, they decided to go together. Maybe it was the alcohol in their system, maybe it was the tiresome loneliness, but the laughs soon turned to small kisses and then escalated to their passionate rhythmic humping in his room. He thought of how their strong friendship had led them to confide in each other their problems and the ensuing drama in their own lives over the years. But a baby between them now? His baby growing inside her? He thought of the changes this baby is going to bring to both their lives. Maybe she will decide to have an abortion instead, he thought to himself.

The next morning, Jake pressed the numbers to her mobile, cautiously and ever so slowly, as if each number that was dialed would spark a bomb to detonate. While waiting for her to pick up the phone, he thought about giving up and just ignore her letter.

“Hello?” Lynn picked up on the third ring.

“Uh hi. It’s Jake.”

“I know.”

Oh right. Call display. “Um, I got your letter that you mailed to my house. How are you feeling?”

“Nauseous and dizzy at random times during the day.”

She does sound really tired, he thought. “Are you strong enough to talk on the phone? I can come over if you want.”

“Could you? It’s probably better to talk in person.”

“Yeah, I’ll be over in 15 minutes.”

He put on his brown T-shirt and the dark faded jeans and proceeded to drive over to her house, which was just 3 blocks away. He had contemplated about walking to her house, so he can think of what to say along the way. But with the heat and the smog that was present in Toronto for the last few days, he decided to drive and escape the humidity.

He rang her doorbell, wishing to drive back home. But before he could, Michelle opened the front door, with Rudy greeting Jake with a bark.

“Hi Jake.” Lynn’s mom, Michelle, greeted with a smile.

“Hi Auntie. Sorry to bother you, but I’m just looking for Lynn.”

Sensing the weariness in his voice, she wanted to ask him how he was doing but thought better to leave him be. Instead, she said, “Oh she’s up in her room. She’s been awfully sick lately. I’m sure seeing a friend will brighten her up.”

Yeah, sick because of me. “Okay, thanks Auntie.”

He went up the stairs to her room as he had often gone to talk and play the new video games they discovered. He opened the door and found her sitting on her computer chair, her eyes shut, and her face looked pale.

“Hi.”

“Jake! Hey, I didn’t hear you ring the doorbell.”

“Yeah, your mom let me in. Are you okay? You don’t look too good.”

“Yeah. I haven’t been eating or sleeping well. I’m not sure if it’s the stress on the body or the stress on my mind.”

“So, what should we do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think we should tell our parents or hide it from them?”

What??!! How can I possibly hide my stomach and the baby?! “Um, they’re going to find out eventually when I start showing and I hardly have any bulky clothes.”

“Oh!” Jake didn’t quite know what to say. Or do, for that matter. “Maybe we should tell our parents what happened then. But no matter what, I will support whatever decision you decide to make.”

“I don’t know if I can go through with the abortion. It’s too cruel. I don’t think I can go through killing somebody that’s growing inside me.” Lynn could feel her eyes starting to well up.

“Then we’ll have this baby.”

“Yeah.” Lynn replied back but not sure if it was what she really wanted.

“Maybe we should talk to our parents about this.” Jake said, sounding equally unsure of what was coming out of his mouth.

“I’m scared of what they’re going to say and what they’ll think.”

“Me too. But I just want you to know I’m going to be responsible. I won’t leave you to handle this alone. So you can trust me and count on me, okay?”

She couldn’t hold her tears anymore and let them roll down her cheeks. He held her and they talked some more about what the baby would mean for them, how it would affect their lives and the responsibilities that were in store for them. He watched her cry herself to sleep and then let himself out of her house. It will be a very long road, he thought to himself.