THE LAST MAN SHE'LL EVER LOVE
Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit.
“Eddie? Say something. Oh, God…what are you thinking?” Jane looked up at him with her big brown eyes, pleading for some kind of reaction from him.
He was numb. Speechless. Totally blown away, and he couldn’t find voice to say anything to her. Even when her eyes filled with tears, overflowing to run down her face, Eddie couldn’t move. He hated seeing her cry, and would have instantly taken her into his arms to hug her and tell her it would be all right, but he literally could not move.
Collapsing on the edge of the bed, Jane swiped the tears off her face. “You don’t want this baby?”
“I…I, uh…” Clearing his throat, Eddie finally managed to croak out a few words. “Are you sure?”
“Sure about what? That it’s even yours?” Jane slapped at him with her retort.
That broke him out of his stupor. “No…that’s not what I meant.” Sitting next to her on the bed, he reached for her and folded her into his arms. “What I meant to ask was, are you sure you’re pregnant?”
Her face hidden in the curve of his neck, Jane murmured, “Only about a month sure. I saw the doctor yesterday afternoon. He confirmed it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Eddie asked, struggling with the thought that he was going to be a father. “I would have gone with you.”
“I don’t know. I was scared, I guess. I am scared. I…we…never planned for this.” Pulling away, Jane looked up at him, searching for some reassurance from him that it was all going to be ok, that this was not going to cause problems with their relationship.
Eddie didn’t know what to think, what to say. He’d never had to deal with something like this before. He’d always used protection when making love with a woman, Jane included. Their medicine cabinet was filled with boxes of condoms. Still, it had happened. “How did this happen, Jane? We’ve always been protected.”
“Not always. Remember New Year’s Eve? We had too much to drink, and…”
“Yeah, I remember now. But that was just one time.” Eddie recalled how she had looked, naked and glowing from their lovemaking, and how much he had wanted her. “Wasn’t it?”
“That’s all it takes.”
“I know. I know…” he sighed.
“What so you want to do, Eddie? Do you want this baby?” Jane asked, taking his hands in hers. “Talk to me.”
Eddie reached for her, and took her back into his arms. He kissed her lightly on the top of her head then laid his cheek there. “I need time to think. Can you give me that? Hmm?”
Not wanting to let go of him, Jane merely nodded then said, “I think we both need time to think it over. We just don’t have a lot of it to spare.”
Startled, Eddie pulled away to look into her eyes. “Why? Are you thinking to get rid of it?” He wasn’t sure he was ready for parenthood, but the thought of this baby being aborted was anathema to him.
“I don’t know. That’s something we’ll have to discuss, won’t we?” Jane asked, her eyes filling with tears again. “But we don’t have time for that now. We’re going to be late for work as it is.”
“Screw work. Jane…I love you. We’ll work this out.” Eddie hoped to hell he was right.
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