My parents looked up when I walked in. I held the ultrasound behind my back, hoping that they wouldn't ask until I showed them. My mom was cleaning off some decorations on the coffee table and my dad was reading a magazine. My father's eyes skimmed our hands with a slight furrow in his brow. I gulped and brought Dan with me to sit on the couch next to my parents.
I opened my mouth to speak but all that escaped was a squeak. I looked back at Dan and he squeezed my hand to tell me it was alright but he looked scared himself.
By now my parents looked at me like they were concerned for my mental health. They shouldn't be, but I don't blame them.
"Mom, Dad. I need to tell you something," I let go of Dan's hand and brought the picture out in front of me, "I'm pregnant." I saw their eyes flash to the image and widen two times their natural size.
My mom stood up straight and put her hands over her gaping mouth and my dad kept staring at it like I was holding a live wasp in my hands. I turned to Dan and I took a deep breath. Since nobody was speaking I thought it was a bad thing and I started tearing up, thinking that this was something I shouldn't be happy about.
"Oh, honey... that's great news!" my mom held her hands together and she looked like she was about to cry. She was getting a grandchild, after all. "What do you think, James?"
I have a feeling my father stayed quiet for a reason, but I wanted feedback from him because he is my dad and I want to know what he thinks. He was leaning his elbows on his knees and stared at the floor, in shock or anger I wouldn't know unless he spoke.
"I don't approve. You met him a few months ago, and now you're pregnant? You barely know him, you can't get to know somebody in three months." He got up started to walk out of the room when Dan stood up too.
"Dan, please don't." I plead before he did something he would regret. He shook his head and continued.
"Mr. Dunham, I know you don't think you can love someone in such a little time but I certainly love Charlotte. There's one thing you can't tell me not to do and that's loving your daughter, and I do. Nothing you say will stop me from loving her." Dan stared down my dad and for once my father's steel expression faltered.
I stood up and placed a delicate hand on Dan's shoulder when my dad answered. "Well then, that's all I wanted. For you to fight for my daughter shows that you truly are good for her. Congratulations, son." he walked over and shook Dan's hand and Dan had an expression of pure disbelief on his face.
With that, my dad left the room and I sat down rethinking the whole conversation. Why would my dad do that? Well, I know why he did that but still, why? Would he have told anyone about his plan or just kept it to himself because my mom can't keep secrets? I looked up at her and she winked.
"So, how far along are you?"
"Seven weeks." Dan answered for me. He sat back down and pulled me closer so I could lean on his shoulder. I looked up at him and laughed; because the whole situation was really just a set up so Dan would break and my dad would finally accept him.
"What're you laughing about?" Dan chuckled and I heard my mom leave the room. I stopped laughing and thought about how I would answer.
"This whole thing is kinda funny in the sense that it was basically a set up for you to fight for me. My father played us and nobody knew about it."
Dan shrugged and we stood up. "So what are we doing today?" he asked.
I hadn't really thought too much about what would be happening after the announcement so I shrugged too. I thought we could sit around and watch movies or something.
"Maybe we could play a board game? Do you have The Game of Life?" Dan suggested with a smirk. I dismissed the idea with a have of my hand.
"That's soo ironic, Dan, even for you." I shook my head and smiled, leaning up against his shoulder.
"I guess we can watch old TV shows on Netflix for the remainder of the day. Then again we could go for a ride around town." He cast a glance towards the open window where a familiar car was parked. I couldn't register who's black hyundai was sitting in my driveway next to my parent's car.
The driver's side door opened and a curly mop of hair atop a bronze tan came into view. My stomach dropped in fear and I learned my arms on my knees. The doorbell rang and I flinched which brought Dan's attention from the man at the door to me. He furrowed his brow when he realized who the man is.
We stood up and Dan followed me to the door. I opened it slowly and pulled a straight face. Weston looked anxious for a reason I couldn't possibly know and he was tapping his foot on the wood of the porch floor.
Weston looked like he was about to say something to me but then saw Dan behind me. He was much taller than the coward standing at my doorstep.
"Charlotte, can I talk to you?" he glanced back at Dan and added, "Alone?"
Anger built up inside me from his ignorance. He should know better than to suddenly show up at my parent's house one of the few days that I was visiting. "No, Weston, you may not. In fact, you could get back in your car and drive away."
"But it's important! I-" Weston got cut off by Dan, who had moved around me and blocked the doorway with his tall frame. I watched underneath his arm.
"The woman said no, it's basic common sense to get out of here before something happens." Dan's fists clenched at his sides and he squared his shoulders, not that he needed to. He already looked pretty menacing being six foot three and dressed in all black. He had a good four inches on Weston.
"What would happen, Charlotte pleading for me to take her back into my arms?" Weston clearly thought that his comebacks were top notch but I could see how much improvement they needed. Did he honestly expect me to run back to him while he's arguing with my boyfriend of all people.
"I highly doubt that. Of course!" Dan commented sarcastically, "Of course she would go running into your abusive arms because of obvious reasons apparently."
Weston looked dumbstruck and seemed unable to come up with a comeback, but then again he was never really the sharpest knife in the drawer. I remember telling him that once and he replied with "are you threatening me?". Seriously, he isn't bright. At all.
"Well- well at least she'd be with someone better looking." Ok, now Weston is just acting childish.
"I would hit you so hard right now but I think I'd rather die that sink to your level. Get outta here! Never come back!" Dan barked at him and slammed the door in my ex's face. He turned around and I realized that I was biting my fingernails in anticipation. I reached up to hug Dan tightly around his neck, and he lifted me up to where my feet were dangling a few inches above the ground.
"I want you to know that you're mine, and only mine. Don't let jerks like him make you think otherwise." he whispered in my ear. I wholeheartedly agreed with him on that one; I would never go back to Weston even if my life counted on it.
