Breakthrough

Playing House

"What are you doing here?"
"I came to get something from you that is mine," she said with her arms crossed.
"What would that be?" I asked.
"My house."
"Pardon?" I said confused.
"Your house is actually my house."
"What are you talking about?"
"It's not like you need both places anyways. Are you gonna be raising your bastard in two different houses? Then they'll really be messed up," she said sharply. I felt Blake grow closer as my mother continued.
"Hey! I'd really appreciate if you wouldn't talk like that about our baby," Blake shouted at her.
"Oh, nice to see you Blake. I saw a clip on ESPN that the Trail Blazers are interested in you. You know Oregon is quite far from here."
"I'm aware," he said.
"So you're just going to leave my daughter stranded here with a baby I suppose?"
"Don't even respond to that," I told Blake. He wasn't one to really bite his tongue but I just wanted to end this quickly.
"Can we just get on with this?" I asked. "I'm expecting someone."
"Oh, Claire? Her and I pulled up at the same time but I told her you already have enough bad influences in your life and she could just go home. I mean look at this one--he got you knocked up."
"I'm sorry Sophie-- listen we do not need you coming here just to bitch about everything. We get it. You're not happy about the baby just like you aren't happy about a lot of things. We get it. So if you don't have anything nice to say then get off my fucking property or I'll call the police," Blake said stepping almost in front of me to face my mother.
"And here we go again. What are you around just so you can play hero? Grow up. She has enough people that already care for her."
"If only her goddamn mother would do the same," Blake spat.
"Excuse me? You don't think that I care for her? Are you out of your mind? All of this!" She said motioning between their bodies. "All of this arguing and telling her what I think is because I care about her tremendously. Don't you ever question the relationship I have with my daughter because you will never understand. You will never understand the love a parent has for a child."
"He already has mom! We're having a baby!"
"You know what I've had enough of this nonsense. It's just ridiculous. I need you out of the house by next Friday. Just bring me the keys by five on Friday. When you grow up a little bit then we can talk," she said as she walked back to her car that sat in the driveway.
Blake and I just stood there in shock for a minute or so. He finally moved to shut the door as her car pulled out of the driveway but I still stood there in the doorway.
"Come on, let's go to bed," he said as he tugged on my arm.
I didn't resist he pull and led the way up the stairs as Blake turned off the porch lights. When I got into the bedroom I went into the closet and changed out of my clothes from dinner and into a tshirt and some Adidas shorts. I went out into the bedroom where I found Blake already laying in the bed. The comforter and sheets were pulled back for me as always, and his arm laid behind my pillow. As I climbed into the bed his arm slowly crept around my shoulder and bringing me into his chest. Neither of us said anything. She was right in someways. Neither of us really knew what we were doing. But didn't all new and expecting parents? I'm not ready to give up my house. What if this whole relationship thing didn't work out? I would need to move out. I guess I could find a new place. What if it were far from Blake? He would still want to see the baby, right?
"Stop thinking so much and go to sleep," Blake said. He was right. Thinking too much didn't do me any good. Just made my brain rattle in my skull.
I felt his body shift a little as he turned the lamp on his nightstand off. He grasped my shoulder and pulled it back into his embrace tightly until I fell asleep.

The next morning I was woken up by Blake's alarm.
"Go back to sleep," he said pulling the comforter nearly up to my chin.
"Let me take you to the airport," I said sitting up against the headboard.
"No, I'm gonna drive myself and leave my car in the garage. You need to rest."
"Well at least let me drive to the airport and walk you to the gates," I said rubbing my eyes crusted with sleep.
"Ok," he said with a slight smile. I threw on some drifit capris and my USC Trojans tshirt with some flip flops. Blake put his phone charger, iPad, and a couple of snacks, into his backpack before zipping it up and slinging it over his shoulder.
"You ready?" I asked.
"Yeah, let's go," he said as he picked up his suitcase and hauled it down the stairs.
"Taylor is just gonna pick me up from the airport when I get back," Blake said putting his suitcase in the trunk of my car.
"Ok, what made you change your mind?" I asked.
"I guess I just realized it was silly to just pay and leave my car there when he can easily pick me up and take me back home.
"Mmmm ok," I said as I started the car and put my purse in the middle console.