Timeless

Chapter 1: Eddie

Eddie Diaz was a mess of emotions. This last year had been more chaotic than he ever would have planned. He got his long-term girlfriend pregnant while they were both still in school, he had enlisted in the Army, he'd just graduated basic training, and now he's sitting in the uncomfortable chair in the corner of Shannon's hospital room holding his son.

Christopher was the most perfect baby he had ever seen. He had no idea how someone who had only been alive for an hour could mean so much to him, but this little baby was already his entire world. He couldn't even begin to understand how he was a part of making someone so perfect. He looked around the room. Shannon was resting against her pillows, exhausted after everything that had happened. The birth of their son wasn't easy. There were complications and he ended up stuck in the birth canal. This caused a lot of stress on Shannon and Christopher. His parents were sitting on the couch on the other side of the room, quietly talking. It felt nice to have his little family all together.

His son had fallen asleep once again so he moved to put him into the crib the hospital had provided. He made his way over to Shannon and kissed her forehead lightly. He loved her, he really did. She had been by his side for so long, through all of the shit that he's been through, and he had just given him one of the greatest gifts in life. Even though he did love her, he had felt a shift lately. He tried to talk himself out of it, chalking it up to the struggles of being pregnant. It was something that had remained in his mind though.

"We should talk," Shannon whispered, looking up at him. He felt the air catch in his throat.

"Ok," he nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed, facing her.

"I don't want to drag this out. I need to just come out and say it. I can't do this."

"Can't do what, Shannon?" Eddie could feel his pulse racing, his leg beginning to bounce against the floor.

"It's all too much. You and I are just being forced into a ready-made family. My mom being sick and the thought of taking care of her and Christopher is all too much. And what happens when you have to go serve your tour? I just get left behind? It's not worth it to me, Eddie. We weren't prepared for this," she sighs.

All his happy feelings came crashing down around him. He felt everything falling apart. He is about to lose the one person who's been stable in his life for years. Shannon had always been there, more than his own parents. Now that they have a family, it's going away.

"So... so what does this mean?" he asked. He didn't even know what else to say.

"I'm signing over my rights to Christopher. I can't do this, Eddie."

"You think I was prepared for this, Shannon? I wasn't. I wasn't ready to be a father at eighteen. I wasn't ready to have to take on the responsibility of being a parent and being a soldier. But here I am willing to make it work. And you just want to leave us? Leave him? He's been a part of your life for less than a day and you are just ready to leave him behind?"

"It's not like that Eddie."

"You just said you're signing away your rights. You're giving up on him."

He could feel himself getting heated. How could she do this? He was standing now, his feelings needing a way to be released. He begins pacing around the room and trying not to start crying. He could feel all eyes on him. He could tell his parents were wanting to mediate but weren't sure how to do so. He needed to get out, get away, clear his head.

"I can't do this," he said, leaving the room as quickly as he could. He wanted to get as far away from this situation as he could. He needed to think. He needed to catch his breath.

He ended up in the hospital cafeteria, sitting at a table beside a window. He watched the comings and goings of the outside world while his mind raced with the last few hours. Shannon was leaving. She wasn't just leaving him though. She was leaving their son. Eddie couldn't even think about how someone could do that.