Teenagers, Love and Pregnancy

Chapter 12

"So, Daddy," I teased, kissing Kendall as I walked him up my front porch steps. We were holding hands, and I was laughing out loud. We were both on top of the world, giggly and tipsy and drunk on the thought of being parents to a son. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Dinner?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yup," I said. "I called Mom and John and told them they were having a boy, and they said they'd love if you stayed for a dinner to celebrate.

I pulled him over to a porch swing and sat us both down, throwing my legs over his lap. I felt like I was floating on cloud nine. I just wanted to kiss Kendall and kiss him and kiss him again until our baby was born. I was dizzy with love and happiness.

Kendall kissed me on the lips, soft and slow, and I soaked up every second of this bliss. He kissed my belly, and whispered something to our son that I couldn't here.

"What did you say to him?" I asked, giggling as I toyed with his hair.

"I told him he had the best, most beautiful mother in the world."

We kissed again, and then sat in silence, each of us lost in our own love.

"So," I said, after a few minutes. "Dinner?"

Kendall looked pained.

"Sorry babe, I'd love to. But I can't."

"What? Why?"

Kendall laid a hand on my cheek.

"I have to pack," he said.

"Pack?" I asked. "Where are you going?"

He furrowed his brow and looked at me like I was confused.

"College. . ." he said. "In Seattle."

Just like that, my heart dropped.

"What?"

"Babe, you know school starts for me in a week."

I was dizzy with shock.

"You're. . .you're going?" I asked, my throat numb.

"Of course, I've been signed up since last October, why wouldn't --"

"Kendall! What do you mean? Are you saying you're just going to leave me in the delivery room, ALONE, while you're in school?!"

"Cam, honey, I have to go to college. It's not optional. You know that."

"Yes, it most certainly is optional! I had to give up on college when I got pregnant. You did half the work, so you can give it up too!"

"No, Cam, I can't. What, do you want me to support this baby with a job at a drive thru and my good intentions? I'm going to need a degree if we're going to raise our son right and be in the picture!"

"A degree that's going to take at least four years to get! What's the good of you being 'in the picture' if it's only for a month or two each year?! I don't want my son getting to know his daddy when he Skypes him from a frat house, and I sure don't want the first time he's there for him to be when he goes to kindergarten!"

"But there's summers, and Christmas break, and spring break. . ."

"And that's what? Two months? Three? Out of a year? Being there a quarter of the time isn't going to cut it Kendall!"

"You don't get it, do you?! I can't NOT go!"

We were both yelling now, our happy mood gone.

"Kendall! Just go to community college or something!"

Kendall leaped off the swing and storm down my front steps.

"Forget it Cam," he called. "I've already paid and I'm going. I have to pack."

I watched him pull out of my driveway, tears gushing down my face.