Forever And Always

Chapter 3: Daddy Issues Galore

Lila ran her hands over the pants before straightening her mint green baby doll tee and let out a sigh. She folded her final piece of clothing before shutting her flower print suitcase. "Lila?" she turned and saw her soon-to-be stepmother, Stella Shortman standing in her doorway. "Are you alright?"

"Me?" she pointed to herself as Stella nodded. Lila responded with a slight shrug, "Yeah, I guess so." Stella looked over her shoulder before shutting the door.

"Have you told your father yet?"

"No," Lila frowned. She hadn't told Stella of her pregnancy, nor planned on telling her, she found out by finding the test back in November during their family trip to Alaska. "I haven't."

"Lila, you can't keep hiding this from him." Stella said in a soft yet stern tone. "He's your dad, he has a right to know."

"I know he does," she agreed with a nod. "But he isn't going to like it."

"Well, what father wants to hear his daughter has had sex?"

"SHH!!" Lila shushed, her face flushing from embarrassment.

"Well, when are you telling him?" Stella urged gently.

"When I'm in labor?" she grinned hopefully. Stella simply laughed and shook her head.

"Lila, you can't do that. What about..."

"Stella, I promise. I will tell my dad."

She gave her a nervous stare, "Okay, hun. Well, I'm going to get Arnold; He's going to help you get to the airport." Lila nodded.

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"Hey Liles!" She turned around and saw Arnold Shortman wave to her from inside of his green pickup truck. Upon seeing her wave back, he put it in park. Arnold is Stella's son, whom she had with her late husband, Miles. He had just returned from a private high school in Oregon and this was his first time home in about a year. "I missed you!" he exclaimed while enveloping her in a hug.

"I missed you too, Shortman." She laughed while mussing up his clean cut blonde hair. "Mind helping me with these?"

"Not at all," he shook his head and effortlessly lifted the bags into the bed of his truck. "Need help in?" He asked with a hand extended. Lila shook her head with a giggle as she accepted his offer. "Alright," Arnold shut her door before letting himself in, "ready to go?"

"I do believe the real question is are you ready to go to Paris tomorrow?" Lila smiled and playfully hit his arm. He was accepted to go overseas to study in Paris. Personally she thought that there was only one reason he had agreed to go.

"I guess," he shrugged and a faint blush lit his cheeks as he started the truck.

Lila studied his expression, a quizzical one covered her own, "What's with you?"

"I heard Helga's going."

Lila smirked. Bingo! "Still like her?"

"What?!" Arnold's green eyes widened as he shook his head, "Please! She made my life a living hell!"

"Yet for the past three weeks you have done nothing but ask about her."

"To gain information!" he responded, purposefully enunciating the word 'information.'

"Whatever you say, Shortman." Lila smiled. She had always known that Arnold had had a crush on Helga, he just never had the balls to admit it to her. And there was noooo surprise that Helga had liked him as well; that girl made it more obvious than the fact that Clark Kent was Superman. Arnold rolled his eyes and shook his head.