Put On Your Shoes

1.7K 125 63
                                    

"Patrick, honey?" His mother's soothing voice filled his room as she poked her head into the door.

He was laying under his blankets. His back facing the door. He already knew she was going to come into the room asking questions he wasn't ready to answer. So he decided he was going to pretend to be asleep. And then he'd ask Andy to drive him to school extra early before she could come into his room tomorrow. Then not come home until dinner time. And go straight upstairs and pretend to be asleep again after that. He wondered how long that pattern of avoidance would work. Hopefully nine months.

"Patrick, are you asleep?" Her voice was closer. She must have walked into the room. Still, he kept his eyes shut and didn't move. "Patrick Martin Stump, I know you're awake."

He sighed. Turning over in the bed to face her. "What?"

"What's going on?" The bed shifted as she sat down. "Are you okay."

"I'm fine, mom."

"What did the doctor say?"

"That I had the stomach flu. I have to pick up the prescription today."

"A prescription? For the stomach flu? Are they antibiotics?"

"I don't know."

"How could you not know? Did the doctor not explain it to you? They shouldn't give you medicine without telling you what it is. They shouldn't give you medicine without contacting your parents." She stood up. Clearly upset. "Which doctor did you go to? I want to call the office."

"Mom, no."

She crossed her arms over her chest. Narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Why not?"

"Because. I-I don't have the stomach flu."

"Patrick, I'm confused."

"I know."

"Then explain to me what's going on here? Why would you lie to me?"

"I-uh." He sat up in the bed. "Maybe you should have a seat."

"Sweetheart, you're scaring me. Is everything alright?" Her hands reached out to cradle his face. "Tell mommy what's wrong."

In that moment, as his mother's concerned eyes were boring into his, it all became real for Patrick. The shock had registered and now he had to face the truth. He'd had unprotected sex with a guy he barely knew. He was a pregnant boy. There was a baby somehow growing inside of his body. And that baby was Pete's. No avoiding would change any of that. He couldn't deal with something like this by hiding it. He was afraid and he was confused. He needed help. The back of his eyes began burning with tears.

"I-I can't do this." He stammered. Voice cracking with each word.

"Do what?"

"Mom, I'm so scared." Tears were flowing freely now. "And I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" She used her thumbs to wipe his eyes. "Patrick, you're scaring me. Are you really sick?" One of her hands twisted to feel his forehead.

"No, mom." He moved her hand away gently. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" Both her hands dropped to her sides. A relieved smile playing around the corner of her lips. "Is that why you're behaving like this? Patrick, honey, just because you're throwing up doesn't mean you're sick." She laughed lightly. "Now I know we've never had this talk with you. I just assumed you'd understand. Which isn't fair for me to do. But you have to have sex to make a baby. And it's the woman who carries it."

"I know how it works."

"Then I-I don't understand. Did you have sex? Did you get a girl pregnant?" She jumped to her feet. Pacing the room. "Patrick, you should always use protection!"

"I'm pregnant mom. Me! I had sex with a guy and now I'm pregnant!" It was said louder than necessary.

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Don't you think I know that? I'm a boy for fucks sake."

"Mind your language."

"Mom, I just found out I was pregnant. I think I'm allowed to say fuck."

"This just isn't making sense to me!"

"Me either." Patrick stood up. Waking over to his desk to dig through his backpack. "But this made things sorta clear." The positive pregnancy test was pressed into his mother's hands.

She was silent as she looked at it, unblinking. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something. But then it snapped closed. She slid the test in the back pocket of her jeans.

"Put on your shoes."

"What?" That's not what he was expecting. "Why?"

"We're going to my doctor to make sense of this."

Senior Slump Or Comeback Of The YearWhere stories live. Discover now