Not Another Teen Pregnancy Story

Chapter Thirteen Telling Tanya Part 2

Daniel opened his front door for me and I hesitantly walked inside. The house smelled like freshly baked cookies and Windex. It was oddly comforting. I pushed a curl behind my ear, hoping I looked alright, and put one foot in front of the other. We reached the kitchen, where Mrs. M was reading from a recipe book. She looked like Daniel, but was obviously more feminine. There was also something about her that was overwhelmingly nurturing. It surprised me when I had the urge to rush up to her and hug her. 

"Uh Mom?" Daniel cleared his throat. She looked up from the book and blinked in surprise. I guess she hadn't been expecting me to show up. I wonder if Daniel had talked about me. What if he told her I broke up with him? Oh My God!

"Oh hi. Daniel, who's this?" It might have seemed rude coming from anyone else, but she made it seem almost nice. I felt a brush of blush finding its way on my cheeks.

"This is--

"I'm Lydia Hawley, nice to meet you." I extended my hand out towards, which she took with stride, then she pulled me towards her in a vice like hug. I felt my organs compressing from the grip she had on me. Maybe, if I'm lucky, she'll squeeze the baby right out of me and I won't have to go through with this and tell her. But I knew that luck wasn't about to help me right now.

"I'm Tanya, the please is all mine. Now, what sounds better: "Zuppa Toscana or Rigatonic con la Pajata?" I hadn't heard of anything of what just came out of Rose's mouth, but I tried to act like I did.

"Um Zuppa Toscana." I said only because I could pronounce that easier. I looked over at Daniel who seemed impressed. Tanya "hmm" and started writing stuff down on a notepad next to her. I couldn't do this. I can't tell this wonderful lady I had just met that I was pregnant with her sons baby. Especially when she seems so normal.

She looked up at Daniel and I. "Is there something else?" She looked from Daniel to me and then back at Daniel. I swear it was like she was reading our minds. "Daniel?" There was traces of worry on her face. Her blonde hair paled, if that were possible.

Daniel shoved his hands in his pockets, which I was noticing was a nervous habit. "We have something to tell you." That was your typical statement from a teen parent, and I could tell Tanya knew what was coming next. Her pen slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. I was worried she was going to pass out. "Maybe we should sit down." He gestured towards the dining room table. I tried to swallow my doubt, but it kept choking me up.

This was all my fault.

Tanya sat across from us. I felt like I was betraying her even though I had just met her. Was that possible?

She sat taller, trying to recoup. "Okay, what is this all about?" She was staring at Daniel for answers. She didn't know me, and I didn't know her. But Daniel knew both of us, so this was ten times harder on him than me.

Daniel took my hand under the table and squeezed it. Was that code for something or was he freaking out like I was? Daniel was so hard to read, unlike most of the population. Okay, focus I can do this.

"Uh Mrs. Micho--

"Tanya." She corrected me, and it made things worse honestly.

"Tanya, we--

"Lydia, let me. She's my mom and I should tell her." Daniel and I shared a look that lasted unknowingly long. It was as if we were communicating with our eyes. I knew this was painful for him, but I also knew it was something he had to do himself. That was how Daniel was: he needed to walk on the flames to cleanse himself, so to speak.

Daniel opened his mouth, but when I saw Tanya it was obvious that she already knew. "Mom, Lydia and I are having a baby." Hearing it out loud made it seem so real. So many times i hadn't wanted to accept that I was pregnant and going to be a mom, but Daniel had helped me see that it was a curse or a life sentence: it was a blessing. It didn't matter if Tanya or my dad or anyone didn't understand that, but I understood it and so did Daniel. We could do this and I was, for the first time during this pregnancy, ready to start.