Forbidden Love

Chapter 15

I turn the key in the door and walk in. "What are you doing here?" Joey asks getting up from his couch "I'm returning the key you gave me, don't get excited I'm still pissed at you." I say tossing the key on the floor "Then why'd you convince your parents not to call the police on me?" He asks "As pissed as I've been at you. I still love you, and I'm not gonna have you thrown in jail." I shake my head. He bends down and picks up the key he had made for me and stares at it. "Can we talk?" He asks "About what?" I ask "The baby." He says softly and I nod "Kayla is sitting in the lobby though so make it fast." I wrap my arms around myself. "Can you keep it?" He asks "I want to, but I have school and a career that I need to focus on. I can't do that with a kid." "I'll support you, I'll keep the baby while you're in school." He takes a step towards me and I take one back "First, I'm not gonna go to England, and leave my kid in America. Secondly, you're a teacher, who's gonna watch the baby when you're at work?" I ask "I'll move to England." He says "You're gonna move to England?" I ask doubtfully "Let me show you something," He reaches for me and I back away "Alicia I'm not gonna hurt you." He says softly "What do you have to show me?" I ask "It's on my computer." He sighs and I walk to his room. His desktop is sitting in the corner of the room on a black and silver computer table. He walks past me and sits in the chair at the table. "What do you want to show me?" I ask and he opens Google Chrome and clicks on a bookmarked page. I step closer to the computer and see a parenting book on the screen making me snort. "You're on chapter fifteen." I laugh "There's something else." He says getting up and walking to his nightstand "I got it in May, I was going to wait to give it to you on your birthday." He says pulling an envelope out of his nightstand "What is it?" I ask cautiously "Open it." He says handing it to me. I open the envelope and pull two first class tickets to England out. "You can use them whenever you're ready to go." He says "One of them is roundtrip?" I say looking at him "I was- I wanted to go with you for a while; spend more time with you before school starts." He looks away from me "I don't want my child growing up with split up parents. Can we please try to fix this? I'll do anything." Joey pleads. I walk up to him and kiss him on the cheek "We'll see." I say "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at noon." I say as I leave. Before walking out of the front door I grab the key he made for me. Just in case. "Alicia?" Joey calls as I walk down the hall "What?" I say looking back at him "Do you still love me?" He cries "What?" I frown. I mean, yes he's been a complete asshole and, I'm not too pleased with him. But the misconception people have that you can just stop loving a person drives me nuts; and adds insult to injury by asking if I still love him. "Joey, after everything, the fact that I even told you about my doctor's appointment should answer your question." I pause trying to read his face. But the fact that it remains unchanged, changes something for me. It also makes me realize, he knows I still love him; he just needs to hear the words. I approach him and smile weakly. "Joey," I sigh "What have you been going through lately?" I ask softly. "Too much." He admits and I frown. He sighs and makes a muscle. "What are you doing?" my frown deepens. "Look at it." He says averting his eyes. I look closely, trying to see what it is I'm missing. When I find it, my heart sinks. It's so faded, you wouldn't even notice it if you weren't looking. "You cut." I gasp "I used to. Haven't in a year." He says dropping his arm to the side "Burning on the other hand." He says flexing his other muscle. His bicep is covered with little pink blisters, some have popped and others are healed. But the majority is fresh. "When did you- Why did you?" I can't even think straight. "Baby, you give me the strength not to. I need you more than you will ever know." And this time, I hug him. It takes him a second but eventually he wraps his arms around me and squeezes tightly. "I love you Joey." I whisper into his chest "I love you too." He says kissing the side of my head.