Innocence

Thirty

"We're just two little figures in a soup bowl,
Trying to get the anaconda control,
When I wasn't one"
-Prospekt's March/Poppyfields

July 27th, 7:23 PM
"Not my child?" Chris mumbles. "I didn't know the pregnancy had been confirmed."

Annabelle sighs. "Yeah, well, remember that broken condom I found in the rubbish bin?"

Will looks from Chris back to Annabelle. "What about it?" He asks.

"Yeah, it wasn't Chris'. It was apparently a couple months old. It must have fallen out of the bin or something, because I'm a month pregnant. It's not Chris' baby."

Chris grins. "So you'll get out of my life for good?" He asks happily, suddenly regaining a bit of his strength.

She smiles and hangs her head. "Actually, I was thinking that maybe... I could let you adopt the baby."

Will, confused looks back at Chris, who's also confused. "What do you mean? I've already got two beautiful children of my own."

Annabelle shakes her head. "No, I meant for you and Jonny."

Chris' eyes widen in realization. "You mean.. you're going let Jonny and I adopt your child?"

She shrugs. "I mean, I don't know who the dad is, I don't know where he is, and I don't want the baby. What else would I do with it? I would abort it, but it seems that you're interested in it."

The sparkle in Chris' eyes returns, the most excited that he's been in weeks. "I... yes! I mean, I've got to talk to Jonny first, and of course Gwenyth, but..." he shakes his head in excitement. "Thank you, Annabelle."

Annabelle smiles and nods. Will looks back to Chris, looking almost as excited as he is. "Well come on, mate! We've got to get you back to Jon!"

Chris nods and they start running back to Jonny, as quickly as their legs would take them. "Will! I'm gonna have another kid!" Chris shouts, much more enthusiastic about it now than before.

Will grins with him. "I know, mate!"

"Jonny and I are going to be dads! We're going to be a family!"

By the time they reach Jonny's house, they're exhausted, even though both of them are well-toned and have legs that could break bricks. "Jonny!" Chris shouts at Jonny's door.

Chloe opens the door instead, and she's in tears. Both Chris and Will's faces fall, and they forget all about the good news. "Jonny refuses to let anybody in again," she explains. "He went silent an hour ago. Before, he was screaming as if his life depended on it. I can't get in because the door is locked." She shakes her head. "I'm worried, Chris," she whispers.

Chris looks to Will and they both make the decision to try break down Jonny's bedroom door, with permission granted from Chloe.

"Okay, on the count of three, charge. Ready?" Will asks, and Chris nods. "One, two, THREE!" They both run at the door, hitting it as hard as they can with their bodies, but with no luck. "Again! Go!" They run at it again, and hit the door even harder this time. They back up, and run at it for a third attempt, this time opening it.

"Jonny!" Chris cries, looking at Jonny, who's curled up on the bed, not moving. "Jonny! Can you hear me?"

The man turns over on his back, and in his hand, Chris notices an empty of whiskey. Will sighs. "You pillock. You've pulled a Chris."

Chris punches his arm, and Will just shrugs. "What should we do?" Will asks.

"I guess we should figure out where he got the whiskey from," Chris suggests, prying the bottle from Jonny's large, sweaty hand.