Phoenix Howell- Goodbyes and Hellos

Louise

Dan
It has been 2 days since Phil had left. I was trying so hard to keep myself together. His broken phone was still lying in the same spot it had when he had thrown it at the wall. I didn't have the heart to pick it up. I couldn't go into our bedroom without becoming overwhelmingly sad. The last two days I had pretended to fall asleep on the sofa in the lounge so I wouldn't have to face sleeping in my bed alone.
Phoenix had been by my side the whole time, forcing me to eat and talk.
I was exhausted. I had gotten about an hour of sleep since Phil had left, waking up every few minutes from bad dreams or having bad anxiety.
My phone rang, I quickly pulled it out of my pocket. I prayed that the name on the phone would be Phil's home number, his brother maybe or a friend's that he could be staying at. Unfortunately it was a call from Louise. I answered it.
"Hi Dan. Look, before you say anything I think I need to explain myself. I'm sorry that I went on about loving you and all. I understand your feelings for Phil. I don't even necessarily have feelings for you beyond being friends. I agree that what we shared that night was lovely but beyond that it was just a drunken mistake to never happen again. These pregnancy hormones have gotten me all over the place, I'm sorry for the way that I went on about things. I am having this child though. I would love it if you would be apart of their life." She said. I had been thinking the pregnancy over for the past days and I knew what felt right.
"Louise, I understand. I'm sorry for yelling at you about everything. This is nobody's fault, if not a blessing. I love Phil but if we were to ever even consider having kids it obviously wouldn't work with us both being men. He's a bit mad but I'm praying that he'll understand soon enough. I'd love to be apart of our child's life." I replied, a bit afraid but still wanting to be supportive.
"Would you like to know more about the baby?" She asked me, her voice seemed to perk rather quickly.
"Of course I would." I said, trying to sound the happiest I could. I couldn't help but feel terrible. I was making a choice without Phil, one that could potentially make him hate me forever. I tried to tell myself that I was doing the right thing but I still had an incredibly sick feeling in my stomach.
I was in a trance until I was snapped back into reality with Louise's voice.
"If you've calculated it out I'm about 3 and a half months pregnant. I knew around the 6th week but I just wasn't sure how to tell you. Right now the baby is about the size of a plum. I've got a little bit of a bump. My next appointment is tomorrow if you'd like to come with me." Louise told me.
"Sure, I could do that." I said, a bit unsure.
I tried to think about all the ways that I could possibly reach Phil.
I remembered that Phil's iPad was connected to his phone. I knew that if I called his phone that the message would also be received on his tablet. I was sure that he had taken it. I called his phone and when voicemail picked the call up I began to talk.
"Phil, I really would like to talk to you. I love you more than you can ever imagine. I haven't felt an ounce better since you've left the flat. I feel like I can't breathe without you around. I'm so sorry that I never told you about what happened between Louise and I. What happened was a mistake. I never should have done what I did. I know I've said this before but it didn't mean anything, and nothing means more to me than you. You're my whole world Phillip Michael Lester. I'd give up the fucking moon and sun for you. I need you to come back. I love you so much." I began to cry on the receiver. "Please, Phil, don't fucking leave me behind. I need you. You're not just my boyfriend, you're my best friend. I want to marry you, I want to start a life with you and have children and just stay together forever. That's how much you mean to me, Phil. You make me want to be the guy that I thought I would never be. Please just call be back or come home. Please. I love you, Phillip. I love you." I hung up the phone and hoped to god that he would hear the message.
I heard a small knock on the door and then Phoenix slid in and shut the door behind her. I hadn't even thought about Phoenix or Adrain being home. She looked at me straight in the eyes.
"Did you cheat on Phil?" She asked. Her eyes were completely locked on me.
"I love Phil," I said.
"What the fuck is going on? Phil is gone? For good? Louise? Dan, don't give me any half assed bullshit. I care for Phil, he's not only your boyfriend, he's my third brother and my best friend. I care for him as much you. Tell me what you're hiding."
Phoenix never got angry, she was always quiet. But now she was quite the opposite, she swore like a sailor, her face red with anger.
"I had sex with Louise when you left." I said almost inaudible.
"What?"
"I slept with Louise when you left. I though-I felt like I failed."
Phoenix looked down at the floor, I could see a single tear shed from her eye before she turned around, slamming my bedroom door loudly behind her.
~
The appointment with Louise was scheduled for 8 AM. I wasn't much of a morning person so I had heavily prepared myself for the night before. When the 3rd alarm clock rang I rolled myself out of bed, trying to get enough motivation to get ready.
I tried to think about what I would wear to this type of appointment. I settled for a black and white sweater and ripped black jeans.
I went to the kitchen to get breakfast, finding Phoenix sitting on the countertop, a banana in her hand. I looked at her, trying to figure out if she was mad at me.
"Good morning." I said, smiling slightly. She didn't respond, instead getting down off the counter. She stopped for a second, lifting her shirt to fix the only remaining bandage on her stomach, wincing only a bit before starting to her bedroom.
"Are you mad?" I asked.
"Me? No, of course I'm not fucking mad." She said, her face turning red, but this time in a sad way. She said some more words but they were all mixed together. I heard Adrain's voice calling Phoenix's name, I guessed that he could probably handle her more than I could right now. I tried to collect myself again, pouring cereal into a bowl and munching in down in a few minutes before the car could get there.
~
Louise and I met outside of her OBGYN. when we arrived I was asked to sign us in. Louise had to fill out a form allowing information of our child to be disclosed to me and list me as the father. I had to take this in all rather quickly.
A few minutes later we were ushered down a hallway with an assortment of rooms by a woman in pink scrubs. We entered a rather small room, one that reminded me of an episode of Friends. The woman gave Louise a gown to change into. I politely turned around and she changed.
The nurse asked Louise to sit on the examination chair.
"You may want to step out." Louise said to me and she pulled herself up. I waited in the hall. After some time I was called back in. Louise was back into her normal clothing and the chair had been pushed back into something more like a bed or a table. The nurse was pulling a machine with a computer screen towards us. Louise laid back in the seat and pulled her shirt up.
"This is the part where they do the ultrasound, Dan!"
I nodded in response.
A jelly was put on her stomach and something that I would suggest looked like a probe was turned on. The screen popped on and the nurse began entering information. Soon she was gently pushing the probe into Louise's stomach. A picture came up on the screen. The nurse began pointing things out to me; a growing arm, the head and butt.
"Would you two like to know the sex?"
I looked at Louise, waiting for her to answer. She started at me. "What do you think, Dan?"
"I-uh..it's your body. You chose." I said awkwardly.
"Um-sure. Yes." She answered.
"Alright. Lady and Gentleman, it's a girl!" The nurse said excitedly.
"We're having a baby girl!" Louise said excitedly.
~

I've noticed that nobody has really been reading this book, I don't want to continue working on it if it's not interesting. Please vote or comment if you'd like me to finish it. Thank you!