Jersey

seventeen

Pregnant Ellie walked over to the door, opening to see Ethan and Lisa, their mom, with happy faces.
"Hey!"
"Oh my god you've gotten so big." Lisa said embracing her into a big hug.
She smiled then doing the same to Ethan before inviting them in.
"So, everything's good here?" Lisa asked, "With Grayson on the road and everything?"
"Oh, yeah." She answered, "I don't even really feel all that pregnant yet."
"What are you hoping for? Boy or girl?" Ethan asked.
Ellie thought for a minute, "I'm not even sure. Boy, probably."
"Well I'm rooting for a girl." Lisa intervened.
"Mom, it doesn't matter what you want." Ethan said, shooting Ellie a small eye roll.
Ellie smiled, "I'll be happy with whichever. Grayson's convinced they'll be two."
"Well we do have twins in our family." Ethan reminded.
"I highly doubt I'm carrying twins." Ellie said, "Plus, isn't that like, double the pain?"
"Oh yeah." Lisa answered, "When I was pregnant with Ethan and Grayson, it was torture."
"Thanks mom."
"I wouldn't wish that pain upon anybody."
Ellie laughed, "I have to get used to taking care of one kid before I can even think about another."
"You think they'll be others?" Ethan asked.
Ellie shrugged, "I don't know."
"Before another kid comes along, I think a wedding is in order."
"Oh."
"Mom."
"What?" She asked, "Or, are you guys not planning on getting married?"
Ellie felt uncomfortable, "We've never talked about it."
"And that's completely okay, mom get out of their business."
Lisa huffed in confusion, "When two people are as in love as you and Grayson are, you tend to get married. Call me old fashioned I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Lisa. It just never came up in our conversations."
"Neither did a baby." Lisa reminded.
Ethan sighed in defeat.
"What?" Lisa nearly yelled to Ethan, "Did you guys ever talk about having a baby?"
"No." Ellie answered, shifting uneasily, "Just because Grayson's so busy."
"I was meaning to talk about that too. When you see Grayson again, won't you be like 6 months?"
"Hope not." She answered quietly.
"You're a trooper Ellie. As soon as I hit two months pregnant I was clinging onto my husband for dear life. I couldn't function without him." Lisa laughed.
"Well, I'm used to being on my own, so."
Ethan then looked up to Ellie.
Used to being on her own?
That's not- okay.

"Yeah, they're great company." Ellie answered to Grayson over the phone, "Your moms being very questionative though."
"What's she saying?" He asked.
"She's talking about marriage." Ellie said, watching Grayson eyes widen.
"Wow." He said, "That's- crazy."
Ellie shrugged, "I mean it's not crazy."
He laughed, "My moms always three steps ahead of us."
Ellie then raised an eyebrow, "Three?"
"You get the metaphor."
Ellie didn't, but played along.
"Yeah. But I mean we are having a baby, I think we're already kind of up there in that marriage department." She elaborated, "Your mom isn't crazy crazy."
"Yeah but marriage?" He asked, "That's bigger than having a baby?"
Ethan then quietly peered into the kitchen, overhearing their conversation.
"How?" Ellie asked now confused.
"Do you know how many unplanned pregnancies there are? How many unplanned marriages do you hear about?"
Ellie's heart then began to hurt.
"I don't get what you're trying to say, G."
Grayson then sat up, "Marriage is a major commitment. You don't necessarily have to be committed to have a baby. Sometimes you just slip up and boom, you're pregnant. With marriage it's like- I want to voluntarily spend the rest of my life with you. Y'know? Kids come and go."
Ethan's eyes widened, immediately hearing how offensive what Grayson was saying cane across.
Ellie tried to hide her distraught, "What are you saying that you're not committed to me?"
Grayson didn't hear. He had started a conversation with his bus driver before turning back to Ellie, "Oh, hey baby I've gotta go. Tell mom and Ethan I say hi. Love you."
Before Ellie could even respond, he hung up.
She looked at her blank screen in despair, "Yeah, I love you too." She mumbled.
Ethan then scurried away unseen.
Ellie let out a heavy sigh and tried to put the conversation in the back of her head.
She then walked back into the living with Lisa and Ethan who were watching tv.
"Hungry, babe?" Lisa asked.
"Uh, yeah. Kind of." Ellie answered with a smile.
"I'll go out and grab some pizzas." Ethan volunteered, going to get his shoes.
"I'll go too." Ellie said, wanting to get out of the house, "I never go anywhere."
Ethan nodded, "Okay. Cool."