Fly Me To The Moon

Chapter 23

Dick opened the door and smiled once he saw me. He enveloped me in a tight hug, and left kisses on my cheek.

"Finally, I get to see you." He whispered. "I haven't seen you since the trip."

"I tried to hang low... just to make sure I'd keep my job." I told him as we both walked to the center of his living room and then descended the steps to his couch.

"Well my suspension should be up next month. I'll be returning to the White House then." Dick told me as we sat on his couch.

"That's wonderful, Dick." I smiled, and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry all of that happened to you."

"I don't even understand why he was so hard on me. Everyone else on the vacation were relaxing as well, they barely explained why I got the suspension." Dick shook his head. I was guilty because I knew the real reason he was suspended, and he's lucky to not have been fired.

"I guess it doesn't matter now. I'll work twice as hard when I return." Dick held my hand. "Sometimes I feel like I should quit, go out and travel the world. Lord knows I can afford it."

"This isn't even what you want. Why don't you just give it all up and be who you truly are?" I asked him. He chuckled.

"Sure, I can live off of my trust fund money but that won't take away the fact my allowance would be revoked, I'd probably be taken out of the will too." He shook his head. "And this apartment is in his name, he'd probably put me out on the street."

I couldn't believe I put Dick in this position. I was ruining his life by being in it. Suddenly, nausea began coming over me.

"May I use your restroom?" I asked quietly.

"Of course, sure—" He answered, but I was already jumping up the few steps and running into his hallway.

I kneeled in front of the toilet and opened the seat, getting sick. I was loud in that bathroom as my nausea got the best of me. Then once finished, I flushed and cleaned myself up.

"Something tells me what you got isn't the flu." I heard. I looked up from the running water in the sink, and saw Dick standing in the doorway.

I stepped toward him, my eyes began tearing up. His eyes got glossy too.

"Gosh." He said. "Maybe we should take you to the doctor. Check that out."

A few hours later we were walking out of the doctor's office, and my knees were weak. On the sidewalk, Dick held me close.

"What are you going to do with it?" He asked as we stood there hugging.

"I don't know." I told him quietly. He looked into my eyes as he held me close.

"I'll be the best father I can." Dick said. Suddenly, I felt sick again. I wasn't sure who the father was, and I couldn't tell Dick who else it could possibly be.

"What?" Dick asked, he could tell I was in my thoughts.

"Nothing. I just can't believe this is happening to me." I shook my head.

"I'll help you through this, I'll do everything I can." Dick reassured me. "I didn't know I'd be asking under these circumstances but..."

"Dick— before you ask me anything let's think of our options." I insisted.

"Options? What other options? You're carrying my child." He told me, then took both of my hands in his. "Our child. We had an option, and this is the route we chose."

"What if I don't want to have it?" I asked him.

"You mean... terminate the pregnancy?" He asked. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Dick, I'm young and I'm scared." I cried out, and someone passing by one the sidewalk gave us a glare. "Can we please go inside the car?"

"Sure, lets go." Dick put his hand on the small of my back and opened the car door for me. After I got inside he ran around and got in as well.

As we sat in the car, my eyes were filling up with tears.

"I am the father, right?" Dick asked. I looked to him, confused and not knowing what to say.

"Who else would be?" I lied. And he exhaled. He leaned closer to me and wrapped his arm around me.

"It'll all be alright, Janis." He said into my ear.

"We can't go through with this." I shook my head. "What would your family think? I'm colored."

Dick took his arm from around my neck and sat forward, now he was in his thoughts. "Gosh, I never thought of that."

"Dick, I can find someone who will fix this." I told him. "In fact, I think I know someone."

"Ask Susan." Dick told me. I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"Why would that be?" I asked him.

"Janis, I haven't been totally truthful with you." Dick said slowly. "Turns out, I dated Susan for a time before you showed up at our job."

"She already told me this." I informed him, and he looked at me shocked.

"Did she?" He asked. "Well, she was a handful. We dated for two months, and it was a tempestuous relationship."

He paused.

"Go on." I encouraged. "You can tell me anything."

"Well, after we were broken up for a while she came to the apartment and laid a big one on me. She said she was pregnant, and she'd known for a while before." Dick told me. I squeezed his hand, shocked.

"You guys were that far in your relationship?" I asked.

"She wanted to keep the kid and get married. She was really invested in our relationship. I told her she should get rid of it. It wasn't good for either of our careers." Dick admitted. "And I've always wondered what would've happened if we kept it."

"Isn't that the same situation we're in? Why would you ever want to keep this one?" I asked him quietly.

"Because." He said quietly, then looked into my eyes. "I love you, Janis. And I'll take care of you, you won't have to work another day."

He placed his hand on my stomach, and I placed my hand on top of his.

"This is ours. And he was made in love whether we knew it or not." Dick went on and I laughed.

"He?" I asked, then rose my chin up high. "She was made in love."

"This baby is ours. I'll take care of both of you Janis. Just wait and see. I'll become the politician my dad always wanted, and you'll be living large." He told me.

"But that's not what you want. You never wanted this life, I won't ever force you to give up your happiness like that." I insisted.

"I'm a reasonable guy, Janis. I have a responsibility now." Dick told me. "Marry me, Janis. Please."

He took my left hand into his. "Be my wife."