Home ~ Linstead

Every Night... Except This One

  A week went by... then a month... they had talked every night. Every night, he got home from work, and he called her. She answered with a smile on her face, every night.... except this one.

  She'd been off work that day. She'd taken a sick day. She had seen the five calls and thirteen text messages from him, and it hurt not to answer them, but she'd see him soon. She sighed nervously as a few tears fell down her face. "Positive..." she took a deep breath, staring down at the test in her hands. She sat it down on her nightstand and laid down, sobbing.

  She didn't know what to say- or what to think. She'd taken the test last night, and only worked up the courage to look at it this morning. The second she saw the result, she called in sick to work. She wasn't sick, she wasn't even having any symptoms that day, but she didn't know how to go to work and pretend everything was normal.

  She'd laid in bed, scared for the first hour of the day. After that, she decided to go home... she was terrified about telling Jay. She didn't even know if he wanted kids, and now she was pregnant with his child after not seeing him for two years, and only getting back together with him a month ago.

  For the longest time, she didn't think she'd ever want kids, but then when she fell in love with Jay, she'd changed her mind. The two of them had never talked about it, but she knew she wanted them. She wanted to be happy about being pregnant, but she couldn't yet. Not until Jay knew, and not until she knew how he felt. She wasn't even sure she wanted to know his reaction, but she had to tell him. She sighed and grabbed her suitcase, then picked up her small duffel bag from the couch and put her laptop inside.

  She looked at her phone- at the five new text messages from Jay. She didn't mean to hurt him, she just didn't know how to respond to him after the day she'd had. She knew it probably wasn't the best idea to just show up at his door in the middle of the night, but she didn't really have a better plan. She walked outside her apartment and got into a taxi, headed for the airport. She got her ticket and went through security, then onto the plane. She looked at the now 20 messages from Jay.

~ Text ~
Jay: Hey... you didn't answer. Just making sure you're okay...
Jay: Hey... call when you can... please just let me know you're safe.
Jay: Erin, please... are you okay!?

She frowned looking at the three newest ones. She texted him back.

~ Text ~
Erin: I'm sorry Jay... I love you, I'm okay, it's just been a rough day. I'll talk to you soon...
Jay: I love you too... you can talk to me... what's wrong?
Erin: Can I tell you about it later?
Jay: Yeah...
Erin: I gotta go... I love you...

  She turned her phone off and spent the whole flight looking out the window sadly, and nervously. She didn't know what to tell Jay. Eventually, the plane landed. She hadn't expected to be back in Chicago so soon. She went into the airport and headed to baggage claim. After grabbing her suitcase, she went outside and got a taxi. She nervously gave the driver Jay's apartment building address, then turned her phone back on.

~ Text ~
Erin: You still up?
Jay: Yeah... everything ok?
Erin: Yeah...

  She hadn't been 100% honest, obviously if everything was okay, she wouldn't have flown all the way to Chicago a month after her last visit. The driver pulled up to the building. She paid him before stepping outside and walking up to the door. She stopped herself right before she was about to go in. A few tears rolled down her face. She didn't want Jay to hate her... she didn't want to lose him... she was worried that both would happen if he wasn't happy about the baby. She took a deep breath before going inside. She walked up to Jay's apartment and knocked on the door nervously, and somewhat quietly.

  Jay, who had been watching sports on tv and drinking a beer, looked at the door, confused. Who'd knock on his door at 11pm? He walked over to the door and opened it. A grin quickly spread across his face. "Erin!" His smile quickly fell when he realized the tears now streaming down her face.

  "Hi Jay..." she said, nervously. He hugged her. "What's wrong? What happened?" He asked, worried. He pulled away to look at her. "A-Are you hurt? Did something happen?" He closed the door and held her hands as they walked over to the couch. "Talk to me... what's wrong?"

  He wiped a few tears away from her face with his thumb. "What happened...?" He asked, both worried and sad. She looked at him nervously. "Jay.... I.... I'm.... I'm pregnant...." she says through tears. He stared at her for a few moments. "I-I don't understand... what's wrong? Why are you crying? This... This is amazing! We're gonna have a baby!" He said, holding her hands gently. "Because... I was afraid... that you wouldn't want to be a dad... or that you wouldn't want us to have a baby when we've only been back together for a month..." He sighed sadly and hugged her, kissing her head gently. "Of course I want to be a dad... and I want us to be parents... sure, things are complicated right now, but it's gonna be okay... it's gonna be perfect..." He pulled her closer. "I love you so much..." he kissed her forehead. "and I love our baby..." he kisses her cheek and puts his head on her shoulder. "I love you more..." she said, hugging him tightly. "I love you..." she kisses him softly. He smiled and hugged her again. "Lets go to bed..." he kisses her temple.

  She smiled and kissed him again before getting up to find her pajamas. She changed into her pajamas then laid in bed. Jay laid next to her a few moments later. He hugged her and gently rubbed her stomach. "I love you... both of you..." he kisses her cheek. She smiled. "We love you too... so much..." he kept hugging her. They both eventually fell asleep. Jay woke up early the next day and got on his computer to research baby things.

  Erin woke up about ten minutes after him. She smiled and sat up. She hugged him and gently kissed his cheek. "Good morning..." she rested her head on his shoulder gently. He smiles. "How are my two favorite people today?" He said, smiling. She kissed him and smiled. "We're Good" She said happily. He kissed her and grinned "Good... hey, I have work today... but maybe we could go get breakfast before?" She nods. "Do you think I could go with you to work for a few minutes? I wanna tell Hank about the baby..." He nods. "Yeah, of course... I just hope Hank doesn't kill me..." he said, only half joking. "He won't if I ask him nicely." She kisses him then gets out of bed to get dressed. She grabs the car keys as they head out. "I still can't drive, apparently..." he said, following her. "Nope!" She said, hopping into the car. She kissed his cheek before buckling up.

  They had their breakfast at Waffle House then went to work. Erin got out of the car and held Jay's hand as they walked inside. Trudy came over and hugged her. "How are you? How long have you been back?" She said. Erin smiled at her. "I came back last night, it was kind of a last minute thing..." Trudy smiled. "Well I'm glad you're back." She smiled before going upstairs with Jay.

  Antonio smiled and hugged her. "You're back!" He said, happily. "I'm here too, Antonio." Jay said, smiling. "Jay I saw you yesterday" he says. Jay crossed his arms "You didn't miss me?" He says, pretending to be offended. Antonio looks at him. "Nope... but I did miss you. How've you been?" He says, looking at Erin. "Good... and I missed you too. Thanks for keeping Jay out of trouble." She said smiling. "I try" He said. She smiled and nervously walked toward Hank's office.

  She knocked on the door. "Come in" Hank said, assuming it was Antonio or Trudy. He looked at Erin and grinned. He walked over to her and hugged her. "You're back" He said happily. "Yeah... I had some stuff to talk to Jay about in person... I came back last night..." she said. "What'd you need to say to him in person?" He asked, looking at them. She sighs nervously. "Sit down..." he sits back down. "You okay, kid?" He asks, worriedly. She looked at Jay before looking back at Hank. "I'm pregnant..."