A Baby Changes Everything

Hard Conversations

Greer was getting ready to climb into bed when there was a knock on her door.  She opened the door to see Hudson.  She asked, "What do you need?"

He gulped and said, "You are pregnant."

She nodded.  "I am."

"I don't want a baby."

"And you think that I do.  It's not like I did this on purpose.  I'm seventeen years old.  I'm going to be a mom before I turn eighteen."

"I'm going to college in the fall.  I'm playing football and basketball.  I don't have time for a baby."

"I want to go to college, too.  You don't have to worry about the baby, okay?  I'm going to probably end up hating myself and put the baby up for adoption.  I know I can't handle having a baby on my own.  I just want to keep my baby, but I know it won't be what is best for him or her.  I just want what is best for my baby.  I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do.  I know I'm just another notch in your belt and someone to keep you warm until the next girlfriend comes into your life.  I should have known I was never good enough for you.  I promise I will stay out of your way.  There is no need for you to worry about me or this baby.  They won't be around and I'll be out of here as soon as I can.  I hate being around you just as much as you hate having me around."

"G, it's not like that."

"No, really it is okay.  Clara told me you were just waiting for your next girlfriend.  I understand.  Someone with your popularity does not need me to drag you down.  I know I'm stupid to love someone like you who is never going to love me back."

"Greer, please.  I'm not like that.  You know I'm not like that."

"I don't know what I know anymore.  I thought I knew you, but you just came in here to tell me that you didn't want a baby and looked at me as if I had some kind of contagious disease.  I'm having a baby.  My parents have disowned me.  I don't need to be worried about how much you and Clara hate me.  Don't worry.  I'm not telling your mom that the baby is yours.  She never has to know.  Then you can still have your perfect life and I will be out of your way as soon as humanly possible.  Now please leave me alone.  I'm about to ugly cry and the last thing I need is for you to be sitting here while I do it.  I'm emotionally exhausted and I just can't take anymore right now."

Hudson kissed the top of her head and said, "I know you don't believe me, but I do care about you.  I just can't be a dad.  I can't have a baby when I can't even take care of myself.  We are too young to have a baby."

Greer refused to respond anymore.  She climbed into the bed and turned her back to the door.  She started sniffling as Hudson left the room and closed the door behind him.

Hudson barged into Clara's room.  He said, "What the heck is your problem?"

Clara rolled her eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"What did you tell Greer?  What is the problem with the two of you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"You are my twin.  You know you can't lie to me.  What did you say to Greer?"

"Just that she wasn't good enough for you and that she was just a time filler before you found a real girlfriend.  Why?"

"What would ever make you think that it would be okay to say something like that to someone?  Especially to Greer.  You know how I have always felt about her.  I never knew what your problem was with her.  I stopped spending time with her because it upset you, but Greer was my best friend.  You have ruined her high school experience.  I don't understand why you stopped being friends with her."

"It used to be the three of us against the world.  Then you started spending more time with her than me.  You were my brother, not hers.  I needed you more than her."

"You have got to be kidding me!  I loved her.  You made up lies and pushed me away from her because you were jealous of the time I spent with her.  That is ridiculous.  You made her life a living nightmare.  You took away all of her friends and made her an outcast.  Now she has no friends."

"She made herself an outcast.  That had nothing to do with me.  I've heard the things you have told people about her.  I've heard you tell people terrible things about her."

"Come on.  It's high school.  People say things about people all the time."

"Yes, but they don't make other people hate people just because they can and to show some kind of superiority over others.  You took a huge part in ruining someone's life.  Someone who always cared about you and loved you even when she didn't have to."

"You are just saying this now because little miss innocent got herself knocked up.  It's not my fault that she doesn't know how to use contraception correctly.  That could have saved us all a whole lot of trouble.  Now we are stuck with her because mom and dad feel like they have to be some kind of saviors or something.  I don't understand the draw that she has over people.  She really isn't that great."

"You are awful!  She is having a hard time.  Her parents disowned her.  She literally has no one in her corner.  Then all you are doing is making things worse."

"Oh stop it.  It's not like you are perfect either.  You'd give her dirty looks in the hallway and tell your jock buddies not to date her if any of them ever brought her up."

"None of them were good enough for her!  I gave her dirty looks because I believed everything you ever said about her.  I should have known better than that.  Greer would have never done the things you said she did."

"Hudson, she's pregnant!  She's not as perfect as you think she is."

He gave his sister a death glare and left to go to bed.  He couldn't look at her any longer.  Knowing that she made up so many terrible things about Greer made him sick.  He had missed out on so many years with his best friend because his sister was a spoiled brat.