common sense • rini/jolivia one shots

you can have manhattan (1)

tears slipped quietly from Nini's eyes as she stared down at the bathroom sink. inside it, there laid two sticks, both containing the word she hated most at this moment.

pregnant

that word felt like a death sentence. she was forever bound to another life. she wasn't afraid of being mother, quite the opposite, she always wanted to be a mom. she was worried about her boyfriend.

Ricky had gone away during spring break to Chicago to see his mom. originally, Nini was supposed to come along but then she started to get sick. Ricky wanted to cancel and stay with her but she made him go.

she was all alone.

of course this would happen to her. she had nobody to blame except herself. she and Ricky weren't always exactly safe but she always had her pill; except, she had forgotten a dose three weeks ago and now here she was.

alone and pregnant.

she wiped her tears and grabbed the sticks, walking into their bedroom of their shared apartment. when they had moved to New York City to go to NYU, they'd moved into this apartment that they'd called home for the last two and a half years. now it didn't feel like home.

she picked up her phone tentatively, scrolling through her contacts and clicking on one. she sniffled as the dial tone came on. she heard the line connect and before anyone could speak, she mumbled out, "mama? i made a mistake."

~~

when Ricky came home three days later with his suitcase in tow, everything appeared normal. except Ricky noticed something was wrong immediately.

he noticed how her ukulele wasn't in its permanent spot next to his guitar, or how her backpack that sat by the door wasn't there, and how her favorite records from their little collection were gone. he dropped his stuff by the door and quickly rushed to the kitchen, rifling through the cabinet to find that her favorite mug was gone. he let out a sigh as he ran to their bedroom, throwing open the door. he let out a shuttered breath as his eyes filled with tears. her theatre posters and playbills were removed from the walls, her jewelry gone from the top of the dresser, her drawers left open and bare. he collapsed to the floor letting out a loud sob.

he noticed a piece of paper on the edge of the bed, he hesitantly reached for it, wiping his eyes so he could read.

Richard,
i'm sorry. i can't do this anymore. please don't contact me. i need time. you can have Manhattan, cause i can't have you.
sincerely,
Nina

everything was wrong. the letter in his hand felt forced, using both their full names. what had he done wrong? he was the perfect boyfriend. he always came home after classes, he made her dinner, he was there for her through everything. why would she leave him?

~~

Nini stood in her childhood bedroom, taking in her surroundings. she was back in her old room, the room that she had so many firsts with Ricky in. she stood in the middle of the room, her hands subconsciously on her still flat belly.

a knock on the doorframe brought her out of her trance, she turned to see Carol standing at the door.

"hi..."

Carol made her way into the room, pulling Nini into her arms, "honey, why didn't you tell him?"

Nini let out a sob, "i can't tie him down, he's gonna go and make music and i'll be stuck with a baby. he needs to go live his dream."

Carol smiled sadly, "what about your dream?"

Nini's head dropped slightly, "i can't act and be a mother at 20. it won't work. so i'm going to stay here in Salt Lake, maybe i'll go back to school eventually but right now, he needs to be in New York and i need to be away from him."