Casual Sabotage

13 - All the Milkoviches end in Y

Ian wished they would still be at the beach, in the hot midday sun, feeling the waves crashing against his hips softly while he watched Mickey picking up seashells along the beach. He has never been so thankful for a sunburn as he was for the one on the back of his neck because it reminded him on their vacation.

The house was loud and filled with frustration and anger. It wasn't a discussion about morality in any sense. Fiona wanted Debbie to abort. Debbie didn't. If the thing in Debbie's wound was called a baby or a foetus or a cell clump wasn't of any weight. Ian had no idea why Debbie even wanted a child, maybe she just wanted to disagree with Fiona, because that was what she did during all of those discussions.

Ian was in his room and gently touched the seashells Mickey had brought home from the beach, they lay on his bedside table, Mickey was asleep, Ian sat fully dressed next to him, about to leave for work.

"Let me alone!", Debbie yelled through the house and it felt like the whole house shook when Debbie through her door shut. Ian sighed and pinched the sunburn on the back of his neck, hissing at the sharp pain, but through the pain, it was like he could smell the sea again.

"Don't do that", a groggy voice came from the bed, "It's never gonna fucking heal if you keep doing that."
Ian leaned down and kissed him gently, "It's almost gone", he said, "Sad, actually, last bit of summer."
"You're a masochist", Mickey mumbled.
Ian smiled and kissed him again, "I have to go to work, pick me up for lunch later?"
"Yeah, but not in Fiona's diner, I can't eat with her screaming about pregnancies and birth and afterbirth", he shuddered. Ian chuckled and quietly left the room.

Ian walked the way to the station, his mind travelled back to his own conversation with Debbie on the topic the day before:

Debbie sat down next to Ian on the couch and stared at him until he switched off the TV and looked back at her with a sigh.
"So, what do you think?", Debbie asked, "Everyone gave their fucking opinion, tell me, should I abort or not?"
Ian sighed annoyed, "Isn't that your decision?"
"Of course it's my decision, but I gotta know who's on my side."
"Debbs, I'm always on your side. But I can also understand Fiona. You're not even sixteen years old, you have no job, didn't finish school. Fiona is just afraid she might end up having to take care of the baby too."
Debbie growled, "No, she just thinks I couldn't do it. That's what all of you think, right? Debbie could never do it. Guess what, I'm not a little child anymore!"
"So, you want to have a child, to prove you're not a child... sounds childish to me."
Debbie pinched his sunburn hard, making Ian moan in pain, "Ah, fuck, Debbie!"
"I want to have this baby.", she stated, "I'll be a good mother and Derek's gonna be a good father and if my family doesn't support me, his family will!"
"Of course we will support you, Debbs.", he looked ta his little sister, "If you really want it, you should do it. It's your life."

Ian was pretty sure, if Debbie really kept the child, Fiona would kill him for saying this to Debbie. But what was he supposed to do? Hold her down, while Fiona pushed a clothing hanger up Debbie's uterus. Hard pass. He just hoped, Mickey and he could move out before there was another crying and screaming person tormenting this house.

Mickey crept down the stairs around noon. He wanted to pick up Ian for lunch in a few hours and just wanted to get something to drink from downstairs. He peeped into the kitchen, no one was in. He quickly went to the fridge to get some orange juice. The last time he had to move like this around the place he lived in, was when he still lived with his father.

The moment he closed the fridge door, Debbie suddenly stood next to him, startling him.
"Jeez, fuck, Debbie. What are you sneaking up on me for?"
"I didn't sneak", she said and sat down on one of the stools at the counter.
"Why aren't you at school?"
"Because I'm pregnant?"
"Great start", Mickey mumbled, "You know, it just occurred to me, I should drink this upstairs", he said and wanted to make a run for the staircase.