When The Wrong One Loves You Right

You're So Right for What's Wrong In My Life

My face flooded with heat as the entire Altman clan stared at Phillip, then at me. 

Judd's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Um, wow," he deadpanned.

Wendy looked at me. "Tell me that's the drugs talking."

"Um," I said, then just resorted to shaking my head. "No...it's not..." 

Paul cleared his throat and his lips twisted reproachfully as he stared at Phillip. Annie grabbed Paul's arm and stared up at him, her mouth falling open.

Wendy, however, was far from speechless. "Holy shit. There's these things called condoms, little brother. Ever heard of 'em?"

Phillip made a mutinous face at his sister. "Oh, fuck off, Wendy," he slurred unconvincingly, showing her his middle finger, his happy smile turning to a pout. The pain killers were still running havoc through his bloodstream.

Paul covered the lower half of his face with his steepled hands. "Christ, Phillip. Only you would get shot for knocking up another man's fiancée."

"Go fuck yourself, Paul," Phillip said sleepily.

"Whoa," Judd repeated. He seemed to be able only to utter one syllable words.

"How could you do this, Phillip?" Paul cried. 

Wendy shook her head. "I'm calling it. She's gonna end up rising two kids."

"Did you even think about Cameron?" Judd asked, aghast.

"Fuck's that supposed to mean...?"

Only Mrs. Altman was focused entirely on me, her expression unreadable as her brood exchanged opinions . Finally she spoke in a strong, steady voice over her children. 

"Quiet! You are all behaving horribly," she said pointing a finger at each one in turn. "Your brother has just had surgery and is recovering from a gunshot wound. Will you all just simmer down?" She turned back to me. "Cameron," she said, "would you step outside with me for a minute?"

All talk ceased as I slowly rose from my seat, flicking a glance at Phillip, and then following the Altman matriarch out the door into the hallway. I felt like a school girl being sent to the principal's office. Once we were outside the room and the door was closed, voices erupted again behind us, Phillip and his siblings talking over one another very loudly.

Hillary Altman turned to face me and crossed her arms. It struck me that even though she was a diminutive lady and nearly a head shorter than me, she was forbidding and stern when she wanted to be. I folded my hands behind me and waited for her to speak.

"So you're pregnant?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes..."

She cut off what I was going to say with, "I'm not going to apologize for this next question so if I offend you, that's just tough." She narrowed her eyes. "Is it really Phillip's?"

My eyes shot to hers, shocked, my mouth dropping. But she merely stared back, lifting her eyebrows as if to ask, Well?

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Look, Cameron, Phillip's still got a lot to learn about women. No, don't roll your eyes or laugh...I'm dead serious. And I don't think he's ready for this. And I think you know it too. Why weren't you more careful?" she demanded. "Phillip's my baby and I love him, but God knows he's not that steady or reliable...I think this is all too much, too soon. And..."

"I love him too, Mrs. Altman." I felt my cheeks flush red and dropped the chastened school girl act.  "I'm not ready for this either, but it's happening."