Unexpected.

Orlando Burton
26.


Lyla Parker
25.

Lyla stared at the small stick on the counter in her bathroom. Seeing the word pregnant inside the tiny box was a bit of a shock. Over the past couple weeks she had noticed a strange feeling and the fact that she was a few days late caused her to buy the test. The possibility of it being a fluke crossed her mind as she decided to take another test. Seeing the second test end with the same result, Lyla walked out to her living room and sat down.

Lyla’s large apartment was silent as she sat there and tried to figure out what she was feeling. Of course she was excited, she had always wanted kids. The realization that children had never come up in conversation with Orlando made her worry. Orlando and Lyla got together just under two years ago. She loved Orlando right from the start. Sighing, Lyla tried to come up with the best way to break the news to not only Orlando, but to her parents who already were not big fans of his.

Knowing Orlando would be getting there any moment, Lyla quickly went to the bathroom and took a picture of the tests. A knock at the door just about made her jump out of her skin. “It’s open!” Lyla called out as she left the bathroom to meet him in the living room.

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando was headed back from work one afternoon, it was almost he and Lyla’s anniversary so he was going over to have dinner with her. Maybe they’d watch a movie or play a game together, he didn’t care he just wanted to spend some time together and destress. His work wasn’t a typical 9-5 office job. He was a high ranking member in the local gang. Being so high up meant he had tougher jobs, higher risk, but higher reward. He delivered to their lower dealers, he interrogated people, he fought and defended their turf. But he didn’t kill anyone. It was a line he wasn’t sure he could cross. As he drove his eyes drifted to the lo by scar on the back of his forearm, the white skin shined Compared to the rest, which was a light tan. He had all sorts of knicks on his body, but this was one of his worst scars. He got it in a fight witch a rival gang member over a turf dispute.

Orlando pulled into the parking lot of a local flower shop, picking up a dozen roses, some red, some hello, some orange. He wanted to surprise Lyla with them. When he got into her apartment he knocked, he knew he was welcome but he felt rude just going in. He heard Lyla’s voice and headed in. “Hey baby where are you?” He asked, walking into the kitchen and setting the vase down in the center of the dining table. Orlando removed his jacket and hung it on the back of a chair before walking towards the living room. He wore dark blue jeans, slightly torn and scuffed but other side in good condition, and a white tee shirts his boots were black and laced tight. He sat on the couch and begun to untie his shoes as he waited for Lyla to either come out or tell him where she was. “How was work?” He called out, taking his boots off and putting them on the rack by the door.

Hearing Orlando call out to her, Lyla took a minute to compose herself before she walked out and met him in the living room. Seeing him on the couch, she smiled, “Work was good. How was your day?” Lyla sat on the couch next to him, just glad that he was there. After working the morning shift at the restaurant where she was a server, Lyla was ready to come home. She knew about Orlando’s job, it wasn’t exactly a secret. Her eyes moved to the table where the vase of flowers sat now, “The roses are beautiful, thank you.” She told him as she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Sitting back on the couch, she took a moment to think about how she should tell him the news. Deciding to just tell him, she unlocked her phone and brought the picture up on the screen. “Orlando? I need to tell you something,” she told him. Seeing him look at her, Lyla took a breath, “I’m pregnant.” She handed him her phone with the picture of the tests on it and waited for his reaction.

@ BadStreetBoys

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando smiles over as Lyla sat with him, leaning over and kissing her gently. “The day was fine, nothing out of the ordinary. I missed you.” Orlando grinned at her. He was happy she likes the flowers he got her. “I’m glad you like them, think of it as an early anniversary present.” He quipped and leaked back into the couch, draping his arm around her shoulders. “Anything exciting happen today?” He asked as her looked over at her. Orlando was just happy to be here and be able to relax. Lyla grounded him, kept him sane, she was like his saving grace.

Orlando could tell the mood had shifted. He sat up and was glancing over as he noticed Lyla changing and being nervous, he wasn’t sure what was going on. He held his hand out and took the phone from her. His hand relaxed into his lap as he looked down at the photo, and heard the accompanying words. He swallowed hard as he stared at the word ‘pregnant.’ He shook his head, almost in disbelief, “For real?” He asked. He moved his eyes to look at her. “What do you wanna do?” Orlando was nervous. He didn’t want to get excited if she didn’t want to keep it. But he wasn’t even sure how to handle it if she did want to keep it.

@ BadStreetBoys
Lyla shook her head when he asked if anything interesting happened, “It was just another day.” She couldn’t help smiling as he mentioned their upcoming anniversary. During their relationship, Orlando had never ceased to amaze her. He was so thoughtful and loving, everything she had wanted. “I missed you too, I’m just glad you’re here,” she smiled over at him.

“For real,” Lyla said softly, not looking away from him. She was trying to figure out what he was feeling. Hearing him ask what she wanted to do, Lyla thought for a minute. “I want to keep it. I mean, it was a surprise, but there’s no one else I’d want to have a family with,” Lyla told him.

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando felt Lyla's eyes on him as he thought over the news he had just been told. He was always good at hiding his emotions and bottling them up, something Lyla wanted to change about him. He wasn't upset or anything, he just didn't know how to react. Orlando handed the phone back to her and looked away for a moment, pondering. He didn't want to say or do the wrong thing. He turned back and looked at Lyla. "So you're saying I'm gonna be a dad?" He asked, trying not to smile like an idiot, but a small smile crept up on his lips. Orlando paused for a moment before sighing. "Your father is probably going to kill me," Both of them knew how much her family hated him, "Like literally gonna find a hitman and kill me." he said and rubbed the back of his neck.

Orlando had always wanted to be a father, but could never quite picture it due to the life he lived. It wouldn't be safe fro his partner or the baby. It scared him thinking of the reality he would be bringing a child into. He shook his head trying to clear that thought from his head. He wanted to focus on the now. Right here with his girlfriend. "I've always wanted to be a dad, I just didn't think it was possible... how did this happen? I mean we use protection." He looked over at Lyla again and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I love you, both of you. I'm gonna take care of you, baby."

@ BadStreetBoys
Lyla wasn’t having any luck reading Orlando’s emotions, which was no surprise. “Yes, you’re going to be a dad,” Lyla said, the smile on her face growing as she noticed the smile on his. A sigh left her lips as he brought up her father. Her parents had disliked Orlando from the beginning, especially her father. Once the news of Orlando being part of the gang got to her father, his hatred toward Orlando grew. “It’s going to be fine,” Lyla was saying it more to herself.

Shaking her head, Lyla looked at him, “I honestly don’t know.” It was true, they had always used protection and Lyla was on the pill. She looked back at him, “I guess something didn’t work.” Feeling him kiss her forehead, Lyla smiled, “We love you too, so much.”

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando chuckled softly. “I know it’ll be okay. Im a big strong scary guy. Your dad wouldn’t be too smart to mess with me.” He teased. Although the knee her father had been sneaky before and had ways of messing with Orlando. “What about your school and work?” He asked, pausing for a moment. “I can take care of us, you don’t have to work if you don’t want to.” He added.

Orlando stood and walked to the kitchen. He grabbed two glasses, filling hers with apple juice and his with the champagne he had bought for their anniversary. He went back into the living room and handed her the glass with juice. “To us baby, and Our growing family.” He said holding his glass up to toast, then taking a sip. “Okay so,” he stopped unsure of where he was actually going with the sentence. When he stopped he just smiled. He couldn’t believe he would be a dad! And with the girl he was truly truly in love with.

@ BadStreetBoys
Lyla laughed softly as he spoke, “Even if he is angry, he’ll have to get over it.” When he mentioned her going to school and working, Lyla realized she hadn’t thought about all of that. “Are you sure? I don’t want to end up being a burden to you,” Lyla said softly. She would love to be able to stay home with their baby.

Watching as he went to the kitchen and came back with two glasses, she took the juice from him. She took a sip with him, smiling as he stopped mid sentence. “Lost your train of thought?” Lyla asked as she looked over at him.

@ foREVerYours.
“He will because he can’t force you to get an abortion. But he can make our lives a little worse. But I’m not worried. I can take care of us. And I can take care of myself.” He said and grinned. Orlando nodded. “Of course. I’d do anything for you, Lyla. I make plenty of money, that isn’t a worry. I don’t want you to drop out of school though, maybe drop down to part time or something. Your education is important. One of us has to be smart.” He said and chuckled.

Orlando furrowed his brow and nodded. “Yea I was gonna say something but I don’t remember.” He told he left before he sat down and leaned into the couch. Orlando grabbed the remote off the side table and turned the TV on. “Did you ever picture your future having a gangsters baby?” He quipped, smirking over at her

@ BadStreetBoys
Lyla shrugged slightly when he mentioned her dad making their life worse. She knew Orlando would do anything for not only her but also for their baby. “I’ll see what I can do about dropping down to part time,” Lyla agreed. Hearing his last comment, Lyla shook her head, “You’re smart too, just a different kind of smart.”

Relaxing on the couch as Orlando turned the tv on, she looked over at him, “Oh you know, I pictured it all the time.” Lyla laughed as she let her head rest on the back of the couch. “I have to call in the morning and see about setting up my first appointment,” she told him, smiling slightly.

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando rolled his eyes when she said he was smart, he didn’t think so. Sure he could run a street but he didn’t even graduate high school. He wasn’t smart in anyway that mattered in the normal world. He was glad she was okay with doing part time school. Orlando knew education was important And he didn’t want to stand in her way. He didn’t tell her as often as he liked, but he was damn proud of Lyla.

Orlando chuckled at her response. “I’m sure it’s exactly what mum and dad pictured for you too.” He said and shook his head. “Remember how we met?” He inquired, turning the volume of the TV down as he looked to her. “I better be invited to all your appointments.” He said and smiled, reaching over and taking her hand, interlacing their fingers. “I never knew I could be a dad in this life.”

@ BadStreetBoys
As Orlando mentioned how they met, Lyla nodded, “Of course I remember. How could I forget?” She knew she would never be able to forget the day they had met. Lyla had been on her way to class when she stopped at the coffee shop on the way. When she opened the door, she ran face first into a man that was too busy on his phone to notice her. The man was more upset about his wasted coffee that ended up covering Lyla’s shirt than he was about her. “You came up to me and offered to take me to the store down the street for a new shirt and then you asked for my number,” Lyla smiled as she remembered that day.

“I wouldn’t want anyone else at my appointments,” she smiled at him. Lyla looked at him, “I don’t want you to miss anything.” Watching as he laced their fingers together, Lyla sighed, “I never thought this would happen so soon, but I’m definitely happy.”

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando grinned and nodded. “You ruined my coffee,” he teased “but I guess I got you back by stealing your heart.” He teased. Orlando remembered being furious for about ten seconds before realizing how cute the girl he had run into was, and quickly composed himself so not to make an ass of himself. Orlando glanced over at her again, smiling as he thought about all their firsts. The first time they met, their first date, their first kiss, the first time they spent the night together, the first tome they had sex, and now would be the first time they had a child together. There were plenty of good firsts, but some unpleasant firsts as well. Like the first time he met her family, the first time her father tried to have him arrested, the first time her father kicked him out. But Orlando pushes those from his mind. Right now was supposed to be a good time.

Orlando grinned at the thought of watching their child grow inside her. “Yea, same. I thought I’d be some 30-40 year old before kids. I mean I don’t even know if I ever thought of it. But my future is you, and this is both you and me, so it’s my future.” He told her and squeezed her hand. “But how and when are we telling your family. I feel like we need to prepare for this.”

@ BadStreetBoys
“And you ruined one of my favorite shirts,” Lyla laughed. It was true though, it didn’t take long after they met for Lyla to be head over heels for him. She always did her best to focus on the good memories she had with Orlando. In all honesty, the majority of the bad times had involved her parents. It was like they had a problem with Orlando right from the start.

Lyla listened as he spoke, she had thought about kids. “I guess I’ve always thought about having kids one day. I knew I always wanted at least one,” she said. When Orlando mentioned her parents, Lyla sighed, “I don’t know. I’m thinking maybe, we take them to dinner. If we’re in public they can’t make too much of a scene...”

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando nodded in agreement. “Yes public dinner is probably good. It’ll also probably keep me from being a shit head and winking at your dad when you tell him. Just taunting him with the fact that I defiled his litter girl.” He said and leaned into Lyla as he kissed her deeply, running his hands up and down her body. “I’ll be good, no cheap shots I promise.” He said with a chuckle. “However getting them to agree to go to dinner with me will probably be difficult.”

Orlando finished his glass of champagne and too her empty glass, placing them both in the sink after rinsing them out. He looked around the kitchen for something to snack on before dinner. “Babe! What do you have for snacks? I’m hungry.” He called out, rummaging through the kitchen. Orlando opened the fridge and grabbed a cheese stick, but still looked for more. He turned around and looked at the flowers, grabbing an orange rose before he went back to the living room. “I think I read that orange roses mean. Luck or trust or something. Maybe this will help us.” He said and handed the flower to her.

@ BadStreetBoys
Lyla nodded, “A public place will keep both of you on your best behavior.” She couldn’t help laughing softly, “Just do your best to behave. I want to make it through dinner without him actually trying to kill you.” She kissed him back, shivering slightly as he ran his hands along her body. “I’ll get them to agree to dinner. I’ll call them and see if we can just get it over with tonight,” Lyla suggested.

Hearing him call from the kitchen, Lyla shook her head and smiled, “Whatever I have left in there is fair game. I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow.” She decided to take the few moments and call her mom, knowing it’d be easier to get her to agree. It was a quick phone call and ended just as Orlando walked into the living room. She smiled as he handed her the flower, “Well I hope so, we’re going to need all the luck we can get.” Lyla looked at him, “My mom said they would be able to meet us for dinner tonight, if that works for you.”

@ foREVerYours.
Orlando munched on the cheese stick he had in one hand and nodded. “Yea, I don’t have any plans.” He told her, sitting down besides Lyla. “Honey, we don’t need luck. You’ve got Orlando Burton on your side. You can do anything.” He said with a wink. Orlando finished off the cheese stick, leaving the wrapped on the coffee table to throw away when he got up. “Dad is thinking of retiring from the life, you know what that means?” He asked Lyla. “Means your man is gonna be in charge. I’m gonna run these streets baby.” Orlando told her proudly. Sure it wasn’t a typical job or lifestyle but this literally was like a promotion for him. It was like becoming the CEO.

Orlando relaxed with Lyla as they watched TV as it neared the time to meet her family for dinner, Orlando stood and headed to the kitchen to throw out his trash, then upstairs to Lyla’s bedroom. He always kept a variety of clothes here for any occasion. “So how are we dressing for this dinner? Like do I look nice with a suit, or am I supposed to look like the guy who just beat someone for owing him $50?” He asked, chuckling to himself. He knew no matter how he dressed he was going to give off the aura of a mobster, and that alone would piss off her family.

@ BadStreetBoys
Seeing that it was time to get ready for dinner, Lyla sighed softly. When she heard Orlando from her bedroom, she smiled, “I say go nice, it might help soften the blow.” She knew it wouldn’t make a difference, but she loved seeing Orlando in a suit, “I’ll even wear my black dress.” Lyla made her way to her bedroom and grabbed her favorite black dress from her closet. “I’m going to take a quick shower,” Lyla told him as she went across the hall to the bathroom.

After her shower, Lyla got out and dressed. She dried her hair before putting it up in a bun and pulling a few strands to curl and hang around her face. Once her makeup was done, Lyla walked out of the bathroom. She sat on the edge of her bed and put her shoes on before looking over at Orlando, “Ready?”