Strawberries

I assume you've gone up to the bedroom, so I stay downstairs for the rest of the morning. I watch television into the early afternoon, before I start to get hungry. I make and eat a sandwich before I head upstairs. When I open the door to the bedroom, you're curled up under the blanket, looking at the T.V. screen. When I enter the room and you look over at me, I could almost swear you flinch. I keep myself from smirking.

"Come over here," I say coldly, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Turn the T.V. off."

You crawl out from under the covers, flicking the television off, and sit down on the edge of the bed, keeping your distance from me. I roll my eyes. "Stop looking so damn scared. I'm not going to hurt you."

"You already tried to..." you mumble.

I glare at you. "You want that to happen again?" I snarl.

You cringe, and when you're looking away briefly, I smirk. "No," you squeak.

"Then talk to me."

"Talk?"

"Talk. You know, words?" I make a gesture with my hand, raising one eyebrow.

You look down at your lap. "O- okay."

"First of all," I begin. "I hope you know that you were the one that hurt me. Just because I'm finally deciding to do something about it doesn't give you an excuse to be upset." I know I'm being cold, but you deserve it. "So. When's it due?"

"What?"

"The baby. When's it due?"

You look down at your lap, hesitant to answer the question.

"Joe. I asked you something."

"N- next month."

"Really. And you decided to just not tell me about this?"

"I was going to, eventua-"

"Eventualy. Like after it was born? You were just going to hide her from me, weren't you?"

"I- I d- don't know..."

"Yes you do."

You look up at me pleadingly and I narrow my eyes at you. "Did you not think it'd hurt me? Or did you just nor care? Answer me."

You press your face into your hands. "I don't know! It was an accident! You weren't supposed to find out the way you did, and I was still trying to decide what to do. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You've been seeing Rory for weeks. And before that, other people. At first you said it was so people wouldn't find out about us. Back when there was a real us. Now there isn't. But that wasn't the case with Rory, was it? You were cheating on me with Rory. Am I right or wrong?"

You shrug helplessly.

"Look at me, Joe. Or are you ashamed to?"

You look up at me briefly, then look down onto the bed. I grip a fistful of your hair and turn your head towards me, yelling "Are-you-ashamed-to-look-at-me?!"

"You're hurting me!" You whine. I glare at you, but I let go of your hair. I grip your chin loosely, forcing you to look me in the eye. "Now," I say quietly. "Am I right or wrong?"

"I- I geh- guess you're right..."

"I am. Now, tell me, what do you intend to do with the child?" I keep a grip on your chin. You still can't meet my gaze. I'm keeping most of my anger back, Joe, but it's hard. I could just get violent, hurt you, and be done with it, but I'm not that kind of person.

"I don't know. Rory doesn't want her."

"So I assume you're putting her up for adoption?"

You shrug. "I really don't know."

"You'd better not do that."

"W-what?"

"You better not put her up for adoption. I won't let you do that to a child." I swallow. And what I'm about to say is the hardest decision I think I have ever had to make, but I've been thinking it over all day and I know I must. "I'll take care of her if you won't."

You stare at me. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I want her to grow up in a good environment. If you put her up for adoption, you don't know where she'll go. And I swear, if you do that, you're out of here for good."

By now I've let go of your chin and you look down at the bed under us. "What's her name?" I ask.

"We... we haven't named her."

I nod. "Fine. Now, let me say a few things. I'm letting you stay here, only because I know you have nowhere to go and I'm not letting you live with Rory. But you stay out of my way, you sleep on the couch, and do anything I tell you. Are we clear?"

You bite your lip, and slowly nod. "Yes."

"Good. Then leave." I reach back, grab your pillow, and thrust it at you. "I'm going to take a nap. So go watch the downstairs TV if you want. Just get out of here."

I watch you closely as you take the pillow to your chest. You stand up off the bed and shuffle out the door without looking back.