Cinderella Man

“Just sit in his lap, Jenna. Look at the camera. Yes. Perfect,” the director shouted as he rolled the film. Marshall was sitting in a large chair with a big boobed blonde sitting in his lap. They glanced at each other occasionally, heating the chemistry up if the lyrics called for it.

Aubrey sat at a table to the side, groaning. She had been there three torturous hours. She didn’t understand why she was dragged along. Was this his plan to get her jealous? The plan to get her to see what she was missing out on? It definitely wasn’t working.

“Alright, that’s a wrap for tonight.” The director shut off the camera, walking over to the producers and other important people. They discussed the footage they had just shot.

Marshall helped Jenna up, smiling. “It’s been fun.”

She nodded, “Maybe we can make it more personal fun next time?”

Marshall shot a quick glance at Aubrey. “Yeah, maybe.” The answer was no, but he wasn’t going to be rude to the poor girl. He walked over to Aubrey, sitting down across from her. “How ya feelin’ sport?” Something about his smirk and overly cheery voice meant trouble Aubrey concluded.

She shot a glare at the half naked woman that was walking away. “Feel like I’m about to puke.” The sight was sickening. The woman wasn’t ugly by no means, but Aubrey did not need to see all her goods. That and her mutating egg was scrunching up her stomach.

Marshall raised both eyebrows, acting surprised. “Huh, you don’t say.”

Aubrey cocked her own eyebrow. What the fuck was going on with him. Something about him was.. weird, unusual. “Um… can I go home now?”

“Why are you in such a rush?” He leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the table. He crossed his arms behind his head. “I thought we could chill here a lil and, y’know, catch up on things.”

Aubrey hesitated to speak. Was he slipped something? “Like..?”

“Oh, you know, the usual like how are your classes going, how are your parents, excreta excreta.” He made a dramatic wave of his hand in a circular motion, adding to his weirdness.

Marshall watched her intently, taking note of any weird movements or facial expressions she might make. He was going to get to the bottom of this one way or another.

“Who the fuck are you and what did you do to Marshall?” Aubrey laughed, finding his sudden interest in her well being out of character. He didn’t care about her classes or her parents, he only cared about getting some.

He shrugged, “I could ask you the same.”

She leaned forward, “How so?”

He put his feet back down on the ground, leaning forward as well. Their faces were inches apart. “I took you for an honest person, someone who speaks their mind and hides nothing.” The day of her interview she spoke her mind freely, ultimately landing the job because of her openness. Since then, she has never shied away from telling Marshall off when he made sexual advances towards her. That was the spunk he liked about her – her honesty. Now, hiding a pregnancy that was possibly with his child seemed so out of character for her.

She shook her head, “I have nothing to hide.” What was he getting at? He didn’t know, did he? How could he have found out? Only she and her home pregnancy test knew.

’Shit,’ she thought as she remembered her laptop. She had left it on this morning and, knowing Marshall, he probably snooped around.

He smirked as he read her facial expression. She had figured it out.

Aubrey stood up quickly, “It’s none of your damn business,” she turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist.

He was standing as well, keeping his voice low so no one would overhear them. It was hardly the place to discuss such a matter, but it had to be done. “It is my business if it’s mine.” She was googling abortion clinics without consulting him, the possible father of her child.

“It’s my body. I’m only fixing your mistake.” She yanked her hand back, glaring at him. “This is all your fault. Have you ever heard of condoms?” She looked around, making sure no one was listening. Everyone was standing a good twenty feet away from them, minding their own business.

“You said not to worry about it!” he yelled in a whisper.

“Why the fuck would I say that?” she retorted.

“How drunk were you? You said you were on the pill.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I forgot to bring my pills on the trip.” She didn’t remember saying that she was on them. Then again, she didn’t remember a lot of things. “And why the fuck would you listen to a drunk person?” She was not about to take the blame for this.

“I didn’t think you were that fucking drunk to the point that you couldn’t remember if you took the pills or not.” He sighed, defeated. She wasn’t going to give up her side of the argument. He looked around, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Can we go somewhere more private and talk about this?”

…

They were in his jeep as he drove her home. This was as private as it would get. The silence was eerie. Neither one of them knew how or where to start the conversation.

“Aubrey-“

She cut him off. “Save it Marshall. I’m not going to keep it. A kid is not in my plans. I have a degree I’m working on.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Part of him wanted to slap her across this face if this was really his child she was contemplating about killing. He sighed, composing himself. “Look, you don’t have to worry about it. I’ll take care of it.” He pulled the car to a stop as he reached her apartment complex. “You don’t have to be in its life. I don’t care if you ever wanna see it again. Just… if it’s my child… “ He paused. He could never life with himself if he knew a part of him died. Even if it was only a couple of weeks old. “I’ll take care of it and you can go on living your life like it never happened. Get your degree or whatever the fuck else you want.”

She clenched her fists from anger. He made her sound so heartless. She put a hand on the handle of the door, turning to face him. “I would rather sue you dry through child support than hand over my kid.” She was furious, speaking her mind without so much as a thought about the consequences. She may be ready to abort a fetus, an undeveloped embryo, but she was not heartless enough to carry the child nine months, give birth to it, and then hand it over to him so easily. Contrary to his opinion of her, she was quite emotional.

She opened the door, slamming it shut after getting out. He followed her. “Stop being so damn selfish!”

He was just as furious. All she cared about was herself. What about him? It was his child as well, he had a say in the matter. He ran after her, still fuming about his side of the argument.

She chose to ignore his remark as he caught up to her. She was being a little selfish…“What the hell is your problem? Just forget this whole thing ever happened.” Her eyes narrowed as she spoke, unable to look him in the eyes. “I’m going to turn in my notice. I’m moving.”

“Where?” his eyes tried to lock with hers, but she averted them. She couldn’t even look him in the eye from guilt.

She pondered for a while. Where indeed. She didn’t know, but as far away as possible. “China,” she replied in all seriousness, remembering her conversation with Madison.

He busted out in a fit of laughter. He could just picture her in China. He could vaguely remember that in China, even if the food is bad, you have to be polite and eat it. She, on the other hand, would probably throw it in the chef’s face and cuss him out. “You know, they only let mannered people live there.” She was anything but mannered.

She flipped him the finger, proving his point, and proceeded to her apartment. He followed again, apologizing through laughs. “Just do me one favor. Think about it, hard. Don’t make a hasty decision.”

She processed his request. It couldn’t hurt to take a week and think about it, though she was sure she would not change her mind. A baby just was not in her near future. She wanted to at least have five years of experience in the law filed before she started popping out kids.

She sighed. “Will it get you to shut up and leave me alone?”

He nodded with a half-way, crooked smile.

“Fine.” She shut the door, ridding herself of the annoying, but oh so cute, smirk he wore so proudly.