Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner
XXX
Hayliee
I could feel my excitement swelling inside my chest like a bubble, growing bigger and bigger until it finally burst. Johnny was coming home today, and I could not be more delighted.
“Hayliee, are you ready to go?” Emmy’s voice echoed up the stairs. “We’re supposed to meet the guys in Long Beach in an hour and a half!”
“Alright, I’m coming.” I knew Emmy was eager to leave, eager to see Zacky and tangle herself in his body, resurfacing only when they felt they had made up for Zacky’s absence. I made my way slowly downstairs, my large belly proceeding me, as it had been doing for the past two months.
“Damn, Hayliee.”, Emmy said as I waddled into the foyer. “Johnny’s going to be in for quite a shock when he sees you. You’ve really changed since the last time his saw you.”
“Yea.”, I muttered sarcastically. “When Johnny left, I was fat. Now I’m really fat.”
“Oh, would you shut up?”, Emmy shouted. “All Johnny is going to see you is your babies.”
I laid my hand across my abdomen and felt a kick against my palm. “I wish all he would notice was how skinny I was.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
I turned my back to Emmy. “It’s just...when Zacky sees you, all he’s going to be thinking about is how bad he wants to fuck you. But when Johnny sees me...that’s going to be the last thing on his mind. I want Johnny to want me again. Like he did before I got pregnant. Sometimes I feel like Johnny doesn’t think I’m sexy anymore.”
Suddenly Emmy seized my hand and tugged on it, hard.
“Where are we going?”, I asked.
“To prove you wrong.”
. . .
The restaurant we were meeting the guys at was closed to the public for the day, so that we could reunite in peace. As soon as we walked in the door, Zacky snaked his arm around Emmy’s waist and whisked her away to a secluded booth in the back, away from the rest of the guys.
And just as I predicted, Johnny only hugged me, laying his hands across my stomach. “Hayliee-”, he started. But he was cut short as I kissed him so roughly we mashed gums, grinded teeth. Johnny pulled away, looking winded, and stared at me curiously. I savored the taste of him on my tongue. Joy, relief, and strangely, regret. But I ignored the doubt that boiled in the pit of my stomach, happy to have Johnny in front of me after so long.
“What was that for?”, he questioned.
“I missed you.”, I breathed. “So much.”
A wide grin split Johnny’s face. “I missed you, too, baby.” He settled his hand in the small of my back. “Now let’s sit down and eat.”
. . .
It had been so long since I’d been in Johnny’s house, our house, that I spent the thirty or so minutes Johnny was in the shower exploring, my footsteps retracing all of my familiar haunts. As I walked into the kitchen, Johnny’s phone sprang to life on the counter. I reached for it and hit ‘answer’.
“Hello?”, I said, expecting one of the guys.
So, I was completely surprised when a woman’s voice responded. “Hello? Is Johnny there?”
“Who the fuck is this?”, I snapped.
“This is Carissa.”
“I don’t know any Carissa’s.”, I said flatly. “And neither does Johnny.” At least, he shouldn’t.
“Yes he does.”, the strange woman said. “Well, he might not remember my name, but I sure as hell can guarantee you he remembers what we did.”
My stomach seized up. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Didn’t he tell you?”, she sneered. “A few days before he came home to you, he gave me a little going away present.”
“Never call here again.”, I stated calmly. I hung up and slammed Johnny’s phone down on the counter so hard the screen shattered. Of course, Johnny chose that exact moment to come bounding down the stairs, a huge smile plastered on his face. He had no idea my world was falling apart at the seams.
“Who is Carissa?”
“What?” My sudden question obviously confused Johnny.
I slowly pivoted around to face Johnny. “I said, who the fucking hell is Carissa?”
Johnny blanched. “I-I don’t know a Carissa.”, he stammered.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying to you, Hayliee.”, Johnny insisted.
“Then why did some woman named Carissa just call your phone and ask for you?”, I questioned. Johnny remained silent for several moments and I filled the space with another question. “Did you cheat on me?” Again, Johnny stayed quiet, staring hard at the floor. “Johnny, did you cheat on me?”
Slowly but surely, Johnny nodded, an action that sent my world spiraling out of control.
The initial shock was immense. I stared at Johnny, my mouth hanging open. Then I regained my composure and slapped Johnny as hard as I could across the face. He staggered backwards. I had no idea I could hit that hard.
“How dare you.”, I seethed. “You...you...you fucking bastard.”
“Hayliee, I...” It seemed the blow to Johnny’s face had impacted his ability to speak. “Please, let me explain.”
“Explain?” I couldn’t help it, I laughed out loud. “There is nothing for you to explain. You fucked some other woman, some random slut.”
“Are you forgetting that you cheated on me once, too?”, Johnny asked.
“We weren’t married then.”, I declared, as if that made it any better.
“You think that made it hurt any less?” Now Johnny’s anger began to rear its ugly head. “I loved you, even back then. It didn’t matter that we didn’t have a stupid piece of fucking paper to prove it. When I walked in on you, fucking some strange guy in our bed, our fucking bed, Hayliee, it hurt. You weren’t the first girl I loved, Hayliee, but you were the first girl I ever even considered spending more than a few years with. And about what happened, with Carissa...all I can say is you had it coming. And eye for any eye.”
“You stupid little shit.”, I snarled. “ ‘I had it coming’? What the hell is that supposed to fucking mean?”
Johnny took a step forward. “It means you put me through fucking pain, so you deserve the pain I’m putting you through!” He was yelling now, which meant there was no way in hell this was going to end well at all.
“How can you even say that?”, I shouted, nearing tears. Fuck.
“I just can.” Johnny’s words hit me like shards of glass, piercing my skin. But amazingly, I didn’t cry. I just stared at Johnny, letting my anger build up.
“Jackass.” The word pushed through my lips, a small sliver of my fury. “You fucking little shit. You two-timing, cheating bastard. You...”
“Are you done yet?”, Johnny asked sarcastically. “Or do you have any more names you’d like to throw at me? Fucking hypocrite.”
“What was that?”, I asked.
“I said you’re a fucking hypocrite.”, Johnny growled. “You cheat on me and act like it’s no big deal. But I cheat on you, and you have a total fucking freak-out. You are a hypocrite. You act like you don’t do anything wrong. Well, I’ve got news for you. You do! You just thing that, when it’s not true. You’re a hypocrite and you’re a whore. You’re not perfect.”
I seized Johnny’s broken phone and tossed at him. It hit Johnny’s temple, causing his head to jerk to the side. Instantly, Johnny had me pinned against the wall, one hand closed around my throat. “Don’t you ever do fucking shit like that ever again.”, he snarled in my ear.
I struggled against him, but that only made it worse. His grip tightened slightly and I began to gasp. Finally, he let go and I slid to the floor, sobbing, touching my fingers to the tender skin on my neck. Trembling, I stood up and walked to the door. As I placed my hand on the doorknob, Johnny’s voice, still filled with anger, washed over me.
“Where the fucking hell do you think you’re going?”
“I’m leaving.”, I whispered.
Johnny’s hand closed tightly around my wrist. “You’re not going anywhere.”, he growled.
“What the hell makes you think you can stop me?”, I asked, although I knew he very well could.
“I just can.” There were those words again. Johnny thought he had absolute control over me. And the sad thing was...he did.
I shrugged his hand off violently. “Don’t fucking touch me. I don’t want you to touch me ever again.”
As soon as I said that, an intense pain erupted in my stomach. At first I thought Johnny had lost all common sense and struck me in the stomach. But then I felt something wet running down my legs and looked down to see a puddle between my feet.
Oh my God.
“Johnny...” I clamped onto his forearm, surely leaving marks from my nails. “Johnny, I-I think I’m going into labor.”
“Yea right.”, Johnny scoffed. I dug my nails deeper into his arms and he suddenly noticed the puddle beneath my feet. “Holy shit. You weren’t kidding. Bu-But you’re only six months along. Y-You can’t be going into labor now!”
“Tell that to Isaiah and Madelyn.”, I moaned. I buckled, and Johnny caught me in his arms. He gently stroked my stomach. I found it amazing how quickly our anger had dissolved.
“What should we do?”, he asked, panicking.
I writhed in his arms. “Take me to a fucking hospital?”, I suggested.
“Right, right.” Johnny nodded rapidly, as though the idea had been his all along.
I could feel my excitement swelling inside my chest like a bubble, growing bigger and bigger until it finally burst. Johnny was coming home today, and I could not be more delighted.
“Hayliee, are you ready to go?” Emmy’s voice echoed up the stairs. “We’re supposed to meet the guys in Long Beach in an hour and a half!”
“Alright, I’m coming.” I knew Emmy was eager to leave, eager to see Zacky and tangle herself in his body, resurfacing only when they felt they had made up for Zacky’s absence. I made my way slowly downstairs, my large belly proceeding me, as it had been doing for the past two months.
“Damn, Hayliee.”, Emmy said as I waddled into the foyer. “Johnny’s going to be in for quite a shock when he sees you. You’ve really changed since the last time his saw you.”
“Yea.”, I muttered sarcastically. “When Johnny left, I was fat. Now I’m really fat.”
“Oh, would you shut up?”, Emmy shouted. “All Johnny is going to see you is your babies.”
I laid my hand across my abdomen and felt a kick against my palm. “I wish all he would notice was how skinny I was.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
I turned my back to Emmy. “It’s just...when Zacky sees you, all he’s going to be thinking about is how bad he wants to fuck you. But when Johnny sees me...that’s going to be the last thing on his mind. I want Johnny to want me again. Like he did before I got pregnant. Sometimes I feel like Johnny doesn’t think I’m sexy anymore.”
Suddenly Emmy seized my hand and tugged on it, hard.
“Where are we going?”, I asked.
“To prove you wrong.”
. . .
The restaurant we were meeting the guys at was closed to the public for the day, so that we could reunite in peace. As soon as we walked in the door, Zacky snaked his arm around Emmy’s waist and whisked her away to a secluded booth in the back, away from the rest of the guys.
And just as I predicted, Johnny only hugged me, laying his hands across my stomach. “Hayliee-”, he started. But he was cut short as I kissed him so roughly we mashed gums, grinded teeth. Johnny pulled away, looking winded, and stared at me curiously. I savored the taste of him on my tongue. Joy, relief, and strangely, regret. But I ignored the doubt that boiled in the pit of my stomach, happy to have Johnny in front of me after so long.
“What was that for?”, he questioned.
“I missed you.”, I breathed. “So much.”
A wide grin split Johnny’s face. “I missed you, too, baby.” He settled his hand in the small of my back. “Now let’s sit down and eat.”
. . .
It had been so long since I’d been in Johnny’s house, our house, that I spent the thirty or so minutes Johnny was in the shower exploring, my footsteps retracing all of my familiar haunts. As I walked into the kitchen, Johnny’s phone sprang to life on the counter. I reached for it and hit ‘answer’.
“Hello?”, I said, expecting one of the guys.
So, I was completely surprised when a woman’s voice responded. “Hello? Is Johnny there?”
“Who the fuck is this?”, I snapped.
“This is Carissa.”
“I don’t know any Carissa’s.”, I said flatly. “And neither does Johnny.” At least, he shouldn’t.
“Yes he does.”, the strange woman said. “Well, he might not remember my name, but I sure as hell can guarantee you he remembers what we did.”
My stomach seized up. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Didn’t he tell you?”, she sneered. “A few days before he came home to you, he gave me a little going away present.”
“Never call here again.”, I stated calmly. I hung up and slammed Johnny’s phone down on the counter so hard the screen shattered. Of course, Johnny chose that exact moment to come bounding down the stairs, a huge smile plastered on his face. He had no idea my world was falling apart at the seams.
“Who is Carissa?”
“What?” My sudden question obviously confused Johnny.
I slowly pivoted around to face Johnny. “I said, who the fucking hell is Carissa?”
Johnny blanched. “I-I don’t know a Carissa.”, he stammered.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying to you, Hayliee.”, Johnny insisted.
“Then why did some woman named Carissa just call your phone and ask for you?”, I questioned. Johnny remained silent for several moments and I filled the space with another question. “Did you cheat on me?” Again, Johnny stayed quiet, staring hard at the floor. “Johnny, did you cheat on me?”
Slowly but surely, Johnny nodded, an action that sent my world spiraling out of control.
The initial shock was immense. I stared at Johnny, my mouth hanging open. Then I regained my composure and slapped Johnny as hard as I could across the face. He staggered backwards. I had no idea I could hit that hard.
“How dare you.”, I seethed. “You...you...you fucking bastard.”
“Hayliee, I...” It seemed the blow to Johnny’s face had impacted his ability to speak. “Please, let me explain.”
“Explain?” I couldn’t help it, I laughed out loud. “There is nothing for you to explain. You fucked some other woman, some random slut.”
“Are you forgetting that you cheated on me once, too?”, Johnny asked.
“We weren’t married then.”, I declared, as if that made it any better.
“You think that made it hurt any less?” Now Johnny’s anger began to rear its ugly head. “I loved you, even back then. It didn’t matter that we didn’t have a stupid piece of fucking paper to prove it. When I walked in on you, fucking some strange guy in our bed, our fucking bed, Hayliee, it hurt. You weren’t the first girl I loved, Hayliee, but you were the first girl I ever even considered spending more than a few years with. And about what happened, with Carissa...all I can say is you had it coming. And eye for any eye.”
“You stupid little shit.”, I snarled. “ ‘I had it coming’? What the hell is that supposed to fucking mean?”
Johnny took a step forward. “It means you put me through fucking pain, so you deserve the pain I’m putting you through!” He was yelling now, which meant there was no way in hell this was going to end well at all.
“How can you even say that?”, I shouted, nearing tears. Fuck.
“I just can.” Johnny’s words hit me like shards of glass, piercing my skin. But amazingly, I didn’t cry. I just stared at Johnny, letting my anger build up.
“Jackass.” The word pushed through my lips, a small sliver of my fury. “You fucking little shit. You two-timing, cheating bastard. You...”
“Are you done yet?”, Johnny asked sarcastically. “Or do you have any more names you’d like to throw at me? Fucking hypocrite.”
“What was that?”, I asked.
“I said you’re a fucking hypocrite.”, Johnny growled. “You cheat on me and act like it’s no big deal. But I cheat on you, and you have a total fucking freak-out. You are a hypocrite. You act like you don’t do anything wrong. Well, I’ve got news for you. You do! You just thing that, when it’s not true. You’re a hypocrite and you’re a whore. You’re not perfect.”
I seized Johnny’s broken phone and tossed at him. It hit Johnny’s temple, causing his head to jerk to the side. Instantly, Johnny had me pinned against the wall, one hand closed around my throat. “Don’t you ever do fucking shit like that ever again.”, he snarled in my ear.
I struggled against him, but that only made it worse. His grip tightened slightly and I began to gasp. Finally, he let go and I slid to the floor, sobbing, touching my fingers to the tender skin on my neck. Trembling, I stood up and walked to the door. As I placed my hand on the doorknob, Johnny’s voice, still filled with anger, washed over me.
“Where the fucking hell do you think you’re going?”
“I’m leaving.”, I whispered.
Johnny’s hand closed tightly around my wrist. “You’re not going anywhere.”, he growled.
“What the hell makes you think you can stop me?”, I asked, although I knew he very well could.
“I just can.” There were those words again. Johnny thought he had absolute control over me. And the sad thing was...he did.
I shrugged his hand off violently. “Don’t fucking touch me. I don’t want you to touch me ever again.”
As soon as I said that, an intense pain erupted in my stomach. At first I thought Johnny had lost all common sense and struck me in the stomach. But then I felt something wet running down my legs and looked down to see a puddle between my feet.
Oh my God.
“Johnny...” I clamped onto his forearm, surely leaving marks from my nails. “Johnny, I-I think I’m going into labor.”
“Yea right.”, Johnny scoffed. I dug my nails deeper into his arms and he suddenly noticed the puddle beneath my feet. “Holy shit. You weren’t kidding. Bu-But you’re only six months along. Y-You can’t be going into labor now!”
“Tell that to Isaiah and Madelyn.”, I moaned. I buckled, and Johnny caught me in his arms. He gently stroked my stomach. I found it amazing how quickly our anger had dissolved.
“What should we do?”, he asked, panicking.
I writhed in his arms. “Take me to a fucking hospital?”, I suggested.
“Right, right.” Johnny nodded rapidly, as though the idea had been his all along.