I Don't Need This Right Now

Alex stands at the kitchen island not knowing what to say. He didn’t want to hang up and seem rude, but he didn’t want to talk to Sam. “Hello? Are you still there?” “Uh, yeah, sorry. Hey.” “Hey, what’s up?” Sam asks. He seemed so confident for some reason. “Uh, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you calling me and how did you get my number?” Alex asks. “I emailed the college and they said that you currently live in the house you live in with Jack. I wanted to call you because I was just wondering how things were going.” “Well things are going fine. Jack and I are having a baby, everything’s great.” Alex said that in a mildly bratty tone, but it was Sam. Sam was a douche. “Oh, well congratulations I guess. I just wanted to say that I came out to my parent’s a few whiles ago and they weren’t that happy.” “What, you’re gay?” “Duh, I mean I liked you, but then I was also in denial, that’s why I left you for Michelle.” “Oh, well, uh, okay.” Alex stutters. “Yeah, well it was nice talking to you.” Sam clicks his phone off. Alex hangs up and stands there.

“You will never guess who called me earlier.” Alex says as he picks at his dinner. “Who?” Jack asks. “Sam.” Jack drops his fork. “He told me he came out to his parents.” “I thought he just used you?” Jack says. “No apparently he was ‘in denial’” Alex says using finger quotes. “In denial my ass.” Jack says as he stuffs the rest of his salad in his mouth. “Have you heard any news about Zack?” Jack asks. “Nope. I’m going to kill him if he isn’t back before the baby is born.” “I’m sure he will. Zack will feel really bad if he wasn’t there when he’s born.” “She.” Alex corrected. “It. When do we find out if it’s a boy or a girl anyways?” Jack asks. “Another month and a half.” “That’s too long. I wanna know now!” “Yeah, but even when we can find out the sex, I still don’t want to be told. I want it to be a surprise when he, she, it’s born.” “But what if I wanna know.” “I’m the one that’s pregnant, I get to choose.” Jack crosses his arm like a five year old. “I was the one that got you pregnant.” Jack says. “I didn’t want to be pregnant at the time.”

—

“Jack, it’s so fucking hot. Why are we here anyways?” Alex was about twelve weeks pregnant now. His back was starting to hurt and his feet started to swell. Still, Jack dragged him to the carnival. “Because I love it here.” Jack skips around the carnival grounds. “How much longer do we have to be here?” Alex nags. “Until it ends. The lights are pretty at night.” Alex looks at his watch. It was seven and the carnival ended at ten. “Jack, I’m not going to be here for another three hours. My feet are fucking killing me and my back hurts.” “Stop nagging.” “I haven’t been nagging much. You’re the constant nagger.” “Shut up and let me win you something.” Jack says as he purchases game tickets. Alex rolls his eyes. “Let’s go here.” Jack grabs Alex’s hands and laces his fingers between Alex’s. “If you knock down all of the bottles, you’ll win a stuffed animal!” The game announcer yells. Jack hands him the tickets and he get’s three tries to knock down the bottles. Jack tosses one ball and he knocks down all three. “Congratulations!” “Which one do you want babe?” Jack leans down on Alex. Alex stares at all of the animals. “That one.” Alex points at a gigantic stuffed elephant. Jack hands it to Alex. “I’m not dragging that around all night.” Jack says. “Can we get some funnel cakes and go home? I’m tired and I hurt.” “Fine, only because I love you.”