Life in a Fast Lane

It was then another snowing evening in Virginia, but it wasn’t just a usual one, it was Christmas Eve. Vivian’s uncle and aunt were inviting her, Gio, and also Bridget to come to their house just like every other years before that. But that year was different, Bridget would be knocking on their door as a 7 months old pregnant girl and the dad of the baby would be inside the house, yet again she couldn’t tell her baby’s grandparents that it was theirs.

Vivian was parking the car on the park as Gio and Bridget got to the Leahy’s front door before knocking them. Bridget couldn’t stand still, she kept on repeating the word nervous through her lip that was covered in a pink cherry flavored gloss and the strawberry fragrance she used definitely filled into the nostrils of everyone around her.

The door knob was moving and the door slowly opened as Vivian run toward the door and stopped right behind Gio and Bridget once the door was wide opened. Cameron was standing on the other side of the house and he was wearing this pajama he used to wore every single time during Christmas eve dinner.

“Hey girls, come in.” Cameron greeted as Gio walked passed him and hugged him real tight.

As Gio went inside the house, Vivian followed right by her tail and she also gave him the hug Gio gave him. Inside the house, the whole boys from Cameron’s band were all settled in the living room, but Bridget hadn’t moved her legs to get inside the house just yet. She was still looking down, keep on rubbing her belly without any word.

“I asked you to come in, didn’t I?” Cameron chuckled as Bridget looked up.

“Maybe I should go home now, Cam.” Bridget said as she turned around but Cameron got to her.

“Her grandparents want to see how healthy she is. They also want to meet the mother.” Cameron said.

Bridget’s heart crimpled the moment she heard what Cameron said. She had tried her best to keep this from Cameron’s family. She never wanted to tell them about her pregnancy and everything but Cameron told her that his parents wanted to meet her. She wanted to just run away but it was clearly hard for her to even walk. A tear dropped on Bridget’s face as Cameron walked by her, standing in front of her and wiped away the teardrop.

“I’ve told them everything.” Cameron said as he convinced Bridget to get inside.

Bridget took off her coat and hang it on the hanger as she was greeted by the warm hug from her friends there, and she noticed the people inside the room wasn’t just the boys from TDF, but also a girl that looks very familiar to her who tend to be Vivian’s friend from Jammin’ Java, Ariel. It appeared that she had been dating with David in the couple months.

“Aww, look at you beautiful girl…” Cameron’s dad said as he pulled Bridget into a huge warm hug. “How’s my little grand daughter inside there?” he added as he knelt down and talking to Bridget’s belly.

Bridget somehow felt uneasy about it as she took a few steps back but her foot slipped as she almost fell on her back, and if it happened, it would be one hell of a mess, lucky her Cameron was standing right behind her the whole time she walks, and Cameron’s feeling was right to did so, she fell right in front of him as he quickly got her.

Cameron sighed a relieved as he help Bridget to stand proper as Cameron’s mom rushed to her and told her to sit down on the couch. Bridget was somehow still in shock, knowing that something bad may just happened to her if Cameron didn't catch her time and she knew she would be hating herself her whole life.

Vivian rushed to the kitchen as she made her some hot tea and handed it to her while Cameron's mother was still trying to calm her down as Bridget's mind played a little flash back to what just happened. Cameron was holding her and saved her and her daughter. She could feel the love filling the room as she snapped out of her thought and Cameron's mother hugged her.

"Baby, you freaked me out." Cameron's mom whispered.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Leahy. I didn't know I'd flip like that..." Bridget said as she looked down.

"I love you so much, honey. You know we all do, don't you?" Mrs. Leahy said as she rested her head on Bridget's shoulder.

Just then, Vivian ranted about how hungry she was as then her aunt stood up from the place she was sitting on and they all sat in the dining room, doing the usual Christmas dinner. For Cameron, the people he was with inside the room wasn't just his friend or best friends, they were more. They're all family.

As they finished the dinner, Bridget was already used to wash the dishes along with Vivian but instead, Vivian asked Ariel and Gio to help her and let Bridget relax a bit. Cameron's parents took her to the living room where everyone else were at. Bridget and the rest of TDF boys sat on the floor as they had some snacks while the TV was playing some christmas holiday movie, elf.

Everyone in the room was laughing at Will Farrell's action as an elf while Cameron's mother won't stop asking Bridget about her pregnancy. Bridget realized how much she missed Mrs. Leahy as she just quickly hugged her before her tears dropped. Cameron's mother only smiled as she wiped away her tears.

"My son was a total fool, he told me everything, and we respect your relationship with Jason..." Mrs. Leahy said. "But that doesn't mean you have to go away from us." Added her.

"That's true, Bridget. The baby you're having is still a Leahy, even though maybe her last name won't be. But if you need anything, we're going to be here for you..." Mr. Leahy said as Bridget smiled.

"I've forgotten how warm this house feels." Bridget smiled.

Vivian, Gio, and Ariel then joined them in the room as Vivian sat next to Eric and Gio was pulled to sit next by Wes while David had Ariel on his lap. Cameron sat right below his parents and Bridget as he felt something was running through her hair as he realized it was Bridget's hand.

Everyone still gathered when Wes suddenly spoke up during the commercial. He stood up as he asked Gio to do so as he pulled her and they stood below the mistletoe and he started confessing about his feeling toward Gio.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Wes asked as everyone in the room cheered for yes and Gio nodded.

The new couple kissed under the mistletoe as Cameron lit up his little smile and looked over Bridget before standing up and ask her to come with him to the kitchen. At first, Cameron made two cups of tea and handed one of the cup over Bridget. Cameron took a deep breath before he knelt down before Bridget.

"Cameron, what are you doing?" Bridget asked as she moved backward.

"I miss talking to my daughter." Cameron answered as he looked down to the floor.

"Oh..." Bridget said as she move forward, back to the place where she was standing.

"What are you going to name her?" Cameron looked up to Bridget as she shrugged. "Is it okay if I keep calling her Marina?" He added as Bridget froze.

"What?" Bridget asked with all the emptiness in her mind.

"Can I call her Marina?"

“I haven’t made up my mind yet about what should I name her, but I guess that would be fine for now…” Bridget said as she bit her lower lip.

Cameron then started making conversation with the baby inside her belly as Bridget felt the thing she couldn’t explain. Cameron looked so happy knowing that he indeed spent some time with his future daughter after months of being a very bad dad for her and also Bridget. Cameron wouldn’t stop talking and singing some lines from every songs that describe how grateful and thankful he was for Marina.

Cameron rubbed Bridget’s tummy for the last time as he smiled before standing up. As he stood up and bent down for a light kiss on her belly before grinning and asked her to come back to the living room.