A Night to Last a Lifetime

As soon as Sophie was shaking me awake I felt slightly better. I knew that, now that she was here, things were going to be worked out. She was always the smart one out of the two of us and she was the best at handling a crisis.

She dragged me through the day, visiting (rather rude) doctors, watching TV and trying to keep my mind off of why she was there. However, all through the game I could only think about Jeff.

“He’s going to think I did this on purpose,” I said to Sophie as soon as the game was over.

“What? Who?”

“Jeff. I told him we didn’t need to use a condom and now look. He’s going to think I’m looking for some pay off or something. Everybody’s going to think that. They’re all going to judge me as some gold digger. Maybe we should just not tell him. I feel like that would be best. I mean, so he doesn’t know? What does that really matter? It’s better than him only being involved from a money standpoint – and even then he’ll only be involved because he feels bad. Soph, this is all my fault! He wasn’t even that into it – I basically jumped him!”

“I honestly don’t know what to tell you, Tor. I mean, you’re in this mess because of bad choices, clearly. But, I don’t think Jeff will look at it as if you did it on purpose. Everyone else might, I’m not gonna lie, but I think he’ll at least listen to you. And you have to tell him! There’s no question about that. He can’t have a kid running around that he doesn’t know about.”

“What if I don’t have a kid? You know, end the pregnancy…?” Even as I brought up the idea my eyes started to fill with tears.

“We both know that isn’t going to happen. All you’ve ever wanted was a family!”

“Not like this though! This isn’t even a family! This is a baby with a one night stand! It wasn’t supposed to fucking happen like this!” I broke down again. I cried until I couldn’t anymore and then started to doze off with Sophie rubbing my back. I was brought back to focus when Sophie’s phone started ringing.

“It’s Gabriel,” she said.

“Alright. Well, here we go I guess...”

“Hey babe!” Sophie said into the phone. “Great game! God you looked good out there. Number one star!”

I couldn’t hear what he was saying but I figured it was some cute couple shit that they always got on with. Then I heard, “Oh, she’s okay I guess. We’ve got a little situation though. Um, where are you? There’s something I need to tell you.” She was making sure he was at home, thank God, because a freak out in the locker room right now would not be good.

“Alright, well, Tori’s um, well, she’s pregnant, Gabe. I’m putting you on speaker phone.”

Obviously, she was expecting me to explain all of this. She didn’t want to be completely the bearer of this news.

“Hey, Gabe,” I said quietly.

“What the fuck, Tori? What were you thinking? Who’s the dad?” He was yelling into the phone.

“You need to listen okay, and stay calm with this. I really need you to not fucking freak out and do something stupid, you got that?”

“Alright. Well, out with it!”

“Okay. So, you know how I came to Colorado a couple of months ago?”

“Oh, please Jesus, no.”

“I’m sorry okay! I feel like shit already, I don’t need to be getting it from you.”

“It’s Jeff, isn’t it? Oh man, he told me about that night. He said you were both wasted! How the fuck could you have let this happen Tori? You don’t even know him! I know him! And this is going to crush him!”

“I’m well aware of what he’s going to feel, Gabriel. I’m kinda going through it too! I’m gonna need his number or something though. I need to tell him. Not you, okay? Me.”

“Listen, you know I love you right? So when I ask you this, you know I’m only asking because I love you. Did you do this, like, on purpose? I know you’ve wanted to be a mom like forev-“

“WHAT THE FUCK GABRIEL? NO I DID NOT DO THIS ON PURPOSE! Do you honestly think I WANTED to get knocked up by some hockey player that was a one FUCKING NIGHT STAND?! No. I did not do this on purpose. You know, I was expecting this from people who don't know me but it kinda sucks that YOU just asked me that,” I stood up and stormed into my room. I fell onto my bed and started crying, yet again.

“God,” I thought to myself. “This would be much easier if there just wasn’t a baby.” Every time I thought about that option though, I felt horrible. This was my baby too and as much as it sucked, I loved it. Even now – this early – and knowing the circumstances this was still MY child that I had growing inside of me. I couldn’t just ignore that.

Ten minutes later Sophie came into my room. “He’s feels really bad about that. It was uncalled for.”

“It was exactly what I said was going to happen!” I shouted. “Even Gabriel, who’s known me for years, thinks I’m just another gold digging slut! What the hell do you think Jeff’s gonna say?!”

“Well, we’ll find out soon enough. I have his cell number. How do you think we should go about this?”

“Well, I don’t know. This feels like a face to face thing. I mean, I can’t just text him, can I?”

“Well, no. Here, give me your phone.” I handed it to her and she started typing a message. She handed it back to me and I read what she had sent.

“Hey, Jeff. This is Tori – Gabriel’s sister-in-law-ish I guess? I got your number from him. Listen, we need to talk.”

“Sister-in-law-ish?” I said to Sophie.

“Well, Gabe’s girlfriend’s twin sister seemed a bit ridiculous. Plus, I don’t think he gets around much. When he sees the name Tori he’ll probably know who you are.” My phone went off.

“Uh, yeah, hey? Um, I thought the deal was we didn’t talk to each other again…?”

“Well, something’s come up… Listen, do you have Skype or something? We seriously need to talk and I wanna see you face to face. I obviously can’t come to North Carolina to do it.”

“Okay…? Yeah my Skype name is JSkinner53. I’m home now…”

“Oh, my God. Are we doing this tonight?” I asked Sophie.

“Well, the sooner we get it done the better probably…”

“Okay, yeah. I’m looking you up now. Hang on.”

I sent the add invite to him and waited. A few minutes later he came online. I instantly felt like I was going to throw up. “I feel sick,” I said, looking at Sophie.

“Well, it’s okay to be nervous. This is kind of a big deal.”

“No, Soph. I think I’m gonna –“ I ran to the bathroom.

“Ohhh. That’s a pregnancy thing,” I heard her shout.

“Oh, well thanks for the head’s up!” I yelled back. When I was finished I went back in my room and sat at my computer. “Here goes nothing…” I said, looking at the call button next to his name.

“I’m right here,” Sophie said, holding my hand reassuringly.

I clicked and a few seconds later, there he was. Sitting at a table eating Cheerios. So oblivious to what I was about to tell him.

“Hey,” he said awkwardly.

“Uh, hi,” I said. “Listen, something happened.”

“Yeah, we had sex. You told me that was it and now I’m sitting here Skyping you and it’s a little awkward. So, what? I want to go to bed,” he snapped, frustrated.

“I’m sorry I’m interrupting your life right now but what we did is about to change both of our lives so stay seated and try not to faint, got it? I’m pregnant. So, surprise.” As soon as I said it I regretted the way I put it. I was just so mad at how annoyed he was getting about talking to me. I wasn’t some stupid fan girl who had walked up to him in the street and started asking him a billion questions.

The worst part though was his face. He went completely pale and his mouth pretty much dropped to the floor. I saw him set down his bowl of cereal and lean back in the chair.

“Oh, my God,” he whispered.

“Get mad! Don’t do that shocked, quiet stuff. I need you to yell at me! Be as pissed as I am!” I shouted at the computer.

“I’m not going to yell at you,” he said calmly. “It isn’t only your fault. I was there too.”

“I forced you into it! I told you we were fine without a condom. Everything is my fault.”

“I could have said no, Tori. I’m not some kid that you forced into having sex with you. I could have easily turned around and walked out. Oh, fuck. What am I gonna do?! What do I tell my mother? Holy shit. Who knows about this?”

I was excited to finally see him starting to panic. Finally, a reaction. “Just us, my sister and Gabriel.”

“Oh, Jesus,” he said. “What are you gonna do? Are you going to keep it or…?”

“I don’t really know yet. I don’t know what I’m doing about anything, Jeff! I’m 19. We’re 19! I obviously can’t do this on my own. But it’s my baby, you know? I can’t just pretend like that doesn’t matter.”

“I know. Oh my fuck. Where do you even live? Holy shit. You’re pregnant with my kid and I don’t even know where you fucking live.”

“I live in Florida,” I answered, quietly. It was just occurring to me that we truly knew nothing about each other. At all! At the beginning of that night I couldn’t even think of his fucking name!

“I’m coming there,” he said. “We need to figure this out. I have a practice tomorrow and then I have 2 days off. I can get out of that practice. This is more urgent right now. I need to make some calls. Oh, man. I have your number now anyway. I’ll call you when I know what I’m doing.”

“Alright,” I whispered and ended the call. I turned and looked at Sophie. “It’s done. This is all really happening now.”

She nodded her head and looked at me sadly. “I know. You’re having a baby,” Sophie whispered.

We sat in silence for a half an hour then my phone rang.

“I’m on my way to the airport. We have 3 days to figure this mess out.”

“Okay,” I said into the phone. “I’ll text you my address.”