Inebriated

Halfway through my eighth month, Juno and I had finished preparations. I had already quit my job, broke my lease, packed my things. When I told her everything that had been happening, down to Mikey's closeness, she revealed that he had told her about his slight feelings for me.

At that, I realized that it was time to get out of dodge and get away from both of my problems. Juno wanted to come with, but she said she wouldn't be able to. At least, not right now. She had something good with Frank, and she thought maybe he was going to propose soon. I was happy for her, really.

Gerard had been coming to my house every day, every night, calling me non stop... I couldn't handle it anymore. He was famous, and I didn't have the heart to call the cops and potentially ruin his career. I may be cold enough to drop him so suddenly, but I wasn't about to destroy the rest of his life, too.

Juno worked it out with Frank that he would keep Gerard occupied for the day while she and the rest of the guys helped me move out. I left most of my furniture, but I kept the important things like my great-grandmothers chest of drawers, my china, and all my other sentimental items. It took half the day, and the other half was spent driving me to Nebraska where my parents were waiting for me.

I had to turn my phone off on the drive there. Gerard had realized what had happened, and was leaving me frantic voicemails and text messages that made my willpower drop. with Juno's encouragement, I turned off the device and spent the rest of the drive to my old hometown of Omaha gathering my thoughts.

Mom and Dad were happy to see me. They welcomed me with open arms, fawned over my stomach, and said not a word about their previous-and-almost son-in-law. Juno stayed the night and caught a plane back to L.A., since we drove my car out here, and I spent the next day cancelling my phone plan, getting a new one, and giving my phone number to all of my old contacts, barring Gerard.
***
It was another whole month before I finally had the kid. I was watching old television talk shows like I usually do with my mother, when my water broke and we rushed to the hospital. It wasn't eventful, I didn't almost die, and my son came out perfectly healthy. I hadn't thought of a name, so I decided on the spot - Jackson. I didn't particularly like it, but when they came in to get all the paperwork done after I had been cleaned up, my mother had some music app playing on her phone, and it turned out to be Michael Jackson.

I wasn't going to name him Michael, for obvious reasons, so I went with the next one. Mom thought it was silly, but it worked and he wouldn't be teased over it when he grew up, so it all worked out in the end, I guess.

I called almost everyone to give out the news, and Mikey agreed to break the news to Gerard. I told him I would get him the information about visitation, and Mikey said he had something he needed to mail me that they found at my old house.

Visits from lawyers, multiple phone calls and meetings, and I finally got to just take my son home and sleep and cry and block out everything except for him and his needs. He had brown hair, green eyes, and god damn if he didn't look like Gerard. I somehow knew he would, it was my punishment for abandoning the poor guy. I would feel terrible about it forever.

Mom and Dad knew everything that had happened, from Jackson's conception to my decision to move out here. For visitation, Mom volunteered to take him there, since I wanted to be nowhere near Gerard, and she was retired and had the time to do it. We all agreed it was for the best, since I still wasn't confident in my resolve to stay out of Gerard's black hole of feelings.

It was another two years before Juno told me that Gerard had found some girl named Lindsey, and they were doing well together. Maybe Gerard learned from his mistakes, but I'm not sure. At least he didn't knock her up. Two illegitimate babies would be more than enough for him to handle.

Mikey and I still talk sometimes. He's never done anything more than be friendly, so that's good I guess. I don't regret leaving him, of course. He's a friend, that's all. But he's been keeping me updated on Gerard and Lindsey and their relationship. I should feel weird about keeping tabs on my old fiance, but I don't. I just want him to be happy, and I guess that's going well with him.

Somewhere along the line, the package Mikey had sent me got lost in the mail. I forgot about it for a long time, until it showed up another year later. It was small, and taped up pretty good. The note inside was in the same handwriting I knew belonged to Gerard.

"This is still yours. Don't forget me, and I'll do the same," It didn't seem so romantic, until I opened the velvet box inside to reveal two rings - the one I had been given at our first wedding ceremony, and the engagement ring he'd given me soon after our annulment.

I put the rings back in the box, and didn't open it again.