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I’ve decided to keep the baby, it wasn’t just what the doctor told me. Anthony had added me to his insurance when I needed my surgery and was out of it, he hasn’t taken me off since. He could have let me deal with the bill on my own, but he had taken care of it for me. He’d told me that in his eyes a man took care of his woman’s basic needs and that included taking care of me financially and emotionally.
When we have finished the appointment I figure that we are going to head home, but we don’t. Anthony has other plans for us, apparently. First we stop by Chris’ house I am still feeling overwhelmed, but he is insistent that we go and do the next few things. Chris is going to pick up Luke from school, and according to Anthony we are going to have a little personal time.
When we leave Chris’ house he turns the car east. Apparently while I was sleeping last night he was packing the car. He’s apparently done his research on where my parents live. He’s taking us there to meet them, oh great. The trip will take us most of the day to make, thankfully it’s a Friday so, we will get to Biloxi in the middle of the night.
Saturday finally hits the drive was long and exhausting so we didn’t leave the hotel until afternoon. As we drive the familiar route to my parents house I am both dreading, and somewhat excited to see them again. It’s been six years since I got told to get out of their house, because Johnathon and I had made a mistake and wanted to keep our baby, not give it up for adoption like they wanted me to do. They hadn’t agreed that kids should be raising kids.
Anthony tells me to stay in the truck as he goes to my parents front door to see if anyone is home. A couple of minutes later he comes back to the truck and opens my door. I get out, my anxiety now on high alert, because here I am again telling my parents that I’m pregnant and introducing my ‘boyfriend’ to them. It’s like dejavu all over again.
As we approach the door my father is standing just in front of the front door, it’s closed, making me wonder if he’s only going to talk to me on the porch and not let me into my childhood home. We come to a stop two feet away from my father who takes a step forward and gives me a big hug. The hug seems to last forever. He seems to be crying when we break the hug. Finally, he turns and opens the door to the house and invites us inside.
Just standing there for the five minutes we were covered in sweat from the heat and humidity. It’s not uncommon in Texas, but the air gets drier the closer you get to the western part of the state. Anthony and I sit on the couch that I sat on six years ago and told my parents that I was pregnant.
My mom comes out of the kitchen wearing her usual look. She thinks that I want something from them. All that I really want is for them to be a part in Luke’s and this baby’s life. I think that Anthony knows that this is going to be a tense meeting. My mom offers us coffee, I decline, Anthony accepts the offer. A few minutes later my mom comes out with a tray of coffees, sugar, and creamer. She hands my father his which she already made in the kitchen, as well as hers. Anthony’s is the only one that is black, unbeknownst to her that’s how he likes his coffee. He takes a sip, and I remember that my mom and dad drink instant, not brewed coffee. Anthony quickly adds several spoons of sugar, and a spoon of creamer to mask the flavor of the coffee. He stirs it while my mom gives him her usual glare. Usually the father is supposed to be overprotective of his daughters, but my mom takes the cake she can intimidate a bear.
“Well, we haven’t seen you in years.” My mom says as she’s glaring at Anthony, but the comment is aimed at me.
“Did you forget that you told me to get out and never come back?” I say as respectfully as I can. The past six years has made me not appreciate people’s shit.
“Well, you’re here now.” She says. “I know that you keep in touch with Kathy, but can’t even pick up the phone to call your mother.” She says in her snide way.
“I took it that you didn’t want me to ever contact you again.” I say almost crying. “I didn’t tell Anthony to bring me here. He wanted to meet you and surprise me at the same time.” I explain the course of the last day and a half.
“Well, what happened to Johnathon. The honeymoon ended and he couldn’t deal with a kid screaming its head off all day and night?” Her attacks begin again.
“He died in Afghanistan.” I say quietly as I feel Anthony’s hand on my knee. I can see my mom glaring at where his hand is placed on my leg.
She clears her throat because in her opinion he’s sitting way to close to me as well as touching my leg. I was raised that a man doesn’t touch a woman anywhere but her lower back, hold her hand or place his arm around her shoulders when in public or in the company of their parents. She’s about to say something I can feel it in the way she’s looking at Anthony’s hand. If she could she would light it on fire with her eyes. I think she was a witch in her previous life.
Anthony must have picked on the tension because he takes control of the situation in his usual cop mode. “Well, ma’am Lilly is right it was my idea to bring her here. I was hoping that we could put away the past, since I am going to be in Luke’s life for the foreseeable future I wanted y’all to know what kind of man was helping to raise your grandchildren.” I see my father crack a small grin at what Anthony has just said.
“Oh. How many rugrats do you have now. I knew that once you had the first you wouldn’t stop wanting to act like a kid yourself that’s why I kicked you out of the house.” My mom says in that typical judgemental attitude of hers.
“You’re daughter has been very responsible since Luke’s birth. He’s a wonderful five year old. She even had an implant put in to prevent future pregnancies when she started dating after Johnathon died. We only recently found out that we are pregnant....” He pauses to let my mom process the whole thing. “And before you ask yes, I’m much older than her, I’m seventeen years older. I met her when her abusive ex boyfriend tried to kill her. She’s been very much abused by him, as well as feeling rejected by you she feels that she can’t trust anyone except for Kathy.” He’s the first man to come to my defense. Johnathon didn’t get the chance to defend me to my parents, he was only seventeen and had a curfew. I had to tell my parents myself that I was pregnant then.
My mom is flabbergasted by what Anthony has said to her. She can’t believe that he would disrespect her in her own house. I can tell that she doesn’t like Anthony because he won’t let her berate me. He’s my overprotective man. “What, you couldn’t find a woman of your own age so you had to go and get someone that was younger than you by almost half your age? You’re disgusting.” She says to him trying to get Anthony to yell at her. That is the way she is. Once he does yell at her she will say that he’s abusive and I don’t deserve him.
“No ma’am, I dated some when I was younger, but I never found a woman who accepted me for who I was until I met Lilly.” He finishes. I can tell that he is frustrated with her by the way he is speaking. He’s trying to be polite, but my mom can be a mule sometimes.