“Wow,” Ezra murmured before laughing nervously.
“Jokes, right?” he asked, his laughter echoing hollowly through the now silent room. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on him and Eva. He looked at Selena, desperation and confusion clouding his eyes, before turning back to Eva.
“You’re not joking?” he asked, the nervous laughter fading from his voice.
“I’m not,” she replied firmly, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her eyes. Ezra glanced at his parents, who had stopped eating, their gazes heavy with concern.
“Let’s talk outside,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Eva nodded, and they walked out of the house. Ezra closed the door slowly as if trying to delay the inevitable conversation.
“Wow,” Blue muttered under his breath, breaking the tense silence.
Outside, Ezra turned to face Eva, his expression a mix of disbelief and fear.
“Is this some kind of prank? Pregnant? For who?” he asked, his face hardening as he tried to grasp the situation.
“I know it’s a shock, and I’m scared too. I know I told you I was seeing someone else, but that was just to get back at you. I’m not seeing anyone, I swear. Ever since we started sleeping together, I haven’t been with anyone else,” she said, her voice trembling.
“I wore condoms, and you were on pills. How did it happen?” he asked, frustration and confusion evident in his tone.
“I don’t know,” she said, her tears starting to flow again. “My parents are gonna be so mad. I’m not even done with college yet, and now I have to think about having a baby that I’m not ready for.”
Ezra’s mind raced, torn between guilt and the stark reality of the situation. He had been planning to apologize for all the hurt he had caused her, but now, hearing she was pregnant with his child, everything felt overwhelming. He wasn’t ready to be a father. The thought had never crossed his mind. He had always tried to be careful, but with Eva, he had become too comfortable.
“What do you have in mind?” he asked quietly, his voice strained.
“I don’t know. I just wanted you to know so we can decide what to do next. I mean, I’m not ready at all,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.
“Me neither,” he admitted. “We can’t bring a baby into this world when we’re not ready.”
“So what do you think?” she asked, looking into his eyes, searching for answers, her own eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.
“Take the baby out,” he said bluntly, his words cutting through the air like a knife.
“What the fuck!” she exclaimed, stepping back in shock.
“What?” he asked, confusion and frustration mixing in his voice.
“Killing? Ezra, are you serious right now? You want to kill your child?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief and rising anger.
“Do we have a choice? I’m not ready, and neither are you. I thought you even had that in mind,” he said, his frustration boiling over as he ran his hands through his hair.
“I thought of adoption maybe, but not killing an innocent child,” she said, her voice tinged with irritation and sadness.
“Do whatever you want to do. I’m not ready to be a father,” he said, his voice cold and detached.
Eva scoffed, brushing past him and storming off.
“You don’t need to do this!” he yelled after her, but she was already in her car, slamming the door.
“Shit,” he cursed, punching the wall in frustration, feeling the sting in his knuckles.
Ezra walked back into the dining room, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Dinner had resumed, but there was a palpable tension in the air. His little sister had already gone to her room, leaving the adults to deal with the fallout.
“Congratulations, man,” his dad said, his tone flat and eyes stern. Ezra winced inwardly, he knew his dad was furious. The older man had always stressed the importance of being careful, of thinking ahead.
“Congratulations,” Blue chimed in sarcastically, earning a deadly glare from Ezra.
“Shut the fuck up,” Ezra snapped, his anger barely contained.
“Why? He didn’t get anybody pregnant, remember?” their dad said, letting out a bitter chuckle. It was clear the chuckle wasn’t genuine-it was laden with disappointment and frustration.
“I was careful,” Ezra muttered defensively, feeling a mixture of shame and frustration bubbling up.
“Shut up,” his dad interrupted harshly. “Selena, to your room, now.”
Selena, sensing the rising storm, nodded quickly. “Goodnight,” she said softly, giving their mom a quick kiss on the cheek before slipping out of the room.
“How old are you again?” their dad asked, his voice tight with barely controlled anger.
“Twenty-two,” Ezra murmured, his gaze fixed on the floor.
“Louder, Mr. Man. Don’t make me angry,” his dad demanded, the frustration clear in his voice.
“Twenty-two,” Ezra repeated, louder this time, his throat dry.
“Well… like father, like son. I mean, I was married to your mom, though,” his dad said, stepping closer, his eyes boring into Ezra’s. The tension in the room was suffocating.
“I am sorry, Dad,” Ezra said, his voice breaking with regret.
“Me? Apologize to her parents. And you will do anything they tell you to do, even if it means getting married to her now. At least your dick would stay in one place,” his dad said, his words harsh and unforgiving. Ezra felt his stomach churn with guilt and fear.
“And the baby stays. Don’t even think of any other options because I know you kids can be dumb most of the time,” his dad continued, his voice leaving no room for argument.
“Yes, sir,” Ezra whispered, the reality of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders.
“Just get out of my sight,” his dad said, dismissing him. Ezra nodded, feeling a sense of despair as he walked out.
“And to you all morons who just fuck anything with a hole, think about kids too,” their dad said, pointing at Blue, Grey, and Reggie. “Apart from Grey,” he added almost as an afterthought. “Just get out,” he said, and they all stood up, leaving the dining room in a somber silence.
He breathed in deeply, exhaling loudly, trying to process everything. “They just make everything hard as a father. Now this is happening?” he asked, looking at his wife with a weary expression.
“It’s a shock, but please be easy on him. It wasn’t planned at all,” she said gently, her voice filled with understanding.
“He should have been more careful, knowing that they’re not ready for a family,” he said, sighing heavily. He walked over to her and hugged her tightly, seeking comfort.
“It’s so hard taking care of kids, especially boys,” he said, and she chuckled softly.
“We still have one more to take care of,” she reminded him with a smile.
“They would take care of him, not us,” he said, and they both chuckled, sharing a moment of levity amid the turmoil.
“Talk to Ezra and be nicer, okay?” she said, looking up at him with concern.
He nodded, kissing her forehead. “The things you make me do,” he said with a resigned smile, and she giggled, wrapping her arms around him.
—
I sat on my bed, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. I had tried calling Eva multiple times, but each call went unanswered. The silence on the other end only deepened my worry. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst-Ezra must have said something stupid to Eva, something that made her not want to talk.
My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Just yesterday, I was relieved to confirm that I was not pregnant. That scare had been enough to shake me, but now, my best friend was pregnant with my brother’s child. It was almost too much to process.
I sighed deeply, staring at my phone screen as if willing to light up with a message from Eva. This situation was so much more complicated than I had ever imagined. Eva’s pregnancy was a reality we would all have to face, and I felt a mix of guilt and fear for her.
A soft knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. I quickly stood up, my heart racing a little as I moved to open the door. When I saw my mom standing there, her hands resting gently on her pregnant stomach, I managed a sad smile.
“Mom,” I said softly, stepping aside to let her in. She walked in slowly, her eyes filled with concern.
“Hey, sweetheart,” she said, her voice gentle. She closed the door behind her and turned to face me, trying to keep her emotions in check.
Mom placed a hand on my shoulder, offering silent comfort. “How are you holding up?”
I shrugged, my eyes welling up with tears. “I don’t know, Mom. I thought everything was going to be okay after… well, you know. But now Eva’s pregnant, and I’m just…”
She nodded, understanding without needing more words. “It’s a lot to handle, I know. But you’re strong, Eva is strong too, I know it can be stressful to take all this in”
I wiped a tear from my cheek, taking a deep breath. “I’m just so worried about her. She’s not answering my calls. I think Ezra said something that upset her.”
” You know your brother,” she said with a little smile.
I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. “Ezra can be stupid,” I said, my voice cracking a little.
Mom nodded, sitting down on the edge of my bed. “He can be. But we have to remember that Eva is fragile right now. She needs our support more than ever.”
I sat down beside her, looking at my hands. “I don’t want anything to hurt her. She’s been through so much already,” I said, feeling tears prick in my eyes.
Mom reached out and took my hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. “I know, sweetheart. And that’s why we have to be there for him ” she said and I nodded
” What about Dad? How’s he handling this?” I asked, needing to know how everyone else was feeling.
Mom sighed. “He’s upset. Ezra isn’t ready to be a father, and we’re going to be grandparents so soon. It’s a lot for him to process,” she said, letting out a nervous laugh.
I managed a weak smile. “Yeah… It’s just so overwhelming. But at least it’s not coming from me. Dad would have killed Cyrus,” I said, a small chuckle escaping my lips.
Mom laughed softly. “Yes, he would have. But you need to be wise about your relationship with Cyrus. If he’s not serious, you need to let him go.”
“I know. I will,” I said, feeling a bit more resolved.
“And what about Marco?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
I scoffed. “I’ve been ignoring him for a while now. He still hasn’t gotten the hint that I don’t want to be with him anymore.”
“He’s a jerk,” she said, shaking her head.
“Like your sons,” I replied, and we both chuckled, the tension in the room easing slightly.
“Thank you, Mom,” I said, hugging her tightly.
“Ouch,” she said, wincing a little, and I quickly released her.
“Am I hugging you too hard?” I asked, concerned.
“Wow,” she murmured, her face contorting in discomfort.
“Are you okay?” I asked, my worry spiking.
“Uh… I think I’m having a contraction,” she said, her voice strained.
“Oh… sorry,” I said, patting her back gently.
“Should I call Dad?” I asked, reaching for my phone.
“No, don’t worry,” she said, trying to smile through the pain.
She stood up slowly, and I immediately stood up to support her. “I’ll come with you,” I insisted.
“You don’t have to,” she said, but I could see the relief in her eyes.
“I want to,” I said firmly, taking her arm.
As I helped Mom towards her room, I suddenly noticed a puddle forming on the floor. I stopped in my tracks, staring at the liquid spreading out.
“Mom?” I said, my voice trembling slightly as I looked up at her. Her eyes met mine, wide with realization and a hint of panic.
“I think my water just broke,” she whispered, her voice a mixture of shock and urgency.
For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. Then the reality of the situation hit me like a wave. “Dad!” I yelled, my voice breaking the silence. “Mom’s water broke! We need to get to the hospital!”
The house erupted into a flurry of activity. Dad and my brothers sprang into action. Blue and Grey exchanged worried glances, while Reggie looked almost panicked. Ezra, despite everything, seemed focused and ready to help.
“Reggie, get the car ready,” Dad commanded, his voice steady and authoritative. “Blue, Grey, grab Mom’s hospital bag from her room. Ezra, help me with her.”
Reggie bolted out the door to start the car, while Blue and Grey rushed to Mom’s room to fetch her bag. Ezra and Dad carefully supported Mom, guiding her towards the front door.
“Easy, Mom. Just breathe,” I said, trying to keep her calm. Mom’s grip on my hand tightened as she winced with each contraction.
We made our way out of the house, the minutes stretching into what felt like hours. The car was already running, Reggie in the driver’s seat, waiting anxiously.
“Selena, sit with her in the back,” instructed, his voice both urgent and calming. I nodded, helping Mom into the back seat and climbing in beside her.
“Ezra, take the other car, and Blue and Grey stay home with Anya,” Dad said as he got into the passenger seat.
“Hang in there, Mom,” I said, holding her hand tightly. “We’re almost there.”
The car sped towards the hospital, Dad giving Reggie directions and trying to keep him calm. I kept my focus on Mom, trying to keep her as comfortable as possible.
“Just a little longer, Mom,” I said, my voice filled with determination. “You’re doing great.”
Mom nodded, her face strained but resolute. The journey felt endless, but finally, we pulled up to the hospital entrance. Nurses and doctors were already waiting with wheelchairs.
Dad and Ezra helped Mom out of the car and into the wheelchair. The medical team swiftly took over, guiding her inside while I stayed close, holding onto her hand.
“You’re going to be okay, Mom,” I said, my voice thick with emotion as we followed the nurses into the hospital.
I was immediately stopped at the door point of the emergency room, and only my father was allowed inside.
“Love you, Mom,” I exclaimed as the door slammed shut in my face.
“Oh wow,” I murmured, then turned my gaze to Ezra and Reggie, who were frowning so hard.
TBC.