by Mj Fields
“Too early to tell,” she smiled at him.
She clicked a few buttons taking measurements.
“It looks like you are about twelve weeks, so we won’t be able to tell for at least another two months,” she said. “Excited daddy, huh?”
“Actually I’m a bit confused,” Lucas said, “Sadi is five months pregnant, not three. Can you check again?”
She looked at him “Sure. No… she’s twelve weeks, so just through the first trimester.”
“No, that’s not right. Is it possible that something is wrong with our baby?” Lucas asked concerned.
“Actually everything looks great, a strong heartbeat, all the measurements are good, everything is perfect.”
“Okay could we please talk to the doctor? She’s five months, she came here about two months ago, and you guys told her she was pregnant so obviously something’s not right, and I would like to make sure our child is healthy.”
“Okay, I’ll get the Doctor” she left the room.
“Are you alright Sadi?” he asked
She looked at him and turned away.
“Sadi, are you okay?” Lucas asked again firmly.
The doctor walked in and introduced himself, “So you’re concerned about the size of your child?”
“Yes, Sadi was here two months ago, and she was told she was three months pregnant. Now that woman said twelve weeks. I’m confused as to why it’s not a concern and that we shouldn’t be doing further testing.”
“Sadi I’m your doctor so if you would like to discuss this with me in private, please say so.”
“Sadi, do you need a minute or are we in this together?” Lucas looked confused.
“Go ahead,” she whispered to the doctor.
“Sadi is twelve weeks pregnant. She was in here a few months ago and had a false positive home test. We did blood work that proved otherwise. She wasn’t pregnant, and we clearly told her that.” The doctor explained.
Lucas sat down and was stunned, shocked, and speechless. Finally he spoke, “Do you know what you have done? Do you?”
“Mr. Links,” the doctor said in a warning.
“No, no, no! You aborted a baby behind my back about eight months ago. I brought you here and paid to get you on the pill and still dated your crazy ass. Then I finally find someone who I love and you fake a pregnancy?” Lucas started to laugh, “Doc she’s crazy, what the fuck?”
“Listen son, did you sleep with her two and a half months ago?”
“Yes, I thought she was three months pregnant, and I fucked her.”
“Well then you had sex with her willingly and you have a 12 week old baby growing in her body. I would suggest you take responsibility and stop talking to her like that,” he scolded Lucas.
“Holy Fuck! Sadi--- what is fucking wrong with you?”
Sadi looked at him, and tears fell down her face, “I love you.”
“What the fuck ever, get dressed. Doc can she be put on Meds to fix her fucking head before my helpless child is born?”
“That’s enough son,” the doctor said.
“No shit!” he said, “After I pay your fucking bill I’ll be in the car, hurry up.” Lucas stood and walked out the door.
~
Lucas dropped her off at her house and went to his. He took his little pipe and flopped on his bed. What the hell was he going to do now? This was crazy. What had he done? How was he going to tell Tessa, his family, Tommy? What was he going to do?
Lucas walked out of his house and drove to the farm. When he got out he realized Sadi left the sonogram picture in the car and he grabbed it. He walked around outside and tried to wrap his brain around what had just happened.
Tessa walked outside, “So is it a boy?”
Lucas walked past her and flipped the picture at her and walked towards the back of the farm.
Tessa caught up to him, “Hey Lucas, what’s going on,” he laughed and squatted down and looked at her, his eyes were red, and he was pissed. “Lucas are you stoned?”
“Maybe buzzed,” Lucas laughed again.
“Why?”
“Hey Tessa wanna hear a funny story?” Lucas asked running his hand through his hair.
“Sure?” she said with concern in her eyes.
“Oh wait first check out the picture baby. Look at all the cool numbers at the top.”
Tessa looked at the due date and all the numbers, “Hey my little stoner buddy, I think you got the wrong picture.”
“Baby you’re smarter than that, look at the name on it,” Lucas laughed.
“Okay Lucas, I’m confused.”
“Don’t be Tessa… ask the questions I’ve never lied to you.”
“Is she twelve weeks?”
“Yep… I fucked her when I was living here. She got pregnant then, as a matter a fact she had a false positive pregnancy test and had blood drawn, they told her she wasn’t pregnant. Sadi fucked with the paperwork and flat ass lied to me. Oh but remember as the good doctor pointed out to me I fucked her, it’s my responsibility. I’m sure my hot bodied little blonde here would agree, wouldn’t you baby?”
She just looked at him.
“And that’s what I thought,” he stood and walked away.
“Lucas wait,” Tessa said and ran up to him,“Is he healthy?”
“Sure is,” he said laughing.
“Okay-- that’s good right?”
“Are you fucking insane too?” he snapped. “That’s good? Fuck Tessa! She’s put me… us through hell, I would prefer she go play in the fucking road right now instead of fucking caring about how that nut job is going to take care of my child.”
“Well, no-- I’m not insane. But if you don’t think she could take care of him, then maybe you could get custody.”
“Fuck you Tessa-- I’m eighteen years old. I was raised by a lush whose head I pulled out of the toilet almost every night from the time I was three years old, on. I know nothing about taking care of a kid,” he yelled at her.
“Lucas, yes you do, you took care of yourself, and you can do this.”
She looked for his keys and saw his pocket bulging, great she thought.
“Hey Lucas would you come here just for a minute.”
He walked towards her, she pulled his head down and kissed him, and he moaned and grabbed one of her breasts and squeezed it hard. He took the other, shit she thought, she reached under his shirt, and rubbed is stomach. He groaned as she reached into his pocket.
“Oh fuck baby,” he reached down low and rubbed her hard.
“Lucas don’t,” Tessa whispered.
“Come on baby, I need you right now, you love me right?” he asked she didn’t reply.
She grabbed his keys and whispered in his ear, “I do, and don’t be mad at me please.” She turned and she walked away.
“Get back here baby,” he his nostrils flared.
She kept walking; he ran up and grabbed her.
“Lucas I love you, please be nice to me,” she hugged him, “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
He didn’t hug her back, he was pissed, “Give. Me. My keys Tessa.”
She let go of him and looked up, “Nope.”
“I have shit to do, Tessa,” he growled.
"What do you need to do Lucas?"
He grabbed for the keys and she took off running. He stood there with his arms crossed, she turned around.
"If you can catch them, you can have them," she lifted her shirt and put his keys in her bra.
Lucas shook his head and took off after her. She ran for the woods as fast as she could. He was right behind her, she ran harder and turned up the field and headed back towards the farm. Eventually, he slowed down and then walked. He looked up, and she was smiling tapping her wrist and beckoning him with her hand to come on.
Lucas was pissed and flipped her off. She smirked and then laughed out loud. She walked into the barn and sat on a bale of hay. He walked in breathless and looked at her, she was smiling and laughed.
&nb
sp; "I never thought about it before, but quarterbacks don't run very much, do they?"
"Enough to catch your buddy Ben’s ass before he made a touchdown," he snapped.
"But not as fast as me," she beamed.
"Fine, you win. But I’ll go after them if you don't hand them over.”
"No, you won't," she said breathlessly.
He walked towards her and stopped and looked at her.
“Tessa? Are you scared of me?" he asked and she walked past him.
"No," she walked towards the house, he followed her.
“You look better. Your eyes don't look like someone poked you in them, buzz gone?" she asked.
He shook his head yes, and he looked tired.
"Do you have the Munchies?"
He smiled softly, and she told him to sit on the couch. She made popcorn and turned on the TV and handed him the remote. She rubbed the back of his head and ate popcorn. He leaned in her shoulder and eventually he fell asleep. She scooted out and laid him gently down and covered him up, she grabbed the bowl and cleaned up a little. She sat in front of him on the floor and watched him sleep. She wanted to scream at him, and she wanted to kill Sadi, but regardless, the situation was not going to change and she needed to help him get through it.
~
Tessa gathered together marinated steaks, started twice baked potatoes and grabbed frozen corn from their field out of the freezer. She texted Jade, Tommy, Phoebe and Ryan and asked them to come for dinner, they all accepted. She was baking when he woke up.
He walked into the kitchen, "What are you doing?"
She smiled, "Good nap?"
"It was nice.”
“I am making dinner, Tommy, Jade, Phoebe, and Ryan are coming over. Does that sound fun?"
He looked at her, and she couldn't read his face, "Sure."
"Lucas I just thought you would want the people who love you around right now, I'm sorry."
"I appreciate it. Could I please take you out tomorrow? Alone?" He asked, her face froze, "as my friend Tessa."
"Of course," Tessa blushed.
Tessa made a big salad and Lucas helped. He turned on some music hoping she would dance around the kitchen. As usual Tessa started bopping around. Lucas smiled a bitter sweet smile knowing this be the last night he spent watching her dance while she cooked for him.
~
They all started coming in, and Tessa tried to allow Lucas ample time to talk to the boys about what had happened today if he wanted to. Tessa got out cards, and they sat around and played five card draw.
Lucas watched her laugh and smile and nothing else in the room mattered. He had broken and shattered her, and that didn't work, she still loved him. He didn’t look forward to what was to come.
That night she woke him up at 2:30 in the morning again. He knew she would, he made sure of it. She was much harder to calm down. She was angry and hurt and scared, he regretted it almost immediately. She sobbed and begged him not to go, he couldn’t tell her he wouldn't. He kissed her each time she cried until she fell back to sleep.
~
The next day was a blur. Sadness and heartache filled the house. By the end of the day the house was spotless and Tessa had gone for two runs despite the bitter cold air.
~
The next morning Tessa had gotten up and made breakfast and left a note.
-I have some things to do. Breakfast is ready, see you all later.
Tessa drove up to camp and went inside and lay down and sobbed. Lucas was taking his things home today, and she didn’t want to be there. Tessa opened her bag and took one of the pain pills from her ankle injury. She drank it down and fell asleep.
Tommy, Ryan, and Alex helped Lucas move, they were done by noon. Lucas was going to cook for the Ross’s tonight as a thank you. He had bought Prime Rib and googled how to cook it. At two o'clock, he wondered where she was, and by five, he was going out of his mind. He texted her again.
Her phone chimed, and she finally woke up
-Tessa we’re all worried where are you?...LL
~
Shit she thought, she had slept way longer than she had hoped, she jumped up and got in the truck and drove home.
“Where have you been,” Lucas asked as he was checking her out.
Probably to see if I’m drunk, she thought.
“Honestly I fell asleep at camp, your last message woke me,” Tessa laughed.
“Why were you there?”
“I started to clean up after hunting season. I laid down to rest for a bit and well, I’m here now,” she laughed.
“Okay,” Lucas felt her head. “You’re not sick are you?”
“No, just tired,” she smiled. “Did you need help tomorrow with the big move?”
“No everything’s done. Oh I’m throwing myself a birthday slash New Years Eve party tomorrow night. Do you think you and Alex could come?”
“Sure, we can try. You know how busy our schedules are. Will Sadi be there?”
“No.”
At that moment, he knew what he would do to make this easier for her.
They ate dinner at seven and by nine everyone was in bed. Tessa couldn’t sleep and walked downstairs. She decided to read until she fell asleep. Tessa had another dream and woke up as Lucas walked down the stairs. He started to pick her up.
“I’m awake. Sorry I woke you”.
Lucas sat next to her, “What was the dream about?”
“An accident, as usual,” Tessa whispered.
“Can I sit here until you fall asleep?” Lucas asked, secretly wishing she hadn’t woken up.
“You don’t have to. I’m sure you’re tired, and you have a big party tomorrow. Oh by the way, Happy Birthday Lucas.”
Lucas looked at her, “Thanks Tessa.”
He sat back and she leaned over and hugged him. He kissed her head and wrapped his arms around her. They both fell asleep.
Tessa woke up, and Lucas was gone. She rushed to the window to see if his SUV was parked in the driveway, and it was. She took a deep breath and started breakfast. She heard the shower and knew it was him.
He walked out in the kitchen and she smiled, “Happy Birthday!”
“Thanks Tessa, I think we already went through that.”
She handed him two gifts. In one package, she gave him a few sweatshirts, one from each of the schools he had talked about attending next year. In the other was a watch, it was the same silver as his necklace and on the back it read, YFA TT.
He smiled “What’s that mean?”
“Your Friend Always and TT is what you’d been calling me when I had that engraved. There’s one more thing, come here.”
She grabbed his hand and took him outside. She opened his hatch, and there was a cooler with a big red bow on it.
“Thanks TT.”
“Open it,” she clamped
Lucas opened it. It was packed full of frozen food she had made, each package was labeled, and there was enough for at least a month.
“Tessa, you didn’t have to do that,” he smiled and hugged her, “But I’m glad you did.”
“Breakfast foods have green writing, lunch has blue, and dinner has red. I think I got it right. These are the foods you seemed to like the most, and there is enough for you to have seconds. There isn’t side’s, but I think you can boil water, well I know you can especially after last night’s dinner. I know you’re a great cook,” she was looking down.
Lucas lifted her chin and looked in her eyes.
“I’ve been so lucky to have you through all this. I want you to know that Tessa, I’ll never forget it,” he kissed her, and she kissed him back.
It was not the kiss she was used to and desperately wanted right now. It wasn’t one that begged for more. It was a kiss that said goodbye. She looked in his eyes and knew she was right.
Lucas left an hour later after he said goodbye to the family and thanked them. They were all going to miss him. John told him that he was welcome back anytime, and that if he ever needed an
ything ‘don’t hesitate to call’. Lucas said he would, but Tessa knew better.
Tessa had finally finished crying; she sat down and wrote in her journal. She hadn’t done that since he’d come into her life. She wrote all about him, and how much she loved him, she wrote about what she would do to keep herself busy after tonight’s party. Tessa wrote a long letter to Toby. She finished her letter by telling him how right he was and that her focus needed to, and was going to change. She told him that she hoped when she was done with school he may still be there, but understood that falling in love was something no one ever could plan. She sealed his letter and put it in the mailbox.
~
Tessa showered and got ready for the party. Alex had already picked up Phoebe; it was eleven when they left. John and the kids were snuggled up in the living room watching the New Years Eve countdown, waiting for the ball to drop.
Alex, Phoebe, and Tessa pulled in and saw all the cars. Most of which she didn’t recognize. They rang the doorbell and a stranger opened the door. They made their way through the crowd to the kitchen where Jade and Tommy were sitting lost in each other’s eyes.
“Hello Jade. Hey Tommy,” Tessa smiled, “Happy New Years Eve”.
They chatted for a bit and heard loud cheers from the living room. They peeked in, and Lucas was surrounded by a slew of girls doing a keg stance. Tessa watched as he flirted with them, and even kissed one the mouth.
Tessa turned to walk out, and he saw her, “Tessa baby, come here!”
Tessa stopped and waited for him to walk over to her. He grabbed her and kissed her. She didn’t reciprocate.
“You look so good tonight,” he kissed her again. “What time is it?”
She looked at her watch, “Five of twelve.”
“Excellent I have a surprise for you, come with me,” Lucas led her up the stairs and pulled a blindfold out of his pocket and put it around her eyes.
“You trust me? Leave that on-- okay baby?” he kissed her nose and slid it on.
He opened his bedroom door and brought her in.
“It’s dark in here Lucas, and your messed up, please let me take this off.”
“Nope, I think you’ll love this surprise,” he kissed her and unbuttoned her shirt. “Okay Tessa now I want to share something with you. I’m going to turn on the light and remove the blind fold. I want you to promise me you’ll have an open mind. In three, two, one.”
