by J. D. Rivera
Jen was standing in the kitchen making herself a sandwich. “Hey! Chris has been looking for you. You need to call him. I think your parents are in town or something.”
“I talked to him. Hey, can I ask you a favor? Can I stay here for about two more months?”
She put her completed sandwich on her plate. “Sure. Where are you going in two months?”
I really hoped she understood. “Cooper and I are going to buy a house. We aren’t getting back together, so don’t start thinking like that. We’re just going to be roommates. Two separate bedrooms, plus another one for our baby. It will make raising the baby a lot simpler, and we won’t have to work out any custody arrangements.”
Jen placed one hand on her hip, while the other braced her against the countertop. She gave me a quizzical look. “What about Ben? Or any other guy, for that matter. How will you explain that you’re living with your ex and raising a baby together as just roommates?”
I shouldn’t have had to explain myself to her or anyone else. Cooper and my decisions were no one else’s business. “If the person I am dating can’t understand that I am doing what is best for my child, I don’t want them in my life. My love life will come second to my child.”
I went to my bedroom and started to close the door.
Jen pushed her way in. “Hey, look I’m sorry. It’s your life, and I am here to support you. I didn’t mean to sound judgmental.”
I gave her a hug and pulled away, “I know. I need to get used to it, though. People will ask questions. At least I know you’re just asking me because you love me.”
After showering and dressing in a nice pair of dress pants and frilly shirt, I was on my way to Chris’s apartment. He lived about fifteen minutes away from Jen. The entire drive over I was mentally preparing myself to tell my parents I was pregnant. My parents were the most supportive people I knew, but I didn’t want to disappoint them. My dad was a financial planner, while my mother was a stay-at-home mom. Even though my dad worked a lot, they were both very active in our lives, as well as in Cooper’s, whose dad was an ER doctor, so he worked even more than my dad did.
I pulled up to Chris’s apartment and jumped out of my car. I might have been terrified of telling my parents that they would soon be grandparents, but I had missed them. I ran up to the door and knocked like crazy. My dad soon answered, pulling the door open and picking me up into the biggest hug, sweeping me off the floor.
“How is my baby girl?” he asked while placing me back down on the floor.
“I’m great, Dad. It’s so good to see you.” I looked around the room for my mom. She was beside me, and we were hugging before I knew it. I hadn’t realized I had missed them so much until I saw them.
“Let’s get you two something to eat,” my dad said, pulling open the door. “We can catch up before Chris’s big event.”
Chris and I took a separate car than my parents, since he would need to be at the graduation ceremony early. I gave my parents the excuse that I didn’t want him to drive by himself to the restaurant as to why I wanted to ride with him. The real reason was that I actually wanted to tell him about Cooper and I’s house plans.
I turned the radio down. “I need to talk to you about Cooper and me.”
He glanced over at me, giving me a look that said to continue.
“We’re not getting back together. I want to make that clear up front. Cooper has decided to buy us a house to raise the baby. We’ll have separate bedrooms and will essentially just be roommates. We decided this would make it easier for when the baby arrives.”
His eyebrows went up, and his eyes widened. “Um. Wow. Um. That’s a… Well, that’s a plan, I guess.”
“Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I think it will work for us. He doesn’t want to walk away from his child like his mother did, and I can respect that. I think this will be great for us to do together.”
Chris stared out the car windshield. “Okay, but you may want to run it by the guy you are dating first.”
I was getting a little irritated even though I knew he was just trying to be helpful. “Look, you know he isn’t a real boyfriend. I’m just dating him so I remember that Cooper is just a friend. The reason I am telling you all of this is because of Mom and Dad. I plan on telling them I’m pregnant, like you suggested, but I’m just going to leave off the part about me and Cooper breaking up until everything is settled.”
He glanced at me. “Okay. Whatever you say, Sis.”
After a long wait at the restaurant, we were finally seated. My nerves were getting the best of me; my legs couldn’t quit shaking.
I wished Cooper was around. He always knew what to say or do to make me feel better. Most of the time, he knows me better than I know myself.
He wasn’t there, though, by my own doing. I had to tell them on my own, and I was getting really scared. I just needed to tell them and get it over with.
“So, Mom, Dad, I have some news.”
They both looked at me, wide-eyed and expectant.
I cleared my throat and said, “I should have told you sooner, but I found out last month that I’m pregnant.”
My dad’s face went beet red with anger, while my mom’s face went completely white.
“I’m really sorry this happened. I know it wasn’t very responsible, but I can’t help but be excited now that I have had time to absorb the news. I hope you will be excited, too.”
“Where.is.Cooper?” my dad asked very slowly, evidently trying to control his temper.
“He is visiting with his father. Please, Dad, don’t be mad at him. This is just as much my fault as it is his. He has taken full responsibility, and he is even buying us a house.”
“This may not be the best plan, but its wonderful news, Frank,” my mom finally chimed in. “Think about it. We are going to be grandparents.”
My dad just stared at Mom, and the anger visibly left him. My mom had always been able to talk him down from a fit of temper. “You’re right, sweetheart.”
He looked back at me, all his anger replaced by love. “I’m sorry. Your mother is right. We already love our grandchild and he has two wonderful parents. Will we see Cooper tonight? I would love to congratulate him. I’ve always loved him and I know he’ll be a great father, just like you’ll be a great mother.”
I was so relieved that they were happy, a tear slipped out of my eye and rolled down my cheek. “Thanks Dad. Thanks Mom.”
I noticed my brother playing with his phone and laughing. “What is so funny on your phone?” I whispered to him.
“Just read this message.” He gave me his phone, and I saw a series of texts between him and Cooper.
Chris: are you really buying a house?
Cooper: yep
Chris: and you’re going to live with my sister as a roommate?
Cooper: yep.
Chris: you’re insane.
Cooper: yep
The rest of the meal, we spent talking about Chris’s graduation and his new job in Dallas. I was going to spend every minute I could with my brother before he moved.
I felt as though my entire life had changed. I was no longer dating Cooper, I was pregnant, I was dating some guy that I wished was Cooper, and my brother was moving away.
I wasn’t sure if I could take any more changes.
I rode to the graduation ceremony with my parents. We entered the big arena where the ceremony would be held, and I immediately started looking for Cooper. I was looking so hard for him, I missed Ben walking right up to me. As soon as I saw him, I wanted to run. I couldn’t have him talking to my parents. They couldn’t find out today that Cooper and I were no longer a couple. I grabbed Ben’s hand and led him away from my parents to a corner.
“I didn’t realize you would be here today,” I said anxiously, looking around to make sure my parents didn’t see us.
“I have a few friends that are graduating. Mind if I sit with you and your family? I’d love to meet your parents.”
Behind Ben,
I spotted Cooper, staring at us. I knew I shouldn’t have felt guilty, but I did. Graduation should have been a happy day for him; he had worked really hard to be one of the top graduates in the business college. The sadness filling his face was all my fault. He had asked that I not flaunt my relationship with Ben in front of him, but here I was, at his graduation, with Ben.
I looked back at Ben’s hopeful face. He had asked to meet my parents. That was not going to happen. “I’m not really ready for you to meet my parents. I just told them today about the baby. I think one thing at a time would be best.”
The hope on his face changed to anger. “You could at least introduce me as a friend.”
I didn’t feel like dealing with him that day.
I finally answered with, “The ceremony is about to start. I’ll call you and catch up on Monday. I want to spend a lot of time with my parents.”
I took a seat next to my mom and waited for the names to be called of the two most important people in my life. As soon as I heard Chris’s name, my parents and I yelled like crazy. A short time later, they called Cooper’s name. I was so excited, I was practically bouncing.
I noticed he found me in the crowd and gave me a little wink. That wink. I had always loved it when he winked at me, making me feel like a junior high girl with her first crush.
After all of the names had been read and the caps had been tossed, I tried to find Cooper. I pushed my way through the crowd, finally finding him with his dad. He saw me coming and grabbed me for a hug.
Teary-eyed, I looked up at his smiling face. “I am so proud of you! Congratulations, Cooper!” I had no idea why I was crying. I’m sure it was a mixture of a lot of things; knowing how hard he had worked to finally get to that day, knowing he had been sad earlier, and I felt sad that we weren’t together anymore.
He hugged me again and kissed the top of my head. “Thanks! I know you had to come for Chris, but I’m still glad you were here.”
I pulled away to look at him. “I came here for you, too. Don’t think for a minute I’m just here for Chris. I’m probably here more for you.”
A wide smile broke out on his face, and he picked me up, twirling me around. He finally placed my feet on the floor. “I love you so much. Have you told your parents our big news?”
“I love you too, Cooper. Yes. I did. Although my dad was angry at first, they’re both really excited about being grandparents. I told them about buying a house but left off any other details regarding us.”
He pulled his lips together and sighed. “I left parts off too. My dad is really happy for us. He can’t wait to be a grandpa.”
I turned to see Raymond Thomason. He looked a little tired but happy. He grabbed me in a tight hug. “Good to see you kid. I hear you’re making me a grandpa.”
After he let me go and I finally caught my breath, I replied, “Yep. Good to see you too.”
All three of us found our way back over to my family. Jen had joined my family, and she was giving Chris a congratulatory hug. My dad approached us. He shook Raymond’s hand and then pulled Cooper into a hug. “Double congratulations, son. I hear you are a graduate and a dad.”
Cooper broke out into a huge smile. “Yes sir. I have to say, I am very excited about the idea of becoming a father.”
My dad looked at him for a beat. “Let me tell you, it’s the best feeling out there. There is nothing more rewarding than being a parent. You’ll do great.” He gave a laugh. “If not, I’m sure Emily will kick your butt.”
That night, I was laying in my bed at Jen’s, feeling restless. My parents thought I was at Cooper’s apartment, because they still thought it was my apartment. I felt guilty about lying to them, but I just couldn’t tell them the whole truth. They would ask questions, and I wasn’t prepared to tell them about Cooper’s marijuana usage. I needed to think of a way to bend the truth when I told them.
I picked up my phone and did something I shouldn’t have done. I texted Cooper.
Me: Hey, what are you doing?
Cooper: Hanging out at Brandon’s house.
Me: Okay, well, have fun.
Cooper: I was planning on leaving soon.
Me: I was just bored and wanting to text. Have fun and enjoy your night.
Cooper: I’m leaving. Why don’t you come over?
What he was suggesting was exactly what I had wanted when I texted him. I had loved spending the previous night with him, and we hadn’t broken any of my rules. I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever be able to stop myself from wanting to be with him, boyfriend or no boyfriend.
That night, I didn’t care.
Me: Have you been drinking?
Cooper: I’ve only had 3 beers. Not even tipsy.
Me: Are you driving?
Cooper: No, I rode with someone. I’m taking a cab home. Dad’s at a hotel.
Me: Okay. Give me a little bit.
Cooper: Great.
I couldn’t wait to see him. With record speed, I threw everything I would need to use in the morning into my bag and was in my car, headed to Cooper’s.
I pulled up to the apartment and checked my appearance in the fold-down mirror. My makeup was still in place from earlier that day, so I looked okay.
Hanging out with my ex was wrong when I already had a boyfriend, but I just couldn’t help wanting to be around Cooper. This was exactly the opposite of what I had been trying to do but my feelings had been all over the place lately. Maybe it was pregnancy hormones, or maybe I was just messed up in the head. Probably the latter.
I walked up to his door, rang the doorbell, and waited. He opened it about ten seconds later. He looked amazing, in loose jeans with a white button-down shirt. His hair was a little messed up, but in a sexy way. He had probably been running his hands through it, as was his habit when he was stressed or had been drinking.
“I’m glad you came over.” He took my hand and pulled me into the apartment towards the couch.
“I’m glad I came over, too.”
We sat down on the couch and stayed there for a while, looking at each other. He still held my hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. It was a small touch, but I could feel it all over my body.
“It was good to see your dad today,” I said to break the silence. It was all I could think to say that wouldn’t be totally inappropriate, since I’d broken up with him. I’d really have liked for him to have his way with me in the bedroom.
“It was nice seeing your parents, too, but let’s talk about something else.” His thumb still caressed my hand.
I snuggled my head into the back of the couch and turned my head to look straight into his beautiful eyes. “What do you want to talk about?”
“We can start by talking about our new plan. What neighborhood would you like to live in?” He put his arm around my neck and pulled me close to him. I rested my head in the crook of his arm. He smelled like his normal cologne and something else that I was pretty positive was a woman’s perfume. I knew it shouldn’t have made me mad or upset, but I couldn’t help it.
He could be with whoever he wanted. I needed to get used to that fact.
It took everything in me not to push away from him and the smell. “I don’t really care what neighborhood. I just care about the schools. We need to also figure out how we are going to pay, since we will have separate checking accounts. I have no clue how that works.”
He squeezed me a little tighter and kissed the top of my hair. “I’m taking care of you and the baby. I’ll be buying the house and paying for it myself. I can more than afford it with my new income.”
He had been working with the same energy company for the last three years, as an intern. The CEO of the company really liked him and had offered him a high-ranking position in the company after graduation. Money wasn’t a problem for him and I knew it.
But I wasn’t his girlfriend anymore; he couldn’t just give me a place to live.
“Cooper, it’s fine with me if you want to buy the house yourself, but I will be p
aying you rent. I’m not yours anymore. We’ll be roommates and nothing else.”
With each sentence I spoke, he held me tighter. I pulled myself away and looked back at him. “Please don’t argue with me about money, Cooper. This is an amazing plan for us but most of all for our baby. Just let me pay you what is fair.”
He closed his eyes and sighed heavily, “Okay. We will figure out cost of rent after we settle on a house. We’ll make the decision of what house together though.”
I curled back into him while whispering, “Okay.”
The TV was on when I arrived at the apartment, but I had no clue what was on. All I could concentrate on was Cooper’s hands. He was rubbing along my body. I should’ve stopped him, but it felt too good.
I turned and ran my own hands all over his shirt. A part of me really wished the shirt was nowhere in sight, but the smarter part of me knew it was best left in place. Cooper moved his hands up my body and to my face, caressing my cheeks. His eyes said he wanted way more than touching. He wanted to kiss me. At that point, I was pretty sure my eyes were telling him the same thing.
He began kissing me softly on the cheek. My eyelids fluttered shut. I could feel with each kiss, he wanted to kiss me more.
I opened my eyes and noticed the faintest red lipstick mark on his cheek. It hit me how wrong our making out was. We weren’t together anymore, and I couldn’t allow anything that I wouldn’t do with a regular friend. No more touching, just friendship.
Besides, I had a boyfriend.
I pushed him away.
“What’s wrong? I thought you wanted this.” He grabbed my shoulders to keep me from pushing him farther away.
I had no right to be furious with him, but I was. “Did you push the girl away when my first text arrived, or after I agreed to come over?”
He looked confused. “I’m not really sure what you’re thinking right now. I wasn’t with any other girl tonight. I just danced with one.”
I pushed away from him to stand. “By the look of red lipstick on your cheek, I’d say you did more than just dance. It’s not my business anyway. You can do whatever you want, with whoever you want. Just like I can.” The last part wasn’t needed, but I said it anyway.
