“You’re moods are giving me whip lash and I’m the one who is knocked up.” Ness growled out frustrated, moving away from him. “I’m not the girl you fell in love with. You want to raise a baby. You love me.” She mocked him as she struggled to get up. “You don’t get to have your cake and eat it too, Mike.” She signed and walked over to the kitchen table.
“I want to be with you.” Mike told her as he made his way towards her.
“I don’t want to be with you.” Vanessa all but shouted, she began pacing. “I just wish this had never happened.” She finally collapsed in one of the chairs.
“What never happened? Having sex with me or being with me at all?” Mike asked afraid of the answer.
Ness avoided his eyes and felt ashamed for even thinking or regretting being with him because she didn’t. He was the only thing that’s right in all that she’s done. “I would never regret being with you, I loved you.”
Mike sighed and made his way over to a chair near her. He started thinking about what she said, loved, as in past tense, no more. Mike shook his head in disbelief at the thought of that. “I’m not confused, Ness. I know what I want,” He said with confidence, changing the subject as quickly as possible.
“That doesn’t matter, Mike. I don’t love you anymore.” Vanessa said, keeping her head down and rubbing her stomach. She didn’t want to hurt him like this but she had to make him believe that she didn’t care for him. It was the only way to keep them both from being in more pain.
Mike ears were ringing with the words she just said. He couldn’t accept it, he wouldn’t believe she didn’t love him anymore, but what did he suddenly feel sick to his stomach? He stood up slowly, trying to keep his emotions completely blank. “You should go get some rest. You’ve had a long day and all this stress can’t be good for the baby. We’ll talk about this more later.” He said in a dominating and commanding tone. Ness grateful for the escape from his presence went back into his old room, the one she hadn’t slept in since her attempt the first night.
She pulled the covers over her and cried as she willed her body to go to sleep. Just outside the door, Mike listened to her cry and clenched his fists resisting going in the to comfort her because he knew he’d only make things worse. This was a lot to process in just an hour, he decided maybe his troubles be best forgotten just a for a few more minutes as she made his way over to the liquor cabinet.
“No.” Miked replied quietly. “I’m not letting you run away from this Ness, it’s not just about you anymore.” Ness tried to calm herself down because at the moment she felt like taking a long walk off the roof and never looking back and that wasn’t the answer to anyones problems right now. She just wanted her pain to be over, but no matter what the one thing that she was always in control of was no longer an option.
“Okay.” Ness said, pushing the hair out of her face and breathing in deeply. She was okay, she had been taking care of herself for as long as she could remember, she could take care of herself and someone else for just a little bit longer. Mike had just admitted that he didn’t love her anymore, so what was she suppose to do all by herself. “If I keep the baby, then what?” Ness asked unsure, leaning against the cabinets on the floor.
Mike thought long and hard about how to respond, “We’ll raise it together.” He knew that there were other options such as adoption but deep down Mike really wanted this baby. He was all alone in this world and now he finally had something, someone to love him. Maybe this baby was a blessing in disguise.
“There is no longer an us, Mike. Our relationship ended when you decided to cheat on me.” Vanessa said, rolling her eyes.
Mike turned to face her, staring into her beautiful eyes, “I still love you, Ness! You know that. I never stopped.” He moved in for a kiss but she pulled away, giving him a desperate look. She knew that if she kissed him, she’d fall for him all over again and that was the last thing Ness needed right now.
“You’re moods are giving me whip lash and I’m the one who is knocked up.” Ness growled out frustrated, moving away from him. “I’m not the girl you fell in love with. You want to raise a baby. You love me.” She mocked him as she struggled to get up. “You don’t get to have your cake and eat it too, Mike.” She signed and walked over to the kitchen table.
“I want to be with you.” Mike told her as he made his way towards her.
“I don’t want to be with you.” Vanessa all but shouted, she began pacing. “I just wish this had never happened.” She finally collapsed in one of the chairs.
“What never happened? Having sex with me or being with me at all?” Mike asked afraid of the answer.
Ness avoided his eyes and felt ashamed for even thinking or regretting being with him because she didn’t. He was the only thing that’s right in all that she’s done. “I would never regret being with you, I loved you.”
Mike looked deep into Vanessa’s face, “No. I won’t let you. You can’t do that.”
“And why can’t I?”
“Because.. because that baby is just as much as mine as it is yours,” Mike told, tears falling from his eyes.
Vanessa looked away, “Mike, don’t do this.”
“Look, you can do whatever the hell you want with your own life but I won’t let you take away my child.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” Ness cried as she suddenly found it hard to breathe. “Look, I’m not sure what I’m going to do right now, but it’s my body and I can do whatever the hell I want with it.” She didn’t know what to do, but she was so angry that at him implying he had control over her that she was beginning to say things she didn’t even mean.
“Not if it means killing something, Ness.” Mike spat disgusted at her, unable to even look her in the eye. He had no idea she could be this cruel, lying to him all this time, running away from him while carrying his child…if it was even his child. He had no idea how far along she was, she could have hooked up with someone when she was away and now she wants him to deal with it.
“How far along are you?” Mike demanded roughly, advancing toward her. Ness shrinked back, he didn’t look like his normal self.
“What does it matter?” Ness asked bitterly, but Mike grabbed her shoulders and shook her, his frustration pouring out of him.
“I need to know if it’s mine.” He retorted, looking into her watery eyes once more trying to find a shred of the girl he once knew because this wasn’t her.
His thoughts were interrupted by a stinging slap to his face. “Fuck you.” Ness yelled struggling to get out of his grip. “I’ve only ever been with you and the fact you had to even question that makes me regret it even more than I once did.” She screamed hysterically trying to escape his grasp, tears falling down her face.
Vanessa fell to the floor, sobbing and holding her head in her hands. “I’m sorry, Ness,” Mike said, as he watched her fall apart right before his eyes. “I just don’t know who you are anymore. You’re not the girl I fell in love with.”
Mike moved closer to her and sat down on the floor by her side, leaving an inch of space between them. Vanessa continued to keep her head down, the sight of Mike would just make her more angry. She eventually picked her head up and saw Mike staring at her flushed cheeks. “People change, Mike. But I have to do what’s best for me.”
“What about what’s best for the baby?” Mike asked, starting to cry again.
Vanessa sniffled and took a deep breath, “I don’t know. I just don’t know! I need time. Can you give me that? Please.”
“No.” Miked replied quietly. “I’m not letting you run away from this Ness, it’s not just about you anymore.” Ness tried to calm herself down because at the moment she felt like taking a long walk off the roof and never looking back and that wasn’t the answer to anyones problems right now. She just wanted her pain to be over, but no matter what the one thing that she was always in control of was no longer an option.
“Okay.” Ness said, pushing the hair out of her face and breathing in deeply. She was okay, she had been taking care of herself for as long as she could remember, she could take care of herself and someone else for just a little bit longer. Mike had just admitted that he didn’t love her anymore, so what was she suppose to do all by herself. “If I keep the baby, then what?” Ness asked unsure, leaning against the cabinets on the floor.
“Or we could…you know.” Ness suggested, her heart thundering in her chest as she looked up at Mikes disgruntled and flushed face.
“We could what?”
“Get rid of it?” She finally admitted, letting it out there in the open. She wasn’t sure what she wanted and she’d been toying with the idea for months now, she still had a few weeks to do it.
“What, like adoption?” Mike asked confused as to what she was trying to imply. Ness gave Mike a pointed look, her lips pulled back in a grimace. “Oh.” Mike said, realization etched in his voice. “You want an abortion.”
“Yes.”
Mike looked deep into Vanessa’s face, “No. I won’t let you. You can’t do that.”
“And why can’t I?”
“Because.. because that baby is just as much as mine as it is yours,” Mike told, tears falling from his eyes.
Vanessa looked away, “Mike, don’t do this.”
“Look, you can do whatever the hell you want with your own life but I won’t let you take away my child.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” Ness cried as she suddenly found it hard to breathe. “Look, I’m not sure what I’m going to do right now, but it’s my body and I can do whatever the hell I want with it.” She didn’t know what to do, but she was so angry that at him implying he had control over her that she was beginning to say things she didn’t even mean.
“Not if it means killing something, Ness.” Mike spat disgusted at her, unable to even look her in the eye. He had no idea she could be this cruel, lying to him all this time, running away from him while carrying his child…if it was even his child. He had no idea how far along she was, she could have hooked up with someone when she was away and now she wants him to deal with it.
“How far along are you?” Mike demanded roughly, advancing toward her. Ness shrinked back, he didn’t look like his normal self.
“What does it matter?” Ness asked bitterly, but Mike grabbed her shoulders and shook her, his frustration pouring out of him.
“I need to know if it’s mine.” He retorted, looking into her watery eyes once more trying to find a shred of the girl he once knew because this wasn’t her.
His thoughts were interrupted by a stinging slap to his face. “Fuck you.” Ness yelled struggling to get out of his grip. “I’ve only ever been with you and the fact you had to even question that makes me regret it even more than I once did.” She screamed hysterically trying to escape his grasp, tears falling down her face.
It’s been a few weeks since Vanessa’s return and she’s been staying with Mike for the time being. Her therapist feels that she shouldn’t be alone and Mike is great company for her. Even though Vanessa has made Mike’s place her home, she hasn’t been present very often. Mike was confused and knew…
Vanessa was tired, hell that was an understatement. She was exhausted. Her body was beginning to rebel against her, there was only so many times she could use the ‘food poisoning’ line before it became suspicious and she never was one to get sick like this and it wasn’t even usually in the morning – it was in the afternoon when Mike was home and could hear and see. She tried to disguise it as taking a shower or something, not to mention that she was getting a little thicker. She’d always been a twig, and she didn’t have a bump yet but her hips were starting to press out and that made her skinny jeans impossible to wear.
Ness was not expecting Mike to be there when she walked in, she noticed him sitting at the table with her containers of prenatal vitamins. Her blood ran cold, this was not a good thing. She casually walked in, narrowing her eyes at the suspicious look on his face. “What are you doing?” She asked defensively, frowning before pointing at the pills. “Have a good time looking through my stuff, I am so out of here.” She growled her mood swings taking full charge, she felt Mike’s hand on her upper arm pulling her back to him. “You’re going to sit down and talk to me.” He demanded his tone rough and filled with concern. “What’s going on with you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She hissed.
Mike rolled his eyes, “Don’t play this game with me, Ness. You and I both know that’s a bunch of bull shit.”
“You have no say in anything that I do anymore, Michael! You don’t need to know what’s wrong with me or why I’m taking medications.” Vanessa replied, giving him the death stare.
“I’m concerned!” Mike yelled, you could hear the emotion in his voice.
Vanessa took a deep breath, “Well, stop! You don’t get to be concerned about me. Not anymore.”
“You don’t think I hear you, Ness?” Mike spat out, throwing his hands out dramatically. “Really? Bulimia. If you wanted to kill yourself slowly you should’ve just kept your dad around.” He growled, getting personal - trying to strike a nerve.
Bulimia? He thought she was bulimic, what would he… “I’m not bulimic.” Ness scoffed. “If you hadn’t noticed I’ve needed to buy bigger jeans recently.” She admitted before realizing that she probably shouldn’t have.
“Then why are you throwing up, are you sick?” He asked coming closer to her, but she just backed away.
“I’m not sick.” She muttered weakly, avoiding his eyes. Stupid mood swings, she knew if she looked into his eyes she was going to break down and cry and confess everything.
“Listen you’re vomiting all the time, you’re never here, you’re always tired, you’re freaking me out with your emotions - it’s almost like…” Mike trailed off.
“Like what?” Ness spat, her eyes watering.
Mike shook his head disgusted, in the back of his mind he had noticed things that he knew didn’t add up unless she was in a certain situation and she couldn’t be, she wouldn’t be…right? “No, you’re not.” He said certain.
“I’m not what? Go on, you have something to say then fucking say it.” She goaded him, a mixture of spitefulness and complete despair overwhelming her at once. Mike shook his head, his heart beat increasing. He burrowed his brows and ran his hands roughly through his hair muttered out quietly a mantra of ‘no’s.
“I’m pregnant.” Ness answered, feeling like she was finally able to breathe for what felt like the first time in months.
Mike froze when he heard Ness say those words. Pregnant? This can’t be possible. After a few minutes of denial, he finally spoke, “How did this happen?”
Ness shot him a glare, “Really?”
Mike realized how he had said those words and sighed, “I mean, I know how but we used protection.. we were more than careful.”
“Well, apparently not careful enough. My stomach is proof of that,” Vanessa replied.
Mike got up from his chair and moved closer to her, “What are we going to do?”
“We are not doing anything. I’ve been perfectly fine taking care of this baby for months and I will continue to do what I want.” Ness said harshly.
“Or we could…you know.” Ness suggested, her heart thundering in her chest as she looked up at Mikes disgruntled and flushed face.
“We could what?”
“Get rid of it?” She finally admitted, letting it out there in the open. She wasn’t sure what she wanted and she’d been toying with the idea for months now, she still had a few weeks to do it.
“What, like adoption?” Mike asked confused as to what she was trying to imply. Ness gave Mike a pointed look, her lips pulled back in a grimace. “Oh.” Mike said, realization etched in his voice. “You want an abortion.”
“Yes.”
It’s been a few weeks since Vanessa’s return and she’s been staying with Mike for the time being. Her therapist feels that she shouldn’t be alone and Mike is great company for her. Even though Vanessa has made Mike’s place her home, she hasn’t been present very often. Mike was confused and knew…
Vanessa was tired, hell that was an understatement. She was exhausted. Her body was beginning to rebel against her, there was only so many times she could use the ‘food poisoning’ line before it became suspicious and she never was one to get sick like this and it wasn’t even usually in the morning – it was in the afternoon when Mike was home and could hear and see. She tried to disguise it as taking a shower or something, not to mention that she was getting a little thicker. She’d always been a twig, and she didn’t have a bump yet but her hips were starting to press out and that made her skinny jeans impossible to wear.
Ness was not expecting Mike to be there when she walked in, she noticed him sitting at the table with her containers of prenatal vitamins. Her blood ran cold, this was not a good thing. She casually walked in, narrowing her eyes at the suspicious look on his face. “What are you doing?” She asked defensively, frowning before pointing at the pills. “Have a good time looking through my stuff, I am so out of here.” She growled her mood swings taking full charge, she felt Mike’s hand on her upper arm pulling her back to him. “You’re going to sit down and talk to me.” He demanded his tone rough and filled with concern. “What’s going on with you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She hissed.
Mike rolled his eyes, “Don’t play this game with me, Ness. You and I both know that’s a bunch of bull shit.”
“You have no say in anything that I do anymore, Michael! You don’t need to know what’s wrong with me or why I’m taking medications.” Vanessa replied, giving him the death stare.
“I’m concerned!” Mike yelled, you could hear the emotion in his voice.
Vanessa took a deep breath, “Well, stop! You don’t get to be concerned about me. Not anymore.”
“You don’t think I hear you, Ness?” Mike spat out, throwing his hands out dramatically. “Really? Bulimia. If you wanted to kill yourself slowly you should’ve just kept your dad around.” He growled, getting personal - trying to strike a nerve.
Bulimia? He thought she was bulimic, what would he… “I’m not bulimic.” Ness scoffed. “If you hadn’t noticed I’ve needed to buy bigger jeans recently.” She admitted before realizing that she probably shouldn’t have.
“Then why are you throwing up, are you sick?” He asked coming closer to her, but she just backed away.
“I’m not sick.” She muttered weakly, avoiding his eyes. Stupid mood swings, she knew if she looked into his eyes she was going to break down and cry and confess everything.
“Listen you’re vomiting all the time, you’re never here, you’re always tired, you’re freaking me out with your emotions - it’s almost like…” Mike trailed off.
“Like what?” Ness spat, her eyes watering.
Mike shook his head disgusted, in the back of his mind he had noticed things that he knew didn’t add up unless she was in a certain situation and she couldn’t be, she wouldn’t be…right? “No, you’re not.” He said certain.
“I’m not what? Go on, you have something to say then fucking say it.” She goaded him, a mixture of spitefulness and complete despair overwhelming her at once. Mike shook his head, his heart beat increasing. He burrowed his brows and ran his hands roughly through his hair muttered out quietly a mantra of ‘no’s.
“I’m pregnant.” Ness answered, feeling like she was finally able to breathe for what felt like the first time in months.
It’s been a few weeks since Vanessa’s return and she’s been staying with Mike for the time being. Her therapist feels that she shouldn’t be alone and Mike is great company for her. Even though Vanessa has made Mike’s place her home, she hasn’t been present very often. Mike was confused and knew…
Vanessa was tired, hell that was an understatement. She was exhausted. Her body was beginning to rebel against her, there was only so many times she could use the ‘food poisoning’ line before it became suspicious and she never was one to get sick like this and it wasn’t even usually in the morning – it was in the afternoon when Mike was home and could hear and see. She tried to disguise it as taking a shower or something, not to mention that she was getting a little thicker. She’d always been a twig, and she didn’t have a bump yet but her hips were starting to press out and that made her skinny jeans impossible to wear.
Ness was not expecting Mike to be there when she walked in, she noticed him sitting at the table with her containers of prenatal vitamins. Her blood ran cold, this was not a good thing. She casually walked in, narrowing her eyes at the suspicious look on his face. “What are you doing?” She asked defensively, frowning before pointing at the pills. “Have a good time looking through my stuff, I am so out of here.” She growled her mood swings taking full charge, she felt Mike’s hand on her upper arm pulling her back to him. “You’re going to sit down and talk to me.” He demanded his tone rough and filled with concern. “What’s going on with you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She hissed.
