Page 7 of Pregnant By the Good Guy

Getting out of the shower and dressed, I head out to the casino in town. I am currently helping my friend Jake with this crazy ass, elaborate operation to get his girl and have dirt on the people who could be an impediment to that. I get there just in time to see our target walk in. My phone rings and I look down seeing it is Jake. Chuckling at his obvious desperation, I answer.

“Where is he?” he asks not bothering with a hello.

“He just got to the casino.” I tell him.

“Do you have a girl that is ready?”

“Yes. Jessa is good to go.” She is a girl I helped to get a job a few months back. She owed me a solid and she has always made it clear she is in the market for a sugar daddy so I thought she would be perfect.

“Send her in. I will be in the parking lot in twenty.”

“No problem. What do you need?” This is about more than just sending in a girl.

“Tell her to clone everything with the device I gave you. Oh and have a friend take pictures.” That’s easy. I will tell her to ask Raquel who is my god sister to handle that. Luckily helping him out has given me something else to focus on when I am not working or in class.

“Is your girl inside?” Jake asks pulling up.

“Yeah. You were right. He zeroed right in on her. She is sitting in his lap at the blackjack table.” Raquel sent me a pic.”

“Excellent. Do you need anything from me?” he asks revving up his engine.

“Not unless you feel you have to stick around. The software will send it right to you when she is done.”

“Sounds like a plan. Then I will head out. This is for your trouble.” He hands me a stack of bills which I am going to give to Jessa for her time.

“There is one thing Monroe. My mom is having a winter dinner sort of thing next month. Mom’s for the new location. Just some food she is fixing, plenty to go around, some family and friends. Mom is trying out her new recipes for the restaurant before she sells it to the public.”

“Hell yeah. You know I am there. I love your mom’s food. I will bring my girl too.”

“Alright, I will text you the time and place.”

CHAPTER 6

MARI

It is so hard now tryingto do splits and jump kicks whilst trying to hide a growing stomach. Yeah you heard me. I’m pregnant. You guessed it, by Royce. Well duh considering I lost my virginity to him.

That night was amazing. The most beautiful thing to ever happen to me. I was so excited about the next day, and then my mom ruined it once again. I went back to the bar and tried to catch him, get his last name from the manager and she did give it to me, but when I looked him up, nothing. It’s like he is a ghost.

I began to feel stupid chasing after him because I was positive he wasn’t looking for me and that was enough to make me give up before I started. Besides, where I am living now, I could never make it across town to go work there from school and now in this condition, forget about it.

Finding out I was pregnant was a journey. The first missed period it was easy enough to equate it to stress. I mean, given my life, it makes sense. A few weeks later when I started feeling nauseous, I chalked that up to skipping meals due to being limited on funds. Made sense to me. When the vomiting started, calling it the flu was only feasible for so long until I had to go to the doctor. I knew. Logically I knew by then because I hadn'thad a period in two months, but I think as long as it wasn’t confirmed I could pretend. Once it was confirmed, there was never a question of what I was going to do, but more what to say and not to say.

I thought about it long and hard. I knew I could get away with hiding it for a while but once I could no longer, I had no thoughts on what then. I suppose I could have continued to try to find Royce, but then what? He knew I had a boyfriend before him so why would he believe it is his baby? True, he took my virginity, and he knows it, but given my mom’s reputation, what if he didn’t believe the baby is his? Besides, there is no way I can keep this baby. What kind of life would it have? What kind of life would I have? I am leaving this town as soon as I graduate, and I cannot do that with a baby no matter how much I want it and love it. It deserves better than me.

“Geez Mari. Dipping in the doughnut bin much,” Lucy, one of the spotters says once she moves me to the floor. I should say something to her, but I am too embarrassed. I know I have gained weight, and she has every right to be miffed. So, I say nothing, grab my stuff once it is over and walk out of the gym.

I often take a minute before going home because I have to wait for the next bus and transfer two more buses to get to the undesirable part of town. It is a bit of a respite before going home to my mom and whatever douchebag she has with her. Hell my face is still healing from the last one.

I came from practice one-night last week and caught this drunk ass choking her over some beer. I jumped on his back, he jerked me off him, and slapped me when I got in his face. I missed two days of school trying to wait for that to fade slightly. Yeah my life is awesome. I am so lost in my own mind I don’t hear Mila, our captain, walk up behind me.

“Mari, can we talk?” Mila asks, her voice calm and low. Her eyes track my cheek, and I know she is looking at the yellowing on it. I stop myself from flinching from embarrassment.

“Sure. Yeah,” I answer by moving over so she can sit. “I know I haven't been my normal self. I’m sorry. I understand if you want to drop me from the team.” Might as well beat her to the punch. It is bound to happen.

“No, not at all but I do want to ask if you still want to be on it? I mean when I joined and became co-captain I thought I was going to build a team of sisterhood. One where we can be there for each other, share things that scare us and help one another overcome. Now looking at you, alone, obviously in pain, I don't think I have done a good job of that, and I am sorry I let you down.” I know my face shows confusion and incredulity. Is she serious? This team is the only reason I haven’t tried to kill myself. Up until now these girls have been a lifeline. My only friends even if we never hang out outside of here unless we have to. I still feel like a part of a sisterhood as a cheerleader and that has saved my life.

“No please. It’s not you. I just…I’m so used to not talking to anyone that I am not sure I could.”

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