“Thor, I’m pregnant.” Helen’s reflection responded with a stressed expression.
She took a deep breath. Mixed emotions rose with the inhalation and almost came pouring out on her exhale. “A-and it’s yours. No it ours. Y-you’re the father. Oh God, I’m so screwed.”
She wiped the tears that began flowing down her pale face smearing some of the make-up she had on. Not that she could look any worse right now. Her blonde hair had tangles in the worst spots and her clothing was ruffled because she had rushed putting them on. Again she breathed in and out. “Thor, I’m pregnant. The baby is ours.”
She repeated this several times and eventually out of frustration tossed herself into her bed. Fortunately her house was really well insulated and her bathroom was right next door, or her parents would have heard what she had been saying. Helen was terrified. What was she going to do now? Thor needed to know. Her parents would find out anyways, so they needed to know. Everybody in school would find out and then she’d be a nobody. Not that she had many friends to begin with. She shook in fear on her bed, occasionally a sob escaped her lips.
She had found out this morning and spent the entire day avoiding Thor and trying to figure out how to tell him. It was only a matter of time that he’d come knocking and her parents would let him in, then everyone would know that she was upset, and they’d pester her and she’d eventually have to give in. She didn’t want that to happen. “Oh God, help me please. I don’t know what to do.”
Her parents were strict Catholics and believed in consummation, and when they’d find out that she’s pregnant she didn’t know what they’d do. Thor would be given the worst from them too. Every part of Helen hurt.
She didn’t even know if she wanted to have the child.
A small voice squeaked from her lips. “Mom, Dad, I’m pregnant.” Suddenly those emotions that she dammed up broke out and she put her head in a pillow and cried her heart out for a good fifteen minutes. After that she threw the pillow at the wall with significant force.
Then the dreaded door bell went off. After a few breathless moments the dreaded “Honey, it’s Thor.” echoed up the stairs. Helen’s heart skipped a few beats. She tried to say something, but her throat had closed shut and she could not speak.
“Honey?”
Helen began to panic. She hastily cleaned herself up and tried to wipe the make-up off of her face and then stepped to the top of the stairs. Her mother was at the bottom of the stairs with Thor right next to her. Thor in his handsome leather jacket. His wavy brunette hair. His perfect blue eyes. For a moment, Helen lost her breath, but she nodded at Mom and Thor, wincing at the stupid gesture.
Mom looked at Helen with concern as Helen descended the stair. “Are you OK, honey? You look like you’ve been crying.”
Again her throat closed up and she couldn’t say anything. She prayed to God to let her speak. Thor spoke up. “She had a rough day in school. I was just coming to check in on her.”
Mom smiled. “Aren’t you a sweetheart. You’ll grow up to be a wonderful gentleman.”
Thor blushed. “I’m not sure how much more I’ll grow up, ma’am.”
Mom chuckled and began walking away. “Alright, I’ll let you two be. Take care of her.”
Thor nodded and smiled back. “OK, ma’am.”
I whispered to him. “Can we talk?” as soon as Mom was out of sight.
We went upstairs to my room. After we made it he asked. “Where have you been all day?”
Helen sat on her bed and bowed her head. A couple tears dropped off of her face. “I’m pregnant. It’s ours.”
Thor’s expression changed from confusion to shock. His hands dropped in mid-gesture to his sides. “What?”
“I’m pregnant.” Helen dared to look into Thor’s eyes. “The baby is ours.”
“Y-you’re pregnant. That’s why you’ve been avoiding me all day? Why the hell didn’t you tell me at school?! God damn it!” A few other expletives exploded from his mouth and a few moments later, they heard stomping up the stairs.
Dad loomed into the room. “What is going on?” his bear like voice cowed Helen even more and Thor backed off a bit.
Thor looked back at Helen. “Screw this, I’m leaving. I’m not having anything to do with this.”
Dad grabbed Thor on his way out. “Not having anything to do with what?”
Thor jerked his arm out of Dad’s grasped and continued leaving. “Don’t touch me old man.”
Dad roared various statements at Thor and shortly after there was a loud bang as the door closed. Soon after, both Mom and Dad were in Helen’s room. They both had their arms crossed.
“What happened, honey?”
Helen looked at her parents and then burst out crying. “I’m pregnant. The baby is Thor’s. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do.”
Dad was the first to react. “I’m calling that disrespectful punk’s parents.”
Mom wrapped arms around Helen. She cooed loving caring words. Helen was a little surprised at her parents. She hadn’t expected their support, in fact she had expected them to yell at her and throw her out of the house. She smiled and returned her mother’s warm loving embrace. One last tear, a tear of happiness rolled down her face, and all the fear and uncertainty washed away.
The last words out of Helen’s mouth for the rest of the night were. “I’m keeping it.”
