Disclaimer: all recognizable characters belong to JE
A/N: I have several chapters already written although I am not sure how updating will go, between this and WTS, plus my original novellas. Thanks for sticking with me.
Chapter One - July 1999
Stephanie POV
I couldn't believe this had happened to me. I was sitting on the bathroom floor at my best friend Mary Lou Molnar's place, and shaking my head while I cried. I wasn't a crier, not really, but I felt like these circumstances made it so I could make some allowances for that right now. I was really truly freaking out, and I knew my mom and dad would, too, as soon as they found out.
I had found myself pregnant, somehow. Well, I knew how, but that didn't exactly make me feel any better right now. It had felt great at the time though, that's for damn sure. I let out a hysterical giggle, and Mary Lou laughed too, because honestly we had always figured if either one of us was going to end up in this situation it would be her. She'd been going steady with Lenny Stankovic for years now, ever since middle school. I have sex once on the floor at the pastry shop I worked at and surprise, pregnant!
And even more shocking - not - the father was no where to be found. I mean, I had a general idea where he was, but I didn't actually know if that makes sense. I had no way to get in touch with him, unless I wanted to get in touch with his family, and quite frankly they freaked me out. They freaked everybody out, really.
In the middle of May, Joseph Anthony Morelli had laid me down behind the counter at my job and taken my virginity. No phone calls, no letters, nothing since. I knew he had left for basic training for the Navy the following day, but if nothing else he could have sent me a letter. Morelli was two years older than me, and he had fingered me when I was only six years old. He had since apologized for defiling my child self, and I had let him deflower me instead.
I had always had a crush on Morelli, and an innately overwhelming sense of curiosity, so I let him get away with it. Now, though, I was alone and knocked up and I had no idea how to even begin to talk to my parents about this. It wasn't like I could hide it forever, and I needed to find some way to get the news to Joe. I knew he was coming home in a month, but I should probably try to get in touch with him before then. Like maybe now.
"Mary Lou, what am I going to do?"
"Be a mom, babe. Be a mom."
Yeah, that's what I was afraid of.
Later that week I still hadn't found a way to get in touch with Joe, but I did have to tell my parents because I couldn't get an appointment at the doctors without them finding out and that's not how I wanted that news to come. I sat them down after dinner on Friday night, hoping that my mother would see the wisdom in my timing because now she could go to every mass this weekend to say a prayer for my soul.
"I have some news for you," I began. My mother immediately grabbed my fathers hand, and I could see he knew what was coming.
"I'm about ten weeks pregnant… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."
I was crying and my father had his fist clenched on his knee, the vein in the his neck throbbing. He was furious and I didn't know if it was at me, or the situation, or what. I never really cared what my mom thought, but my dad had never been disappointed in me before and I didn't want him to be now. My mom got up and sat next to me on the love seat, hugging me to her while I cried.
"It'll be okay. Have you told the father? Have you seen the doctor?" she asked me.
"I can't get in touch with him. It's, uh, well it's Joe Morelli. He's away at basic right now. And no, I haven't seen the doctor."
My fathers fist shot out and I watched a lamp sail across the room. He wasn't happy. I tried to wipe away my tears, I needed to be strong, but I just didn't know what I was doing right now.
"Frank, you're scaring Stephanie," my mom told him calmly.
I could see my dad visibly try to relax, but his smile came out more like a grimace, and he was holding himself as though his whole body ached. I felt horrible.
"It's okay, pumpkin. It'll be okay. I'm not mad at you. I am just very… upset… with the Morelli boy."
I guess I could understand that. My dad didn't do emotions well. No one in my family did.
"I'll see about getting in touch with Joseph, okay? I think maybe if I explained some things to Angie Morelli she would help me find a number or an address. He will be home soon, though."
I knew my mom would have a solution. Even if I felt as though it were a bad one, at least in terms of getting ahold of the information, I appreciated it.
Mom called the doctors office on Monday and managed to get an immediate appointment. I was told they would do an ultrasound already, and then they would give me any and all information I needed to know just then. I was extremely nervous, and the knowledge that Angie Morelli was going to be getting in touch with Joe made me even more so. I didn't want him to feel forced into anything, and I didn't want to be that girl.
Mom went with me for the ultrasound and we both cried. They estimated my due date to be early February and everything looked great. The baby had a good heartbeat, and we got to keep some pictures.
This wasn't what I imagined I would be doing at sixteen, just entering my junior year of high school. I knew I would face mockery and I should be ashamed, but I couldn't bring myself to feel shame for the life growing inside of me.
I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I would figure it out. That's what motherhood is, according to Mary Lou.
Joe POV
I hung up the phone in the barracks and had to sit down. I knew there was a slim possibility of this happening, but I had figured getting through the first two months without hearing anything, I was safe. I had never figured that she wouldn't have even known.
I was going to be a dad. I was barely eighteen and I had to figure out how to care for a baby. Not only that, but I was almost through basic and the Navy was already talking about me starting an assignment on Hawaii, at the joint base there. They wanted me in the intelligence office there. I didn't think I could bring a sixteen year old pregnant girl with me.
I didn't even think she would be willing to leave her family. Not only that, but even though marrying her was the right thing to do, I didn't want to. I only wanted to get married once in my life. Just once. And I didn't think that Stephanie Plum was my it girl, mostly because I didn't know her that well outside of the shitty things I had done to her, including banging her without a condom on the floor of her workplace.
I was disappointed in myself. I knew I needed to try to figure this out before I went home, and that would be soon. At the same time, I was terrified and thrilled and a ball of mixed emotions. I was a wild child, and I knew Stephanie was too in a completely different way. How was I supposed to reconcile all this information with the fact that we were now having a kid together. I would do whatever she asked, even if what she asked of me was marriage. I owed her and the baby that.
I decided to write her a letter.
Hey Cupcake,
I heard the news. Ma called me and I just hung up the phone. I don't know what you want from me and I don't know what I'm able to give right now, but I do know that this baby is a gift. If you want me to step back, I can do that, but I insist on trying to help financially. I don't make much, but if nothing else I ought to be able to put the baby on my insurance. If you want to get married, we can do that, too. Maybe it's not that romantic, but I don't want to put pressure on you.
I didn't mean for this to happen. Truth is, I was stupid. I should have used a condom, and I should have at least left you my address knowing I hadn't so that you could get in touch with me. I'm sorry for that, and for putting you into this situation.
I'll be home soon, but only for a few weeks. Then, from what I understand, the Navy will be stationing me at a joint air force and navy base, probably Pearl Harbor- Hickam in Hawaii from what I've been hearing. We can figure out more then, but I don't want to abandon this baby if you plan on keeping it. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't but I really hope you do keep it. Our kid will be hell on wheels.
I want to be there for whatever I can if you'll let me. I don't know much about you except what the grapevine tells me and the way you feel wrapped around me. I would like to know more, so if you write me back, answer these questions for me? I'll answer them here too.
1) what is your favorite color? Mine is blue
2) what is your least favorite and then favorite subjects in school? mine were English and History/Math
3) what is your lifelong dream? mine is to be a better person than my dad, to make more of myself. That's why I joined the Navy
4) favorite restaurant? mine is Pino's
5) do you want a girl or a boy? I have no preference. Just healthy.
Anyways, Stephanie, I hope I hear back from you. I'm still a little scattered so I don't know how this letter is going to come across. I'll see you soon.
J. Morelli