This was inspired by a conversation I had with my boyfriend about a movie. I love the name Iris, so I'm going to use it in almost everything I write.
My heart started beating rapidly as I walked to the Curtis household. It had been seven months since I had been in Tulsa. After I got pregnant, my mom and I moved to Oklahoma City. She didn't want anyone calling me a whore or anything. Things were pretty tough after my father died. We moved after I started to show. I'll never forget my last day in Tulsa.
FLASHBACK
I was walking with Ponyboy to the lot. I was wearing his sweatshirt and he was holding my hand. I bit at my lip nervously as I tried to think of ways to tell him.
"You okay there, Iris?" Ponyboy asked. He stopped walking and turned to me.
"Pony, if we're both forty two and we're single, never been married, living alone with fifty cats, and have no lives, would you marry me?" I asked in one breath.
"Yes. I would marry you right now. You don't need fifty cats for me to marry you."
I frowned. "Ponyboy," I started. I looked away from him. For what I was about to say, I couldn't bear to see his face. It's now or never. Do it now. In one burst of fake, dramatic anger, I took off his sweatshirt, threw it at his face and started screaming at him. "I hate you! Everything you do is wrong! You are a failure, Ponyboy Curtis. You make me feel like shit. I hate being with you. You are an asshole. You always try to make me feel insignificant to you. You are not superior over me."
I didn't look up at him, but I could tell he had a look of hurt, pain, anger, and confusion. "Iris, what the hell has gotten into you? What are you going on about? I don't act superior to you. You're my other half, my equal."
"I'm not you're other half. You think you're better than me and you're not. I can't take this anymore. You will live alone, die alone, and only your fleas will mourn you."
"Iris, you're not making sense. This has nothing to do with our relationship."
It was obvious I was making something up. I had to think fast and get out of there. "Well, I don't care. Don't ever talk to me again." That was the last thing I said before I turned and walked away. But not before I took one last look at him. He looked like he had been slapped in the face. His face was red with anger, his eyes were full of hurt, and his eyebrows were furrowed together in confusion. His head was cocked to the side like he always did when he was confused.
PRESENT
I finally came to the Curtis house. I stood there a moment before knocking. I sucked in a deep breath as Ponyboy opened the door. His eyes widened. "Iris? What are you doing here?"
"I came back to tell you something."
"That you're pregnant, obviously. Is it.. mine?"
I nodded. "Yes."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Oh God." He sat down on the porch and put his head in his hands. "How long?" he asked without looking up.
"Seven months."
He looked up. "When were you planning on telling me? Were you going to tell me? Why didn't you tell me? Why are you telling me now? Is that why you left me?"
I slowly sat down next to him and put a hand on my stomach. "I wasn't going to tell you. I had to make up something that wouldn't make you suspect I was pregnant. I didn't want you to be held responsible. I didn't want to ruin your life."
"Ruin my life?" he repeated as he stood up. "You and my child could never ruin my life. It could only make it better. I love you and I'm willing to do anything for you. I helped make the baby. I'm just as responsible as you were."
I looked down. "We should have been more careful that night at the lake."
He laughed. "Yeah. We should have. Maybe then our relationship wouldn't have ended and I never would have lost you. But this baby could be the best thing to
ever happen to us. I know he will be."
"He isn't born yet and already I love him with all my heart. I'm going to name him Raymond Walter Curtis."
"I love that name. See? We can raise this baby together and be the best parents we can be. In a month, I'll be graduating. I can get a job. We can move in together."
"Pony," I interrupted. "We can't raise the baby together."
His eyes seemed to look right through my soul. "What? I figured you wanted my help raising the kid because you came back and told me."
I shook my head and closed my eyes. "I wasn't going to tell you about him until he was four."
"What? The first four years are important if I want to make a strong bond with my son. What made you decide to tell me now?"
"I'm sick," I said while closing my eyes. "The doctors don't know exactly what's wrong. There's a possibility I or Ray might die during childbirth. If I die, I want you to take care of him. No matter what happens, make sure they save Ray. Don't worry about me. Let me die. Just save Ray.
Pony sat next to me and held me. Just like old times I thought. "I hope you don't die. I just got you back. I hope both of you live. I need you both," he said while rubbing my belly. The baby started to kick.
. . .
Iris held her baby for one minute before she died. Ponyboy named the baby Raymond Walter Curtis like Iris wanted.