I know that it's been a super long time since I updated last and I'M SO SORRY! You know how life can hand you a ton of pointless stuff to do all at once? That's how my life has been lately! But thanks for all the attention you've been giving this story! IT ROCKS! Enjoy!
"Well look what the cat dragged in," Mrs. Puckerman didn't even look up from the morning paper when her son shuffled into the kitchen.
Puck sighed. Fuck. "Mom, I can explain-"
"No need, Noah. No need," she laid down her paper and looked up at her oldest child. The glint in her eye scared Puck shitless.
"What do you mean?" Puck looked at her cautiously, waiting for her to explode or pull out the weed she must be smoking and offer him some.
The smirk on his mother's face made him feel like he was looking in a mirror. "Ms. Alperstein called."
Ms. Alperstein was an old woman who lived a couple of doors down from Rachel and also happened to be a fellow Jew. Old lady was known for being the biggest gossip around town.
"Oh. Well. Um…" Puck coughed a bit awkwardly, still not understanding the point. "Does she need me to get her cat out of a tree again?"
"No she doesn't. She just wanted to let me know that she saw you leaving the Berry household this morning." She paused and made sure to catch his eyes. "In the same clothes she saw you enter the Berry household in last night."
Kill me. "About that Ma-"
Mrs. Puckerman launched herself out of her seat before he could finish and grabbed Puck in a suffocating hug. His eyes bulged out of his head and he gasped for air.
"Oh my Noah! Finding a nice Jewish girl like Rachel Berry! Oh! Noah, she is so perfect!" His mother gushed to him.
"Not that perfect…." Puck muttered under his breath.
"Hmm? Rachel is just so sweet and Jewish. She is so out of your league, Noah! You better not mess this up! I swear if you hurt her…" Her voice became menacing and she glared at him. "You are dating her right?"
Puck froze. Dammit. "Well, uh, not technically…" he looked a little sheepish.
His mother glared at him as if he had just confessed to selling his soul to the devil. Puck figured he already had, "Define technically, Noah Puckerman," but for no profit.
"Err… we aren't labeling anything yet. Just playing it fast and loose," Puck shook out his body as if to reinforce fast and loose.
Mrs. Puckerman pondered this new revelation for a moment. "Well, you don't smell like sex, so I assume you actually like her?"
"Yeah I do Ma. I really do," Puck was back in La La Land for a moment thinking about his baby.
He snapped back into it when he heard his mom sniffle. Holy fuck, is she crying? Chicks are so confusing! "Okay then Noah. Go shower and do some homework or something."
Puck nodded, kissed his mother on the cheek, and dragged himself up the stairs while listening to him mom mumble about a rabbi and flower arrangements.
When he got upstairs he pulled out his phone and texted Rachel.
WARNING! my ma almst found out. knows bout slpovr. we can tell her whnevr ur ready. dont know how much longer we can keep this secret. pls think bout it. i dont think she will b 2 mad. give baby a pat 4 me.
Three minutes later, Rachel texted him back.
Calm down, Noah. It was Mrs. Alperstein, wasn't it? My fathers designated her as my watchdog a few years back. I think we should wait until my fathers return to share the news with anyone else. And while your mother adores me, she may not adore a PREGNANT me. I am also positive that it is too early in the development of the baby for it to feel a "pat". The request is adorable though. *
Puck laughed when he finished reading the message. Only Rachel would type in complete sentences.
yeah, i think mrs. A is a border line stlkr. when do ur dads get back? still dont think my ma will flip. i think she is makin wedding plans already. p.s. its not adorable its badass. im not a puppy babe. imma stud.
Puck sent his message and waited for her reply. He swore he could hear his mother downstairs singing "here comes the bride".
Let me contact my fathers, Noah. *
After a second, another message came.
And wedding plans? Should I be concerned? *
Puck snorted. She probably should, but it would defiantly freak her out. And since Puck figured she was going to be around for a while, being the mother of his child and all, he didn't want to scare her off too soon. But that didn't mean he couldn't have any fun.
ma wants 2 know what kind of flwrs u like bettr? roses or tulips?
Rachel's response hinted at sarcasm.
I actually prefer lilies. They smell spectacular. *
Puck laughed, but made a mental note of this.
Just got off the phone with my fathers. They plan on coming back on Thursday. What time is good for your mother and we can make some plans. *
Puck's heart dropped to his feet. Thursday was in six days. Only six.
In six days, someone other than Rachel would know he was going to be a father. He would have to persuade someone other than Rachel to let him keep the baby. Puck would have to tell someone other than Rachel that he was afraid of becoming just like his father.
it's not a business meeting, berry. it's a big deal. but my ma has no shift on thursday night or friday afternoon.
Her response was almost instantaneous.
I am aware of the circumstances for this meeting, Noah. But planning is something I'm good at. Planning out unplanned situations calms me down. And I propose we tell them Thursday night. The sooner the better, right? *
Puck knew he was screwed no matter what day they told their parents, so it didn't exactly matter to him.
sure, babe. and why dont we go to the doctors tomorrow. i want u 2 c some1. i need 2 know that nothing is going 2 happen 2 our baby. i'll pick u up at 10. got it?
Puck would definitely feel a whole lot better knowing that his and Rachel's baby was safe. He knew that another miscarriage would be the end of him. Even thinking about it made Puck depressed. If he lost another child, Rachel would suffer too. And he couldn't let Rachel suffer. She meant too much.
Puck knew it seemed like he didn't care about Quinn at all after what happened. And the truth was, he really didn't. Quinn had made her decision a long time ago.
Quinn had thought that leaving Puck out of his child's life would be the best thing for all of them. It wasn't. Puck had never felt lower in his life.
Coming in second to the Golden Boy had become second nature to Puck, so that wasn't really what he cared about. What Puck cared about was coming in second to his baby.
He had started to doubt himself then, asking himself if he was really that bad of a man that he shouldn't be allowed to take care of his own child. Those thoughts had brought on the sadness. The sadness brought on the drinking. The drinking had brought on Rachel. And Puck was pretty sure that Rachel was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Puck jumped when his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his cell phone.
Of course, Noah. I am sure that everything will be fine, but it's comforting to know for sure. See you at ten o'clock. *
The rest of the day dragged by for Puck. He decided to turn down Mike's offer to chill at his place and play video games, and instead do his homework. Again with the whole being responsible thing.
The next morning he dragged himself out of his bed at nine thirty so he could go pick up Rachel. His mother gave him a look from over her coffee as he walked out of the front door. He hadn't been up this early in a long time.
When he pulled up to Rachel's house, she was already waiting outside. She smiled at him shyly before insisting that they go see her doctor.
"But won't your dad's be pissed when they find out?" Puck asked worriedly.
Rachel just flopped back into her seat. "Well, the way I see it. They are going to be pissed no matter what, but I'm sure they would rather have me go see a professional rather than some pervert at a public clinic who will feel me up and then make me pay for some expensive drugs."
Puck looked at her for a moment. "Ok-ay. To the doctor's it is."
Puck was following the directions Rachel had given him to her doctor's office when she reached over to turn up the volume on the radio. A rock song that Puck really enjoyed began to fill the car and he was surprised when Rachel didn't immediately change it.
"Umm… You can switch it if you want. I know this isn't really what you like," Puck mumbled.
"Oh no! I love this song. The Strokes are great," Rachel closed her eyes and bobbed her head to the beat of the drums.
Puck tried to remember how to close his mouth. "You know The Strokes?"
"Yes, Noah," Rachel told him slowly. "I like to listen to a wide variety of music. I feel a performer should be able to sing any type of genre."
"Well you just keep getting better and better!" Puck exclaimed as he pulled up to their building. It was long and a couple of stories tall.
When they entered the building, Rachel pulled him over to the elevators and took him up to the third floor.
"Wait, it's Sunday. Shouldn't there be like, no one here?" Puck was a little confused.
Rachel looked a little guilty. "Uh, I had a special favor called in."
The elevator dinged as it arrived at their floor and Rachel led him down the hall and stopped at a door that said "S. Rosenthal, Obstetrician /Gynecologist".
Rachel tugged him inside the office and marched over to the front desk.
Rachel knocked on the desk and called out, "Dr. Rosenthal?"
"Rachel, Honey, is that you? Sorry Dear, I've just been prepping a room for you." Puck heard a woman call out from somewhere in the back.
"It's okay ma'am." Rachel looked up at him and squeezed his hand.
"Now, what is so important that it can't wait till-" The woman stopped talking when she walked around the corner and saw him standing there. She was older, maybe early fifties; her black hair was cut short and curled on top of her head. She wore bright pink lipstick and glasses. Her nose though, she had a nose that could rival Rachel's.
"Dr. Rosenthal, this is Noah. Noah, this is Dr. Rosenthal." Rachel made the introduction as if it would clear the confusion in the air.
"Rachel, what's wrong? Ms. Alperstein told me at the synagogue last week that your fathers weren't home. Did you need a ride here? If so, then Noah you may leave because I can just drop Rachel off on my way home." Dr. Rosenthal continued to look confusingly between the two teens.
Of course she's Jewish. Everyone in the Jewish community loves Rachel.
"No, ma'am. That's not why Noah is here…" Puck noticed when the doctor looked at their entwined hands.
"Rachel, tell me right now." Her tone screamed no-nonsense.
Puck was surprised when she stood her ground and said in a clear loud voice, "I'm pregnant."
The doctor's eyes widened as she absorbed this information. "Honey, you know I don't do abortions here," she finally told her gently.
Rachel and Puck stiffened simultaneously and Rachel laid a protective hand over her stomach. "I'm not getting an abortion, Dr. Rosenthal. We're going to keep it."
Rachel gave her a minute to comprehend this before she continued to speak. "Now, Noah wanted me to come get a check-up today to make sure the baby is alright. Please help me."
"Okay. Come on. Let's go back. Noah, you can stay out here. It won't take too long. Just going to run some tests." Dr. Rosenthal pulled out a file from one of the cabinets behind her and motioned for Rachel to come back with her. Rachel kissed him on the cheek and followed after her. Puck was left to sit in the waiting room bored out of his mind.
A half hour later, Rachel reemerged from the back. "How is everything?" Puck asked her.
"Great," she beamed. "I'm definitely pregnant. Everything seems to be looking fine. She gave me a prescription for some prenatal vitamins. Talked to me about the responsibilities and costs of having a child. She wants to speak to you." Rachel was rambling so fast that Puck barely caught the last part.
"Me?" Puck asked, pointing his thumb at himself.
Rachel nodded, so he stood up and made his way to one of the examining rooms. When he walked in he saw Dr. Rosenthal standing at the examining table and writing something in Rachel's file.
"Please sit, Mr. Puckerman,"she told him without looking up.
Puck did as he was told. Not even questioning how she knew his name.
"Listen, I've heard things about you around town, Noah. I also have known your family for quite some time. Your mother, she's one of the sweetest ladies I know. Now when your father left," he cringed when she said your father, but she didn't seem to notice, "all of us were worried that you would end up just like him. And we all thought you were going to for a while there."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I would like to say that I was wrong. You are nothing like Eli. He would have left Rachel the minute she told him the news, but you being here now just proves other wise."
"Thank you, ma'am." Puck said as he looked at his feet.
"I've seen a lot of teen pregnancies in my day, Noah. And the majority of those girls don't have a boy standing next to them. Most of them come here scared out of their minds and alone. Now I know Rachel is a strong girl, and I'm sure she could do this alone, but don't make that an option. If you're as serious about keeping this baby as she says you are, then keep your promise."
Puck knew she wasn't talking about the promise he had made to himself, but he still felt the weight of her words. "I will."
"I know. You love her, and so you will stick with her. Got it?" The doctor gave him a stern look.
"Got it." Puck wondered how Dr. Rosenthal could tell that he loved Rachel. He wasn't even sure if he loved Rachel. He knew he could and that he probably would, he just didn't know if he did.
Puck walked back out to see Rachel reading a dated parenting magazine. "Oh, Noah. Come on we can go. I already asked Dr. Rosenthal to keep this quiet for a while."
Noah grabbed her hand and nodded. He followed her out of the building and into the parking lot. They drove home listening to the radio.
When they pulled up to her house she hopped out and looked back at him through the open door.
"Thank you for taking me today, Noah."
"Anytime, babe." He meant it.
Puck could tell there was something on Rachel's mind. "What's going on in that head of yours, Rach?" He asked her gently.
Rachel looked at the ground and then back to him. Her voice was timid, no longer sounding confident. Now it sounded afraid. "You won't leave me, right?"
"Never. I promise."
Love it? Hate it? Suggestions? Review!
GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON:
Gender of baby
Name for baby
Rachel's friends
Parent's and Glee's reactions
Song ideas
YOU KNOW THE DRILL! Thanks!
Just F.Y.I., I'm not a doctor! Nor have I ever been pregnant. So just bear with me on this and correct me if I'm wrong. Your efforts are appreciated!
I hope I'll have time to update Forgetting The Forgotten sometime this week. I also have a new idea for a 1-2 chapter story. Hopefully I'll have some time to sit down and write this week. If not, look forward to new stuff next weekend!
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xoxo Brooke