On the walk home, my feeling of dread heightened, along with my upset stomach. I didn't want to talk, but Mom did.
"I always knew you were adventurous," Mom said. "But I didn't expect something like this to ever happen."
"What am I going to do, Mom?" I asked, trying not to cry.
"I don't exactly know, Aria," Mom said, sighing. "I should have known, though. You really should be wearing something a little more…appropriate, if you know what I mean." I broke down, and found myself breathing in very sharply.
"You just called me fat!" I sobbed. "What kind of a mother are you?"
"Aria, for goodness' sake," Mom said. "You seriously don't think that you won't be gaining any weight, do you? And don't you realize that you're just having a mood swing?" I wiped my eyes.
"Sorry," I said. "I guess you're right."
We continued the walk home in complete silence. The rain was starting to come down in buckets, and I shivered. As we opened the door to the house, I saw Dad writing in his diary at his desk.
"So," he said cheerfully. "What's the verdict?"
This is it, I thought.
"Kyle," Mom said. "Aria has something very important to tell you."
"Dad," I said, trying to hold back tears. "I'm…pregnant." Dad looked surprised, and looked at Mom.
"Is she being serious?" he asked.
"Serious as a grave," Mom replied. Dad's expression slowly changed from concerned to angry and disappointed., and his mouth slowly opened. I started to cry again.
"I went to a party at the Manor," I said, trying to be brave. "And I…got drunk, and then…" I broke down crying, because I couldn't tell the story again. Not to my own father, who was always so proud of me. My stomach started churning.
I heard someone come down the stairs, and I knew it had to be Aaron.
"Mom," he said, right as I opened my eyes. "Dad. What's going on?" He looked at me, and saw me crying. "Oh no."
"I think I'm going to be sick," I whined.
"Don't try that," Dad said. "Is Roy the father?"
"Let her go outside," Aaron pleaded, seeming to forget that he was going to be an uncle. "If she throws up, then I'll throw up, and-"
"Shut up, Aaron!" Dad shouted. I was starting to get really scared, and Aaron went upstairs.
"Kyle," Mom said. "I don't think she's faking. Just let her go. She'll explain herself later." Before they could say anything else, I ran outside.
Outside, I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander, based on something Dad had said earlier. What was I going to do about Roy? I didn't think he would get mad, since that wasn't like him. But the poor guy would be so heartbroken. I had to tell Orland as well, but he wouldn't care. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and went back inside.
Dad stood in front of the door with his arms crossed, and Mom looked as though she had been trying to calm him down.
"Now will you answer my question?" Dad asked.
"Roy's not the father," I said. Even though I had managed to stop crying for a little while, I started again, because the guilt was so strong. "Orland is." Dad's cheeks, which normally looked very rosy and pleasant, turned so red they were almost purple. Dad and Jake, Orland's father, had been rivals ever since Dad moved to Alvarna. It was mostly Jake, though, and he hated humans.
After a few seconds of being completely terrified by Dad, he spoke. Or rather, screamed.
"Orland!" he shouted. "Damn it all, Aria, you know how I hate that kid and his father!"
"Kyle!" Mom exclaimed. "Watch your temper!" She paused. "We all have to deal with this. We all know you hate Orland and Jake, but please, try to control yourself. The baby will be Aria's too."
"I have to go pee," I whined. As much as I wanted to be out of there, it was true. I didn't have to a few minutes ago, and I usually had a very good bladder. Then, I remembered that I was pregnant.
"My God, Aria," Dad muttered. "You're acting worse than Aaron when you two were six years old and we went on that trip."
"She needs to take care of herself," Mom said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Go," Dad said with a wave of his hand.
I ran behind the house, where the outhouse was. After I relieved myself, I noticed that what Mom had said earlier was true, and I just hadn't noticed it.
"Wow," I said to myself. "I really am getting fat!" I left the outhouse, and ran back to the front door. I also noticed how tired I was, even just after running. However, instead of going inside, I opened the door just slightly, and listened to what Mom and Dad were saying.
"It's her decision," Mom was saying.
"It doesn't matter," Dad replied. "In my opinion, sixteen years old is far too young to be taking care of a baby. There isn't even enough room in the house!"
"We can always expand the house," Mom said. "We have enough money and enough lumber. And if she changes her mind, or isn't a good mother, the orphanage in the next town is always willing to take more babies."
"I suppose you're right," Dad said. I wanted to listen more, but by then, the rain was starting to come down in buckets. I went inside.
"I'm tired," I said, as soon as I got inside. "I'm going to sleep again." Mom caught me by the shoulder, and I turned around.
"Aria," she said. "As harsh as your father and I have been, we still love you and support you. You understand that, right?" The tears stung my eyes again.
"I know," I said, trying not to cry. I let go of her, and went upstairs.
Aaron was sitting on his bed when I got to our room. He was looking down at the floor.
"What?" I asked, getting under the covers of my bed.
"I just feel like somehow this is my fault," he said. "I mean, if I hadn't told you about that party, then none of this would have happened."
"Don't be ridiculous," I said, closing my eyes. "This is my fault, not yours. Now let me sleep, Aaron."
"Okay," he said, sounding relieved. I fell asleep soon after.
I woke up with a start, due to a loud bang from downstairs.
"What was that?" Aaron asked.
"I don't know," I replied. I stretched, but then heard something I never would have expected to hear.
"Oh, Leann!" Mom exclaimed. "Please, come in." Aaron perked right up, and ran downstairs.
Leann? I wondered. I thought she was sick. I ran downstairs as fast as I could. Of course, I was a lot slower because of the whole…thing.
Standing at the front door was Leann, completely soaked from the rain. She also appeared to be very upset about something.
"What's the matter?" Mom asked her.
"I…I just…" Leann stammered. She was starting to cry so hard that her shoulders were shaking. "I need to talk to you, Aaron."
"Okay," Aaron said. He took her hands. "What's wrong?"
"My parents kicked me out," she replied. "They said they're too ashamed of me to keep me with them." She started sobbing into Aaron's shirt.
"Why would they say that?" he asked. Leann sighed.
"I went to go see Natalie," she said. "Sh-she told me…that I'm pregnant."
Before she could start crying into Aaron's shoulder again, he collapsed.
"Aaron!" Leann cried.
"Don't worry," Mom said. "He's just fainted. Let me get a pitcher of water." She went over to the cupboard and rummaged around. She eventually found a pitcher, and went outside to fill it.
Leann and I looked at each other, then down at Aaron, then back at each other again.
"You must think I'm awful," Leann said. I laughed.
"No," I replied. "I don't think that." Without any warning, Leann ran up and hugged me.
"You're a saint, Aria," she said. I pushed her away.
"Okay," I said. "Don't get too excited. It's just that…I have the same predicament going on right here." I pointed to my stomach. Leann's eyes widened.
"Oh God," she said. "Is it because you went off with-"
"Don't say his name," I said. "I'm mad enough at him."
Suddenly, Dad came down the stairs. He had probably been asleep as well. When he caught sight of Aaron passed out on the floor and Leann looking worried.
"What the hell is going on here?" he demanded. Mom walked through the door, full pitcher of water in hand.
"It'll all be explained later," she said. She poured the water all over Aaron. He sputtered, and sat up.
"So I'm going to be a dad?" he asked. Again, Dad's face turned purple, but he didn't start screaming.
"Aaron," he said. "Are you saying you got your girlfriend pregnant?" Aaron's eyes turned as big as saucers.
"Yes," he said timidly. Then, Dad started screaming.
"God damn it!" he shouted. "What the hell are we going to do?"
"Kyle, please!" Mom exclaimed.
"Don't 'Kyle, please' me!" Dad protested. "We're going to be grandparents!" I noticed that both Leann and Aaron were hiding behind me.
"You guys are so immature," I muttered.
"Apparently not," Mom said. "Now, let's try and see if we can all calm down. Maybe we can all talk about this like civilized human beings. Kyle, take a deep breath, and we can sit down." Dad took a deep breath. I was relieved, since I hadn't seen Dad that angry since the time I went into the dungeons when I was twelve and nearly got my head chopped off by a necro.
The five of us sat down at the table.
"So," Mom said. "Leann, did Natalie tell you how far along you are?"
"Same as Aria," Leann replied. "It was at my party that it happened."
"So you're both about a month along," Mom said. "And you have nowhere to stay?"
"Not really," Leann replied. "I would have stayed at the Inn, but my parents didn't give me any money. And I didn't want to be around Orland and Jake all the time, even though Cecilia is nice." I rolled my eyes. Leann wasn't exactly the smartest girl I had ever met.
"You're welcome to stay with us," Mom said.
"Mana-" Dad said, obviously trying to contradict her decision.
"No, Kyle," Mom said. "We are not going to throw this poor girl out onto the streets!"
"I guess you're right," Dad replied. He turned to Leann. "You can sleep in Aria and Aaron's room." Aaron's expression changed to a very excited one, and Dad noticed. "Aaron, don't even think about it. You will sleep on the main level of the house. We'll use some spare blankets to make you a bed."
"Why?" Aaron whined.
"It would be inappropriate for you to share a room with Leann," Mom scolded. "And both of the girls need their rest. They deserve proper beds, and you are the person least in need of a bed right now." Aaron sighed, but then looked at Leann.
"Fine," he said.
"So that's resolved," Mom said. "But there's still one little thing. Aria, you need to tell both Roy and Orland about what's going on."
"Won't they find out eventually?" I asked. "You know, when I start getting really big?"
"It's best to tell them now," Dad said. "You need to tell Roy, because he needs to know that the baby isn't his, so he doesn't feel obligated to help you to care for it."
"And you need to tell Orland," Mom said. "So he knows that the baby is his, and so he might find it in his heart to be a father."
"I doubt Orland would even consider taking care of a kid," I said. "He's always too focused on school."
"Either way," Dad said. "You're going to have to tell him."
"I guess you're right," I said with a heavy sigh. I was starting to get tired again.
"Well," Mom said. "You girls should probably go upstairs and get some rest. Aaron, I'll set up your bed down here." I trudged up the stairs, but on the way, I saw Aaron and Leann talking. I decided to listen.
"Don't worry," Aaron said. "We'll get through this." Then, he kissed Leann.
I began running up the stairs. When I got to my room, I shut the door and broke down crying. Roy was going to hate me, and there was no chance Orland would want anything to do with me. After a minute or so, there was a knock at the door.
"Aria," Leann said. "Will you please open the door?" Even though I didn't want anyone to talk to me, I got up and opened the door. Leann had changed into a nightgown.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I…just wanted to go to sleep," she said, sounding confused.
"Oh, sorry," I said. "I guess I forgot we're sharing a room."
"Are you crying?" she asked.
"I was," I replied. "But never mind. I'm tired too. Let's just go to sleep."
"Okay," Leann said.
I didn't even bother changing. I just took off my shoes, and got into my bed. Without even turning off the lights, I went right to sleep.