Sydney didn't know what to make of what just occurred. So quickly, the family had started to tear. But right now, he had to focus on their daughter. Letta would have to be handled later.

Azalea started choking from crying so hard. Sydney patted her back and let her wail into his chest until she could begin to settle down. Her bawling went on for a long time, but she regained her voice.

"I'm sorry I let you and Mom down, Daddy! Please! I still want to be your daughter! I'll do anything! PLEASE DON'T GET RID OF ME!

Sydney's heart crumbled. "No more yelling. Cry all you want, but no more yelling. There's too much yelling going on."

Azalea began to have a panic attack. Sydney held her tightly as her body shook uncontrollably and she clung to his shirt. It went on for two minutes before she briefly lost consciousness to it. She woke only a minute later, fully calm, albeit slightly dazed.

"Dad?" she mumbled.

"You have to relax," Sydney whispered. "You need to relax so we can talk this out."

Relaxing was the last thing possible right now. Guilt had taken her over, but Azalea was out of energy to cry any more. She knew her pregnancy wouldn't be music to her parents' ears, but she didn't imagine she'd break her family. All of this because she fell for a boy. It was brief, but in that moment, she decided she hated boys. Except her dad, of course.

Sydney assumed her quiet meant she was listening, so he took the chance.

"Azalea, first and foremost, your mother and I love you. You're our daughter forever. Your mother needs some time to herself to cool down. We won't kick you out."

Azalea wasn't sure how much of that she believed, but she gave no response.

"She didn't say it in the best way," Sydney sighed, "but she's right that we expected better of you. We expected you to know better."

Azalea couldn't look at him anymore when he said that. The disappointment was no surprise. She simply couldn't handle hearing it. When it came from people like her teachers, she could let it roll off her back, but coming from her parents made it a cut deeper than that of a knife.

"But if you're pregnant, well, you're pregnant. So, you need to tell me what you plan to do."

Azalea stayed quiet.

"Azalea, that wasn't optional to respond to."

"I don't know."

"I figured that. Do you know how far along you are?"

"No."

"Then, the first thing we need to do is get you seen by the doctor," Sydney told her.

"Dad... do I... have to keep it?"

"No." Azalea's eyes grew wide. "You know how your mother and I feel about abortion. But you're the one who'll be going through this, so it's not fair for us to say you have to."

"You'd... let me..."

"We're certainly not going to be happy about it, but there's no decision you can make where we would be," Sydney clarified for her. "We'd be happiest if you hadn't become pregnant in the first place, but that's out of the question now."

"I'm... I'm sorry I screwed up."

"Just know whatever you choose is permanent. You can't go changing your mind once it's done, so be sure it's what you want."

"I really don't know. What's going to happen if I adopt it out? Or keep it?"

"Neither your mother or I know about adoption, so you'd have to figure that one out yourself."

"And the last option?" Azalea asked.

"Your life as a teenager is over. It's going to be school, work, and raising your child. You have to learn to fully support yourself much earlier. Your life is going to be about your child and nothing more."

"I... Can I be alone and think now?"

Sydney let her go and stood up. Before leaving her, he tried to assure her whatever choice she made, he and her mother would make peace with it.