I really want to apologize for the long wait. RL has really burned me out and i've been having a lot of writer's block. I really wasn't sure how to get this chapter to work, so I'm making this chapter Ethan-Centric.
I guess with this chapter, I'm making a statement about how much I hate abortion. There is always an alternative. And I'm showing it with Ethan's ordeal that you'll read about in this chapter. Things get really tough for him but I promise, I'm a happy endings kind of author and this will have a positive outcome.
With all that being said, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and leave non-flamitory reviews even if you don't agree with my views. If you can't handle the subject matter of this chapter, then don't read it and skip to the last few paragraphs.
Other then that, I want to remind everyone that I don't own Power Rangers. (It all belongs to Saban) The OC's and the plot belong to me!
Read on!
Earlier That Morning
The James House
Ethan sat on his bed with his head in his hands. He'd barely slept at all the night before and even now, he was too wired to sleep anymore. He was still running the dialog he'd had with his dad the night before, he'd never expected it to go as wrong as it did. before this, his father had always been supportive of him. Until he found out his son was going to be a father.
-flash back-
His father had shattered the facade, with an angry sneer.
"Good job Ethan, on ruining your future. You could have been the next Bill Gates. You have the brains to run your own software business...but now, by getting some girl knocked up, you've completely blown your chances!"
Ethan was shocked. "Dad, I wasn't expecting this to happen, it just did. What do you expect me to do, abandon Melanie?"
His father threw up his arms in exasperation "Yes, that's exactly what you should do. There will be other girls once your set up in your business. As long as you pay the child support on time, she won't be around to bother you. You can go on and salvage what's left of your future. You can have it all if you don't let that girl get in your way."
That lit a fire under Ethan. "You mean like you did with Mom? She went through her pregnancy alone. You thought that by giving her money that she would be quiet? Dad, she went through post-partum depression and it killed her. You can justify it all you want, Dad. But I'm a man and I refuse to let my woman suffer alone. That's what a real man does."
"Oh how those white people have disillusioned you. All that True Love garbage has made you soft! She's was just a woman, Son. And all they do is cost you money, I wanted her to get an abortion, but she pleaded with me to let you live. I softened my resolve, and let her carry you to term. And she left me anyway. I invested in you once she was gone...and now you've let me down. Just like she did."
Ethan was shocked as he heard his...he heard those words leave the man's mouth. He felt weak in the knees and his breathing was harsh. He closed his eyes searching for his calm center like his mentor taught him and fought to control his breathing. He knew then that he couldn't show any weakness in front of the man he once called his father.
Then within him, he heard the call of the Triceratops and felt the power within him return his strength. He looked up at the man watching him and then stood up. He looked defiantly at his dad and said, "Well, thank you so much, most gracious father for letting me live. So sorry I've been a disappointment to you. Dr. Oliver has been a better parent and mentor then you ever were and he's the one that made me a better man, not you. In fact, he's twice the father you were." Then in his mind he made a decision.
"I'm gonna go to my room and clear it out, I'll be gone by morning. Then you'll never have to see me again."
Just as he turned to leave, he heard the man speak again. "Leave the computer and all your gaming stuff here, they're mine now. Oh and that shiny new Aston Martin I bought you for graduation, it stays here too. You're completely on your own now."
Ethan froze on the stairs. Then, he turned around to face the man again. "Fine, you can have the car! It's nothing compared to what I'll have with my real family."
That had been the end of the argument. He'd fallen asleep a little while later.
-End Flashback-
But now he sat on his bed with the same big duffel bag he'd used during Christmas vacation. It was filled with his clothes and the picture album he kept of his friends and his mom. He could hardly believe what had happened to him just hours before.
He looked around his room as he pulled out his cellphone. It was the one thing his father couldn't take away. It had been a graduation gift from Professor Billy and his wife. He flipped it open and made a call.
It took no time at all for Billy to show up in his massive SUV and pick him up.
He never looked back.
6 hours later
Kira grinned. "We did...and it was a bombshell. They won't get away with this at all. Adam told us not to worry...that they were careful when they acquired the house and all legalities were covered. They are the legal owners of the house and they have many back up copies of the deed in different deposit boxes. That loser won't get away with anything."
Ethan grinned down at Melanie and held her closer. The beautiful brown woman was already showing and sporting that special motherly glow. She now wore a blue maternity blouse with flowing sleeves and ripped shoulders. She looked regal with her pretty braids that flowed down her back and her blue jeans with the expanded front accommodated the baby bump she now sported.
She'd never looked so beautiful. As for himself, the events of the day before and this morning were slowly fading into the background of his thoughts and their future was in the forefront of his thoughts.
What the idiot man that used to be his father didn't know was that he'd been saving the money from his paycheck since he found out we was to be a father. At this point he had well over a thousand dollars saved up. And that was more then enough to get their unborn daughter started once she arrived. For now, they were just getting what they needed to get started.
Normal POV
Up ahead was a store called 'Baby Bunting Boutique'. This was to be one of the stops for them today. Inside was a random mix of baby things that you couldn't find at JC Penny's, Sears, or even Babies R Us.
The store was set up thus, It was split into four areas. The boys side off to the left (it was decorated in blues and greens. To the right was the girl's side (pinks and purples) and the area in the middle was the unisex area which (was decorated in whites and yellows)
And in the back was the specialties area set up for the out of the ordinary items and this was the area that had brought them to the store. He'd gotten the tip online and after grabbing a cart, the couple made a bee-line for the back.
Conner and Kira couldn't help looking around themselves as they followed their friends.
Ethan's grin suddenly got wide as he spotted a shelf of onesies and he was quiet as he picked through the pile and then he gave an exultant chuckle.
Kira raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" their nerd friend held up a pink onesie that had "Human, Level 1'' written in an old time script. Just underneath that were the usual game stats such as strength, intelligence, charisma and the like. It fit them so well. Connor laughed out loud and rolled his eyes.
Kira looked over at Melanie to see her reaction. She broke into a smile and laughed as well and then joined him over to see what else they could find. As Kira and Connor looked on, Melanie grinned and pulled out another onsie an held it up. This one had the binary code streaming down the front of it. With each one they found, the got nerdier and nerdier. The final one they found said in bold letters on the front 'I AM A GAMER, LIKE MY FATHER BEFORE ME'
Connor saw that and burst out laughing and had to lower his head onto his folded arms. His shoulders shook with his laughter. After a few moments he looked up to see that he was the only one laughing. His smile dropped away as his focus centered on Ethan's expression.
It had taken on a stormy quality and Melanie looked worried about him. Connor knew instantly that his brother in arms was having issues. Now was the time to act.
He gave Kira the basket and then took Ethan to the other side of the store where they wouldn't be disturbed. His brother in arms had intervened when he needed it and now Connor would return the favor.
"Okay, Ethan, what was that? You've been fine all day until now. We're brothers in every way but blood. I want to know what's up with you."
Ethan sighed. He really didn't want to discuss this, but his best friend was channeling his leader authority..and his stance let him know that he wasn't going to drop the topic.
"I've been disowned by...my ex father. He wanted me to abandon Melanie to save my future. He also told me that he let me live...apparently he tried to force an abortion on my mother...to kill me."
"I told him off and I left this morning. But in doing so I lost the Aston Martin he'd given me for my graduation gift and everything else, including my laptop and all my games. In short, all I have now is the clothes in the duffel bag and my mom's key to her safety deposit box."
I was counting on the use of the car to take care of Melanie and get her to the doctor's appointments and I really liked that car...but Melanie and our daughter is my life now. I wasn't going to give up my girlfriend and our child for my future. I can get by without the car and inheritance, but it also means that I'm starting from scratch. I have my job helping Billy at the university, but I know it takes more then that to make a life. The both of them are my life now."
Connor had listened stoically as Ethan let it out. Thinking back to his reaction to the really geeky baby shirt, he understood his friend's reaction.
"Wow that sucks. I understand your reaction to the shirt, but it's just a shirt. You're twice the man that mega-loser is. You're a good person and the both us have the best role models ever. We have Dr. O's example to follow. And that makes us both better men. I don't have a single doubt that you'll be an excellent father. As far as your life goes, yeah, starting from scratch is never easy, but from what I've seen from the older adults, It's more then worth it.
"You'll stay at the manor with us. There's already a nursery there and most likely, you'll be buying your own bassinet. Everything you and Melanie need for raising your daughter is already there. As for the car, I already own an Aston Martin."
At Ethan's stunned expression, Connor continued. "From what I've learned about my dad, he was into classic cars. The crackhead lawyer managed to rob us of the majority of the collection, with exception of a my own car and the Aston Martin. It's an older model and in perfect condition. with a few upgrades and some reworking on the engine, it'll be road worthy in no time."
Ethan's eyes widened. "You're letting me borrow a classic car? Just like that?"
Connor shrugged. Yeah. You need a car, and no one's driven it in years. I was thinking about selling it, but you need it more then I do. It's just sitting there under a drop cloth in my parent's garage. No car should have been sitting there for so long. When the ladies are done here, we can go get it and bring it to the manor."
"You can't just give it to me though. This is a classic car we're talking about." Connor looked at best friend. "We'll just consider it a loan for now. Now, come on, the ladies will be wondering where we are."
Ethan grinned feeling like a huge 10 ton elephant had been lifted off his chest. "Hey Man, thanks."
Connor put a brotherly arm around his shoulders. "No problem Dude, you had my back when I was dealing with Scott, and now I've got yours. Besides, we've faced tougher situations then this."
"That's true." Ethan laughed as they headed back to the ladies who were looking at the bassinets."
Melanie walked up to him with a look of concern. "Is everything okay Ethan?"
Ethan grinned and gently touched her belly thinking of his growing baby girl. Then he looked his beautiful lady in the eyes. "Yes everything is now. So, what have you found for our daughter?"
Connor smiled as Kira put an arm around him and leaned into his chest. "What was that all about?"
He pecked her lips. "Nothing really. Just two guys dealing with manly issues. It's taken care of and now we can about our own lives."
Kira leaned in for another kiss. "Anything else on your mind?"
Connor kissed her back. "Just our own future...together. I mean beyond the wedding and our honeymoon. I can't help but think about the family we'll have someday. A little trouble making kid that loves loud music and playing soccer. I know it's a long way off, but part of me looks forward to all the chaos that Melanie and Ethan are about to experience.
Kira smiled up at him and took his hand in her own. "Who's to say we won't have the chance on our honeymoon? Once we're married, there's nothing to keep it from happening. A year from now we could have our own nursery to decorate. With how our lives have turned out, anything can happen."
Connor kissed her hair. "You're right Kira. And I can't wait for it to begin."
So, how do you think that situation was handled?
Next chapter, we go back to Connor and Kira.
Please be kind in your reviews. Since my Muse was turned into a vampire, only reviews will keep her happy, other then feeding on human blood, of course.
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See you all next chapter!
