"Never Gonna Be Alone"

Chapter VI: "Destination...?"

It wasn't long before everybody's suspicions, if there were any left, were confirmed. School-wide the students became known to Adrian's pregnancy, and the young man who was the father. However difficult the stares and whispers she had received, it frightened her more to have to face her closer circle of "friends". After all, school was out for the summer, and Adrian didn't plan on seeing anyone she wasn't well acquainted with. Still, that was not a relief. She tried to tell herself over and over again there had to be a silver lining, a way to get through this unscathed. But there wasn't, for this wasn't a nonchalant happenstance. Ben and her both had made a mistake, and now would be faced with the most trying times of their lives.

It was no better to think about how she lived right next door to Amy. Initially, Adrian had only pressured her parents to buy that house so she could spy on Amy and Ricky. But that was before, when she loved Ricky. Now she was pregnant by another man, and feared she would lose Ricky to Amy, if not completely. Yet in her heart, Adrian questioned her feelings; did she still love Ricky? After all, she had only had sex with Ben to get back at him for sleeping with Amy...which hadn't happened since that one night at band camp, and that was less than comforting to her.

Mistakes were made, and, even with Ben by her side, she feared any road she might have to travel in consequence of their decision.


Early Saturday morning, Adrian sat at her kitchen table sipping a cup of freshly brewed coffee. She hadn't had much sleep the night before, still tossing and turning endlessly, her mind rolling with questions.

As dawn broke, the California sun began to ease over the horizon, illuminating the world around her as beams of pure light sparkled through the windows. As a distant pleasantry, the soft chirp of birds and other critters seeped in through an open window, the soothing summer aroma penetrating the air.

All seemed calm...peaceful. Summer had indeed arrived. But yet Adrian sat quiet and still, sipping the coffee every now and again. Her eyes drooped; she was so tired. Over the past week, the last week of school, so much had happened, and it had literally taken the life out of her. She slid her hand down, resting it over her stomach, and her thoughts drifted to Ben. He was such a nice guy, and she couldn't help but feel that this was her fault.

"Adrian," the deep voice came, breaking her concentration.

"Oh," she jumped slightly, quickly removing her hand from her stomach, "hi dad."

"How are you holding up this morning? Have you talked to Ben about...this?"

"Yeah...A little bit, it's been hard though. We're all still in a state of shock and--and I don't know what to do. I must seem like a total bore lately," she scoffed.

Reuben smirked, "You're my daughter, Adrian. And yes...your mother and I were...very disappointed at first. Borderline angry. But I want to be there for you, no matter what decision you make."

"It's my decision?" She stumbled.

"Well of course," her father replied, sitting down across from his daughter, "and whatever that choice may be...you can bet I'll be here to help you."

Adrian looked away towards the window facing Amy's living room. "I'm so scared I'll never talk to Ricky again. I rather it would've been--"

"Don't Adrian," Reuben scolded, his face growing serious. "Don't say you would rather Ricky have been the father. We both know you would prefer this hadn't happened at all. But it did, and you need to focus on you more now."

"I don't want to lose him..."

"I don't think you'll lose everything with him. But you must understand if you choose to have this baby things are going to be very different, if they aren't already."

"Then I just won't. I won't have this baby. I'll get an abor--"

"Now don't be rash, Adrian," Reuben once again intervened. "Don't say say or do something out of pure emotion. Look where that got you recently."

Adrian grew angry, "You're not helping. This whole talking thing isn't helping. I'm pregnant with the child of a guy I don't love, and I'm afraid I'll never have the one I do."

"What you need to realize is there's more important things now than how you feel towards a guy." And he in turn began to grow irritated, his voice elevating.

"Yeah well all I've heard from everybody is 'you have to focus on the baby and Ben'. And that's not what I want to do."

"It doesn't matter what you want Adrian. Sometimes we have to do the things we don't want to."

"And I don't want to have a baby!"

The tension heightened as they both stared across the table at each other.

Reuben's face softened, "I'm sorry...Adrian." He paused. "I just never wanted this to happen to you, like it did me."

"If I have this baby, I'm more than positive my guy will stick around and not abandon me for sixteen years," she replied coldly.

Reuben simply stared at his daughter with a feeling of hurt present in his eyes. Her words had struck him like a dagger in the heart. And what pained him most of all is he knew that she was right.

"Like I said, Adrian. I didn't want these mistakes to happen with you. Just because I wasn't there doesn't mean I didn't care."

"This conversation is over, Reuben." She said blankly, staring him in the face as she ascended her seat and stomped out of the kitchen.

Reuben sat unemotional at the table for a moment, absorbing the full impact of the conversation he had just had with his daughter. She was right, and he did want her to make her own decisions regarding this. But it didn't mean he did not have an opinion of his own.

He heard footsteps as Adrian stomped upstairs, and then they suddenly stopped.

"Where's mom?" Adrian called.

Reuben simply closed his eyes as he reached towards his left hand, taking his wedding band and sliding it off his finger, dropping it on the table.


Vvvvvvv, the cell phone vibrated. Vvvvvvv, it sounded again and again, rattling against the night stand. An arm reached out from the mass of pillows and sheets, grasping the phone.

Turning over onto his back, Ricky pulled the phone close to his groggy eyes.

"7:30 A.M." It read.

Ricky groaned, pushing the button and holding it up to his ear.

"Hello?" He said disoriented.

"Hi Ricky." It was Amy.

"Why in the world are you calling me at 7:30 in the morning?"

"I just wanted to check on John...sorry."

"He's fine, he's right beside me and he slept through the night. You don't need to call all the time, Amy. I can handle it."

"I know," she replied, "I just get worried about him I suppose."

"Well don't," Ricky assured, pulling himself up to lean on the headboard, "he's fine. We were just planning on going to the park today."

"Oh," Amy seemed almost disappointed, and Ricky sensed it.

"If you want to come you can. I mean...you're his mother, I don't know." He stuttered slightly.

"No, no it's fine. It's a weekend and you need to spend time with him."

"Thanks, Amy." John made a soft noise that was audible to Amy over the phone.

"You-you don't have a girl over there do you?" Her voice full of concern.

"No," Ricky laughed, "not while John's here."

"Mmhmm." Amy sounded less than enthused.

"I'm just kidding," he said, "it's just me and John, and we're doing fine. Is there anything else?"

"Everything," she scoffed, running her hand through her hair. "Ben and Adrian, that whole thing. I'm just so tired and stressed and even though it's just the beginning of summer I can't seem to catch a break."

"I see," Ricky said, and his mind began to think, "what if somehow you went on a break, like a vacation of sorts. You could be worry free and I could take care of John and you could get away from all of this."

"I don't know...," Amy replied cautiously, "firstly I don't know if my parents would allow that...and two I'm not sure about John. Not about leaving him with you, but just not being able to see him for however long that would last. But thanks though...it wasn't a bad idea."

"Everything's going to be okay, Amy."

"Yeah...I hope so, Ricky."

There was a brief pause on both lines.

"Alright well, the little guy's starting to stir so I'm going to go get him up and ready."

"Right," Amy responded, "I have, um."

Ricky smirked, "Find something fun to do, Amy. You have a weekend without having to take care of John."

"Thanks, Ricky. I know I've said it before...and most definitely will again. But...thank you."

Ricky smiled, "Thank you, Amy. For calling me; I enjoy talking to you."

On the other line, Amy's eyes darted across the room as she brushed her bangs out of her face, "I enjoy it too," she giggled nervously, feeling herself blush slightly.

"Talk to you later," Ricky said. And with that they both hung up the phone.


An annoying tone repeated steadily from the small device as the young man held it, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Dammit," Ben said, clicking his phone and tossing it onto the bed behind him.

"Something wrong?" Leo questioned as he entered his son's room.

"No, nothing it's--" Ben cut off, seeing his father give him a look. "Amy," he conceded, "she won't answer my calls...or texts. She's probably with--"

"With Ricky," Leo finished his son's thought. "As she should be. They have a son, Ben."

"I suppose...I just thought she would be there to like...help me, or something."

"Any word on Adrian?"

"Yeah, she's going to the doctor today...just to confirm everything. And then we have to decide what we want to do. What she wants to do. It seems as it is her decision."

"Yes, it is," Leo agreed, "but that doesn't mean you can't have an opinion."

"I know you think I'm a total failure, dad." Ben's voice was humbled.

"No," Leo smirked, "not totally. You're still my son, and even through the stupid things you do, I'm here for you."

"Do you think Mom would be...upset if she were here?"

"I think your mother would be disappointed, yeah, as would most if not all parents. But I also think she would be proud to see the man you have become, and that's what I would treasure most."

"Yeah," Ben smiled, "that would be nice."

They remained quiet for a moment, as if recollecting on the memories of Ben's mother.

"The question is 'what are you going to do about it?'" Leo asked.

"I don't know. There are times where I feel like I can--want to help Adrian. Then there are just moments, when I'm sitting alone with my thoughts, where I just hate everything in the world. I don't know if I can do this, dad."

"You were there for Amy, and it wasn't even your baby. You can be there for Adrian if you really want to Benjamin. It's time you reset your priorities."

Ben just wasn't sure that was what he really wanted.


"They won't stop fighting," Ashley informed her sister as she walked into the room.

Elevated voices could be heard from within the kitchen, and Amy and Ashley sat apart from them, listening intently on what was being said.

"About what?" Amy questioned, sitting down on the couch.

"Same thing they have been. Dad wants to get remarried...Mom wants to wait, and it's just carried on from there."

"I wish they would just find some common ground, that way we wouldn't have to keep hearing their fights."

"Do you think they should get remarried?"

"I want them too," Amy replied, "but right now I think that's because I want less fighting and more peace, especially when John gets home tomorrow."

"Yeah hows that going...having John stay at Ricky's for the weekends."

"It's fine..." Amy said unconvincingly.

"Really?" Ashley smirked, "I noticed you've just been sitting around the house; seems you've been busy."

"Can't seem to find anything to do without John now," Amy laughed.

"Well you need to find something to do to help occupy your time, sister."

"Ricky offered for me to go to the park today with him and John." Her face fell in disappointment.

"I know you miss him," Ashley stared across at her sister.

Amy's cheeks grew hot, and she looked up at Ashley. "John. Yes, I miss John."

Ashley's eyebrow raised slightly.

Just then came a profound knock on the door, interrupting both conversations throughout the house.

"I wonder who's that," Amy said, getting up to attend to the door.

She twisted the knob and opened the door to see Ricky standing in front of her, holding John in his arms. John turned his head and immediately his face lit up when he saw the face of his mother.

"Say hi to mommy, John," Ricky said. "Can I come in?"

"Oh, yeah...sure." And she stepped to the side, allowing Ricky to walk into the house.

"Sorry to bother you, I just figured he'd want to see you. I don't want it to seem like I'm keeping you from each other," Ricky said.

"Not at all," Amy smiled, taking the toddler into her arms.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you, Amy."

"Oh, yeah...sure. Ashley," she turned towards her sister, implying that she hold John.

"What's going on?" George said as he and a flustered looking Anne entered the conversation.

"Just thought John and I could stop by," Ricky explained, "and I was hoping I could talk to Amy."

"Hmmmm," George pondered, "okay, but no locked doors."

"George," Anne scolded as her ex husband giggled.

There was a awkward pause between Ricky and Amy as they stood in front of each other.

"So yeah, if we could go somewhere--I mean I think it should be a private conversation," Ricky stumbled.

"Yeah, let's head up to my room."


"What's up?" Amy said moments later, shutting the door to her bedroom.

"You remember how earlier I said you should get away, like a vacation?"

"Yeah...but I thought I said I can't."

"Right but here's the thing: I found this brochure someone sent me a while back on my table. It advertises some beach resort in southern California. If you wanted, I can book you a room for a week or so. I wouldn't mind; you look like you could use the rest."

"What makes you say that?" Amy smirked.

"You said it yourself: to get away from all of this drama. You look tired, stressed, and now...I heard your parents fighting. I just want you to be okay."

"I don't know, Ricky. It's like I said--I'm not sure they'd let me."

"Didn't you drive up to Palm Springs one night without having permission and got into almost no trouble?"

"Well, yeah--" Amy scoffed, "but this is different."

"If they knew the stuff you were going through right now I think they would let you go."

"I'm not sure if anyone knows what I'm going through right now," Amy said vulnerably, "and I'm not sure I want to go anywhere."

Ricky gave Amy a look, intending to imply he knew that wasn't true. "We both know you want to, Amy. Leave John with me; I can take care of him."

"You're right...I would kill to get away. Just run somewhere, free from all of these problems. I want to so bad. Everything that's happened has really taken a toll of me, on all of us. I want to go."

"That's great," Ricky smiled, sounding accomplished.

"I just don't feel comfortable going alone," she continued. "And that again raises a problem because I can't take any of my friends or family with me, that's what I'm trying to get away from. Bless his heart, but John too."

Ricky's face grew concerned, and he lowered his eyes to the floor. "I could go with you," he muttered. "If you wanted."

Amy's expression bore confusion as she stood before him. "I uh--that would be--" She stuttered as she gazed into his eyes. "That would be nice," she finally was able to say. "But what about John?"

"We'll bring him with us. Just the three of us, a vacation of our own as a family. We'll get away from everything and just be with our son."

"That seems like it could work...To keep him away from all this drama unfolding."

"I think we should do that," Ricky said solemnly, smiling slightly at the mother of his son in front of him.

Amy returned his smile, and inhaled surprisingly when he walked towards her, wrapping his strong arms around her frame and pulling her in for a warm embrace.

"You've always been there when it comes to John." Amy said, returning his hug, "you've always had his best interests in mind. I appreciate everything you've done for him--for us."

"This is my life, and this is what I want to do," he returned, glancing down at her while still entwined together. "I'll always be here for John, and for you Amy."

She smiled, laying her head against his chest. Somehow, she saw past the slight awkwardness of their current closeness, and found herself feeling safe and secure, shielded from everything bad in their lives.