A laugh. Insecurity. Wild eyes.
"Wow...!" He sounded breathless. "Wow...I never thought you could be...er...that convincing."
Freddie swallowed. When his hard shell was gone, all room for rage disappeared, his ego battered, his pride torn down like the wallpapers of an abandoned house- this was what remained of Freddie Baxter: A boy. Or rather- a girl who had become pregnant in her early teens and had just told her father. She knew she had to listen to him, because, in the end, he always knew better.
"I don't want to convince you. I only want to keep you from ruining yourself by making a decision that seems right, now. The final word is still on you, Freddie."
Baxter nodded. He scanned Henry from head to toe, then returned to gazing emptily at the wall opposite him. The silence from a few minutes before was resumed.
Henry had sat down at some point. He refused to leave as long as the boy didn't tell him to, and was now about to fall asleep.
Suddenly, a familiar, youthful voice tore him from his beginning slumber. The words "I'll keep it."
Echoed from the walls of his head.
"What?" He was awake within a second.
"I'll keep it, the baby. I'll carry it out."
Henry stared at him. Despite his own words, this came very surprisingly. Even though he thought the boy would opt for the abortion, Henry had not lied- he was ready to support him as good as possible.
"Are you sure? Is...is this final?""
Freddie nodded confidently. "Yeah."
"I'll go and tell Dr. Hartford then. I'm sure you want to go home."
A few hours later, Henry and Freddie were stood in front of the Warehouse, their home. There was sadness in the boy's eyes and he heaved a sigh. None of them had said as much as a word during the entire journey back.
"You alright?" Henry asked. It took him some courage to inquire. He knew how short tempered Freddie was- especially when it came to him, and he feared that his pregnancy would not exactly help it.
The only answer Henry got was a nod. Certainly, Freddie couldn't tell him, could he? He couldn't tell him, that he was scared of all the affection he would get, because he had hardly experienced any since his childhood? "They'll be gushing..." He muttered at last, very silently. "They'll be gushing, excited and happy. They'll be all "My god! A little baby! Oh Freddie, sit down, Freddie, when's it due? Boy or girl?..."! I can't stand it! 'Specially if people want to touch my belly every fucking day!" Freddie gesticulated strangely and pulled a face.
"But that's nice, isn't it? We want to be there for you!" Best had to admit that he was more than a little confused.
"But I don't want that! Do you know when was the last time someone's been there for me?!" He blurted out. Freddie didn't mean to shout. He knew Henry was really trying to be nice, but Freddie's image and independence was everything to him. It would take a long time for him to take it off. "Right... " his mood suddenly dropped and his demeanour became bitter. How could a 24 year old man (or boy), so Henry wondered, be bitter? What had happened to him?
"Must be about twelve years ago..." Freddie pushed the heavy metal door open with some force. "Sorry..." He muttered and disappeared in the house they called their home.
Henry remained where he was for another couple of minutes. He had to think about Freddie's words, the child and everything that had happened in these weird, last days. He even had a smoke, which he only did when he was nervous, or otherwise mentally unwell. Standing out in the darkness, in the cool air, watching the cars and people that were lit by the street lamps, calmed his nerves. With every draw, with every widening capillary of his lungs, he felt himself relax. It might not be his problem, but that was Henry. The people who meant something to him, were worth sleepless nights.
When he finally returned upstairs, he found Scotty and Dean sat on the sofa, looking sadly at one another. They looked up when they noticed the older man.
"What happened? Where's Freddie?"
"In his room. He wouldn't talk to us, Mr. B.!" Dean said with the voice of a complaining six-year-old.
"I was so excited!" Scotty added. "Is he gonna keep it?" Despite Freddie's cold behaviour, she still beamed like the the morning sun on a summer's day. Henry was unable to reply for a good while. He felt like he would betray Baxter, if he told them.
"Well..."
"Oh please, Mr. B.! What's he gonna do?"
"Well..." Henry sighed aloud. "Yeah. He's keeping it."
Scotty turned to face Dean, happiness and positive excitement lit up her face.
"Oh my god, Dean! Freddie's having a baby!"
"I heard..." The boy said, rather sceptically.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked, taking the last free place on the sofa.
"Are you sure, he's not going to change his mind again? Like- you know Freddie. That's what he does..."
Fair point, Best thought, but this time, something was different. Back at the hospital, he'd seen a side to Freddie, he had never seen before. He seemed so, determined, so clear and certain, that Henry knew, the decision the boy had taken, was final, and nothing could ever change his mind again.
"Yeah, but not in this. He knows how important this is, and he knows the consequences. I swear, I've never seen him like he was at the hospital. He's not going to change his mind."
"It's still weird..." Dean added. "He's a man, though. I'd know because we fucked- several times."
Scotty nudged him when triumph entered Dean's demeanour.
"I've heard of it." She then stated, clearly defending Freddie. "I've seen a documentary about it once. It's a genetic thing. Only four men in Britain-well, five, with Freddie- are known. It's so adorable!"
"I think we should give him some time. Male or not, it's a big thing he's learned today. Let's see how he is in the morning. Scotty, will you stay?"
"No...I'm at Grimesby's tomorrow..."
This time it was Dean who raised his voice. "You've never had a holiday in your life. Not one bloody day."
"He's right..." Henry chipped in. "You should take tomorrow off- for Freddie...I know how much you want to question him, and, whether he likes it or not, he needs us now more than ever. We're his family at the moment, and he needs all of us."
"But..." Scotty sighed. Nobody said anything for a while. "Alright. I'll stay."
