Max's POV
I knew I made the mistake of eating without Amanda there. I wasn't the best secret keeper, but it was too late now.
I sat down, and bit into my burger the first second I got. I needed to keep my mouth full so that I couldn't talk. I kept getting Fang's "Slow down, I don't know the Heimlich!" but I just shrugged him off.
Angel, our little meddling mind reader, knew what was on my mind, and she dropped her burger onto the floor immediately. I couldn't believe it would shock her that much, and she ran upstairs.
"What was that about?" Iggy asked. He was sitting at the table still, even if he had finished. It's not like he could be with Amanda. She was checking if she was having his child!
"Nothing," I said, getting my fries out of the bag. I grabbed the bottle of ketchup and tried to occupy myself with getting the ketchup to come out of the bottle. Iggy didn't say anything else. I mean, you need concentration to get ketchup, don't you?
"What were you guys getting at the store?" Iggy asked again, looking me straight in the eyes. I had to look away. The sadness he had, I would have told him in a split second in front of everybody.
"She needed some women things," you would think that that would shut him up. Let me tell you… it didn't.
"What kind of 'women things'?"
"Iggy, I am not in that position…"
"No. you're not supposed to… she's not supposed to be keeping secrets from ME!" Iggy was shouting and he left up the stairs, and I knew where he was going. Everybody flinched as the chair dropped, even Fang. Gazzy was almost crying, and so was Nudge. I comforted them and told them that everything was fine. I tried to believe it.
Amanda POV
Pregnant.
One little pink line.
Pregnant.
I was PREGNANT!!!!
No freaking way. That was just the first test. I had one more. It had to be wrong. I couldn't be pregnant. I lifted my shirt, and I wasn't positive, because my eyes were clouded, but I saw a small lump forming.
I'm imagining this. I can't be.
I wiped my eyes, and I looked again. I saw the same lump, in fact, it was bigger.
Okay, I'm not.
I was throwing away the test, crushing the box it came in, when I heard somebody pounding on the door.
"Yeah?" I called, trying to sound calm to no avail. My voice cracked as I shoved the test back into the box.
"Amanda, we have to talk," Iggy said, unusually frustrated. I jumped. He couldn't see this.
I tried to keep a level voice as I put the box under a towel and wiped my eyes. I opened the door to the bedroom, and he stormed in. He only called me Amanda when he was angry.
"You haven't been telling me everything. Ever since my birthday, you've been keeping secrets, and now you go to the supermarket and come back with a mysterious bag. You've been really moody. You won't tell me what's wrong. You tell Max, of all people, and you don't tell me. Your own husband! You have to understand that I am just angry that we ended up like this. We have never fought! I don't want to. I don't think that you do either." I was sobbing the whole time. Iggy stopped ranting, and came over. "Tell me what's wrong. I love you. Tell me."
I looked into his eyes and decided that I would tell him since I was sure, because now there was a glint of hope that he wouldn't be angry.
"Iggy…"
"Yes?"
"I'm kind of… pregnant…" I closed my eyes, and waited for the screams. Instead, however, I got a response. (A/N I know that they never know what to expect from each other, but that's the fun part)
"You're… pregnant?" Iggy seemed to be questioning his unnaturally acute hearing for once. That meant something. I didn't know what, but I knew it meant something.
"Yeah. Want me to check again, because I can!" I shouted, not knowing I had. I was so anxious.
"No. I believe you," Iggy said, avoiding my gaze. "Are you sure though?"
"I CAN CHECK!" I screamed, and I left the room. If it weren't for my super weak wings, I would have flown. I almost knocked Angel over, but she grabbed my arm and looked at me.
I know you're scared, but Iggy isn't mad. Go and talk to him.
How did she get so mature? I knew deep down that she was right. I turned around, and headed for the bedroom. I was so ready to face him, but the room was empty. Iggy wasn't there. I looked at the window. The screen had been torn out.
Iggy was gone. No note, no goodbye, not even an 'I love you'. Just up and left.
I fell to the ground, my shoulders shaking with every sob that ripped through my body. Everybody must have heard me, because I heard them all run up to the room. They were all behind me. Gazzy came up and hugged me. It felt so good to feel loved.
But Iggy… he was gone. He was my love.
He was gone. All because of a baby.
Iggy's POV
She was pregnant. I was going to be DAD!
I couldn't handle it, and I guess she couldn't either, because she left the room in tears. I wanted so much to comfort her, tell her that I wasn't mad. I was kind of… happy. But I think that she didn't want to see me. So I left. I sort of needed to think things over. I figured that they wouldn't think I'd go too far.
Once I was in the air, I realized that I had no idea where I was going. The hospital, who would want to go there? I couldn't go home. Duh! They only other place: the park. I found that my only choice, and I headed to the park once more.
The park that we were recommended by Amanda really is a lot of fun. There is a good-sized track, scuffed by the use of it, but you can run on it without tripping. The swings are replaced every year, and the slides are well kept. I just go to play catch and Frisbee.
This time, however, I just came with my mind, full of thoughts.
Okay:
1. Amanda was pregnant
2. I was the father
3. Do I want this?
Did I want it?
To look at a child and let it call me "Dad". The closest I've ever come to is babysitting while Max and Fang leave on a date. All the other times, it's Fang. It's always been. He's been my dad. But this kid would be mine. It would look at me like Gazzy and Angel and Nudge look at Max and Fang and even me. And this time I would have it look at me, just at me and Amanda, that way. Yes. I wanted the kid.
With that final thought, I headed home.
I land quietly outside the front yard. I found the spare key on top of gutter. I put the lock in and opened the door.
I find everybody, Max, Fang, Gazzy, Angel, Nudge, and Amanda all huddled on the couch. Amanda clutched a pillow to her face, stifling her cries.
"He didn't leave you. Don't say…" Max was saying to a crying Amanda. She turned when she heard me enter. Amanda sighed in relief and covered her face in a pillow. She continued to cry.
Angel hugged her tighter. "I told you. He loves you. Don't you, Iggy?" Amanda took the pillow off of her face and looked at me in a wierd way. What was she feeling?
"I…" what have I done? I wouldn't leave her. I had promised her. Max looked angry. Very angry. She came over and gave me a hard push on the shoulder. "Where were you?"
I stumbled backwards, but regained my balance. "The park. Why?" I was confused. Did Amanda seriously not trust me that much?
"Why, then, did you not bother to tell US?!" Max was screaming.
"I'm sorry. I thought that Amanda wouldn't think I would leave her," I started, then I escaped Max's clutches and walked over to the couch. I got down on my knees, and was level with my wife. "I promised you I would never leave you." Amanda nodded, and she sobbed as I lifted her off the couch.
"I was scared," Amanda cried, wetting my shirt with her tears. "I thought you wouldn't want the baby. I do."
"Don't be scared. I'll always be there for you. I want the baby. Don't worry."
"Are you ready for it?"
"I think so. Are you?"
"Yep."
We nodded, gave one small kiss, and then we looked at the flock.
"I'm gonna be an AUNT. Oh my god. Just nine months. Somebody is going to be my niece or nephew. AAAAAAH! I… can't think of anything to say!"
We all laughed at Nudge's confused face. She was actually at a loss for words.
"Okay, so we have to have fun before we become parents. Ice cream?" Amanda said, getting up. She wiped her eyes and took my hand to help me up.
A chorus of "yeah, me, me" came from the younger kids, and we all walked to the door.
What a great day, huh?
