A/N I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry it took me this long to start this story up again. The past few months of my life have been all types of hectic, and then I kind of just put this on the backburner. Then I was laying in bed the other night and the Covenant came on and I just had to start up again. If any of you are still there THANK YOUUUU, and there is DEFINITELY more to come!!
I woke up the next morning to a headache I have become all to familiar with. It's the pounding kind that starts right behind your eyes and then travels to every other part of your body. It's the kind that reminds you of your stupidity when all you want to do is forget it. I laid there for a few minutes trying my hardest to not move. That is until I heard a buzzing on my night stand. I ignored it the first time, ignored it the second but my patience had worn thin by the third. I sloppily reached over feeling around for the phone without actually having to lift my head, This resulted in my knocking over an entire glass of water on myself. Lovely. I finally grabbed the phone to see 9 missed calls. Mom, Dad, Mom, Mom, Reid, Maggie, Reid, Reid, Maggie.
I put the phone back down and went into the bathroom to wash up. When I came back out, the phone was vibrating…again.
I walked over to see it was Maggie calling.
"Hello?" I said in a voice that let her know I've had better days.
"Christine!! Where the fuck are you, everyone is worried sick!!"
"What are you talking about? I'm home…I just woke up."
"You're mother called me a nervous wreck last night, Reid too. They said they couldn't find you! Where did you go?"
"They are such drama queens, I went to Joe's Pub for a little bit. Reid brought me back home, I was a bit on the drunk side."
"Why would you go to Joe's and leave Reid at your house with your parents…"
"Ugh, we just had a stupid fight you know I runaway when people piss me off…it's my move." I said with a laugh.
"Honestly, I've never seen 2 people who have just met fight like the two of you. Then again I've never a girl who just met a guy bring him across state lines to meet her family…" Maggie said suspiciously.
"Yeah, well I guess I've never met anyone like him before." I said as I laid back down in my bed.
"Well, it's not like you really know him…"
"I know him better than you think." I answered defensively.
I hate when people get on my case about what I do with my life.
"Fine, whatever. Listen, I'm still in Ipswich. My aunt went away again, so if you want to come back with Reid…I'll be here."
"Okay, I'll talk to you later Mags."
I hung up the phone and laid there staring at the ceiling. She's right, I really don't know anything about him. I mean besides the major stuff like him being a witch and all. But what's his favorite color? What's his favorite movie? How many girls has he slept with? Hmm, that's a good one…
I got up, threw a robe on and headed downstairs. I heard the TV on in the living room, it's probably him.
"Hey baby…" I said as I walked in rubbing my eyes.
"Sit down." My father answered back sternly.
"Dad, it's Wednesday morning…why aren't you at work?" I asked nervously. I just reailzed we didn't have the "oh hey, my daughter is pregnant" talk.
"I decided considering the circumstances, I would take a mental health day. Sit down."
I walked over to the couch and sat down, trying by any means necessary to avoid eye contact.
"I heard you did a bit of drinking last night…"
I nodded my head yes. This is oddly reminiscent of the time I snuck out of the house in freshman year of high school…
"Do you really think that is the smartest thing for you to be doing right now?"
I nodded my head no.
"Christine, out of all of my children, YOU are the one that I always knew had their head on straight. Good grades in school, always kept a good job, responsible, level headed. Shit, when it came to your brothers your mother and I had a different problem every single night, but never with you."
"Soo, does this mean I get a free pass then?" I said with a nervous smile, trying to be cute. Trying and failed that is.
"This is no time for you to be making jokes!!" He said and started to pace.
"I am not angry with you. Your mother and I did know this was everutlaly in your future. Hell, why do you think she was so against you staying in Ipswich for the weekend. We knew that you 2 would find each other again."
"Oh yea about that! Shouldn't I be the one who is angry? Shouldn't I be the one to feel completely betrayed by my own parents for knowing something like this and keeping it a complete secret from me. For making me feel like I've been losing my mind for the past week!" I said, this time it was me raising my voice. "Do you have any idea how terrified I am right now? How this is the last thing that I could ever be ready for? And for all of it to come at once. He's a witch, im pregnant with his kid, I met him 20 fucking years ago and had no idea! If you two would have just told me, things would be completely different!!" I was on the verge of yelling at this point.
Normally my father would shoot me that look that lets me know I need to calm the fuck down, but he knew I was partially right. He knew that if I just known half of what they did, things would be very different than they are right now.
"Christine I know, I know all of that, but we couldn't tell you! We just couldn't. We made a promise to the Garwins to keep this secret and me and your mother had countless conversations on whether or not we should tell you about all of this . You know that we have always done everything for your own good."
"Yeah, well look where my own good got me." I said sarcastically and got up from the couch.
"Where is Reid?" I asked.
My father hesitated. "He went home."
"He what??"
"He went home. He said he had to clear his head a bit. Last night was really rough on him. You wouldn't know that because you were too busy getting drunk."
"Rough on him how?" I asked curiously.
"He was worried about you, I think more than your mother and you know how neurotic she gets! He had called Maggie and got all of your friends phone numbers. We couldn't get him to sit still. We tried to explain to him how this is typical behavior for you, but he just wouldn't have it."
Can I just tell you how much of a sick individual I am. That hearing my father tell me how upset the poor guy was actually made me happy. Not because I want him to be upset, but because he was upset over me. I guess being pregnant with his child, I need some sort of reassurance that he actually gives a damn about me and not just the future heir to the Garwin name…
I didn't say another word. I went upstairs to my bedroom and started to pack. Well by pack I mean I frantically threw everything in sight in a duffle bag.
I went back downstairs, my father was in the kitchen.
"Hey Dad, can I borrow your car?"
"Where are you going?" He yelled from the other room.
"Uh, just to the supermarket."
"Okay, pick up some milk while you're there, we're all out"
"No problem!" I yelled back, grabbed the keys and headed off to Ipswich.
The drive was fueled by iced coffee and 80's music. Afterall, no problem is too big for caffiene and Bon Jovi.
I made it to Massachusets in a matter of 3 and a half hours, which has to be some kind of record. I realized however, once I was in the state of Massachusets, I had no fucking idea how to get to Ipswich.
I asked around a little bit but when one person would tell me to make 3 rights and a left, the other would tell me to make 3 lefts and a right, I was completely and utterly lost. God forbid my father invested in a navigation system like the rest of the universe. I'm going to have to talk to him about that when I get home…from the supermarket.
What started out as my record breaking drive, has now taken me 6 hours when I was probably just minutes away. I guess I could have called Reid, but I wanted it to be a surprise!! Sooo, I just kept driving.
Nicky's!!
I spotted the bar coming up on my left side. Now I've been happy to see bars before, but never this happy.
I pulled the car up out front and headed in. The place was empty, it wasn't even open yet, but the door was unlocked. The same bald guy was behind the bar.
"Sorry sweetheart, we don't open for another hour…hey, strip tease girl!" He said once he finally looked up at me.
"Wow, I have quite the repuation around here don't I?" I said with an embarrassed laugh.
"Sorry to bother you, but I'm trying really really hard to find my way over to the Garwin's and all I've been doing is circling for the past 2 hours, I had no idea I was even in Ipswich until I saw this place. For such a small town, finding shit is impossible!"
He laughed. "Just go straight up the road for about 5 miles, once you go over the stone bridge, make the first left. The Garwin house is on that road, about 10 minutes up."
"Thank you soo much!" I said then headed back out to the car.
For the first time as I driving, I noticed how beautiful it was. With the end of October coming, and the leaves starting to change, everything just looked so pretty, peaceful almost. With that being said, paying attention to the scenery resulted in my not paying attention to the directions. And now it's starting to get dark. Fuck.
I drove for a couple of more minutes, not able to remember if went over the stone bridge or not.
As I drove I noticed a car driving behind me. It was too dark to see it really, just the headlights…and then the sirens.
This pretty much confirms that I have the shittiest luck ever.
I pulled the car over and waited. What am I even getting pulled over for. I wasn't even speeding!!
I watched in my mirror as the cop approached the car. I rolled down my window and guess who it is. My good friend Officer Jeffries.
"Maam, are you aware that you have a broken tail light?" He asked, then leaned down my level.
"Oh, it's you" He said, surprised. At least I know he wasn't getting paid for it this time.
"Yep, it's me. And no, I wasn't aware that I had a broken tail light. Thanks for the heads up." I said
"Do you usually have this may run in's with the law?" he asked.
"You're kidding, right? Considering two of those run in's consist of a broken tail light, and you getting paid to arrest me…" I answered, visibly irritated.
"Well, just get that fixed you hear?"
"Yeah, yeah" I said, then started to roll my window up. However, realizing I still am kinda lost, and he does owe me, I called him back.
"Think you can make up for the unnecesary arrest by giving me a police escort to the Garwin's? I'll even give you your handcuffs back…" I laughed.
"Not quite sure I want those…just follow behind me."
We drove for just a couple of minutes until he stopped outside the gate. He pulled a u-turn, gave me the courtesy wave and drove off. I was finally here. Thank God, I couldn't stand another minute behind this wheel.
I got out of the car to try to maneuver the gate open somehow, but it actually was open! Maybe I do have a little luck.
I pulled my car in and noticed a few cars in the driveway. Ugh, theres people here. I really wanted him to be alone.
I walked up to the door and pushed it open.
I heard voices coming from the dining room. I eagerly made my way in and there he was just sitting there in his boxers.
Along with Tyler, Pogue and three girls in their bras. Strip poker.
All 3 boys had their backs to the door way. The girls were facing me.
"Hey, who's she…who let her in??" One of them said, burning a hole through me.
The three boys turned around, Reid's face instantly turned white.
He jumped up from his seat. "Christine, what are you doing here??"
"Oh, me? I just came to surprise you, and from what I understand you came home so you could clear your head. I didn't realize strip poker was the way to do that."
"Uh, girls I think it's time to go." Pogue said standing up to gather his things as everyone else did the same.
"Noo, no don't go on account of me. I actually need some head clearing myself. Deal me in." I said and pulled off my shirt, rolling it in a ball and throwing it at him as hard as I can.
"I don't know if this is a good idea…" He said.
"Why not? It seems to be working for you"
I took a seat inbetween the girls, who didn't seem thriled to see me there. Pogue started to deal the cards.
"So, three guys…three girls? Who was paired up with who…" I asked half sarcastically, half inquisitively.
Reid sat back in his chair with his arms folded, silent.
"Oh, no it's not like that. We're all just playing…" Tyler answered nervously.
"Ohhh, just a friendly game of strip poker. Of course."
"Um, who are you anyway?" The girl to the right of me asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm so rude…I'm Christine, and you are?"
"Samantha. And that's Alicia and Dawn."
"Samantha, Alicia and Dawn. It's a pleasure to meet you girls. So seriously, who's fucking who…I'm just dying to know"
The girls gasped.
"Ok, now it really is time to go." Pogue said, and again everyone followed. Reid and I just sat there slently as they collected their things and left the house.
"Surprise" I said sarcastically, once they were all gone.
"Don't you think you're acting a bit childish right now?" He answered.
"IM ACTING CHILDISH? I don't know, I would think childish is someone who is going to be a father but is instead sitting around a table with half naked girls playing strip poker…that seems a bit more childish!"
"Well, to answer your question. Pogue is fucking the one in the red bra, Tyler is trying to fuck the one in the yellow bra, and they had an extra friend so they begged me to play."
"So what you're saying is you were fucking the one in the purple bra? I'm sorry…I'm a bit confused"
"No actually, I'm fucking the one in the black bra." He said, referring to me with the smile that up until this point, worked every time.
"Ohhh, I get it…you're trying to be cute with me. You know, I drove all the way here for 6 hours just to surprise you. My father thinks I went to the store to get milk meanwhile I jacked his car and drove here because he told me how worried you were last night and I walk in to this. Just put yourself in my position right now."
"What the fuck took you 6 hours?"
"NOT THE POINT!!"
We are now at the point of screaming at each other from across the poker table.
"Well, actually I was in that position. Last night, walking into the fucking bar, with you all drunk and that guy all over you!"
"Oh please you dramatic bastard. He wasn't all over me, he was talking to me. And we both had our clothes on!"
"Well, I guess I have better luck than he does. When I met you in a bar…you didn't have your clothes on." He answered back, angrily.
I laughed to myself realizing how bad an idea this was. I stood up and walked over to where my shirt was laying on the floor. I pulled it over my head and walked over and sat down next to him.
"You know, maybe I did over react a little bit. Maybe you are telling the truth about what I walked in on. But ever since I met you, I've acted like a completely different person. I've done things, and acted in a way that I never have before. Honestly, it scares the shit out of me. Being around you scares the shit out of me, because I don't know what I'm gonna do next and I'm tired of it. I don't want to be scared anymore. So maybe our parents did know this would happen eventually, maybe they did know that I would give birth to the next Garwin. But they didn't know we would work out together. Obviously we don't. Lets just call it what it is and stop forcing something that isn't supposed to be there." I said as I looked down at the table, nervously fiddling a poker chip in my hand.
The truth is, I actually don't feel that way at all. I want this to work out with him, I've completely fallen for this guy that came into my life what, 2 weeks ago? But this is what I do. I run away.