Chapter 14

Jackson said, "Ok, enough of this serious stuff. Now we need to discuss how we're going to tell everyone that we're having a baby."

Maggie lifted her head off of Jackson's shoulder. She said, "What do you mean how are we going to tell everyone? That's far off."

Jackson asked, "You want to keep it a secret?"

"No, God no! Do you know about how many pregnancies I've recently had to keep secret? I don't have the energy, but it's not customary to tell people until about twelve weeks," Maggie explained.

Jackson stretched out pulling her on top of him. He said, "Ah, I remember being told that before. How far along are you?"

Maggie was quiet. She then said, "I would say that we conceived when we were in California, but we were safe. So, it had to be when Harriet was sick."

Maggie's statement was met with silence. She maneuvered herself so that she could see Jackson's face. She asked, "Jackson, where'd you go? Did you hear me?"

Jackson said, "I have to tell you something. When we had sex in California the condom broke."

Maggie jumped from the sofa looking down at Jackson. She exclaimed, "What do you mean the condom broke! Why didn't you say anything? I could have done something about this, or at least had the option to do so. I can't believe you, Jackson Avery. I knew you'd stop at nothing to get me to be with you, but I never thought that you'd try and trap me into it."

Jackson sat up and reached for Maggie who backed away. He said, "Will you listen? When I realized that the condom had broken I was coming back to bed to tell you, but you were already asleep. I made a mental note to tell you in the morning. However, when I woke up that morning you had left already. When I got back to Seattle you were avoiding me. After a while, it just slipped my mind until now. When you went to the hospital to confirm the pregnancy you didn't let Carina examine you?"

This time it was Jackson who was met with silence. He took a deep breath and held it. He knew he had messed up and she was about to let him have it. He made up in his mind that it wasn't worth defending himself about. He was going to agree with whatever she said so that they could move on from the conversation because they needed to be at peace.

Maggie finally said, "Jackson, those are excuses. You didn't have to see me tell me that the condom broke. You text me about every damn thing else. You could have texted me about that. There was a possibility that I could be pregnant, and you didn't think I deserved the opportunity to decide how I wanted to handle that information?"

Jackson said, "Maggie, I'm sorry and you're right, but I also know that you're on the shot, so I didn't think-
Maggie glared at him saying, "You're right you absolutely did not think."

Jackson just sat there and waited to see what would happen next. Maggie paced back and forth. Jackson chanced it saying, "I was operating under the understanding that you were on birth control. I knew that I still needed to tell you but knowing that you were on birth control made it less pertinent that I tell you. I messed up. I can admit. Regardless I should've told you."

Maggie sat on the other side of the sectional sofa. She said, 'So, I'm just supposed to accept this apology now that my life is irrevocably changed?"

Jackson said, "As I said, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. You deserved to know all the information so that you can make the proper decision. However, if you still want to make a decision it's there for you to make. I want us to have this baby. I am excited about this, but if you don't want to go through with this pregnancy I respect that and- "

Maggie said, "Stop talking Jackson. That was information that I needed to know in order to decide what direction I wanted my life to take and you're playing the well; you wouldn't talk to me card. It's childish and manipulative and I can't believe you would do something like that. I really don't know you lately. This is a prime example of why I can't commit to you. The reason why I shouldn't have a child with you."

Jackson stood up. He walked over to where she sat asking, "Maggie, what are you saying?"

Maggie walked away and started gathering her things to leave. She said, "I think for my peace of mind, you and I need to end whatever this is, and I need to exercise my right to choose and you need to leave me alone to do what I have to do."

Jackson stood frozen as if someone had just dumped ice water on his head. He said, "Maggie, I honestly didn't- "

Maggie said, "You said that you'd support my decision. I'm asking you to do just that. Respect my decision not to have this baby and respect my decision to finally be over you. I'm moving on completely. I love you, Jackson, I really do, but I'm starting to understand I don't know you. What I'm learning I don't like at all."

Jackson stared at Maggie as she put on her coat and grabbed her purse. Maggie turned to him saying, "You can throw away any of my things that you find around here."

He asked, "Will you let me know when your appointment is. I want to be there for you. I don't want you going through that alone."

Maggie said, "I think that it's best that you're not involved."

Jackson sat on the sofa wondering how he managed to mess things up worse than they already were. He was upset. He hadn't been trying to trap Maggie. That thought never even crossed his mind. He had every intention of telling her about the broken condom. He had every intention of telling her in a timely manner, but things had really gotten away from him. As soon as he remembered he had told her, but it was too late. Maggie now thought of him as untrustworthy and manipulative. She felt like she didn't know him, and she didn't want him or his baby.

Maggie left Jackson's and went home. When she walked through the door no one was in the living room, so she hung up her coat and went and crashed on the sofa. She stared up at the ceiling as she considered everything that she had learned that day.

She was completely overwhelmed. She had learned that she was expecting a baby with Jackson, that they had had an accident during one of their sexual encounters. She had to face the truth too. Since Harriet's cold, they hadn't been practicing safe sex.

She hadn't once thought about taking a Plan B. Literally those two little pills never crossed her mind during the times when she willingly and knowingly had unprotected sex with Jackson. He was also right. The entire time they were together he knew what type of birth control she was on. It was information that he was privy to. It was information that he had no reason to think had changed since they'd broken up. She stood by what she said when she said that he could've texted her about the broken condom, but the truth is although she hadn't been planning for a baby, she wasn't unhappy about being pregnant with Jackson's baby. She wasn't even sure that she would've gone to purchase those pills if he had told her.

Amelia walked into the room saying, "Wow, you're deep in thought."

Maggie sat up. She said, "I'm pregnant with Jackson's baby. I also told him why I wouldn't commit to our relationship and he told me that when we had sex in California that the condom broke. I want to be mad that he kept that information from me, but I think I'm not mad. Deep down I know it wasn't intentional. However, I told him that I wanted to abort the baby and that I wanted him out of my life. Amelia that's not what I want. I have no rational thoughts about what's going on in my life right now and I'm spinning out of control."

Amelia sat down next to Maggie. She said, "Wow, that's a lot to dump on a person at once. So, you don't want an abortion?

Maggie shook her head. She said, "I don't think so. I can't say what the future holds for Jackson and I. However, I do know that I love this child and that this child was created out of our love. I have trust issues where Jackson is concerned, and I honestly feel him not sharing that information is the excuse I need to distance myself."

Amelia said, "Well, that is a pretty big thing. This is your body and he should have given you all the information needed to take care of your body. Did he give a reason as to why he didn't?"

Maggie sat back on the sofa. She said, "He told me as soon as he found out he was coming to tell me, but I had fallen asleep. So, he said he decided to tell me in the morning, only when he woke up I was gone, and I started avoiding him when he got back to Seattle. I told him that he could've texted me. He didn't have to see me face to face to tell me. He didn't deny that he could've texted me, but he says that with all of that, it slipped his mind. I believe him. I believe that, but at the same time, I have other trust issues where Jackson is concerned. I told him I didn't want to have a baby with him. I'm sure that hurt him, I'm also sure that's not true. I want his baby. Our baby, but everything is just turning so icky. You know?"

Amelia said, "Wow, that is a lot. You two have a lot going on, but you're not going to solve it in a day. I say go upstairs, shower, and go to bed. Think about how you want to proceed. My advice is to stop running. You don't have to commit simply because you're pregnant. However, you're a grown woman. Stand your ground and see where things take you."

Maggie got up. Surprisingly Amelia had given her a lot to think about.

Back at Jackson's penthouse, he thought about everything that Maggie said. He started to see things from her point of view. Jackson took out his laptop and started writing. He wrote everything that was in his heart. He wrote about how he loved her. How he wanted her to keep the baby, but he truly respected her decision, but he wanted her to know that trying to manipulate her was the last thing on his mind. He just continued writing and the next thing he knew he was hitting send on an email where he poured out his heart for Maggie. He was tired and he just wanted everything out there.