Chapter 37, enjoy! I feel like I failed as a writer in writing their decision and thought process behind keeping the baby, so I am trying to make up for that now. I just kind of assumed that they would keep the baby and never really made them sit down and decide, so I'll just let you get to reading...
The next morning when Julie woke up, she felt like she hadn't slept a bit. After their talk on the patio last night, Tim and Julie decided to talk about their rash decision a couple months back and decide what route they wanted to make moving forward with Tami. It seemed like the best idea considering her background as a counselor. The two teens went through their day just as normal, and planned to have the conversation with Tami after school.
The two got lucky, they had Tami all to themselves after school; Shelley was out visiting with some friends and Eric was at a meeting with the boosters getting a head start on recruiting some players for next seasons team.
"Hey kids," Tami greeted when she got home from school. Tim and Julie were sitting at the bar working on homework.
"Hey Mrs. T," Tim greeted.
"Hi mom," Julie greeted. "Uh, can Tim and I talk to you?" She asked.
"Of course hun, what's up?" She responded.
"Well um, we were just thinking about our future," Julie stated. "We realized that when we decided to keep the baby that we didn't really talk it out or think it through."
"So.. you don't want to keep the baby anymore?" Tami asked, confused.
"Well no, not exactly," Julie responded. "Wait, that's not how I meant that... I don't know!" Julie was starting to get frustrated.
"Ok, well let's all go sit on the couch and talk this out," Tami suggested. They all made their way into the living room, Julie and Tim sat on the couch and Tami pulled a barstool next to the couch and took a seat on it. "So let's start over, clean slate. Julie, do you want to keep the baby or put it up for adoption?"
"I don't know..." Julie trailed off. "I want to keep it and I want to have a life with her and Tim-"
"Then what is there to talk about and decide?" Tami interrupted. "It sounds like you know what you want."
"But I don't want to throw my life away, I want to have a future. I still want to go to college and have a career," Julie expressed, with tears in her eyes.
"Throw your life away? Who said you would be throwing your life away?" Tami asked.
"Uh some girls at school made some comments saying that Julie was ruining her life by getting pregnant and keeping the baby," Tim explained.
"Change your life, yes for sure, but your dad, your Aunt Shelley, and I are all here to support you with raising this child so that both of you can still have a future," Tami stated. "You can still finish high school, that shouldn't be too hard. If you choose to attend a larger college that is a ways away that would be a challenge, but it is possible. Julie hun, I'm not here to tell you what to do or not do, if you want to keep it I will support you in every way possible. If you want to put it up for adoption I respect that and I will help you with that process. It's completely up to you, you two talk about it and see what you want to do, not what some girls would do or what you think I want you to do," Tami instructed. Julie and Tim locked eyes, trying to read each others thoughts through their eyes.
"I think I want to stick with our first decision," Julie finally said. "What do you think Tim?"
"I think that she's our baby girl and I want her to grow up knowing her real parents and being raised by her real parents," Tim responded.
"You couldn't have said it any better," She said leaning against Tim's side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"Well, sounds like you two made up your minds," Tami said, putting the barstool back in its place.
"I think I just got cold feet, I am glad we decided to talk about it though," Julie said.
"You also let those girls get to you Jules... You've gotta stop letting them get in your head. That's why you girls have so much drama," Tim elaborated. "Next time instead of letting them get under your skin just deck 'em right in the nose."
"I don't recommend that because that is the reason you boys are constantly in my office," Tami chuckled. "But he does have some what of a point, you live your life the way you want, don't let them control you or cause you to second guess your decisions." Tami said, switching to her serious tone. "Now on the topic of futures... Julie we need to get started on some college and scholarship applications and Tim since you've turned down football scholarships, what's your plan?"
"I don't even know what I want to major in," Julie said.
"Well you don't have to decide that today, but you need to get to thinking about where you want to go," Tami replied.
"Billy is thinkin' about opening up an auto shop, but he's been too busy getting my dad straightened up to go through with it," Tim answered. "Probably just work for him."
"Do you have a backup plan?" Tami asked him back.
"Well I dunno, I might like to coach," Tim responded. Tim and Tami discussed back and forth what the coaching route entailed as far as education requirements and what levels he would want to coach on. Julie tuned them out and got caught up in her own thoughts. What do I want to do with my life? I'm going to, and want to, be a mom - obviously. But what do I want to do? I've always loved writing and reading, maybe I want to be an English teacher? Yeah, I think that's what I want to do. I mean I can always change my mind... Julie as pulled from her thoughts when her mom asked Tom another question.
"And what are you going to do about your living situation?" Tami asked bluntly. He had been staying with them for about a month and she had heard nothing about when - or if - he was moving back in with Billy. She didn't have a problem if he wanted to stay, he was probably better off living with them anyways, she just needed a plan.
"Uh... haven't thought that far on that yet," Tim answered.
"Can't he just stay here? He could help out with the baby," Julie suggested.
"That is an option, but it's all up to him," Tami responded. "I just need a plan, you can't sleep on an air mattress in my living room forever. Just think about it."
Tada, hope you enjoyed! I was really beating myself up for not tackling this issue when it needed to be addressed, but I'm liking the way this chapter and the last turned out. And we get Tim and Jules thinking about their future, which can be a scary/overwhelming thing.
And I really think I like it better this way just because when they found out they were in a busy spot in their lives and now that things have slowed down it's really sinking in to them.
This will be my last chapter before I head on my spring break trip. I have also updated my new story Anywhere But Dillon so check that out if you haven't already. Thank you all for your continued support!