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Chapter 2

Anna had fallen into a fitful sleep against John's chest. After crying against his shoulder, Anna had returned her attention to the television, not saying another word about her situation. Instead, she had been quiet, with the exception of shuddering breaths leaving her lips every couple of minutes.

John had remained quiet, too. He didn't know what to say or do to help her. He didn't want to overstep. So he just sat there holding her, until she fell asleep. During that time, he had gotten a couple of work messages from Robert asking where he was and when he would be in at work today. He texted him back that he would be in tomorrow. Thankfully, Robert didn't seem too upset about him not showing up today. He told him the day before that he would be in late, but he hadn't been expecting to take the day. But he didn't mind. It was Anna and he would do almost anything for her.

She shifted against him and John glanced down to see her eyes fluttering open. A look of confusion covered her features. Then, immediately, she covered her face with her hands.

"Oh my god," she murmured. "I…." Dropping her hands from her face, she looked to John. "I'm so sorry. I know you have to get to work. I didn't mean…"

"It's fine. I took today off," John quickly told her.

"I haven't been sleeping well lately, so I guess I just fell asleep when I got comfortable," she said. She almost added and when she felt safe. Being with John always made her feel safe. It was something she couldn't explain. She liked John a lot. There had been a few times over the past few years where she tried to drop hints for him to ask her out, but he had never taken the bait. She worried that she was too young for him. It didn't matter now, not anymore. Not with the baby. A sigh left her lips.

"I'm glad you were able to get some sleep," John sincerely told her. "Would you like me to order us something for lunch?" He glanced over at the clock. It was three in the afternoon. "Or an early dinner?"

Anna shook her head. "No, thank you. I should probably let you go back home."

"Let me stay and keep you company," John offered. "Something is obviously upsetting you."

At John's words, Anna inhaled sharply and turned away from him. She pulled herself up on the couch and began to organize the few things on her coffee table. Her eyes remained off John and with shaky fingers she placed the different items in specific areas on the small table. She wasn't sure what to say to John. Her eyes closed sharply and she finally just decided to blurt it out.

"I'm pregnant," she said, slowly opening her eyes and turning to face John. John just kindly nodded and inched himself a little bit closer to her.

"And you were going to go for an abortion this morning?" John carefully asked. Anna bit down harshly on her lower lip and looked away.

"I….I was," Anna admitted, glancing down at her hands and picking at the edge of her nails. "I thought….." Her words faded. Then she swallowed hard, "But I couldn't do it. I…."

"Anna, who is the father?" John's words were gentle and there was no judgement within them and for that Anna was so incredibly grateful.

"I….." Anna sharply shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Anna….." John started, but he didn't know what to say. He couldn't demand information from her. All he could do was be here.

"It's stupid," Anna said, trying to force herself to laugh. "I'm an adult. I can raise a baby on my own. I'm being dramatic." But John was sure she wasn't, that there was much more to the story she wasn't telling him.

"You're not. Babies change things," John replied.

Anna sighed and stood up. "I thought I could do it, you know? If I just went to the doctor's office this morning and not think about it, that everything would be okay again. But that was ridiculous, because it's not that simple. And as I slept last night, all I saw was baby feet and little hands and could hear the soft, sweet cry." At that, Anna broke down. John quickly stood and pulled her into his arms.

"Shh, it'll be alright," he soothed. "You can do this, Anna. You have time to figure it all out."

Anna sniffled against his shirt and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her head deeper into his chest.

"I'm scared," she admitted.

"It's okay to be scared," John replied. "But you're strong and you'll make it through."

Anna pulled herself back and rubbed her hands over her cheeks to take away the tears.

"I've taken up too much of your day. You can go. I'll be alright," Anna said.

"Anna, I'm not going anywhere. You are my friend and you are having a rough time. Why don't we order some pizza and watch a movie?"

"Okay, that sounds nice."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

When the movie's credits were rolling, John was glad to see that Anna seemed more relaxed than earlier. She had begun to clean up their mess from dinner and appeared lighter on her feet. While John knew she still had a lot to work though, he was glad he could give her an evening where she didn't have to think about it for a while.

John knew Anna would be an amazing mother and once she figured out all the small details that everything would work out for her. He just wished she would tell him the truth about it all. She was definitely hiding something.

"Thank you for staying with me today. It was nice having someone who knew and who could just be here with me," Anna told him. "Please don't say anything to anyone yet, especially Mary."

"I won't," John promised.

"Mary will ask for too many details and I am not sure what my story is going to be."

"Story?" John asked, confused.

"I have to have some story about the baby's father. Mary won't let that drop. And my parents….." Anna let her words fade into the air and then shook her head. She gave John a smile and shrugged her shoulders, "It's fine. I….I'll figure it out. I have time before I start showing."

"Why do you have to lie? Can you not tell your parents the truth? I'm sure whatever it is, they'll understand. You're their daughter," John began. At that, Anna anxiously chuckled.

Her parents were good people, kind people. They had adopted her at four years old. At four, her biological parents had died in a car crash. They had been good friends with Charles and Elsie Carson. After their death, it was revealed in their paperwork that they had written in their wills for Anna to go to the Carsons if anything ever happened to them. And the Carsons had raised her as their own. They never had any other children.

But telling them the truth was not an option. She couldn't have them look at her like that. No, she needed to come up with something different.

"No," Anna finally said, shaking her head. "I can't. We have our holiday in two weeks. I….I won't have to tell them then. Of course, my mum is observant. She may figure out that I am hiding something. But….I'll cover it up. I do wish that I had a boyfriend so that when they find out I'm pregnant, I can say he's the father. But I don't. I guess I'll have to make one up."

"I'll do it," John said, before really thinking what that would mean. Anna met his eyes and shook her head.

"What? No. You're joking right?" This was it. The moment John could back out of the ridiculous situation he asked to put himself into. But he couldn't do it. In that moment, he knew he would do anything for Anna if it would make her life even the tiniest bit easier.

"No, I'm not joking. I could come on the holiday with you so your parents could meet me. Then a few weeks after the trip, you could tell them we broke up and that you're having a baby. You could say I'm a deadbeat that doesn't want anything with the baby, so they'll focus their disappointment on me," John began.

"But John, that's too much to ask of you. I don't want my parents to hate you," Anna stated. "You're my best friend."

"And we'll still be friends. How often do you see your parents?"

"A few times during the year. And I always go to visit them."

"Exactly," John answered. "And maybe one day you'll feel you can tell them the truth, but until then I'll happily cover for you. Let me be your pretend boyfriend and your baby's father."

Anna inhaled sharply and began to chew on her lower lip. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am," John stated resolutely.

"Okay."

To be continued...

Next chapter is the start of the holiday and John meeting Anna's parents. :)