Everyone was shell-shocked for the moment, unsure of what to say. Yolonda stared at Miguel as she struggled to process what he had just said. He looked down, while Nora watched for Linnie's expression, noticing his face drooping, but no trace of shock was seen on his face. Finally, Yolonda spoke up.
"You….you're what?", she struggled to say, "Miguel…you're joking."
"I wish I was, Yolonda. That's why I've called you here.", Miguel said sadly, "Yolonda, I'm really sorry…I-ever since this baby…er, I mean fetus, existed, the guilt has been eating me up like crazy…I…really regret what I did to you I'm sorry."
"So…", Yolonda started, trying to put the pieces together, as she studied Miguel and Nora's expressions together, "Who's baby is it? Hers?"
"Yes."
Yolonda looked at Nora as if she were about to kill her, watching as Nora's husband stared quietly at the floor, unsure of what to say himself. No one dared speak another word as they finished the lobsters, before eventually, every one gave up on eating, Yolonda trying not to cry.
"Miguel…I-I don't understand. I thought you loved me."
"I do Yolonda! I love you more than the entire world!"
"Then why the fuck did you do this to me?", Yolonda screamed suddenly, making the other three adults jump. She stood up, towering over Miguel, "You have the goddamn nerve to criticize my way of living, you beg for my forgiveness, and then you go behind my back and pull this shit with this woman, who I bet you don't even work with. AND you have the nerve to lie about it to me?"
"Yolonda please I-I"
"Is that why you asked if I wanted a kid? Were you trying to fucking pass it off as mine without me noticing? Well, here's the thing, that's not how all this works! I would know if that damn fetus is mine or not!", Yolonda screamed, tears falling as she's unable to hold back her anger.
"Yolonda I-"
"No! I don't want to hear anymore excuses. Just….leave me alone.", Yolonda said suddenly, getting up from the table and heading outside, slamming the door behind her. As soon as she left, Miguel and Nora turned to see Linnie's reaction, which seemed suspiciously more placated than Yolonda's.
"I…", he squeaked sadly, shaking slightly, "I-I think I'm going to go check on her."
As soon as Linnie left, Miguel and Nora sat at the table in silence, clearing up the table scraps that rotted away at the kitchen table, before taking their seats once more, both of them staring down at the baby bump with a mild disgust. It took Miguel all his strength not to punch the fetus hard, while Nora helped herself to more champaign, pouring to the top of her glass, before guzzling it down.
"So…", Nora started, clearing her throat, "Have you made that appointment yet?"
"Oh shut up, would ya?"
Yolonda held her face in her hands as she sat on the edge of the mansion's bottom step, sobbing her eyes out. For once in her life, she didn't care that all her make-up was getting smeared, flooding out as if it were part of the sewer water that Miguel cleared up. She was sobbing so hard, she didn't hear the sound of boot heels clicking, and the rustling that came from someone taking seat next to her. She jumped slightly, feeling someone rubbing her back gently.
"Hey…are you ok?", Linnie asked gently, as Yolonda continued to cry, "I-I'm so sorry."
"W-why? Why do you give a damn?"
"Well uhm…I-I don't know why. I just want to make sure you're ok.", Linnie said softly, hugging her, "Dear I….I know I'm not your husband, but….you know you can talk to me, right?"
"No…I barely even know you.", Yolonda cried, shaking her head, "But…I just don't understand what I did to deserve that. Why does he hate me so much?"
"I…I really don't think he hates you, dear. I just think he's made a bad choice. I've seen the way he looks at you, and it really does seem like he's truly sorry."
"Oh yeah? And what would you know?"
"Because he looks at you in a way that Nora has never given me. He does seem truly sad about what he's done to me.", Linnie offered gently, continuing to rub her back, "I-I'm not saying you have to forgive him. I know what it's like to be betrayed by someone you thought loved you, but please know that I don't think he hates you."
"Yeah right.", Yolonda sniffed, "If he didn't hate me, he wouldn't have done this to me. And aren't you hurt by this as well? What about you wife?"
"Well, to tell you the truth.", Linnie sighed, "Yes, I'm hurt but quite frankly, I'm not surprised. Our relationship has been going downhill lately, and it's just gotten to the point where I can't seem to do anything right in her eyes."
"Heh, how ironic. That's how its been with Miguel lately. You know, I only took that job at the jewelry store because he wanted me to be more responsible."
"Jewelry store? No one told me you were working now?"
"Of course not. The only thing those two bastards inside care about is their goddamn selves,", Yolonda snapped, making Linnie flinch nervously, "I'm sorry Linnie. I-I didn't mean to snap at you. I know you're just trying to help, but….I don't know. I think I need to clear my head up a few days."
"You don't need to apologize. I-I understand how you feel.", Linnie sighed sadly. The two of the continued to sit outside sadly for a few more minutes, Linnie hugging Yolonda gently as she cried in his shoulder, slightly staining his jacket. But Linnie didn't care. Finally, after a while, Yolonda pulled herself away, smiling softly as him.
"Nora really doesn't deserve you. You're such a kind, caring man…I-I'm sorry…I-I don't wanna keep burdening you.", Yolonda said, finally standing up. Linnie gave her a soft smile back.
"Now now…please don't think you're being a burden. I-I..I know this is a lot right now. It's ok to cry. Now come on."
After the two had came back inside, the dishes had been cleared up, and they walked in to see Nora with her head resting on her arm, drinking the rest of her champaign, while Miguel covered his head up in shame. Feeling no sense of sympathy for either one of them, Yolonda cleared her throat.
"Well…that explains why you've been puking these last couple of days, Miguel.", she started, "How long has this been going on."
"I'm about a week in.", Miguel mumbled, picking his head up to face Yolonda, "Yolonda please, I really meant it when I said I was sor-"
"Don't. Zip it.", Yolonda snapped, as she and Linnie took their seats back, "So, in that case, what exactly are you planning on doing as far as the fetus is concerned?"
"Well I-"
"You know what?", Nora interjected suddenly with a rather a cocky smirk on her face, "I think it's funny how you two think Miguel and I are the only ones at fault in all of this. I mean, if you would have been more focused on your husband instead of tramping around, we wouldn't be in this mess."
"And if you were more focused on YOUR husband instead of being a miserable little bitch, we wouldn't be either.", Yolonda snapped back, causing Nora to gasp and look offended, "Now, what's the plan with this fetus? What are our options."
"I'm thinking of aborting it, unless you wanted to-"
"Oh no, Miguel. This is YOUR own damn mess. I've told you time and time again that I'm done raising kids, and I don't think I want to raise something that is a constant reminder of how you picked someone else over your own wife."
"Oh my god, for the last time Yolonda, I'm sorry! I-I'm only pregnant because of one moment of weakness! It doesn't mean anything! We just had a little too much to drink one night, and I guess one thing led to another."
"Just save it Miguel. I'm tired of the lies and excuses. Let's just figure this bullshit out so we can all go home", Yolonda said coldly, before looking at Nora, "Since you're the supposed mother, are you and Miguel in agreement with the abortion."
"Fine by me. I don't wanna raise the brat anyways."
"Well now now, wait a minute please.", Linnie interfered, "Why are you all taking all this out on the baby? W-why should they get punished for what Miguel and Nora did?"
"Linnie, the fetus isn't even alive. I honestly doubt it would understand if it was getting punished.", Miguel snarled. "And who said you had a say in all of this? You're not the one with the kid."
"W-well I honestly just think that just because the baby wasn't intended doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve a life. I'm sorry but…I don't think it's ok to bully the baby just because we as adults aren't capable of controlling ourselves."
"Well, unless you've got another solution, Mister Perfect, shut your trap before I shut it for you.", Nora snapped, balling up her fist and glaring at Linnie. Instead of shrinking away like he normally did though, Linnie sat up in his seat and cleared his throat, now facing Miguel and Yolonda.
"Well…how about this? How about if I adopted the child from you? That way, the child can have a life and neither of you have to worry about raising it."
"Oh yeah? And why would you want to raise it? It's not even your kid.", Miguel asked, raising an eyebrow, "Why do you want to raise the kid that's half of the woman that cheated on you? A-and how the hell would you even take care of it anyways. I seriously doubt Nora'll be willing to let the fetus live in the house."
"Exactly…which is why I'm going to be moving out.", Linnie said, catching Nora's attention.
"Moving out? You never told me this! We didn't agree about anything regarding this!"
"Nora dear, with all due respect, I'm just…so done right now. I don't even care anymore.", Linnie said calmly, his timid nature slowly becoming overshadowed, "It's just…I'm so tired of having to deal with you. I-I'm sorry but I don't want to waste anymore of my life living with someone that abuses me both in and out of the house, and especially now that you're all talking about this baby like they're worthless trash, I just…I can't stay here anymore."
"But it IS worthless trash, Linnie. Don't you understand the meaning of a bastard child?", Nora snapped, making Linnie tear up and squeak.
"N-Nora, why would you say that about a baby?", he sniffed, "They didn't do anything. They exist because YOU d-decided to sleep around and make a bad choice. I-it's not the baby's fault. I-I don't understand why you all hate it so much already? I…that baby deserves so much love and care, a-and to hear you all talk so poorly about it-"
Watching Linnie break down, Yolonda couldn't help but feel somewhat bad about what she said. Yes, she held no interest in raising the child, but she couldn't help but feel that Linnie was at least somewhat in the right. In an attempt to defend him (or at least diffuse their situation), Yolonda glared at Nora.
"Look Nora, I get it. You don't want to raise the baby, but how about instead of insulting one another, we figure this shit out. We're all very mad at each other, but we need to find a solution now.", Yolonda said, trying to keep her anger together, "Miguel, what's the plan?"
"I still want the damn thing aborted. No way am I going to have a child that looks like the cyan bitch over there?"
"Excuse you?", Nora shouted, before Yolonda slapped her.
"Shut your damn mouth. Now-", Yolonda said, standing up, "I think it's best we all left. Linnie, it was nice meeting you, but Nora, I hope you and Miguel feel proud about what you did. Really. I hope all those beers and drinks were worth all of this to you."
As soon as Nora and Linnie had left for the evening, Yolonda did exactly what she did a week before, pack her things up and take off the dress Miguel had brought her for that evening, instead this time, she didn't even bother telling Miguel goodbye. She just flew through the door and slammed it shut, leaving Miguel to go to bed alone, once more.