Chapter Three
"Come on Kim," Steve helps me to my feet as both sets of parents watch on.
"Why don't you two go away for a little while so we can discuss with the Bakers what it is we should do." Lena suggests.
"I don't think so," my mother speaks, "this is their mistake it is their decision as to what is to be done."
"They are only babies." Lena states.
Rafael nods in agreement, "they do not know enough about this world to choose on their own. Marriage is the best option."
"I'm not getting married." I declare firmly before fleeing the room and I don't stop until I am outside sitting on the porch swing, but I'm not alone for long. Within a couple of minutes Steve is sitting beside me but he doesn't say anything for a long time.
"I'm sorry about hanging up on you today." Steve apologizes, and I know it's more to break the silence then anything.
I shrug, "I probably would have hung up on me too."
"I just didn't expect it, we were always safe..." Steve sighs, "either way it doesn't matter. Your mom's right though, this is our mistake and we should make the responsible choice."
I nod, "but I don't want to get married."
Steve nods as well, "I don't want to get married either. We're still in school, you're only 16 and still have high school, I have college next year...You could..."
"I'm not getting an abortion." I state horrified that he would even insinuate it.
"Of course not," I sigh, now he's offended that I thought that, that was what he was suggesting. "I was thinking maybe you could give the baby up for adoption."
I look at my hands, the thought had never actually occurred to me, I had never thought about not actually raising the baby. "I don't know if I could do that."
"Then what do you want to do Kim?" I can tell that Steve is getting frustrated out of sheer fear.
The tears form in my eyes again and I try to force them from falling but as I speak a few tears slip down my cheek and off my chin, "I don't know, Steve, I just don't know."
Steve takes a deep breath, "you don't want to get married. We're both agreed that you can't get an abortion. And you don't think that you can give the baby up for adoption. Then fine, you have the baby and we'll raise it, unmarried but together."
"You're parents won't like that." I state.
"Well they are just going to have to get used to it." Steve responds firmly. "This is our lives, your parents understand that so we have to make mine do the same. Now come on, let's go tell them what we've decided before they plan out our lives."
As Steve takes my hand a calm settles over me and I know that I can face the things that are coming, even the wrath of his parents. We walk back into the living room and my mother and his parents are arguing but Steve clears his throat and in a calmer voice than I could muster he states, "Kim and I have decided what we want to do."
My parents face us silently while Steve's father states, "I think we know what's better for you Esteban. So why don't you and Kim sit quietly while we tell you what you are going to do."
Steve shakes his head, "no. Kim and I have decided," he repeats. "We aren't getting married. Kim is going to have the baby and we are going to raise it, but neither one of us are ready to be married."
"That," Rafael nearly explodes, "is something you should have thought about before you took on the actions that come with marriage."
Lena nods, "you should never have been participating in pre-marital sex if you weren't prepared for marriage. You will get married in our church, I'm sure the Father would marry you this month."
"No." My father speaks for the first time. "They are not getting married, they have decided what they want to do and we will respect their decisions. We can iron out details later but I believe my daughter has had enough excitement today, and she needs her rest. Now, if you would please excuse us then we will see you another day." And with his words Dad walks towards me, wraps a warm arm around my shoulders and quickly ushers me out of the living room with my mother staying after to see Steve and his family out.
"I'm sorry Daddy," I sob into his chest.
He smooths my hair before speaking, "you made a mistake," he sighs. "We all do."
"I thought you were going to hate me."
He looks down at me once I have uttered words and he takes my face into his hands, "Kimberly Renee Baker, you are my daughter and I can never hate you and no matter what mistakes you make I will always, always love you and support you."
"I'm so sorry," I sob again and Dad wraps his arms tightly around me and we remain like that for a couple minutes until he breaks the hug.
"Now, I was serious about what I said, you need to get some rest. You don't need to go to school tomorrow if you don't want to, but you need to get the extra sleep."
"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," I sigh.
"I'll let your mother know, now get some sleep and I will see you in the morning."
Dad and I go in separate directions then, I head to my room exhaustion weighing my body down but as I settle under my blankets I can't sleep. Within minutes I can hear the front door open and close twice, the first time symbolizing the Santiago's exit and the second my siblings return. I can hear the chaos of the house and the people in it getting ready for a day of school and work and with all of the noises downstairs and in the rooms around me I begin to drift asleep.
Jessica enters the room so quietly that my sleepiness doesn't even detect her until she is standing right over me, "what?" I ask. "You can borrow whatever you want, just let me sleep."
"I'm not here to borrow anything."
I open my eyes and stare at my twin, "what then?"
"I know something's going on." Jessica states.
"Jess, can we talk about this later?" I request softly.
"No," Jessica shakes her head. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"
"Come on Kim," Steve helps me to my feet as both sets of parents watch on.
"Why don't you two go away for a little while so we can discuss with the Bakers what it is we should do." Lena suggests.
"I don't think so," my mother speaks, "this is their mistake it is their decision as to what is to be done."
"They are only babies." Lena states.
Rafael nods in agreement, "they do not know enough about this world to choose on their own. Marriage is the best option."
"I'm not getting married." I declare firmly before fleeing the room and I don't stop until I am outside sitting on the porch swing, but I'm not alone for long. Within a couple of minutes Steve is sitting beside me but he doesn't say anything for a long time.
"I'm sorry about hanging up on you today." Steve apologizes, and I know it's more to break the silence then anything.
I shrug, "I probably would have hung up on me too."
"I just didn't expect it, we were always safe..." Steve sighs, "either way it doesn't matter. Your mom's right though, this is our mistake and we should make the responsible choice."
I nod, "but I don't want to get married."
Steve nods as well, "I don't want to get married either. We're still in school, you're only 16 and still have high school, I have college next year...You could..."
"I'm not getting an abortion." I state horrified that he would even insinuate it.
"Of course not," I sigh, now he's offended that I thought that, that was what he was suggesting. "I was thinking maybe you could give the baby up for adoption."
I look at my hands, the thought had never actually occurred to me, I had never thought about not actually raising the baby. "I don't know if I could do that."
"Then what do you want to do Kim?" I can tell that Steve is getting frustrated out of sheer fear.
The tears form in my eyes again and I try to force them from falling but as I speak a few tears slip down my cheek and off my chin, "I don't know, Steve, I just don't know."
Steve takes a deep breath, "you don't want to get married. We're both agreed that you can't get an abortion. And you don't think that you can give the baby up for adoption. Then fine, you have the baby and we'll raise it, unmarried but together."
"You're parents won't like that." I state.
"Well they are just going to have to get used to it." Steve responds firmly. "This is our lives, your parents understand that so we have to make mine do the same. Now come on, let's go tell them what we've decided before they plan out our lives."
As Steve takes my hand a calm settles over me and I know that I can face the things that are coming, even the wrath of his parents. We walk back into the living room and my mother and his parents are arguing but Steve clears his throat and in a calmer voice than I could muster he states, "Kim and I have decided what we want to do."
My parents face us silently while Steve's father states, "I think we know what's better for you Esteban. So why don't you and Kim sit quietly while we tell you what you are going to do."
Steve shakes his head, "no. Kim and I have decided," he repeats. "We aren't getting married. Kim is going to have the baby and we are going to raise it, but neither one of us are ready to be married."
"That," Rafael nearly explodes, "is something you should have thought about before you took on the actions that come with marriage."
Lena nods, "you should never have been participating in pre-marital sex if you weren't prepared for marriage. You will get married in our church, I'm sure the Father would marry you this month."
"No." My father speaks for the first time. "They are not getting married, they have decided what they want to do and we will respect their decisions. We can iron out details later but I believe my daughter has had enough excitement today, and she needs her rest. Now, if you would please excuse us then we will see you another day." And with his words Dad walks towards me, wraps a warm arm around my shoulders and quickly ushers me out of the living room with my mother staying after to see Steve and his family out.
"I'm sorry Daddy," I sob into his chest.
He smooths my hair before speaking, "you made a mistake," he sighs. "We all do."
"I thought you were going to hate me."
He looks down at me once I have uttered words and he takes my face into his hands, "Kimberly Renee Baker, you are my daughter and I can never hate you and no matter what mistakes you make I will always, always love you and support you."
"I'm so sorry," I sob again and Dad wraps his arms tightly around me and we remain like that for a couple minutes until he breaks the hug.
"Now, I was serious about what I said, you need to get some rest. You don't need to go to school tomorrow if you don't want to, but you need to get the extra sleep."
"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," I sigh.
"I'll let your mother know, now get some sleep and I will see you in the morning."
Dad and I go in separate directions then, I head to my room exhaustion weighing my body down but as I settle under my blankets I can't sleep. Within minutes I can hear the front door open and close twice, the first time symbolizing the Santiago's exit and the second my siblings return. I can hear the chaos of the house and the people in it getting ready for a day of school and work and with all of the noises downstairs and in the rooms around me I begin to drift asleep.
Jessica enters the room so quietly that my sleepiness doesn't even detect her until she is standing right over me, "what?" I ask. "You can borrow whatever you want, just let me sleep."
"I'm not here to borrow anything."
I open my eyes and stare at my twin, "what then?"
"I know something's going on." Jessica states.
"Jess, can we talk about this later?" I request softly.
"No," Jessica shakes her head. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"