With Six you get Eggroll
Point Place, WI
7:00AM
(very next morning)
Eric was still asleep when Paige was already showered and dressed. She almost
threw up this morning but felt good enough to make scrambled eggs and cinnamon
raisin toast.
Jacen was the first one up. He did mumble a polite "good morning" to his
stepmother and that made Paige glad that Eric was still sleeping. She'd hated to
think what Eric would have done if he caught Jacen mumbling "good morning" to her.
Besides, it only five after seven in the morning the boy was entitled to be tired.
"Good morning, Jacen." She did what she always did and served him his breakfast
unless he stated that he wasn't hungry or was meeting Mindy and Tony for breakfast
Smiley's diner.
"Thanks, Paige. Are we out of strawberry jam?" he asked
She went to the refrigerator and took out the family sized jar and placed it on the
table. He mumbled a "thank you" as he munched on his eggs. Were these little
things meaning a lot or was she just fooling herself?
"Good morning, son." Eric came in the kitchen dressed in a nice gray suit with a red
and blue striped tie.
Paige was finishing the last batch and didn't realize Eric was in the room until he put
his arms around her. She didn't flinch as bad she used to.
"Good morning, my dear wife."
Jacen rolled his eyes as he put the jam on his toast.
"Morning, Eric. I'll make you a plate."
"No, you sit down, I'll serve you."
"I don't want you to get your suit dirty. You look extra nice today."
"I'll be careful. Stupid lunch meeting with a very ungrateful client."
"I don't know how you handle those."
"Well, I can write off the lunch as a business expense."
Paige raised an eyebrow to indicate that it was time to tell Jacen the news about
their expanding family.
"I'm going to wait on the porch for my ride." He wiped his mouth with his napkin.
"Jacen, wait. Before you go to school there is something that we need to discuss."
Eric said
He held Paige's hand. "We hope that you'll find it to be great news." Paige added
"What is it?"
"I'm pregnant."
"We're going to have a baby, son."
It was too early in the morning to hear this.
"Great," he replied deadpan, "I have to go to school."
Eric was going to say more about Jacen's lack of interest, but Paige stopped him by
squeezing his hands.
"I'm sorry about that." Eric hugged her
"Eric, he's fifteen years old." Paige decided to clean up the dishes and refrigerate
the leftovers to keep busy.
"That's no excuse. I mean a verbal outburst would have been better than a 'Great. I
have to go to school.' This is important news for our whole family."
"It's too be expected, Eric. What teenage boy wants to hear about pregnancy?
Every time he writes a note it's always for you. I love him so much as if he were my
own son, but he doesn't see me as a mom and he never will. And you talking to him
would only make matters worse. I never want you two to have a terrible fight like the
one you told me about. You can't force his emotions. He'll only resent the both of us. I
know he will love the baby, there's no law that says he has to love me too."
She cried when she dropped the dirty plates in the sink. Eric put her arms around
her and kissed her neck. The kitchen phone rang and Paige picked it up and noticed
the caller ID.
"Oh, it's that Burkhart woman. You can tell her, Eric. But right now I can't pretend to
be nice to her." She ran to their bedroom, Paige had no intention of going to work
today.
"Hi, Jackie."
"Hi, Eric. I haven't talked to you in awhile. I have news to tell you."
"So do I."
"You first?"
"Paige is pregnant." He smiled when all he wanted to do was comfort his wife.
"Really?! That's great!" She lied for the sake of their friendship, they only recently got
it back and she didn't want to rock the boat with her honest reaction.
"The baby will be due in April."
"Did you two conceive on your honeymoon? How utterly perfect."
He blushed. "So, what's your news?"
"Um, I'm coming to town next week. I'd rather you see in person."
"Oh okay. Email me. I'm already late for work. I'll talk to you later, Jackie."
"Okay. And congratulations to you and Paige," Jackie made a face from the safety
of the other end of the phone line, "Give Jacen a hug from his godmother."
"Will do."
Won't
Thank god she wasn't in a talkative mood. Eric thought as he went to comfort his
wife before going to work.
Jacen made his slow walk to the Swanson's mini van. He didn't even get to do one
last check in the mirror to make sure his appearance was perfect for Mindy.
"Sorry, I'm late."
"Are you okay?" Mindy asked when she saw his expressionless face.
"Yes, Mindy. I'm fine."
"We beeped the horn for you, Jacen, Don't forget to buckle your seatbelt, it's the
law." That was Mr. Swanson's polite way to remind Jacen that he didn't like being
kept waiting.
"I know. I forgot my knapsack and I had to go back inside to get it." Jacen explained
Mr. Swanson drove him and Mindy to school as he watched his house become
smaller in the distance.
