Chapter 25
Two months go by. Lizzie's seven months pregnant and the twins are 4 ½ months old. Lizzie and Miranda are eating lunch together. Gordo walks past the table and eats in the library. Neither of them speak.
Miranda: What's up with the two of you?
Lizzie: Feigning ignorance. What do you mean?
Miranda: I mean, the two of you have been avoiding each other for weeks. It's getting weird. I thought you were inseparable.
Lizzie: I guess we're not. Gordo doesn't want the baby.
Miranda: Sure he does.
Lizzie: No, he doesn't. He told me he wasn't sure he wanted to be a father.
Miranda: He's just scared, that's all.
Lizzie: So? I'm scared too, but you don't see me running away.
Miranda: Uh, that's because you're the one who's pregnant.
Lizzie: I could've had an abortion or given up the baby, but I'm keeping it.
Miranda: Did you and Gordo ever discuss this?
Lizzie: Yes. He was on board.
Miranda: Did he make his own choice, or did he just agree with you?
Lizzie: I thought he made his own choice. After all, he did ask me to marry him.
Miranda: Talk to him again. You two not speaking to each other isn't doing you a bit of good. Plus, it's freaking me out.
Lizzie: Laughs. Sorry for freaking you out.
Miranda: Smiles. Apology accepted. Now, talk to him. Today.
After school.
Lizzie is in the living room watching TV with Matt. The doorbell rings.
Matt: I'll get it. He answers the door. Gordo, what are you doing here?
Gordo: Can I talk to Lizzie?
Matt: I dunno, can you? Are you gonna break her heart?
Gordo: Whaddya mean?
Matt: The last time you two talked, you broke her heart.
Gordo: I think that's between me and Lizzie.
Matt: If you break her heart, it becomes personal.
Lizzie: Calls from the couch. Matt, let him in. I deal with him.
Matt: Fine. I'm warning you.
Gordo: Brushes past Matt and looks at Lizzie. Hi.
Lizzie: Uh, hi.
Gordo: Can we talk?
Lizzie: Yeah, sure. Come out back. They talk on the porch in the back.
Gordo: I just wanna say I'm sorry.
Lizzie: Did Dad guilt you into apologizing?
Gordo: No. Well, he did talk to me, but I've been doing some thinking.
Lizzie: Goodie for you. She rolls her eyes.
Gordo: What he said made sense to me. He told me how scared he was when your parents were expecting Joshua. I feel the same way. I'm scared to death. We're sixteen. I don't even have a younger brother or sister. I've never been around babies. What if I drop the baby? What if I screw up and this kid becomes a total loser?
Lizzie: Interrupts. I'm scared too. Just because I have three younger siblings doesn't mean I know how to take care of a child. We'll learn together. At least, that's what I want. You're a good man, Gordo. This kid won't become a loser. Mom and dad said they'll help us. What about your folks?
Gordo: They said they'd help too.
Lizzie: So, we won't be alone. We need to trust ourselves. We can do this.
Gordo: I wanna do this together. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. I know we can't get married yet, but I wanna marry you. I wanna be a father to this baby. He gets on his knees and puts his hands on her abdomen. I love you both.
Lizzie: Begins tearing up. Oh Gordo, I love you too. You'll make a great father. This baby's lucky to have you as its father. So, we need to pick out some names for this kid.
Gordo: Well, what should we name it? You already know what it is.
Lizzie: Yes, I saw the sonogram, but those aren't always right. My aunt, when she was expecting Heather, thought she was having a boy. When Heather turned out to be a girl, she didn't have a girl's name picked out.
Gordo: So, what have you thought about?
Lizzie: If it's a boy, I wanna name him Joshua David, after you and my brother. I think it would mean a lot to my folks and I really want to name him after his daddy.
Gordo: I like it. Joshua David Gordon. What about if it's a girl?
Lizzie: I wanna name her after my mom. Her full name's JoAnne, but I haven't figured out what to put with it.
Gordo: How about Haylie or Mackenzie?
Lizzie: I like Haylie.
Gordo: Haylie JoAnne Gordon?
Lizzie: I love it! She throws her arms around him. Joshua David Gordon or Haylie JoAnne Gordon. We can call the baby Josh or Haylie.
Gordo: Grins. Sounds good.
Lizzie: One more thing. Can we keep this to ourselves, until the baby's born?
Gordo: Sure. Looks at Lizzie's abdomen. Hey, it's daddy. I can't wait to meet you. Your mommy is the most wonderful person in the world.
Lizzie: Giggles and embraces her fiance. I love you.
Sam and Jo stand, unnoticed, on the other side of the window, and observe the happy couple. Sam wraps his arms around his wife, and Jo leans into his chest.
Jo: They look so happy.
Sam: Do you think they'll make it?
Jo: I don't know. I hope so.
Sam: They're so young.
Jo: We were young too. We made it.
Sam: Whatever happens, they'll be good parents.
Jo: Our grandchild is such a lucky baby to have them as parents.
Sam: Our grandchild. Can you believe it? Now I know what our parents went through with us.
Jo: Laughs. We did put them through a lot, didn't we?
Sam: We did. I love you, Jo.
Jo: I love you, Sam.