August 16th, 2004

Week 38
Week 10

Ethan sighed as he threw the ball into the basket. He would make the team, get a scholarship, and blow his father out of the water. He hated being the coach's son. It was an utter curse.

"Ethan?" Tori stood on the steps of his house.

"Hey babe." he smiled and gathered her into a giant hug. She pushed him away.

"you're icky." She wrinkled her nose.

"I'm sweaty." Ethan laughed.

"I know." Tori said, "Can we go inside? We really need to talk." Ethan looked at her. She didn't look happy. This couldn't be good news.

"Sure." He showed her into the house and made his way to the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Andy stood in the doorway.

"Upstairs. Tori needs to talk to me." Ethan said. Brandon shook his head.

"Not upstairs. The living room is a fine place to have a conversation." Brandon said. Ethan sighed and led Tori into the living room.

"I really need to talk to Ethan in private." Tori said. Brandon laughed.

"There is no privacy in this house anymore." He said as he and Andy sat down.

"Dad, please." Ethan said.
"I'm trying to watch TV, Children." Brandon said looking at the television set. Andy chuckled as she cuddled into him.

"Ethan, I really need to talk to you." Tori whispered.

"Then talk to me, Babe." Ethan said kicking his shoes off. Tori looked at his parents and then back to Ethan. She took in a long and deep breath.

"Well…I'm pregnant." Tori said. Brandon spun around nearly knocking Andy to the floor. Ethan's eyes widened.

"What?" Brandon yelled. Tori stood up. She began to shake.

"Please don't yell at me, Mr. Walsh. My father already did that." Tori said, "I just came here to tell Ethan this. I thought he had the right to know."

"You little shit." Brandon grabbed Ethan by his collar. "I told you! I told you to be careful!"
"Brandon!" Andy cried.

"Leave me alone." Ethan pushed his father away. Brandon went for Ethan again, but Andy stepped between them.
"Brandon, go into the kitchen." Andy said. Brandon gave her a look, but went into the kitchen. Andy turned to Ethan and Tori, "The two of you need to seriously talk. I don't know how long I can keep your father at bay so just talk."

"Thank you, Ma." Ethan said. Andy sighed and walked into the kitchen. Brandon was pacing back and forth. She bit her lip.

"Brandon, Are you okay?" She really hated to ask that question because she already knew the answer. She could see that look.

"He's only seventeen and she's fifteen." Brandon said, "She can't even drive. They can't even vote. They're not old enough to have babies."

"I know that, Brandon." Andy said, trying to keep her cool. Someone needed to keep a level head about this or their family would be torn apart.

"He makes six dollars an hour at the grocery store. He's entering his senior year. He is the quarter back of his fucking football team and trying to make it on the god damn basketball team." Brandon growled, "he had a fucking good future ahead of him."

"He can still have that." Andy told her husband, "We were nineteen and twenty when I was pregnant with Ethan."

"That's a big different from 17 and 15." Ethan said.

"We made it though." Andy said.

"Don't start justifying this pregnancy." Brandon said.
"I'm not." Andy said as Ethan and Toru walked into the kitchen.

"Mom?" Ethan said softly. Andy looked at her son. God, he didn't look like he was five years old anymore. Where did that child go? Andy missed that little guy. Brandon stared at Tori's hand that was holding onto Ethan's hand tightly.

"Speak." Brandon said. Ethan cleared his throat.

"I'm going to make this work. I make six dollars an hour. I'll pick up a few more hours. At school, I'll focus on my work and not football." Ethan looked like he was going to pass out.
"No football?" Brandon asked.

"Football won't put food on the table." Ethan said. Brandon bit back a snotty comment.

"Go on, Ethan." Andy said. He took in a deep breath.

"Mr. Perkings kicked Tori out. She has no place to go." Ethan said.

"And I care?" Brandon asked.
"She's pregnant. She needs to stay somewhere." Ethan said.
"And you think she's going to stay here?" Brandon asked him.

"Please…" Tori whispered. There were tears in her eyes. Andy sighed.

"Ethan, make up the pull out couch for her. In the morning, we'll figure out something else for her." Andy said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Walk." Tori said as Ethan pulled her out.
"You're letting her stay in our home?" Brandon asked.

"I'm not kicking a scared pregnant little girl to the streets," Andy said, "We need to sleep and we'll be better in the morning."

"The baby will still be here." Brandon said. Andy sighed as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I know, Brand." She whispered. She was scared shitless, but she couldn't show it. She had to be strong. She just had to be. When Andy told all her friends, they were in utter shock, but it put things into perspective. Nobody's family was perfect.

If you would like an update on my fics or just general discussion, then join my e-mail list. Just e-mail me to join.