AN: Here's the latest installment. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for the encouragement. It's always a great feeling when someone enjoys what I'm writing.

Chapter 5

Henry glanced over at Elizabeth. She was propped against the passenger window, her head resting on an old sweatshirt of his, fashioned into a pillow. She'd been asleep before they made it out of Philadelphia. He knew how sleep had evaded him over the past couple months, he couldn't imagine how exhausted Elizabeth must be. He hoped she could sleep the whole way.

Two emotions ran concurrent through Henry-elation and terror. He couldn't believe that as set as Elizabeth had been to have the abortion, that she would change her mind. He'd like to believe it was his prayers, but she probably had a much different rationale.

The flip side was that now they had to make a plan, together. And, maybe even a more pressing issue-he had to tell his parents and ask them if Elizabeth could move in. The contents of his stomach churned just thinking about having that conversation with his dad. Patrick McCord was a hard man, set in his ways. Maybe the only positive nod he might get from this whole ordeal was that he was stepping up. Of course, Henry knew he'd never actually hear those words come from his father's mouth. He'd be dead long before that.

Checking his watch, Henry knew they were about an hour outside of Pittsburgh. They hadn't stopped to eat, because Henry didn't want to wake Elizabeth. If they timed it right, maybe they could hit the hospital cafeteria and pick up something and they could see his mom on break. Evelyn was an ICU nurse and was on shift tonight until 7. His mom was definitely the more level headed of his parents and he hoped to have her acceptance so she could help keep Patrick in line.

"Elizabeth, hey, wake up." Henry nudged her arm as he put the car in park. She let out a little moan and stretched as much as the car seat would allow.

She looked around. "Why are we in a parking garage? I thought you lived in a house."

Henry chuckled. "I do. We are at the hospital. My mom's a nurse here. I'm about to go bare my soul and hope for the best. Do you want to eat something? Surely you have to be hungry."

"Actually, for the first time in a long time, I am." Henry walked around and opened the car door for her. Henry walked Elizabeth to the cafeteria and she chose a sandwich, chips and a water.

"I'm going up to the ICU to try and catch my mom and talk to her when she's on break. I'll come back down to get you when I'm done. Will you be okay here by yourself?"

Elizabeth laughed, "I'm good. I spend a lot of time by myself. I always have a book." She patted her purse, laying beside her in the booth.

Henry nodded, "Wish me luck." Elizabeth gave him a thumbs up and he turned to walk away.

"Hey Henry." He looked over his shoulder. "Please don't try to push me on your parents. If it doesn't work out, it will be okay. I'll figure something out. I always do."

Henry felt like he'd been hit in the chest. He forced the corners of his mouth to curl into a smile. "Don't worry about it. No big deal." The walk to the ICU was long and Henry had equal time to consider what he was going to say to his mom and feel devastated for Elizabeth. He decided what was most heartbreaking about her statement was that there was no sadness involved, just a statement of fact. Henry had no idea what they would end up being, but he hoped he would be close enough to her that he could make her feel special and cared for.

He rounded the corner and Roberta, another nurse on the floor, looked up. "Henry! What brings you up here? I haven't seen you in quite a while."

"I'm looking for Mom. How have you been? Is Darren still running track? I didn't run into him this season," Henry said, referring to Roberta's son, who attended the local public school.

"Nah, he had a pretty serious hamstring pull early in the season and sat this one out. I'll go find her for you. She needs a break anyway. I think she skipped lunch." Roberta disappeared down the hall and Henry leaned against the counter, steadying himself. This was likely going to be the most difficult conversation he was ever going to have. The one later tonight when he told his father, notwithstanding.

"Henry?" Evelyn called, sticking her head out of a room, motioning him toward her. "Is something wrong? I thought you were going to stay in Philly tonight and tomorrow."

"Do you have a minute? Some things changed and I'd like to talk to you." An odd expression crossed his mother's face, but she said, "Go sit in the waiting room. I'll be there as soon as I finish this up." Henry nodded and retreated back the the large room near the elevator. He'd only been sitting for a few minutes when Evelyn appeared in the doorway. She tossed her head to the side and he rose to follow her.

Noticing the cigarette and lighter in her left hand, he said, "I thought you quit."

"I did." She gave him the side-eye. "Maybe I won't need it, but I brought it just in case." If there had been anything in Henry's stomach, he was sure he would've thrown it up right there. Evelyn led him out a side door which opened into a small garden area. It must have been for employees, because Henry had never seen anyone out here ever.

"So. Did you go to Philly or was that just a ruse?" Evelyn started.

Henry's mouth dropped open. She was never one to mince words. "I did, but I didn't need to stay so I came back." He took a deep breath and started talking before he lost his nerve or before his mother could come up with another alternate version of what he'd been doing. "My friend, Elizabeth, the girl I told you about, the one from the Debate tournament?" Evelyn nodded her recollection. "She's pregnant and she had an abortion scheduled for this morning. She got there and she couldn't go through with it." Okay, doing good so far. Now for the hard part.

"Why pray tell did you get to be the one in charge of the care and keeping of this girl?" Evelyn eyed him and he was sure she'd figured it out. There was no reason to try and be subtle at this point.

"Because I'm the father of the baby," he said.

"Aw, fuck, Henry." She quickly put the cigarette to her lips and lit it, taking a long drag. She held if for a long time before blowing the smoke out. "I should've brought two with me." She sat for a moment before a look of horror crossed her face. "The thing that she wanted to do but you didn't think was a good idea. The abortion?" Henry looked away. "Christ Henry. If I'd known what we were talking about, I never would've have said what I said about just supporting her to do what she wanted to do."

"I know Mom. I just spent a lot of time praying that she would change her mind." They sat in silence for several minutes.

"So the tournament huh?" Henry nodded. "Perhaps I should be pissed at the chaperones who obviously weren't supervising."

"Perhaps you could be pissed at your son who made a seriously boneheaded move." Evelyn laughed maniacally at his pun and when Henry realized, he blushed. "Stop, mom."

"Fear not Henry, I'm pissed at you. What possessed you to take up with someone you don't even know?" she asked.

"I was dealing with Olivia and we got to talking and then it just happened, but can we please not go over this part of it? You're my mom and that's just weird."

"So now what's the plan? You said she doesn't have anyone. Is she just staying in Philly by herself?"

"She's in the cafeteria. I want her to stay with us this summer. She goes to UVA in the fall. She's more than willing to get a job and pay rent or whatever you want her to do. We need to make a plan and we really need face time to make that work. Can she stay?"

Evelyn took another drag off her cigarette. "Not exactly fair to bring her here and then ask, you know?"

"You'd say yes regardless. I just skipped a step."

"You're probably right. I'm not smoothing this over with your father. This is all on you," she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Henry nodded his understanding. "I figured."

Evelyn took one last drag off the cigarette and snuffed it out in the ashtray by the door. "Let's go meet this girl. Give me the highlights. What's her name again? Where's she from? And how far along is she?"

"Elizabeth Adams, originally from Virginia, but went to boarding school in Delaware and she's almost four months. You'll like her Mom. She's really smart and kind and she doesn't want to be a bother. And, even though she doesn't know it yet, she needs us." Evelyn gave him a confused look. "She's been alone for a long time. She needs to be part of a family."

"Be careful about plotting and planning what someone else needs," Evelyn warned. Henry opened his mouth, but closed it again. They walked in silence more than half the way.

Henry finally looked at his mom and said, "Thank you."

"I'm still pissed. You've just made your life a whole lot harder than it had to be."

"I know, but we'll figure it out." Evelyn gave him a look that he couldn't quite read. Rounding the corner, he pointed Elizabeth out. She sat with her back against the wall, her legs stretched out across the booth. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but a few tendrils curled and framed her narrow face. Her head was down, her attention fully drawn into the book she was reading.

"You forgot beautiful in your description," Evelyn murmured, and Henry grinned.

"She's also an excellent debater. First in Policy Debate, First in Public Forum and Second in Extemporaneous. Her school took first overall."

"She's the one you beat?" Evelyn asked and Henry nodded.

"Only by one point. And if she hadn't been distracted thinking about her parents, she would've beat me. She's better." Henry watched Elizabeth and Evelyn watched Henry.

They got closer and Henry cleared his throat. Elizabeth's head popped up and when she saw Evelyn, she immediately scooted to the edge of the booth and stood. "Hello, Mrs. McCord. It's nice to meet you." She quickly stuck her hand out, but was shocked when Evelyn dodged her hand and wrapped her in a warm embrace.

"I hear congratulations are in order. So, Elizabeth, Henry tells me that you are a debater, and a very good one."

Elizabeth's mouth hung open for a moment. "I'm decent." The look on Elizabeth's face confused Evelyn.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I haven't looked at this baby as anything to be happy about. It's just odd to hear you say that," Elizabeth admitted.

"Babies should always be celebrated. Now, I agree, sometimes the circumstances aren't always expected or ideal, but that doesn't lessen the celebration of a new life created." Evelyn scooted into the booth and motioned the two to join her. Elizabeth gave Henry's mom a small smile, and for the first time she looked at her pregnancy as something other than life destroying.

They were only able to talk for about fifteen minutes before Evelyn had to return to work, but she had already figured out that Elizabeth had no prenatal care up to this point and promised to have her in to see a doctor before the end of the week. Evelyn stood to go back to work and Henry gave her a hug, when she released him, Evelyn popped him on the back of the head. "It'll take a while before it's out of my system." Evelyn said, as Henry rubbed the back of his head. When she hugged Elizabeth, Elizabeth fully expected her own whack to the head and gave her a curious look when she pulled away and Evelyn smiled. "First off, I only thump my own children. Second, you've probably beat yourself up enough about this as is, and I give you permission to stop doing that. Henry, on the other hand, still owes me for not being truthful." Henry opened his mouth to argue, but she held up a finger. "I lie of omission is still a lie and you know it." Henry closed his mouth without saying a word.

Henry pulled up and parked the car in front of the house. "This is where I, well we, live. Remind me to write down the address and phone number for you for when you fill out papers at the doctor's office." Elizabeth nodded. She looked up at the two story Craftsman home with its white picket fence at the edge of the sidewalk and arched trellis that framed the path up to the home. It was quaint and Elizabeth was in love.

Her smiled covered her whole face. "It's beautiful Henry." Henry grabbed her suitcases from the trunk and tossed his own backpack over his shoulder before before leading her up the walk. Once inside, he gave her a quick tour and placed her bags in his room.

Elizabeth gave him a look and he laughed acknowledging that his mother wouldn't allow her to sleep in his room. "Just to get them out of the way. By the time Mom gets home, she'll have it all worked out, I'm sure."

"Henry? You home?" boomed a voice from the floor below them.

"Yeah. I'll be down in a minute Dad." He looked a Elizabeth and most definitely felt ill. "Why don't you come down and let me introduce you? Then if you wouldn't mind picking another spot to hang out in, although there won't be a spot where you'll be out of earshot, I'm sure of it."

Elizabeth chuckled and Henry grimaced. "It won't be pretty. Mom was a cakewalk compared to what this will be." Without thinking, he slipped his hand in hers and pulled her down the steps behind him.

"Dad," Henry started, and his dad turned around. "I'd like you to meet someone. This is Elizabeth Adams. Elizabeth, this is my dad, Patrick McCord."

Patrick held his hand out toward the girl, and was surprised at the firmness of her hand shake. "It's nice to meet you Mr. McCord." Patrick returned the gesture and Elizabeth said, "I'll let you two talk for a bit. I'm going upstairs to freshen up."

As she headed upstairs, Patrick's eyebrows raised. "Freshen up? Is she rich? And I thought you were going to be gone for a couple days?"

"No, just trying to be polite i think. She knows I want to talk to you," Henry's throat was suddenly dry and his voice scratchy. "I was, but something changed. Can we sit down for a minute? I've got something to tell you and you aren't going to be very happy about it."

"What did you do, knock her up?" Henry's mouth fell open.

"Elizabeth is pregnant, yes."

Patrick was now the one with his mouth agape. He'd been joking. As the full weight of what was going on hit him, Patrick started pacing. "Oh my God! You stupid son of a bitch. How could you go and do something so ridiculously irresponsible? Looks like your fancy college is off the table now. You'll soon enough have a wife and a baby to provide for."

"We haven't made plans yet, and I know that this complicates things, but we will work it out. We just need a little time. Mom said she could stay here over the summer." Henry hoped using a calm soft voice would subliminally encourage his father to do the same. No such luck.

"She what?" he boomed. "Did her parents kick her slutty ass out on the curb?"

"That's enough!" Henry screamed, closing the distance and getting in his father's face. "You can say anything you want about me, but don't you dare talk badly about Elizabeth. I deserve it. She doesn't."

"Is it even yours or are you just the stupid sap who fucked her la-?" Patrick's last word was cut off as Henry shoved him hard. Patrick stumbled back about three steps back and before he knew what had happened, Henry had him pinned to the wall. He found the fury in Henry's eyes to be a little unsettling, even though he felt he could still take the kid down if he really needed to.

"Do not say those things about Elizabeth. If I catch even a murmur of those hateful words again, I won't stop." He pushed back off of Patrick's chest. "I can take whatever you have to say about me. I already know you don't think that much of me as is, but don't do that to Elizabeth. If you spent any time with her at all, you would see what a wonderful person she is. It was a mistake, our mistake and we're trying to fix it. Together."

Elizabeth appeared at the bottom of the stairs, with her suitcases in hand, her backpack slung over her shoulder. "Hey Henry. Would you mind taking me to the bus station? I think it's best if I just go ahead with my plan original plan. I'm sorry to have caused problems for you." She trekked through the living room and out the front door.

'Damnit! How could you?" Henry's eyes bored into his father's. "You couldn't be decent? Just once. Now, I'm never going to convince her to stay. She's going to Virginia to do God knows what and ruin the chance she had at a normal life. Why? So you could make yourself feel superior. Great job." Henry pushed past Patrick and headed out the door. Elizabeth was sitting in the car. He got in and turned to face her.

"Please don't go yet. What my dad said has absolutely nothing to do with you. He's mad at me and he thinks that insulting you will punish me. Which it does, and I'm so sorry. I should've told them a long time ago instead of waiting to spring it on them now. That's on me. Please stay, at least the night and if you still want to go in the morning, I'll take you."

"I don't think I can stay Henry. I know that you think it will be okay, but I don't want to be in a place I'm not wanted," Elizabeth began, but the rest of her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her window. She rolled her window down. Patrick was crouched down by the side of the car.

"Elizabeth, do you think we could talk a minute?" Patrick asked.

"Don't you think you've said enough?" Henry shot angrily. Elizabeth glanced at him.

"He's your dad. Be respectful," she murmured. Henry was going to spout something about him being respectful, but thought better of it. Elizabeth turned back toward Patrick and he opened the door for her.

"Can we take a walk?" Patrick asked and Elizabeth gave him a slight nod. They walked past a couple houses before Patrick spoke. "I want to apologize for what I said. I don't really think that."

"But you do," said Elizabeth. Patrick looked at her. "It's what people think when they see a girl they think is too young with a baby on her hip or a bump with no ring. People who have never even met me will look at me and think all sorts of things and very few of them will be charitable. In a few short weeks this is going to be my reality. Earlier today I told myself that I wasn't going to let fear of what others thought of me dictate my decisions, but I have to be honest. It's easier said than done."

"I shouldn't have said it, and I am sorry. I can't believe Henry. He knows better."

"I know better too, but I guess we just happen to be two people who made a really poor choice at the wrong time. Listen, I get that if I'm here, people will know, and that would reflect badly on your family. I'll just stick with my original plan, and be on my way. No one here will be any the wiser." Elizabeth shoved her hands into the pockets of her shorts and looked at the ground while she walked.

"What's the original plan?" Patrick asked, putting emphasis on original.

"I need to visit my great aunt in Virginia, so I was just going to rent a room and work at a horse stable like I've done the past couple summers until school starts. I'm not sure what to do about college. I have a full scholarship, but I'm pretty sure I can't have a baby at school. Having an abortion is still on the table, but I'm not sure I can do that after this morning. Maybe I will look more closely at adoption. Henry suggested that in the beginning and I blew him off." She shrugged. "But I'll just try to make the best choices with the options I have."

"I don't want you to have an abortion and this baby doesn't go up for adoption," Patrick said with finality. Elizabeth stopped and he turned and looked at her. "If it comes down to you not getting to stay in school and you are forced to think about adoption, Evelyn and I will keep the baby. There is no way Evelyn would let the baby go." He looked Elizabeth in the eye. "Nor would I."

"You don't have to do that," Elizabeth whispered.

"No. We don't have to. That doesn't mean we wouldn't. You aren't the only one that gets thrown curveballs in life. I had a major one thrown at me a just a bit ago and I didn't react very well at first. I usually need a little time and perspective to get it right." They rounded the corner having walked the entire block. "Why don't you get your things out of the car and when Evelyn gets home she'll rearrange things so you have a place to stay?"