*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. THey were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!
"ANA!" yells my little sister Chastity as Dean and I walk into the door of my dad's house. It's been a while since we've seen each other since I'm not staying there.
"Hey, Chastity," I say giving her a big hug as she wraps her arms around me. "How are you?"
"Good," she says with a smile. "Who's that?" she asks pointing to Dean.
"This is my boyfriend, Dean," I say with a smile.
"Hi, Dean," she says with a smile and a small wave.
"Dean, that's my little sister Chastity," I say with a smile.
"Hi, Chastity," he says with a smile. "It's good to meet you."
"Are you ever going to come home?" she asks me looking up at me with her dark brown eyes.
"I don't know," I say with a smile. "Do you miss me?"
"A lot," she says, "I miss you a lot. After mom left you kind of became like my mom and you were always there for me but now I never see you and you never come to talk to me. I miss you and with you gone I'm the only girl in the house it sucks."
"I'm sorry what about Tara?" I ask.
"Dad fired her and we have some new nanny that I don't even like. She is horrible! Really horrible."
"Why did dad fire Tara?"
"Because he was upset that she let you hang out with your boyfriend," she says, "and she disagreed with his choice to ban you from the house."
"Oh," I say, "so you really miss me?"
"More than you ever know," she says with a smile as she motions for me to lean down. I lean my ear down to her, she cups her hand and whispers in my ear, "your boyfriend is really cute."
"He is isn't he?" I ask with a smile.
"Yeah," she says. "Is there really a baby in your stomach?" she asks.
"Yes I have a baby in there," I say showing her my stomach.
"Wow," she says, "is it a girl or a boy baby?"
"We don't know yet. We won't know for a while; probably not until the baby is born."
"Oh," she says as my little brother Roderick comes into the room.
"Hey, Roderick," I say with a smile.
"ANA!" he says with excitement as he runs over to me and wraps his arms around me tightly. I hear Dean inhale deeply.
"Careful," says Chastity. "She has a baby in her stomach."
"Sorry," he says. "I miss you, Ana. Can you please come home again?"
"I might. I have to talk to Dad first. How are you?"
"Okay," he says. "Who is that?"
"This is Dean," I say, "he's my boyfriend."
"Oh," he says. "Hi."
"Hi," says Dean. "You must be Roderick."
"Yes I am," he says. "It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," says Dean with a smile. "So do you play any sports or anything?"
"I'm not really a sports kid. I enjoy playing the piano."
"I see," he says. "I'm not really into sports either just wrestling like WWE."
"I love WWE," he says with a smile. "I watch it every week!"
"Me too," says Dean and I roll my eyes at their common connection with WWE. "I'm going to be a wrestler someday."
"That would be so cool," says Roderick. "Who's your favorite wrestler?"
"My all-time favorite wrestler is Hulk Hogan but right now I am a big fan of Randy Orton."
"I like Triple H and Ric Flair," says Roderick. "I have a lot of wrestling action figures upstairs do you want to see them?" he asks.
"Sure," says Dean with a smile. I love how the inner child in Dean appears every once in a while. It's good to see him so carefree. He kisses my lips softly before he follows Roderick upstairs to his room to see his action figures. I shake my head and smile.
"Well," I say, "I see where I stand."
"Boys," says Chastity with a smile.
"I know right," I say with a smile. "Is Dad home?"
"Not yet. He was doing a little extra work at the office and then he was coming home."
"Oh," I say, "so do you want to hang out for a little bit till he gets home?"
"That would be so cool! Do you want to play Barbies with me or do something else? We can make beaded bracelets."
"I will do whatever you want to do," I say.
"Okay," she says with a smile before we make our way upstairs to her room. I have missed my little sister. We did always have a good relationship. We are pretty close to each other even though 7 years separates us. I feel bad because I haven't been there for her as much as I should be since I left. She took our mom leaving really hard because she was only 4 years old. I have kind of been like a mother to both Roderick and Chastity but now I'm not there anymore.
After spending a couple hours playing with Barbie dolls and making bracelets I hear my dad come in after being at the office all day. I go down to Roderick's room to get Dean. I stop in the doorway and smile as I see him playing wrestling with my little brother. He looks so good with my brother and looks good with little kids. He is going to be a great father. I stand watching them as he impersonates a wrestler and my brother does the same. Dean's eye catches me and he comes out of character. "Hey, Beautiful," he says with a smile.
"Hey," I say with a smile as I cross my arms. "Having fun?"
"I am," he says.
"Dean is so cool," says Roderick. "Can he be my brother?"
"He can be a friend," I say with a smile. "My dad is home," I say. "I think it's time we talk to him."
"All right," he says, "I guess we need to get this over with."
"Scared?" I ask.
"Your dad hates me of course I'm scared," he says with a smile. "Roderick, it was fun."
"Yeah," says Roderick before Dean meets me in the door way. He wraps his arms around my waist as I place my hands on his shoulders.
"I love you, Ana."
I smile at him and say, "I love you too, Dean." He leans down and kisses my lips softly before we start to make our way downstairs hand in hand.
When we get downstairs we start to look for my dad and finally find him in the kitchen getting something to eat. "Hey, Dad," I say as we walk into the kitchen.
"Anastasia," he says, "what are you doing here?"
"Dean and I wanted to talk to you is that okay?"
"About what?" he asks.
"We just want to talk to you," I say, "do you have time to talk to us?"
"Sure," he says, "have a seat," he says as he walks over to the kitchen table as Dean and I do the same. We take a seat across from him. "So how is the pregnancy?"
"It's good," I say. "It's good."
"That's good," he says. "Everything okay with the baby?"
"Everything is great," I say, "with the baby that is."
"Okay," he says, "I still can't believe you're having a baby. I'm not happy about this, Anastasia but I'm going to be a little nicer about it. I'm sure the last thing you want is me being a jerk about it. I just wish this wasn't happening or that you would have aborted it. I think you're too young to have a baby. You're both too young. I think you are both too young to be parents but you two are held bent on having and raising this baby. I just hope you both know what you're getting into."
"We do, Dad," I say, "but we have a problem and we need your help."
"What could I possibly do to help you?" he asks before taking a sip of his water.
"Well, there was an incident at Dean's house and we kind of got kicked out and we need a place to stay."
"No," he says, "absolutely not, Anastasia. I was very honest when I told you a baby was not coming into this house. You are not living here."
"Not even for a little till we can find a place to live?" I ask.
"Do you know how expensive it is going to be raising a baby and paying rent?" he asks. "You're not thinking. You made a mistake you need to put this baby up for adoption."
"I'm not doing that, Dad. We just need somewhere to stay until Dean earns enough money to get us an apartment."
"No, Anastasia, you thought you were old enough and grown up enough to make the decision to have sex and find yourself in this position right now you're grown up and old enough to find a way out of it on your own. You would be able to stay here if you weren't pregnant. I told you, Anastasia you should have aborted that baby now you don't have anywhere to go."
"I'm sure we can find a place. I just thought you would care enough to let us stay here until we find an apartment or something."
"What kind of apartment are you two going to find? You think I'm being heartless and inconsiderate but I'm not. I'm being real with you, Ana. I'm telling you the hard facts. You're both 17 years old. Who is going to rent to two 17 year olds and how do you plan to pay for an apartment on minimum wage?" he asks.
"I have a job, Sir," says Dean. "It's under the table work but it's good money. I think I can afford the rent on an apartment."
"Under the table jobs aren't always going to put food on the table, Dean. You need a real job."
"I'm looking for a real job but for now I am doing the under the table stuff."
"If you think that will pay the bills let's not forget you'll be buying diapers, paying for daycare, buying formula, buying baby clothes, paying rent, paying utilities do you think that your under the table work is really going to get the bills paid? You two need to look at this realistically you are in over your heads. Put the baby up for adoption and be kids. Go to college and get an education. I'm not being heartless I'm actually trying to convince my daughter to do the right thing and the best thing for her future. How are you going to go to school and be a mom, Ana?"
"I don't know," I say. "I am going to try."
"Okay," he says.
"Dad, can't you help us out just a little bit. You don't want us to live here but you're telling us to do this and do that. Can't you just help us out?"
"Help you out how?" he asks.
"I don't know maybe pay rent on an apartment for us? I mean there isn't anywhere else for us to go, Dad."
"And whose fault is that, Ana? Is it my fault you got involved with this idiot and scoundrel and got pregnant?"
"Well, no and he's not a scoundrel or an idiot, Dad," I say. "We just need your help."
"Anastasia, I didn't ask you to get pregnant," he says, "I didn't ask for you to get involved with him. If you would have stayed with Shawn none of this would be happening right now."
"Dad, you don't know that," I say. "Please, Dad? Can't you lease an apartment for us and pay the rent. We will even help with the rent. Dean can use some of his money to pay rent."
"Anastasia," he says before taking a deep breath. "Why should I help you? If you listened to me you wouldn't be in this position."
"I know, Dad. I messed up. I had sex and I got pregnant but it's happening. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm going to be a mommy. I'm sorry if I disappointed you but please, Daddy, we really need your help. Please."
"Anastasia," he says. "Fine, I'll lease you two an apartment but it's going to be in a good neighborhood but there will be rules."
"Okay," I say. "What rules do you have?"
"You and Dean will need to meet me halfway on the rent. I will pay half and you'll pay half. No one else lives there but you, Dean and the baby when it comes. You will be in charge of all utilities. I will not pay for any utilities. That is on you two to get paid. If you fail to pay your half of the rent I am done. I will not help you anymore. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Daddy, Thank-you."
"You're welcome," he says, "don't screw this up. I don't have to do this but I am doing it because I love you and I don't want to see you living in some shelter but you also have to go to school and finish school, Anastasia."
"I will, Daddy, thank-you so much!"
"You're welcome," he says with a smile. "We will go looking at apartments tomorrow afternoon. And you two can stay here until we get you an apartment but you know my rules, Ana."
"Yes, Daddy, I know. I know the rules. Thank-you so much."
"You're welcome," he says. "And I have to look out for my first grandchild."
"You're excited about the baby aren't you?" I ask.
"Excited isn't the term I would use," he says, "I am not excited my 17 year old is pregnant. I'm just easing on the idea of having a grandchild. Regardless of what you've done or what he's done that is still an innocent baby. I don't agree with this choice but you two made the choice the baby didn't. I love my grandchild and I am going to be there for him or her."
"Thanks, Dad," I say with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too, Ana," he says with a smile before we share a hug.
LATER THAT NIGHT:
"That wasn't too bad," says Dean as we are lying in my bed as he is rubbing my stomach.
"Not at all," I say with a smile. "Do you think we can do this?"
"I'm sure that we can, Ana. Stop second guessing it. You and I are making the right decision to keep the baby. Is it going to be easy? Probably not but you and I can do this because we're doing it together."
"I know but what am I supposed to do about school?"
"You're still going to go to school," he says, "I'll make sure of it even if I have to drop out to be home with the baby and to work. You don't have to worry about that."
"But you shouldn't have to sacrifice your education alone," I say.
"I don't mind, Ana, let's not discuss that. So your dad is helping us out with an apartment. I'm shocked."
"Me too," I say, "he must really like this baby or must be ready to be a grandfather. I'm not sure but I do know that he is being extra nice. I'm not sure why."
"Does it matter?"
"Not really," I say. "I'm just glad to get away from Mack."
"I bet," he says with a smile. "So I was thinking about the names that we were discussing."
"Yeah?"
"I really like the name Natalia for a girl. If we have a girl her name is going to be Natalia. Are you okay with that?"
"I love the name Natalia," I say with a smile. "I can work with that. And what about the boy name?"
"I haven't really thought about that yet but I still like Holden but Gatsby would work too."
"I like Gatsby," I say with a smile. "I saw you with Roderick today. You're going to be a great dad."
"Roderick is a great kid. I'm scared, Ana."
"Scared of what?"
"Scared of being a dad. I don't know the first thing about being a father. I never had a father to show me how to be one. I just know my dad left. I want to be more than the guy that leaves their kid. I want to be a good dad but how can I be a good dad?"
"By loving the kid unconditionally, Dean, the way I saw you with Roderick today showed me you're going to be a great father. You were good with him just like I know you'll be good with our baby. There is nothing to be scared of."
"Yes, Ana, I'm scared I'm going to screw up. I want to give my best to our baby but what if I screw up?"
"You're not going to screw up, Dean, trust me. You're a good guy. You're not going to screw up."
"I never ever thought about being a dad at least not this young. I always thought that by the time I had a kid I would have all my shit together. I thought I would be a wrestler and able to give them the world but I'm not. I think I am too fucked up to be a dad."
"I don't think that at all, Baby," I say running my hand through his soft dirty blonde hair. "You're not fucked up at all. You had a rough life but you're not fucked up. If you ask me I think you're going to be the best dad this kid has ever seen and you know why?"
"Why?" he asks before he places a soft kiss on my stomach.
"Because I believe in you and I know you're a lot more than the life you know. I know you're more than the streets. You have a lot going for you, Dean. You're going to be a great father. Trust me I know," I say.
"I hope you're right," he says with a smile as he looks up at me with his blue eyes.
"I am right," I say with a smile. "I love you, Dean."
"I love you too," he says before I lean down and kiss his lips softly. "And little Natalia or Little Gatsby is going to love you too."
"Or little Holden" he says before he kisses my stomach again. "We're going to be a family. Our own little family; I never had a family before but I'm looking forward to it."
"Me too," I say with a smile. "Me too."
*A/N: What do you think of Ana's relationship with her siblings? Do you think she has been a mother to them since her own mother left? What did you think of Roderick and Dean bonding? What did you think of Ana and Dean asking to live with her dad? Do you find her dad to be rude and inconsiderate or does he have his daughter's best interest at heart? Why do you think he changed his mind about helping them out? Do you think they will be able to follow his rules with the apartment? What did you think of Dean expressing his fears of being a father? Why do you think he is scared to be a father? Do you think Ana cold have the same fears of being a mother? Is Ana the encouragement that Dean needs to believe in himself? Please review and thank-you for reading.