Chapter 14

Author's Note:Hi again! Here's another chapter. It's sort of a filler, if anything. A cute scene between Ephram and the baby. A few of the other characters in there. I already have the next chapter written, so an update will be MUCH faster for the next chapter. Possibly faster with some feedback ; )

"…Amy?"

"Huh?" Amy said, returning her thoughts to the present. She had grown more worried as the days passed by and still no word from Ephram. Since getting back together, they usually talked at least once a day, even if just to say hi, but lately their talks had been short and strained. Not to mention the fact she just *knew* something was up. She was always able to tell when something was going on with Ephram, whether or not he said anything.

"Things are still not back to normal between you guys?" Hannah asked, knowing her friend's problem was more important than the story she was in the middle of telling about the day's events at school.

Amy shook her head, looking past Hannah. "I just don't understand."

"Maybe he's not doing so well with some of his classes?" Hannah ventured.

"No. There's something going on that he's not telling me. I just know it." She began biting her nails, a habit that only comes to head when she's really nervous or struggling with something.

"Aww," Hannah said, leaning over and rubbing Amy's back with sympathy.

"I mean, why else would he be distancing himself from me?" Frustrated, Amy combed her fingers through her hair in attempt to try and figure out what was going on with her boyfriend.

"Maybe it's some guy thing?" Hannah guessed. "Have you asked Bright if he could possibly know?"

Amy shook her head. "The thought never really occurred to me…"

"I could ask Bright if he knows anything when I go over there later if you want me to?" Hannah asked.

Amy forced a smile. "It's okay. Thanks for the offer though." She fell silent. "Maybe he's having second thoughts with us together in New York?"

"You think that could be it?"

"Yeah. I mean, you know how everyone says guys have this huge commitment issue? Maybe Ephram is starting to have second thoughts about us going to New York and living together and is trying to have his own space right now or something." Amy smiled, feeling confident with her explanation.

"I'm going to call him later, get this all figured out. I mean, this is an easy enough problem to sort out, right?"

***

Ephram sat up in his bedroom, aimlessly surfing the internet on his laptop as he listened to a mix he had burned a while back. After the events of earlier that day, he needed something to get his mind off of things. He had gotten home from Bright's apartment a little while ago, making a straight path up the stairs and into his room once he had gotten home. Fortunately, his father was busy attempting to throw together a decent meal, he hadn't noticed Ephram had returned till he was halfway up the stairs.

Fortunately, Bright had been able to calm Ephram down incredibly simply by letting him vent when he felt the need, then putting in his input when he was finished. That had been exactly what Ephram had needed, someone his own age to listen to him, and give him feedback. Not that his father hadn't tried doing the same thing, it was just different talking to your best guy friend about something than your father.

Ephram found himself typing in questions about babies in the search engine, pulling up different websites and pages on the topic at hand. His eyes scanned the pages, looking for something he wasn't even sure he was searching for. On one page, it described the brain development a child goes through in the first few years of life while another page was an advertisement for some playschool in another state. Feeling as though this was getting him no where, Ephram typed in another search question in, this time the phrase being 'teen fathers'. Again, many page listings came up on the page; Ephram began to scan the list. One link caught his attention, and he clicked on it, bringing up a posting board designed for teen fathers all around the world to come together and talk. He then scanned all the 'topics,' and began clicking on the individual links and reading other guys' stories, taking in an odd sense of comfort as he read.

He was so caught up in reading the different posts that he hadn't even realized his father was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, his warm gaze stuck upon Ephram.

Andy was content standing there, studying his son as he stared at the laptop screen, extreme concentration displayed on his face. Finally, Andy decided to make his presence known, stepping further into the room. Ephram caught the movement from the corner of his eye, jumping a little. He sighed heavily, pulling out a headphone piece from his ear.

"Sorry," Andy said, walking farther into the room. "Whatcha doin' there?" he asked, pointing to the laptop, trying to begin some sort of conversation with Ephram, not wanting to jump right into the purpose of why he was standing there.

"Research," Ephram said quickly, closing the laptop shut so Andy wouldn't see.

"Oh," Andy said. "Dinner was a half hour ago; I called up to you, but you must have not heard me.."

"I had my headphones on," Ephram explained.

"I see that." The two grew silent. Ephram's gaze darted over the different things in his room, feeling as though he was under the spotlight.

"Was that all you came up here for?" he asked finally.

"Actually, no," Andy said, his hands now in his pockets. "I actually wanted to talk to you about the situation at hand." Andy walked over to the bed, and sat down on the edge, close to Ephram, but sure there was enough space between the two. Ephram shifted uncomfortably, setting his laptop down on the side of him, on the bed.

"Look, I'm sorry I freaked out and left you when you got home-" Ephram began, sure this is what this talk his father had planned was about and wanting to cut his lecture on responsibility short. He was understanding the whole responsibility bit better than ever these days, he didn't need to hear a lecture on it.

"This isn't what I came up here to talk to you about, Ephram. I'm not upset or angry with you about that," he assured him. There was another pause in the room. "Must have been quite an experience for you today though, huh?"

Ephram made a noise of agreement, nodding his head.

"This is new to us all. And we're all dealing with this in the best way for each of us. No one predicted something like this to happen, but it has, and it's something that we can't ignore or pretend isn't happening because it is."

"I know that," Ephram said, looking up from his lap.

"For a guy who's only had just about a week to come to terms with this, your doing extremely well with it all."

Ephram snorted. "No I'm not. You saw what happened today; I freaked out and left. He wouldn't stop crying, and I couldn't handle it."

"Some adults feel that way with a new baby in the house. I remember one night… you were only a few weeks old…" Andy smiled as his mind went back in time, back when Julia was alive and the two of them were happier than they had ever been. "Your mother had an errand or something she had to do, and left you in my hands. Being a doctor, I was so sure everything would be fine while she was gone, and I'd be a pro at it."

"But you weren't?" Ephram asked.

Andy laughed. "Not at all. It seemed as soon as your mom walked out the door, a switch had been thrown and you turned into this bundle of unhappiness. You cried and cried; no matter what I did, you wouldn't stop. I was going out of my mind after a half hour."

Ephram smiled slightly. "So what did you do?"

"The first thing that came to mind. I called your mother and begged her to come back home." The two of them smiled. "She walked through the door and I was already handing you over to her. And you know what? Less than ten minutes of her holding you, and she was able to quiet you down.

"You see Ephram, even adults can find it overwhelming at first. It's a lot to get used to all at once; don't sell yourself short."

Another pause as Ephram thought hard about something. Finally he spoke, "Dad… d-do you really think he's mine?"

"I'd be lying if I gave you an answer either way. Your guess is as good as mine until the test come back and we know for sure whether he is or isn't yours. At this point, all I know is that there is a helpless baby that's been entrusted into our care, and we need to care for him and be sure all his needs are met."

Ephram nodded.

"Have you told Amy about any of this?" Andy asked.

Ephram shook his head. "No." Andy sat there silently, looking at Ephram with an unreadable expression.

"Is that bad? I mean, I want to tell her, but I keep… imagining her breaking up with me. And the news alone…" he trailed off, imagining in his head for the millionth time the hurt expression on Amy's face.

"Well…I mean, that's a decision you need to make," Andy said, "but, being as the two of you are in a relationship, and a serious one at that, I think it'd be a good idea to tell her."

"I want to tell her, so much… I just can't handle loosing her from all of this. At first I held off telling her because we had just found out, and I didn't want to let her in on something that has so many uncertainties… but now I just don't wanna hurt her with this.."

"She's going to be surprised by the news either way, Ephram. And hurt, I'm sure. If the baby's yours, and the two of you continue with your relationship, she's bound to find out somewhere down the road. I think honesty is the best choice here. I've seen the two of you, and how you have been there for one another over the years. If anything, I'm sure she'll come around and understand and be there for you even. Don't not tell her in fear she's going to leave you, Ephram. Never assume things like that."

Ephram nodded, realizing now what he had to do.