8. RESOLUTION
It has been a long couple of days since Phoebe and Kyle's argument and neither had spoken to the other since.
Despite the time that has passed, Phoebe is still no more certain of a decision, while Kyle is stressed out of his mind knowing that there's nothing that he can do when there is so much at stake.
"Have you spoken to him yet?" Ricky asks as she pours a juice for herself and her friend as they chat in the Braxton home.
Since Ricky is well aware of all the goings-on after hearing the latest from both Kyle and Phoebe, her question is more of an encouragement trying to move the younger girl to speak to her ex-partner rather than asking if she has.
Phoebe just shakes her head in response to Ricky's question as she takes a sip of her drink.
"No, not yet... Mind you, it hasn't stopped him calling and messaging every couple of hours."
"Can you blame him?" Ricky asks pointedly and rhetorically, although it's not what Phoebe wants to hear.
Due to her close affiliations and connections with both Kyle and Phoebe she plays the Devil's Advocate perfectly with both her best friend and brother-in-law in mind.
"... He knows you're pregnant with his baby. He knows that that is up in the air. But you know that that baby is his dreams come true. So really can you blame him?"
Phoebe knows the answer to that question, but she doesn't want to admit it.
"I never wanted to be a mum, Rick. I never wanted kids. And now that I am in this situation it isn't as clear cut as that. Not to mention if I get rid of this one, Kyle is never going to forgive me. We won't get past that."
Ricky nods. She knows exactly what Phoebe is saying and she knows that there is no perfect solution to this problem.
"I know... I know there is no ideal, but you're in this situation now and either way you're going to have to decide what's more important to you... Not having a baby or learning to just accept it and get over the fact that it wasn't part of your plan."
Phoebe sighs as she lets her head fall into her hands. Already, Phoebe has lost count of the number of hours that she has spent considering the positives and negatives of either decision she can make. Despite all the factors one way or the other, there is just one big thing that she can't get past.
"Phoebs, I'm here for you either way, but can I just remind you of one thing while you're weighing everything up?"
Ricky's question isn't really a question as she continues talking without giving Phoebe the opportunity to respond either way.
"I know that this is a massive deal for you, but just think about Kyle for a minute. This affects him, too... Just think about all he's done and everything he's done to support you in the past. His loyalty to you with supporting you when you tried to pursue your music career and everything... This can't be the only reason of whether you keep the baby or not but I think there is quite possibly nothing that he's wanted as much as this."
Phoebe listens to Ricky talking to her, as though she's trying to tell her something new, but she's not. It's a fact that Phoebe herself well knows. While she got annoyed at him at the time, she knows he got Chris's help and that he has been badgering her non-stop for that very reason.
She knows that there is nothing in life that he wants more than this.
#
A rattly knock on Phoebe's door alerts her to the visitor that is waiting outside her caravan.
After she trudges over to the door and opens it to her visitor, Kyle instantly begins speaking, trying to plead his case with the woman in front of him.
"Listen, I'm sorry. I know you told me to stay away, but you've ignored all of my calls and messages. It's been almost a week and it's doing my head in. I just needed to see you."
Phoebe just stands there, arms crossed, looking far from impressed as she speaks sharply.
"I haven't done anything and I haven't made my mind up in that week."
Kyle gives a half sigh of relief. All of the fear that has been pulsing through him for the last week has been pointless, so far. He's still in with a chance for things to go his way.
"Okay. Good..." is all that he can manage saying as he tries hiding his relief, failing miserably.
As she steps outside of the caravan, Kyle follows Phoebe as she takes a few steps away before settling on a spot to stand and talk, knowing even she has no chance of turning Kyle away now. It's easier to just hear him out before sending him on his way.
"So you wanted to talk? Make it snappy."
"I wanted to apologise to you again about what happened with Chris. I only accepted his help because I'm desperate. I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn't let him help... if I didn't take every chance I've got. But, I'm sorry. I know trying to plot together wasn't fair on you."
Phoebe nods, her strong crossed arms loosening slightly as her attitude towards Kyle softens gently.
"Thank you. I know I reacted badly towards it, but I also know how desperate you are... You had good intentions."
A silence falls between the two as they share a soft glance. After an uncomfortable week, things are at least civil between the two again, something that they mutual acknowledge as they share a small smile with each other.
"Now Phoebs, I've been doing some thinking. I know that you're really not keen on the idea of a baby and parenthood and you know that I'm quite the opposite. It got me thinking, what if I raise the baby?"
Phoebe stands there gawking at Kyle for a minute, not quite sure how to respond. Sure, like he said, they know how keen he is for parenthood and they know that it had never been a part of her plan. But, now that Kyle is posing to her what could quite possibly be the perfect solution, the medium and the balance to keep them both happy, she couldn't quite commit herself to the idea.
"I understand how you feel about everything. In the past you made it quite clear that you didn't think that you were ready for parenthood any time soon, if ever. I don't want to force you into having the baby and going along with that if it's something that you truly won't be happy with..."
As Kyle pleas with Phoebe, it is one of the few, rare moments that she is rendered speechless. She doesn't know what to think and she doesn't know how to feel about Kyle's suggestion.
"... But, please go through with this pregnancy. Please. Obviously I would prefer to raise a baby with you, but I'm happy to do it on my own. If you please go through with it, I'll raise it as a single dad."
Kyle feels hopeful as Phoebe appears to be standing there, considering his idea and suggestion. Really, she's just trying to form a legible response. However, what comes next and what comes out of Phoebe's mouth takes things for a turn.
"No."
For a moment, Kyle just stands there gawking and speechless when he'd been so confident that things were better with Phoebe and since he'd been convinced that he has found the perfect solution.
"What? Why not? Won't you even consider it?"
"No."
"But-" Kyle begins to say with so many things that he thinks about saying after that flooding his mind. But, he pushes them to the side as he runs his hands through his hair and does a one-eighty degree turn in the opposite direction.
"Actually, you know what; I don't want to hear why not. I can't do this anymore. I'm desperate and I'm trying to be reasonable but it just keeps getting slammed back in my face."
After the unanticipated setback he begins to walk away from Phoebe's caravan leaving in the direction that he came from. However, Kyle turns back and pauses to say one more thing to Phoebe before continuing on his way.
"Look, Phoebe, I have never asked anything of you. I have supported you and your dreams, trying to make it in the music industry. Please. I am begging you. Please listen to the one thing I am asking of you, for my dream."
Kyle turns around and continues walking away even though his entire mind and his entire being are consumed with what remains at the caravan park.
Watching as he leaves and watching as he walks away, Phoebe can see his turmoil. She knows that he would literally do anything and he would literally sacrifice anything for their child to be born; to become a father; to have a family...
After all of the rejection in his life including from his own family, Kyle deserves a family that wants him back as much as he wants them.
Phoebe can see that he would do absolutely anything for the family he wants so much. Phoebe knows that he would fight as hard as he can for his family and that he would do anything within and beyond his power to keep them safe. Hell, he has already proven he will simply by trying to convince her to have their baby, trying as hard as he can to save its little life.
"Kyle" she calls out, having to repeat his name twice before it catches his attention and he hears it, turning back and walking over to her.
"Now that I am in this situation, nothing is as clear cut as what I thought it would be..."
Kyle can't risk becoming overexcited by her comment, so he simply tries to probe her further before reacting.
"What do you mean?"
"I feel frozen – I know that I don't want to get rid of this baby, but I don't how to go from there. Trying to force myself to deny the fact that I want to have the baby doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the fact that I want to have it. I don't know if I can do it and I don't know if I'll be any good at it, but I'm just simply scared to admit that I want to. I am scared by the fact that I want this baby."
A small smile creeps over Kyle's lips. He can't help but hide his joy at what he thinks she is saying, but he can't bring himself to rejoice over it just yet.
"What are you saying?"
"I'll keep it, Kyle. I'll have the baby. I don't want you to do it without me. I want to do this with you."
The total joy and ecstasy that spreads across Kyle Braxton's face is completely unmistakeable. There is no way to hide it and there is no way to conceal the excitement and the emotion of the moment, even in Kyle's eyes as a very small, but very un-Braxton tear threatens to spill his watering up eyes at the prospect of becoming a father; the prospect of having his own child.
Finally, the family that he has always wanted...
With his dream set to come true, what could possibly go wrong?