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Time
"Time heals what reason cannot." ~Seneca
Two months passed before Clare and Eli spoke again. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about what happened. It was more that she was avoiding him. But that was impossible when they were finally assigned yet another writing project together.
She was in midst of typing up the final paragraph of her paper when Clare looked over at Eli who sat at the computer beside her. He looked so interested in what he was doing, typing away furiously. She sighed and turned to him.
"The baby is okay," she whispered, placing both her hands over her stomach. Her baby bump was just starting to become noticeable and she made sure she covered it up even more.
Eli turned to her. "Um…that's great," he wasn't completely sure how to respond. He hadn't stop thinking of Clare and the baby for the months they hadn't talked.
Clare smiled at him and bit her lip. "Yeah…I also wanted to tell you that I found out the baby's gender too. I'm having a boy."
He nodded, his head spinning. He wasn't sure what she wanted him to say. They hadn't spoken in the longest time and he'd spent it all worrying about them. Did she want him to help her now? Her and their son.
Their son.
He was going to have a son. Even if Clare didn't want him involved, he'd still have a son. He felt a smile cross his lips.
"Cool."
Clare ate her dinner quietly as usual. She picked at the food on her plate; looking up at her parents who sat across from her, quiet as ever. She remembered when they used to talk about their days and such. But now they just sat in silence, filling their mouths quickly so they wouldn't have to talk.
She sighed and stood, bringing her plate to the trash, scraping the food off. Her mom quirked an eyebrow.
"Clare, aren't you going to finish your dinner?" she asked, sounding concerned, though Clare could see right through it. She set her plate in the sink and stood behind her seat.
She knew this time would come. She needed to tell them the truth. But what if it tore them apart even more? How could she do that?
"I'm…just not that hungry," she excused, giving a reassuring smile. Her mom nodded, unbelievingly. Clare nodded back and walked into the living room.
She sat on the couch, her nose buried in her book. But she was interrupted by the sounds of her parents bickering in the kitchen. She rolled her eyes and tried to keep reading, but the sounds were too loud. She had had it. She just wanted them to stop.
She walked back into the kitchen, to tell them to stop yelling. That was when it hit her. She finally just said it, to get them to stop yelling.
"I'm pregnant," she said. They both stopped in mid-fight and stared at her. She clenched her fists, ready for the questions.
"You're what?" he mom asked, an accusing tone in her voice. Clare sighed.
"I'm pregnant. Four months."
It was an hour before someone finally spoke again. They sat in the living room, all staring blankly in thought. Clare's father finally stood up and looked at his daughter.
"You need to leave," he said clearly. Clare looked up at him, her eyes glassy.
"What?"
"Get out of my house," he told, and stomped away. She looked at her mother, who nodded in agreement.
"I'm sorry, sweetie," she whispered as she got up and followed.
Clare left. Tears were pouring out of her eyes as she stood outside. The wind chilled her to the bone while she walked down the street. But she didn't care.
She finally grabbed her phone out of her pocket and dialed Eli's number. He picked up on the first ring.
"Eli? My parents kicked me out."