Chapter 14- Months later
Stephanie is now five months pregnant. She still hasn't told everyone other than her closest friends and family. Now that her belly is becoming more obvious she has no choice but to either keep wearing loose clothing, or to cover her belly with a book. Stephanie warmed up to being pregnant, but she wasn't ready for her teen peers to find out. She didn't want to be known as one of those girls who got knocked up in high school. In a couple more months, she won't have a choice. Stephanie put on one of her on a loose shirt and some jeans. She grabbed her bags and walked out her room. Before completely exiting her room, she looked at herself in the long mirror on her bedroom door. She turned from side to side, examining her pregnant body. "I have really gotten big!" said Stephanie to herself as she put her hands on her belly. She grabbed her books and walked outside the house. Paul was supposed to be driving her to school. Ever since football season and the late night parties started, Paul has been absent. Sometimes he won't answer her calls, visit her, or even talk to her period. It's like as soon as the belly started growing bigger, their relationship was growing smaller. Stephanie looked at her phone to check the time. She was ten minutes late for school. As she was about to put her phone away, it began to vibrate. "Hello!" answered Stephanie. "Hey Stephanie! I won't be able to pick you up today. I'm already at school, so maybe you can get a ride" said Paul. Stephanie felt tears well in her eyes and her face get red. "In other words, you forgot me! How many times are you going to do this to me?" cried Stephanie. "I'm not doing anything to you! I had a late night and since I woke up late, I didn't have time to come get you! The world doesn't revolve around you so stop crying over bullshit!" screamed Paul. Paul's head was killing him and he was not in the mood for the drama today. "This is not bullshit! This is your fucking kid Paul! When are you going to understand I can't do this on my own?" yelled Stephanie. "You are not doing this on your own! I'm helping you! What? Just because I didn't pick you up a couple of times, I'm not being supportive! Go screw yourself Stephanie!" screamed Paul. Stephanie began to cry hard."It's not just the picking me up! It's the contacting and our relationship. You didn't even come to my lat appointment. Do you know what our baby is Paul? No, because instead of being there for me, you were sleeping your ass off because you want to party all night! I am alone in this!" cried Stephanie. "Fine Stephanie, since I'm such a bad guy, then we shouldn't be together. I'm not going to change my whole life because you want to have a baby. I tried Stephanie. The father thing is just not working out for me. Don't feel sad though! I mean, according to you, I wasn't there anyway! This shouldn't feel any different!" screamed Paul as he hung up the phone. Stephanie looked at her phone and then threw it in the grass. She placed her head in her hands and cried.
Paul was on the way to the school parking lot. School was over and he couldn't stop thinking about Stephanie. He tried to push thoughts of her away as he got in the car. His phone began ringing. He read the name and picked up. "Hey Melina, I'm not in a good mood right now!" said Paul as he leaned back in his car. "Aww, poor thing, why don't you come over and I can make you feel better!" said Melina. "I don't know Melina, I'm not in the mood for that right now!" said Paul. "Well I have ways of getting you in the mood. Come on! You know you want to! Carrie is asleep and I need someone to talk to. Spending time talking with your one year old daughter is getting boring. Plus, we can just talk about what happened between us." said Melina. Paul gave in and told her okay. He drove over to her apartment and parked. If Stephanie wasn't with him anymore, then he could do whatever he wants! Paul knocked on the door. Melina answered with only a silky gown and lingerie. She grabbed his hand and led him to the bedroom. They began kissing and it soon became more. As they were about to get heated, Paul pulled away. "What's wrong Paul?" asked Melina worried. "I can't do this Melina! I kind of have a girlfriend. I love her, but as of right now she probably hates me." Paul said as he leaned up on the bed and put his head in his hands. Melina rubbed his back and urged him to go on. "Why would she hate you?" asked Melina. "I did something so stupid, that it fucked up my life big time." Paul took a deep breath and continued. "I got her pregnant!" said Paul as he pushed his finger through his hair. Melina was sad and shocked all at once. Sad because he moved on and shocked because he got her pregnant. "How did that happen?" asked Melina. Paul laughed and replied. "I think you know how it happened! You are living it right now!" said Paul. Melina looked at Paul and felt hurt. She wished Dave and her had never met! She loved Carrie but Dave ruined her life and now it's too late to change it. Melina thought about the girlfriend and felt bad for what was going to happen between her and Paul. When she was pregnant with Carrie, she hated Dave sleeping around behind her back and wanted him to be with her. That's where Paul needs to be. "Paul, I don't think we should do this anymore. Your girlfriend needs you! You probably don't think so, but I know so! A baby is a big life changer, but it can change it for the better or the worse. It's up to you!" said Melina as she grabbed her silky gown and put it back on. She was making her way out and stopped at the door. "Are you coming?" asked Melina. Paul nodded slowly and put his clothes back on too! Before they could make it to the living room, the baby monitor was heard. "I will be right back!" said Melina as she went to pick up Carrie. Melina finally returned with Carrie and looked at Paul. "This is what you are going to have to deal with in a couple of months. I think the nine months were giving to you as a blessing. It gives you time to think about thing before that water breaks! Here hold her!" said Melina as she handed Carrie to Paul. Paul took Carrie is his arms. Carrie was almost Paul's child. Paul bounced Carrie on his side as she grabbed his finger and giggled. Melina watched and felt sad. She wished Dave would play with Carrie or come by to see her more.
Paul handed Carrie back to Melina and smiled. "Thanks Mel, you really did make me feel better. I guess we can still be friends?" said Paul as he gave her a hug. "Yeah, totally, just please take care of you girlfriend and baby. I get tears every time I see you play with Carrie, because I know she will never have that with her real father. What's your girlfriend's name?" asked Melina. "Stephanie, her name is Stephanie." said Paul thinking about her. "Well, Stephanie needs you to be there for her and your baby. Just remember, it takes two to tango. Stephanie didn't get herself into this, so she shouldn't have to handle it that way either!" said Melina. Paul nodded and began to walk out. "I mean it Paul! Don't be a dead-beat dad like Carrie's. Be a good father I know you could be!" smiled Melina. Paul nodded and finally made his way to his car. He got in and made a decision.
Paul pulled into Stephanie's driveway and parked. He noticed Vince's car in the drive way and contemplating on whether he should leave or not. He grabbed his items out the trunk and made his way to the front door. Vince answered and snarled at him. "I can't believe you have the balls to step on my property after what you did to my daughter! You leave her hanging and now what! You are going to come here to hurt her again! You have already done enough, now can you please get off my property before the police will!" screamed Vince. Stephanie heard her dad from the top of the stairs. She didn't want Paul to get yelled at like that but at the same time, he deserved it! "Mr. McMahon, I love your daughter. I never meant for any of this to happen. The baby, the tears, and the pain were never supposed to happen. I should've stopped acting like a teenager and started acting like an adult. I admit, I did treat Stephanie badly, but it was because I was taking all my anger out on her! I thought she was the one ruining my life but it was me who was making this a bad experience. Please give me a second to talk with Stephanie! I just need to explain to give some things to her and I will leave" pleaded Paul. Vince looked at Paul and then at Stephanie on the stairs. When Stephanie nodded, Vince let Paul in. Vince stepped aside and watched Paul and his daughter walk upstairs. He just hoped he made the right decision to let Paul in.
Upstairs, Paul was sitting on the bed with Stephanie. "Stephanie, did u hear all of that?" asked Paul. Stephanie nodded and kept looking down. "Listen Steph, I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for everything I have done to you. I never wanted to hurt you! You have to believe me!" cried Paul as he saw Stephanie turn away from him. "I bought you and the baby some items from the store. It's mostly baby toys for boys and girls, since we don't know what it is yet!" smiled Paul. Stephanie looked at him angrily and replied. "You are right Paul, WE don't know the baby's gender but I do! You would too if you showed up last week!" cried Stephanie. "I'm sorry I didn't show up last week and the other times too! I'm sorry for forgetting you today and I'm sorry for the mistake I made with Melina" cried Paul. Stephanie looked at Paul confused. She never heard about him doing something with another girl! "What happened with you and Melina?" asked Stephanie. "Steph, I love u and I care about you a lot! After our fight, I was pissed! Melina called and offered to cheer me up. I took that offer and we almost slept together" Paul told Stephanie as he ran his fingers through his hair. Stephanie felt her heart break. Not even a day after their temporary break up, and he was already getting in another girl's pants. "I can't believe you!" cried Stephanie as she rose from the bed." Stephanie, we didn't sleep together! The farthest we got was kissing and touching. Yes, that's a lot, but we didn't go any farther! I couldn't stop thinking about you!" cried Paul as he walked over to Stephanie and tried to grab her hand. Stephanie snatched it away and backed up. "Go away, don't come anywhere near me! You cheated on me! You knew it was wrong but you did it anyways. If you were thinking about me, then why did you do it! Why did you kiss her, hug her or even get in the bed with her! You are the worst person I have ever met. Andrew never hurt me as bad or as much as you have! You don't want this baby and we don't want you either. I'm tired of trying to get you into the fathering mode, only for you to turn around and become Mr. Asshole again!" screamed Stephanie. "We weren't together for that brief moment, so no! I didn't cheat on you! I would be damned if you sit here in my face and say I hurt you more than Andrew. There is no way I could beat that and I don't want to! I will change! I promise to do right by both you and our baby! Please just give me one last chance!" begged Paul. Stephanie looked at Paul's tearful eyes and could see the love and pain in both. She nodded and kissed him. They kissed for a couple of minutes before Stephanie took Paul's hand. She led him to her drawer and told him to open it. Paul did as he was told and saw an ultrasound. He examined it and tried to make out what he was looking at. "This is our baby, Paul! You can guess what it is!" smiled Stephanie. Paul looked at the pic again and tried to see something he recognized. He saw the head looking shape and traced it down. He finally noticed it. He looked at Stephanie with tears in his eyes. "I guess this means we need to throw out the blue clothes and boys toys huh?" Paul laughed. Stephanie laughed as she kissed his cheek. "Maybe, or just wait ten or twenty more years to use them. Congrats on your baby girl!" smiled Stephanie as they hugged each other and looked at their baby.
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