Maybe baby/Ain't That Cute
By:
Ella ( [email protected] )
Chapter
Ten: "Man or mouse?"
The sound of silence filled the room as Nick considered the horror of having a
child at such a young age.
“What you thinking?” AJ asked.
“How crap everything is,” Nick replied nonchalantly. “In fact, it’s so
fuckin’ crap that it’s great. It’s perfect! My life is just one big old
mess!” He laughed hysterically for at least two minutes. AJ watched him.
“I know you must be finding this pretty hard,” AJ began as Nick’s laughter
died down, “But I think it’d be a good thing if you did something.”
“Like what? Send her back?”
AJ sighed, smiling. “If only it was that easy, dude.” He stared out the
window, thinking. “Ya know, I think you should come home.”
Nick looked horrified. “I think not.”
“Okay, let me put this another way. You’re going to come home.”
“No, I’m not though.”
AJ hesitated. “I think you misunderstood, Nick. You are coming back,
whether you like it or not.”
“Oh yeah?” Nick looked amused. “And how do you propose to make me do that?”
“By simply telling you,” AJ said confidently, “that it would be in your
best interest, physically. If you don’t come back and deal with your daughter,
Kevin is going to have words with you. STRONG words,” he emphasised. He waited
for a response, but Nick was ignoring him.
He continued. “And also, you’re not much of a man if you hide in your
bedroom all your life.”
Nick laughed. “Is that meant to hurt me?”
“Yes. You’re being an ass. You’ve done wrong, now deal with it in the most
responsible way.”
“Whatever.” Nick looked stubbornly out of the window.
“Okay, well have it your way. I’m going home. If you’re not there in an
hour…well, then I dread to think where I’ll see you next. I mean it Nick,
you know what Kevin’s like.”
Nick winced. “I can’t win, can I? If I go back Kevin’s gonna kick the crap
outta me. If I stay here…he’s STILL gonna kick the crap outta me.” He
pushed his hair back.
AJ stood up. “Yeah, well at least if you go back it means you’re starting to
face up to having a daughter. But it’s up to you, I guess. Do what you like,
you usually do.” He shrugged and headed towards the bedroom door, turning
around as he opened it.
“Okay, well…see ya in a minute, I hope.” And he was gone.
Nick lay back on his bed, his mind spinning. Thinking that if he tried hard
enough it could all just turn into a dream … yeah that’d be nice. But
something inside his mind kept on reminding him it wasn’t a dream … he
picked up his computer game console and threw it across the room. It smashed as
it slid down the wall and fell in a heap on the floor. Useless piece of crap, he
thought, as he sat bolt upright, hearing footsteps outside his room.
A soft knocking made his heart pound.
“Yeah? Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
Nick let out one big breath. “BJ, what do you want?”
She came in and sat on Nick’s bed. “Good question. I want: a new toothbrush,
that red top from the new store in town, a new set of parents, my own apartment,
a television that actually works, some musical socks, a happy meal, a gorgeous
boyfriend, my own swimming pool, an easier life, less homework, more parties, a
kitten and um…” she considered this carefully, “…an explanation.”
Nick frowned at her, mentally digesting all she had said. “Look, if you want a
tv you can borrow mine, it’s got a remote…”
“Why were you and AJ yelling?” she said bluntly.
Nick looked taken aback. “Because I have a baby.”
BJ laughed. “Oh,” she said, “yeah and I’m actually a green Martian sent
to spy on you from Mars.” She laughed madly pointing a finger at him, making
it buzz loudly. “Look, I got you! You’re meant to die…”
Nick stood up. “BJ, go away.”
"No!"
Nick tried again. "BJ, just fuck off."
“That’s rude!” she answered, frowning.
“Yeah, well I’m rude then.”
“God, what bit you?” BJ asked, as Nick paced around his room.
He spun around. “I already told you. You should have listened.”
BJ sat very still, thinking deeply. She jerked her head towards Nick. “Why did
you say you had a baby?”
“Because it’s true.”
“Ri-ight…you need help. And sleep.”
Nick suddenly snapped. “For fuck’s sake, B! Don’t ask the question if you
ain’t going to believe the answer. Now PISS OFF, OKAY?!”
BJ’s mouth fell open. “Oh my God. If that’s true, you’re in deep shit.”
“Yeah, you can say that again,” Nick mumbled.
“If that’s true, you’re in deep shit,” she repeated dutifully, still
smiling.
Nick put a hand up to silence her. “Don’t. I can’t deal with humor.
Just…leave me alone, okay?”
BJ nodded, finally taking the hint, and scooted out of the room.