PD9

Chapter 9

�Carter, for the last time you will never, ever, ever be allowed to drive that car!� Z exclaimed as she turned the key in the lock and the front door swung open.

�But why not?� Carter whined.

Arizona looked at Carter incredulously and just shook her head.

�Because, Carter, that car is probably worth more then you,� she stated. �Not to mention it�s the only car I have. I wouldn�t want to risk it.�

�So? You�ve got money. You could always buy another one,� Carter replied.

Arizona flashed him a look that could have shattered glass.

�For the last time Carter, you are not going near that car. And my financial status has nothing to do with anything,� she spat.

�Whatever, Park Ave,� Carter mumbled under his breath.

Already half way up the stairs, Arizona turned around and shot Carter another menacing glance.

�I�m going to let you live and pretend I didn�t hear that,� she said, turning back around and continuing up the stairs to Paige�s room. She reached the door and knocked gently. �Paige, we brought you back something.�

When there was no response, Arizona knocked again. After a few seconds the door opened a crack and teary eye peered out at her.

�Paige, are you alright?� Z asked, immediately distressed.

Paige opened the door a little farther, enough so that a beam of light from the hallway spilled across her face. Her eyes were puffy and there were streaks where tears had rolled down her cheeks.

�Paige, honey, what�s wrong?� Z asked again, trying to comfort her friend.

�What am I going to tell him, Z?� she asked, tearfully.

Arizona didn�t know what to do. She wanted to help Paige out, but she had no idea where to start. She had only known the girl a day or two, it wasn�t like she knew her life story.

�I wish I could help you Paige,� Z said, sympathetically, �but I don�t have any idea where you�re coming from. Do you want to tell me what happened between you two?�

Paige didn�t respond verbally, but the glistening eyes signaled she was on the verge of another breakdown.

�I�ll completely understand if you don�t want to tell me,� Arizona said. After noting the wet eyes and trembling lower lip she added, �I�d be able to help you better if you did though.�

Paige looked at Arizona cautiously through teary eyes. After a moments hesitation, she backed away from the door and opened it all the way. Arizona gave her a comforting smile as she crossed the threshold. Once inside, Paige firmly shut the door and turned the lock. Arizona took up a seat on the edge of the bed, trying to make herself comfortable. She had a feeling this was going to be a long story.

When Paige made no effort to initiate the conversation, Arizona spoke up.
�So Paige. Tell me about what happened with AJ.�

And she did. Every single detail.

*******************

�Would you like a drink?�

�Yeah, sure,� Howie said as he watched AJ pour a shot of Jack Daniels into each glass, filling the rest with Coke. He picked up the two glasses and walked over to the couch, handing Howie one of the cups.

AJ took up a seat on the chair across from Howie and took a long sip from the glass. He swirled the contents around a little then looked up at the other man expectantly.

Howie�s eyes were fixed on the brown liquid.

�You know Howie, I�ve got all the time in the world,� AJ said lazily. �According to our schedule, so do you.�

Howie let out a sigh before turning his saddened eyes up to his friend.

�Where should I start?� Howie asked, wishing he hadn�t slipped up at dinner. Wishing Paige had told him in the first place.

�Why did Paige leave me? Why did she go to L.A.? Why didn�t she tell me? Why won�t she talk to me?� AJ fired his questions one after the other.

Shaking his head, Howie said, �Slow down there, speed racer. Why don�t I just start at the beginning?�

Two Years Ago

�Shit!�

Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she counted to ten and slowly reopened them, looking at the object in her hand again.

�Shit, shit, shit!� she cursed when the object remained unchanged.

Sinking to the floor, she sat with her head in her hands.

�This can�t be happening. No. Not to me.�

A knocking on the door pulled her from her thoughts.

�Shit!� she cursed again, quickly standing up.

�Paige? Is that you, honey?� a raspy voice asked from the other side of the door.

�Yes, just, um, hold on a sec,� she answered, throwing the object she was holding in the garbage can. After straightening her hair in the mirror and wiping away the line of mascara that marred her face, she opened the door.

�Are you alright, sweetie?�

Paige smiled and walked out of the bathroom.

�I�m fine Alex, no need to worry.�

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her in to gently kiss her lips.
�I always worry about you. It�s my job.�

Paige looked at her watch then back up to AJ.

�Actually, right now your job is to get your picture taken. You�re going to be late if you don�t hurry up,� she scolded.

�One day it�s going to be you taking my picture. My picture, the rest of the guys pictures, everyone. Everyone will want the best so they�ll come to you,� he said, kissing her again.

�Well, for right now, the only pictures I�ll be taking are for Professor Cahill. Two more years and then you can come to me.�

�You know I will,� he said. �I�ll always be there for you, always.�

I hope so Alex, she thought. I really hope so.

A half hour later they pulled into the parking lot of the photography studio. AJ got out, walked to the other side of the car and opened the door for Paige. Paige smiled weakly and followed him into the studio.

As usual, he was the last one to arrive. The rest of the boys said a quick hello to Paige before being pulled off by the photographer. Making eye contact with Howie, Paige mouthed to him �I need to talk to you�. Howie gave her a curious look, but nodded in agreement just the same.

Paige had been dating AJ for about seven months and out of all the boys, she and Howie were the closest. Because of her celebrity boyfriend, she didn�t have many close friends at college so she took all the problems she couldn�t tell AJ about to Howie.

And right now she had a problem. A big one.

After about an hour and a half the boys were sent on break. While AJ went off to the bathroom, Paige cornered Howie and led him off to the side.

�So what do you have to tell me Paige?� he asked.

Paige looked around nervously. Not wanting to be heard she stood on tip-toe and whispered into his ear.

When she had finished, Howie�s head shot up and his eyes bulged.

�You�ve got to be shitting me!� he exclaimed.

Paige cracked a wry smile and replied, �I shit you not.�

�But, but how? How did that happen?� he asked, still clearly shocked.
She raised an eyebrow at him.

�I figured by now you would�ve already have had that talk Howard,� she said, trying to joke.

Howie glared at her.

�I know how it happened smart ass. I mean, I thought you were on-�

�I am,� she interrupted. �And I am also, apparently, that one statistic you always hear about. Lucky me.�

Howie ran his hand through his hair.

�Shit, Paige. Pregnant? The media is going to eat this up.�

�Don�t you think I realize that?� she said, the distress clearly showing on her face.

�I mean, they�re all over the fact that you�re still in college, but pregnant too? Shit.� He looked at her and immediately felt bad for being more concerned about the media then her. �What did AJ say?� he asked.

�I didn�t tell him yet,� Paige said, biting her lip.

�You didn�t tell him! Paige you have to. You have to tell him,� Howie said.

�I can�t Howie!� she exclaimed. �It would ruin him. It, it would ruin all of you,� she said, her head lowered.

�AJ�s the father. He has to know,� Howie said, looking at Paige who was still avoiding looking him in the eyes. �He is the father, isn�t he?�

�Yes, he is the father,� she replied, looking up. �I just can�t tell him.�

�Well what are you going to do Paige?� he asked.

�I don�t know Howie. I just don�t know.�

�Don�t know what?�

Paige spun around at the sound of AJ�s voice. She looked into his puzzled brown eyes and fought to come up with an excuse.

�I was just, um, telling Howie about, um,� she stuttered, looking frantically at Howie for help.

�She was just telling me about that final project she has coming up. She�s not sure what she wants to do yet,� Howie covered.

AJ looked at Howie then to Paige who still looked nervous.

�Well, I�ll help you come up with something, if you�d like,� AJ offered, pulling Paige up against him.

�Sure Alex,� she said, letting out a sigh. �Sure.�

One Week Later

�Come on, come on,� she mumbled under her breath. �Pick up the damn phone!�

The shrill ringing continued in her ear. She was just about to hang up when an all too familiar voice responded.

�Hello?� came the groggy reply.

�Howie?�

�Paige?�

�Yeah, it�s me.�

�Paige, where the hell are you?� Howie screamed into the receiver.

�Home?� she offered weakly.

�And which home would that be?� he fired. �I know it�s not AJ�s. Not school. Not your parents. So what are you calling home now Paige?�

�L.A.� she replied, flinching slightly.

�L.A.! What the hell are you doing in L.A.?� he interrogated.

�Working,� she said, preparing for the next blow.

�Working? What the hell are you doing?�

�Photographing.�

�What about school?�

�I dropped out.�

�You what?!�

�Howie, I�m a twenty year old college student. A baby doesn�t really work into that equation,� she replied.

�And it works into a twenty year old photographer in L.A.?� he asked incredulously.

�I�m...I�m not keeping the baby,� she said, pulling the phone away from her ear in anticipation of the explosion that was sure to follow.

Silence.

After a moment Paige hesitantly put the phone back to her ear.

�Howie?� she said tentatively.

�I�m sorry, I just thought you said that you�re not keeping the baby,� he said.

�I did,� she responded.

There was a brief silence before Howie said, �You aren�t going to have an-�

�No, I�m not,� Paige interrupted. �I�m going to give it up for adoption.�

�Why did you run away Paige?� Howie asked after a moment�s hesitation.

�I had to Howie. It was the only way,� she said solemnly.

�But I�m sure if you told AJ, you could work something out.�

Paige shook her head even though Howie couldn�t see.

�As much as Alex and I love each other, a baby just wasn�t in our future. I�m not prepared to be a mother and Alex is certainly not prepared to be a father. And even if I did stay and we just gave the baby up for adoption we�d still have to go through the media backlash and both of us regretting it later on. This way, the media is clueless and only I have to regret the decisions I make. A baby could�ve ruined his career Howie. It could�ve ruined all of yours. I didn�t want that.�

�So you leave him without so much as a goodbye?� Howie asked, exasperated. �Paige, he�s going crazy not knowing where you are.�

�So tell him I�m okay. You can tell him that I called you, you can tell him I�m in L.A. but not to bother searching for me, he�ll never find me, but you have to promise me you won�t tell him about the baby.�

�I don�t know if I can do that Paige.�

�You have to promise me Howie, please. You can�t tell him. It will only hurt him more,� she pleaded.

�That�s asking a lot Paige,� he said.

�I know it is, but you have to promise me you won�t tell him. That�s my only request.�

�Will you promise me that you�ll call me and let me know how you�re doing every once in a while?�

�Of course. When my baby�s born, you�ll be the first to know,� she replied, smiling.

�You�re lucky I think of you as a little sister,� Howie said, relenting. �Just promise me you�ll be careful and that you�ll call.�

�I promise Howie.�

�I�m going to hell for this,� he muttered.

�No you�re not. You�re being a good friend,� she replied.

�I hope so Paige,� he said. �I really hope so.�

In the time that followed, Paige called Howie nearly every week for an update. On November 19th, nine months later, Paige gave birth to a baby girl, Ariel Janine. Two days later, a very nice couple, the Wainwright�s, adopted her. They gave Paige their phone number and address incase she changed her mind within the next couple of days. Paige took the information and tore it up.
For the next year and a half she worked at a very seedy photography studio doing headshots for low rate and wannabe actors. Eventually the studio went under and that�s when she moved back to Orlando.

Howie finished his story and looked up at AJ who, surprisingly, remained silent throughout the entire retelling.

�So that�s about it,� Howie said, finishing off the last bit of his Jack and Coke.
AJ didn�t move. He sat still in his chair, eyes on the floor.

Howie looked at him concerned.

�AJ? You okay man?�

AJ looked up at Howie, his eyes bright with tears.

�I�m a father,� he whispered, more of a statement then a question.

�Yeah, you are,� Howie replied steadily.

AJ looked at Howie and his expression changed from that of shock and surprise, to one of anger and hatred.

�I want you to leave,� he said evenly.

Howie stared at him and blinked a few times. �Excuse me?�

�I said, I want you to leave,� AJ repeated, this time with more force.

�AJ-�

�Howie, right now you are not on my favorite peoples list. I need to think, so just get out,� he seethed.

�I understand,� Howie said, getting up. He grabbed his keys and walked to the door. Before he walked out, he turned around to see AJ pacing the living room furiously.

Silently, he crept out the door and got in his car, wondering what he had just let loose.