Dawn almost dropped the phone. She was numb. The nurse on the other end kept talking, but Dawn didn’t hear a word she said. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
"I can’t be pregnant, it’s just not possible," she said to herself as she buried her face in her hands.
"Hello? Hello?" The voice on the phone was saying. Dawn put the phone back up to her ear.
"I’m sorry, I was just surprised," she said to the nurse.
The nurse proceeded to tell her to make sure that she made an appointment with her OB/GYN for her prenatal visit.
"They’ll be able to figure out your due date as well".
"Uh-huh, okay, thanks," Dawn said, still in shock. "Bye".
She hung up the phone and sat down in the chair. She looked around at the guys sitting around eating lunch and goofing around. AJ was nowhere to be found though. The look on her face must have been a cause for concern because Kevin looked over at her and immediately walked over to where she was sitting.
"Are you okay?" He asked. "You don’t look good," he said as he felt her forehead.
She was still numb, she couldn’t move. She just stared straight ahead. Kevin waved his hands in front of her face.
"Hello?? Are you in there?" He teased. Dawn blinked her eyes and focused her gaze on Kevin. "Are you okay?" He asked again, worried.
"Um...yeah," she answered in a soft voice.
"Don’t lie to me. Who was that on the phone?" He prodded.
"Kevin, not now. Please, just leave me alone," she said on the verge of tears as she got up to walk away. "I’m really sorry", she said as she turned around to look at him. "But I have to go. I don’t mean to mess up anything today, I just have to get out of here".
She walked out the door and started to head towards her car. Tears were streaming down her face, she couldn’t hold them in any longer. AJ burst through the door and ran after her.
"Dawn!" He called.
She ignored him as she tried to unlock the car door and get in before he reached her, but he was too quick. "Dawn!" He grabbed her arm as she yanked it away. "What's going on?"
"Please just leave me alone," she answered, avoiding his gaze .
He ran in front of her and blocked the car door. That was the first time he noticed that she was crying.
"Leave me alone, Alex," she said to him again as she tried to get around him to unlock the car door.
He stood in front of it and folded his arms, blocking her every time she lunged for the door.
"Goddammit AJ, let me in the car!" She yelled at him as she pounded on his chest.
He didn’t respond, he pulled her into his arms. She resisted at first, then her body finally fell limp into hsi arms. She laid her head on his chest and cried. "Oh Alex, what am I gonna do?"
He didn't have the slightest idea what was going on, but, whatever it was, he knew it was big. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t even know why she was so upset. He just knew that whatever it was, she needed him and he wasn’t going to let her down. He held her as she continued to cry.
"Shhh", he whispered in her ear. "It’s okay. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it, together".
"Please, just let me go," she sobbed.
"No I won't. Please tell me what’s wrong," he said softly.
She stopped crying for a moment and looked up at him.
"It has nothing to do with you. I just need to be alone right now and think about things".
"If it upsets you, it DOES have to do with me," he started to get mad. "And what THINGS do you have to think about? Will you just tell me?!!"
"Fine," she said, opening the car door. "I’m pregnant!" She started sobbing again.
AJ was shocked. He just looked at her. He didn’t know what to say. For a brief moment, a smile spread across his lips.
"Wait," the smile disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. "It’s too soon," he said as his face fell. The look on his face broke Dawn’s heart as she started to cry again.
"That’s because it’s not your baby," she shot at him. She got in the car and started it up. He was speechless, all he could do was stand there.
"You can’t leave like this," he said as he turned to her.
"Alex, this is not your problem, it’s MY problem. PLEASE, just let me go," she laid her forehead on the steering wheel and continued to sob.
"I will NOT let you go. Let me do something, let me help you..." his voice trailed off.
"There’s nothing you can do," she said between sobs. "Just let me deal with it".
He knelt down in front of her and tried to take her hand but she pulled it away.
"Look at me".
"No," she replied, still crying.
"Please, look at me".
She looked down at him and wiped the tears from her face.
"Please, let me do something. Don’t shut me out," he whispered.
"I will not do that to you, Alex," she said as she looked away from him again. "I will not ruin your life like this".
He turned her face so she was looking at him.
"Will you please let ME make the decisions about my life".
"Will you just let me go?" She repeated.
Kevin headed out to his car. As he walked, he watched Dawn and AJ. Something was definitely wrong. He didn’t know what, but he knew it had to do with the phone call Dawn had gotten.
He started the car and Brian came, walking towards him with his eyes on Dawn and AJ.
"Hey, what’s going on?" He asked, motioning towards Dawn’s car.
"I don’t know, but it’s something big,” Kevin replied.
"That girl is making AJ crazy,” Brian said, leaning up against Kevin’s car.
"Yeah, that’s what love will do to you,” Kevin said.
Just then, they saw AJ stand up and Dawn close the car door and start to drive away. AJ kicked the rocks and turned to see Kevin and Brian standing there. He ran over to them.
"Do me a favor,” he said as he got closer to them.
"The car’s already started,” Kevin cut in.
"Follow her, hopefully she’s headed back to my house,” he said, getting into the car.
AJ got in the passenger side, Brian in the backseat and Kevin got in the driver’s seat. They pulled out of the parking lot, following a few cars behind Dawn.
"So, what’s going on?" Kevin asked as they continued to follow her.
AJ thought for a minute.
"I don’t know if I should tell you guys".
"For crying out loud, AJ, you have us chasing after this girl like a bunch of maniacs, the least you can do is tell us what’s going on,” Kevin said.
AJ took a deep breath.
"She’s pregnant".
There was silence. Brian, who was sitting in the middle of the backseat sat up to look at AJ.
"Are you serious?"
AJ shook his head. Kevin thought for a minute, then a worried look crept across his face. "Please tell me it’s yours,” he looked over at AJ.
AJ shook his head no.
"I wish".
"Oh my god,” Kevin began as he put his hand to his forehead.
Brian sat back in his seat, shocked. AJ kept his eyes on Dawn’s car.
"It looks like she’s headed to my house".
Dawn pulled into AJ’s driveway and got out of the car. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing, she didn’t think the whole way there. Hell, she couldn’t even remember how she got there.
Kevin’s car pulled in behind her and blocked her car in. She looked and noticed three people in he car. AJ got out and called her name. She didn’t turn around.
"Why can’t he just listen to me for once and leave me the hell alone??"
She got to the front door and tried the doorknob, it was locked.
"Shit, what was I thinking?" She said aloud.
She turned and headed down the front steps. She was going to try to make it back to her car, but AJ was standing right there. She tried to get around him, but he wouldn’t let her.
"Will you please talk to me?" He yelled at her.
"Leave me alone!" She yelled back, starting to cry again. "Just leave me alone".
She sat down on the porch step, buried her head in her hands and cried. AJ sat down and put his arms around her, pulling her as close to him as he could. She was shaking violently and sobbing.
"It’ll be okay,” he said in a soothing voice as he rocked her back and forth. "It’ll be okay".


Chapter 26
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