Destiny's Detour (12 page)

After locking the bathroom door, I open the bag, and what I see shocks me. Why would Amy think I need this? I dump a long box out on the counter, and a pregnancy test stares back at me.

Then it hits me. I haven’t had a period since at least September. How could I not have noticed? The possibility that I am pregnant is very high. If asked what I was feeling in this moment, I’m not sure what my response would be. Talk about emotional rollercoaster! Knowing that the test won’t take itself, I open the box, pee on the stick, and place it back on the counter. After washing my hands, I lean my back against the wall, and slowly slide down to the floor.

Pregnant? How did this happen? Why didn’t we use our brains? Oh, yes, because we are horny idiots.
Reflecting back, I realize that Troy and I never once used condoms. I have this urge to beat my head against the wall, but that won’t help anything.
What am I going to do?
How can I have a baby at eighteen? What do I know about being a mother? Not a damn thing!
I bury my face in my hands, and try to avoid the panic that is taking over my brain.

After what feels like hours, but is surely only minutes, I look over at the counter again.
It’s not going to come to you.
Hoping that my trembling legs will hold me, I push up from the floor, and take hesitant steps towards the test. My eyes find the digital window that holds the key to my future. PREGNANT. It hits me full force as if I have been sucker punched or the wind has been knocked out of me. I AM PREGNANT! Holy Shit! At this point, I realize that I am crying,–ugly crying–and for a moment, I give myself permission to be weak. Breathing deeply in an attempt to calm myself, I pick up that little life-changing stick, and slowly make my way to the living room.

My mom takes one look at my face and doesn’t need to ask what the result is.

“Destiny!” Disappointment comes through her voice, loud and clear. “How could you let this happen? We talked about safe sex enough times”

“I know, Mom. Shit, it’s not like I planned for this to happen,” I cry out.

I toss the test onto the coffee table and throw myself into my mother’s arms. Amy slides closer, and the three of us sit in stunned silence, staring at the test. It is one thing to suspect you’re pregnant, but having proof brings it to a whole new level of reality. I am shocked. I’m pregnant, that I am going to be a mom. I let that thought roll around in my head, and without even realizing it, my hand has drifted down to my stomach in a protective manner. I know I am too young. I know I am not ready for this but the thought of an abortion or someone else raising mine and Troy's child makes me sick. I made the decisions that got me here and I need to own up to them. Hiding my head in the sand is not going to change the reality of the situation. Suddenly, a swarm of love goes through me. I know that, no matter what else happens, I am already in love with this child. My life may have just taken a major detour, I may have to make a lot of changes, and things may not be going as I have planned, but I have no doubt that it will all work out.

“Mom, I am so sorry this happened now, but I am not sorry about this baby. I already love it.”

“I can tell, Sweetie. It was written all over your face as I watched you process everything just now.” She lets out a long sigh as her disappointment changes to resignation. “Trust me when I say that this is not the end of the world. We will just have to make some adjustments.”

I hug my mom, so happy that she is taking this so well. Then another thought hits me. “Um, Mom, who’s going to tell Dad?”

She laughs and says, “We will tell him together”

Then it hits me.
Troy!
I have to tell Troy, and then worry sets in. What if he isn’t ready? What if he breaks up with me? Well, wouldn’t that be awkward? I pull out my phone and send Troy a text telling him I am sorry for being a bitch and that I really love him. In seconds, I get a text back saying he has already forgiven me and that he loves me, too. When I look up, my mom and Amy are watching me.

The three of us sit there for a little while talking things over, and more time passes than we realize. The front door slams open, and David and Troy rush through it. Once again, I am surprised.

“What are y’all doing here?”

“Lover boy over here was driving me crazy. We knew you came home, and he wanted to be with you, so here we are. I couldn’t let him drive himself,” David says.

I smile at Troy. He comes over, then leans down and kisses me. “Why are you still crying?”

Before I can open my mouth, David shouts, “What the fuck!”

I glance over at my brother to see what has caused him to scream out like that.
Oh, no!
I realize that the pregnancy test is still on the coffee table for anyone to see. His eyes jump from the table to Amy and me. Well, this is not how I expected this to be revealed.

My mom speaks first. “David, do you have to use such language? Really, didn’t I raise you better?”

“Who does that belong to, Mom?”

She pauses before saying, “Um, well …”

I interrupt and say, “It’s mine, and thanks for making this a public declaration instead of something private.”

I hesitate before I glance over at Troy. He has a bewildered look on his face until his eyes focus on the test. He walks to the table and looks down at it. Without a word, David lunges and punches Troy hard in the face, causing him to fall beside me on the couch.

“
David!
” My mom and I shout at the same time.

“
Oh!
Troy, are you okay?” I ask as I reach up and gingerly caress his face. I look at my brother and can see how angry he is. I open my mouth, but before I can say anything, he turns and starts walking towards the front door. The walls shake from how hard he slams it. I turn back and fuss over Troy as I check his eye to make sure there is no major damage other than the fact that he is going to have a mean shiner.

“Amy, why don’t you and I head into the kitchen to get some dinner started and let Destiny and Troy talk,” my mom says.

“Great idea,” Amy replies.

Troy and I are left there together. He still hasn’t said a single word.

“Troy?” I question.

“So this is why you have been so moody?”

“It would seem so.”

We sit in silence, and then slowly, Troy moves closer to me. He leans over to give me a slow tender kiss and says, “So, we’re going to be parents?”

I search his face and all I see is acceptance. “Yep, we are.”

“Destiny, I am in shock. I can’t say this timing is the best, but we’ll figure it out together.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. You didn’t think I would leave you over this, did you? I told you. I love you and I plan to be with you a long time.”

“Honestly, Troy, I didn’t know what your reaction was going to be. You’re just a junior in college, and I am a freshman. This is not supposed to happen now”

“Baby, we will get through this together. We can make it work.”

Tears slide down my face. Stupid hormones. Stupid tears.

“Troy, I really do love you.”

“I love you, too, Princess.”

Then his lips find mine, and we share one of the most tender, sweet kisses that I have ever experienced in my life. I can understand Troy still being in shock. My knowing that things will work out has helped calm me. I am so happy that we are going to share this together. I can’t even imagine anyone else doing this with me. I snuggle up to him with my back against his chest and his arms wrapped around me.

“Troy, we still have to tell my dad and deal with David.”

“Well, shit.”

I laugh. I just can’t help it. All of us are afraid to tell my Dad. But for right now, I am going to enjoy my man.

Mom and Amy make lots of noise in the kitchen, slamming pots and pans. Troy is lightly stroking my hair in a loving manner while we cuddle on the couch. David still hasn’t come back, and that is probably not a bad thing because my dad has just walked in the door. Troy and I both tense up when Dad comes in to say hello. Unfortunately, my dad knows me to well, because he takes one look at my face and says, “What’s wrong with my little girl?”

I finally manage to stutter, “N-n-nothing.”

“Want to try that again?”

I am given a small reprieve when my mother comes floating into the room, wraps her arms around my dad, and lays a big kiss on him. I have to turn away. Who wants to see their parents make out? When they finally stop kissing, we look at them like they are freaks of nature. My mom lets out a small laugh, and my dad grins from ear to ear. I should have known he isn’t going to let it go.

“I love my wife, but that isn’t enough to distract me from the fact that something is going on with my baby girl.” Daddy sits down, his eyes never leaving me. “I’m waiting.”

“Daddy, you know how much I love you, right?”

“Yes, Destiny. I know how much you love me, and you know I adore you, so please tell me what is going on.”

“Um, well, you see … I’m pregnant.” My voice drops to a whisper, and I’m not sure if he hears me.

“You’re what?” His yell proves he heard every word I just said.

My mom rubs on his arm. “Honey, calm down. It’s not the end of the world.”

My dad turns to Troy. “And I suppose this is all your fault?”

“Daddy!”

He stays silent and I can almost see the wheels turning in his head.

“Did you two go stupid all of a sudden, what the fuck were you thinking, oh that’s right you weren’t thinking with your brains at least, why does Troy have a black eye forming?”

He doesn’t stop to breathe as his words run into one long rant. Troy and I just sit there and stare in amazement. Troy never once lets go of me, though.

“David punched him when he found out,” I tell my dad softly.

“Good. I owe the boy,” my dad says gruffly.

Finally, he lets a great big sigh. “Well, this is going to take some getting used to. Me, a grandfather? What are your plans?”

Troy quickly speaks up. “Well, Sir, I plan on being there every step with Destiny. I also plan on being the best father I can be, and if your daughter will allow me, I would love to be the best husband to her I can be, too.”

I gasp. Those words coming out of Troy’s mouth completely shock me. It has never occurred to me that he might want to marry me. I am not sure why, but it just didn’t. I look at Troy, and then my parents. My mom is beaming, Troy is smiling, and my dad looks like, well honestly, he looks like he has just lost the Super Bowl or something.

My dad finally speaks up. “Well, I guess I can’t ask you for much more. I have known you your whole life, Boy, and you better do right by my daughter and grandbaby, or I will hunt you down. Do you understand me?”

“Yes Sir. I love your daughter, and I’d already planned on spending my life with her and having children with her. I just didn’t plan on it happening now.”

This seems to make my dad happy, because next thing I know, he crosses the room, grabs me in a hug, and murmurs, “I love you, Baby Girl. I can’t believe my baby is having a...baby. My grandbaby.”

“Daddy, I love you, too, and I will always be your little girl. I promise”

“Have you told your parents yet, Troy?”

“No, Sir. I just found out myself.”

“Well, I guess we should invite them over for dinner tonight.”

“I’ll take care of it, Honey,” my mom replies.

Dad goes off with my mom to the kitchen to make the call to Troy’s parents. Amy comes back to the living room to join Troy and I, and we are talking softly about the coming changes. When the front door opens, I take a deep breath and look up to see David walking into the living room. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. His angry look has been replaced by confusion.

“Man, I’m sorry for punching you.” David looks at Troy and me curled up together on the couch.

“I get it, Man. I deserved it,” Troy replies.

“No, you didn’t,” I loudly yell. “David, that was an asshole thing to do. You know it took both of us to make this baby”

“Too much information, Sis. I really don’t want to think about you and Troy bumping uglies.”

“Well, you’re going to face it sooner or later. It’s going to be obvious in a few months that I have had sex”

David sighs as he sits down in a chair. “Dad know yet?”

“Yes, he seems pleased that you punched Troy for him. Is he happy? Hell no! However, they know I’m keeping the baby, no matter what anyone says, so they trying their best to accept it. I know that with time, we’ll all get used to the idea.”

Troy’s parents come for dinner, and we inform them that I am pregnant. The first thirty minutes, both our dads yell at us about how stupid we are and how I am too young to become a mother, and blah, blah, blah. The moms spend their time trying to calm down their men. David sits back with a smile on his face, happy that I am the one causing the drama in our family this time. I know what he is thinking. It finally ends with everyone coming to terms with the fact I am pregnant and we are going to have this child. They will just have to get used to it.

After spending a chaotic weekend with my parents, we make our way back to school. My first order of business is to schedule a doctor’s appointment. I know that I am going to have to make some life changes. My partying days are done, for sure. I guess for the next few months, we know who the designated driver is for our crew. The idea of not being able to party is not as upsetting to me as I thought it should be. It seems to just be a natural change. Troy tells me that he will stop partying, too, but I let him know that he doesn’t have to completely stop, maybe just cut back some. He is more than willing to compromise with me. Every day, he does something that makes me fall more in love with him.