The Pregnant Scam

Chapter Forty-One

    Anthony left the hospital as quickly as he could, no one was there to stop him. Not the doctors, not the nurses, not baby Aria, not even Julia would stop him. Why would she? This was her plan from the very beginning and he respected her decision, but deep down he wish it was different.
    His tires squealed in protest as he pulled out of the hospital parking lot and into traffic. "Stupid! Stupid! STUPID!!!!" He yelled to himself slapping the stirring wheel over and over again. He knew the scam from the very beginning, play her boyfriend, put on a show for everyone, and then once the baby come cut ties and go separate directions. Yeah at first he was fine with how the scam would end, but now....
    Somehow along the way of pretending to be Jules boyfriend, he had actually started wanting to be that man for her. He couldn't remember when he had stopped pretending to have feelings for her and started to really love her. All he knew was that he loved her and wanted to be in her life, and in her baby's life for real. He wanted a real relationship with her, but didn't know how to tell her. After all her plan from the beginning was to end the fake relationship once the baby was born, she didn't want a relationship with him and that crushed him. He didn't want to go against her wishes and her plan for the scam, he loved her too much to ever keep her in a position she didn't want. So he guess this really was the end of things.
    He pulled into his driveway, pulling the keys out of the ignition he slammed the car door angrily. Not at Jules, but at himself for letting his emotions cloud his head, now he had to find a way to hold back the feelings he had for Jules. With his thoughts still in a mad jumble he opened the red front door and plowed right into Lexi.
    "Woah!" Lexi said nearly falling over from the impact. Her flower pattern wallet was in her hands as well as her car keys. She stared at Anthony, "What are you doing back? I thought you'll be at the hospital with your precious new family." She said sarcastically.
    Anthony clinched his fists he really wasn't in the mood for Lexi's attitude, "NO, not anymore." He said releasing his hands as he tried to remain cool and collective.
    Lexi raised an eye brow being his twin she knew him better than anyone, and could tell he was mad. "Oh? Trouble in paradise is there?"
    "I'm not in the mood Alexandra." He moved past her to go upstairs but she followed him.
    "What's going on Anthony? Come on tell me!" She persisted when he didn't answer.
    Reaching the top of the stairs he turned to face her, "We broke up." He answered flatly feeling defeated. He didn't want to get into this right now with Lexi, but might as well get it over with.
    Lexi stared at him silently to see if he was pulling her leg, "But... but you just had a baby." She said quietly.
    "Yeah well you work with babies, you know how they are. They cost a lot, they cry, and then there's the whole taking care of it, and..." Anthony shrugged his shoulders, "We're just not ready, it's over for good."
    She glared at him angrily, "Wow, so you're really going stoop to dad's level and take a page for his book? You of all people should know what it's like to grow up without a dad, look what it did to mom? More importantly look what it did to us! You're really going to abandon your baby and make Jules raise YOUR baby." She looked at him complete disgusted. "You know I might have not agreed with your knocking my ex best friend up, but I thought you would at least be man enough to stick with it, not be a complete failure and loser of a dad." She spatted in his face.
    While she had been disparaging him Anthony placed his hands on his head, wanting to squeeze his brain out. He had enough of Lexi and how she put Jules and him down all the time. He knew his father had left when they were babies, and he remembered clearly what it was like without a dad. Every Father's Day, family tree project, and every dad's event at school was lonely as a kid. He didn't need Lexi brining it up and reminding him. The last thing he wanted was to be considered like his low good for nothing father. "ENOUGH!" Anthony bellowed at the top of his lungs startling Lexi who took a backward step down the stairs. "I'm not the father!" Shit Anthony thought wishing he could take it back, but it was no used.
    Lexi didn't even waver at the mention at that, she was still on a roll and angry that Anthony was acting at their father. She rolled her eyes, "Oh so now you're not even going to claim the child as yours. Well that is just peachy Anthony." She raised her hands, "At least our dad had the dignity to claim us on our birth certificate before he up and left. Grow up and except that fact that you're a father and a lousy one, you're pathetic."    
    "NO, mean I'M NOT THE FATHER!" Anthony couldn't take it anymore, "You have really done a number on us this school year, and I can't take it anymore of you putting Jules down and me down, when we didn't even do IT! We never....." His voice trailed off as he spoke and his face flushed red. The cat was out of the bag now, there was no taking it back. He just hoped Jules would be okay with him telling Lexi.
    She stared at Anthony, "You do know making babies work right? If you didn't....." Her eyes widened, "OMG, Julia cheated on you! Who's the real daddy?" Lexi asked with a new interested.
    Anthony shook his head, "No Lexi, it's not like that at all.... Julia..." He sighed, glancing quickly around the upstairs hoping his mom wasn't in ear shot to ear, "Julia was raped, our baby... Her baby is a result from what happened."
    Lexi's eyes grew as big the Big Dipper, "Rrrape?" She stammered.
    "Don't you dare ask if I'm sure, I would never lie about such a serious thing." Anthony ordered.
    "No, I know you won't." Lexi slowly lowered herself down onto the staircase step she was sitting on. She leaned against the wall feeling deflated. "Who... Who would do such a thing?"
    Anthony sat down beside her and started at the beginning with everything Julia had told him.
    When he was finished Lexi stood up abruptly her hands shaking, "Omg, omg, OMG!" She walked into his bedroom pacing the floor rapidly.
    He followed her in and closed his door behind him, "Lexi, you have to promise not to tell anyone, no one else knows this."
    "Whhy didn't she go to the police?! That bastard should be locked up! So you've guys been faking this whole time being together? I can't believe you guys didn't tell me! I've treated her and you so terrible, I've been a complete bitch!
    "She was scared and she didn't want anyone to know, I probably wouldn't even had known except for that fact that she became pregnant and needed a pretend father so people wouldn't ask questions. It started out that way, I'm sorry we kept it from you, we didn't mean to hurt you Lexi."
    Lexi stared at her twin brother, "I wish I had known." She whispered quietly.
    "I know, Julia was going to tell you, honestly. We were talking about that when you walked in and saw us, but then it became easier to keep the scam believable if less people knew the actual truth."
    She shook her head, "Anthony, I've been a monster to her, I destroyed our friendship. She was my best friend!" She sniffed as she fought back tears.
    Anthony nodded, "I know." He put a comforting arm around his sister and held her close, "Julia is torn up about it too." He paused, "You could talk to her."
    Lexi laughed as she wiped tears from her eyes, "And say what? It's too late, I've hurt her and our friendship."
    "You both hurt each other because the truth was withhold. Jules hurt you and I did too when you caught us together, and then you hurt her to get back at us. But if ever there was a strong friendship it's you and Julia's, and it's never too late to be friends."
    Lexi gave a small smile, "I need to go." She picked up her purse which she had dropped on Anthony's bed when she came in, she looked up at her brother, "You know it's never too late for love either." She smiled at him, "You love Julia for real, don't you?"
    Anthony's face flushed, "Yes, I know we started out pretending to like each other, but I really love her. I don't know when exactly, but it doesn't matter her scam was always to end things after the baby was born. She doesn't feel the same way."
    "You're kidding right?" She rolled her eyes, "Men!" She said with a laugh, "Anthony, either she wins best actress award for best acting, or she's just as crazy about you too. I've seen the way she looks at you and smiles. If that's not pure love, then I don't know what is!" Lexi nudged his arm playfully.
    His eyes brightened, "You think so?"
    "I do, you should go to her Anthony, tell her how you feel. Why don't you come with me even?"
    "But, what about your friendship with Jules, I don't want to come between you guys." Anthony hesitated.
    "Dude, if you don't get Julia back, then you will be coming between us because I won't let you mop around all sad and hurt my best friend without putting up a fight." Lexi bounced from foot to foot holding her hands up in a fighters position and playfully punched him.
    He laughed, "I've shared our mother's womb with you, I know not to double cross you. Let's go, I'm driving."
"Okay just don't get weird and sentimental with me." Lexi said as she followed him out the door.