The Bad Couple

19 Bad Couples

"What!"

She tries to climb out of the car but I'm on top of her so fast she doesn't have a chance to blink.

"What did you say?"

"Nico. Let me go."

"Never," I snarl, "don't you get that? I will never leave you alone. I know with everything in me that you're the one for me. Now sit your ass back in that car so we can talk."

We trudge back to the car and buckle back in. She avoids all eye contact. I catch her attention by resting a hand on her stomach. She buries her head in her hands.

"I don't know how I managed to mess everything up. I have a routine and always took my pill. I-I must've missed a day or something. I'm so, so, so sorry, Nico. I never planned on ruining everything. I don't even-- I can't-- I'm sorry!" She bursts into hysterics. I try to soothe her but she shrugs me off. "I don't deserve your kindness. I-I was going to get rid of it b-but I couldn't do it. My next best option was to leave."

"Don't you ever."

"But Nico--." Her eyes are bloodshot. No wonder she stopped smoking, stopped fighting, stopped drinking, stopped arguing with me. She is physically and mentally drained.

I press her face to my chest and rock us back and forth. "We'll get through it, okay? We'll talk to my parents about everything and, and we'll find a way."

She shakes her head but I can feel her breathing slow. "I'm so tired, Coco."

"I know. Sleep, baby. Go to sleep."

➖✖➖

My parents stare at us completely and utterly shocked. Zosia hangs her head in shame. But then Mom roars like a wild boar.

"A baby! You're having a baby! How exciting! We need to get Zo packed and moved into here."

"Mom, she lives alone. By law she's an adult," I remind her, "why would she drop her big home to move into a house with four other people?"

She grips my arm and I look down at her. Zo snuggles deeper into my embrace. "Maybe I should move in with you guys. Think about it, he or she will be around his or her grandparents until we can afford a place of our own."

"Hold on," Dad bellows, "slow down. The only way that I will have my son and his girlfriend live under the same roof is if it isn't my roof."

Mom shrugs. "We'll rent you guys an apartment."

Dad chuckles at his wife. She glares at him, silently asking him what's so funny. "Hun, my son will not rent an apartment. I own how many businesses? Here, just live in one of my hotels." He digs in his pocket and pulls out a card.

I take it and my jaw drops. He's just giving Zo and I a key card to a penthouse?

➖✖➖

Whispers. Stares. Giggling.

Now I remember why I never visited my father at work as a child. All the people that work here or stay here know me as the only son, the heir, to the kingdom my father has built.

"Mister Reed, your father isn't in today," the secretary who's worked with my father for many years addresses me.

I squeeze Zosia's hand. Like always she has her resting bitch face on. Little does anyone know that she a big softy. My softy.

"Actually my girlfriend and I are moving in."

She shakes her head in astonishment but nods anyway.

This is interesting.