Think Pink (Grease 2) ✔

Chapter 27

The moment Johnny arrived at work Stephanie knew that there something was wrong with him. He was ashen faced, and he'd lost his usual swagger.

'Hey Johnny,' she said brightly, trying to pretend she didn't know what was going on. He nodded in reply, pulling his overalls on. 

'You look rough,' she added without thinking. 'Too much to drink?'

He grimaced. 'Yeah as it happens, I've been doing my damned best to blot out the last twenty-four hours.'

'Oh?'

'Paulette's pregnant,' he muttered, his eyes darkening. 'At least I think she is.'

'Shit, Johnny,' she said, not sure what to say.

'I can't believe it, well I sort of can. The way she's always going on about commitment, I bet she planned it.' He smacked one hand into the other angrily.

'What are you going to do?'

He shrugged, defeated. 'I don't want to marry her. I just don't. But I can't abandon her either.' He began to pace up and down as Steph looked on.

'Do you feel that strongly about marriage?' Steph asked carefully. 'You could have wound up married anyway if this hadn't happened.'

'Yeah but I'll never know that now. If I marry her I'm always going to feel like I was forced into it.' 

'But how can you not marry her?' She was appalled that he'd consider abandoning Paulette. 'You knew there was always a chance she could get pregnant'.

He shifted awkwardly. 'I thought it was safe, I trusted her,' he said sounding frustrated. 'I don't want to get married, not to her.'

Steph's eyes widened. 'Not to her? That's horrible Johnny.'

'I know but ever since she told me that's how I've felt,' he admitted. 'I'm not ready to get married and I don't think we've been together long enough to even consider it.'

'Well it looks like you might not have a choice.'

Johnny nodded. 'Yeah, don't I know it.'

                                                                         ~~~~

Paulette heard the phone ring and jumped up to answer, desperate for it be Johnny. She was disappointed to hear Louis on the line. She handed the phone to Sharon who gave her a pointed look, clearly, she was irritated that Paulette was making herself a bit too much at home.

'Hi Louis, how was work?' Sharon asked and Paulette stepped into the kitchen trying not to listen in. In the past week she felt like she'd aged years and it was dawning on her that she was definitely pregnant. She had a doctor's appointment but she knew it was simply a matter of confirmation.

'Shopping, Saturday?' she heard Sharon exclaim laughing. 'You want to take me shopping? Now, Louis, I don't want you wasting your money on me.'

I'll bet, Paulette thought sourly, not believing her for a moment. She closed the kitchen door so she couldn't overhear any more, and went to make herself a snack. It was almost an hour later before Sharon joined her again.

'What did you find to talk about all that time?' Paulette asked trying not to sound jealous.

'This and that. Louis is coming round after work tomorrow.'

Paulette let out a sigh. 'Oh great!' He'd been around almost every night, and she didn't know if it was worse when he and Sharon were cuddling up in front of the TV, or when they made some excuse to go to her room to be by themselves. It added to her sense of loneliness and isolation.