Unsteady (COMPLETED)

TWENTY-FOUR

Then - Michael

I feel the grin form on my face and a laugh escapes my throat. I jump up to my feet, bringing Ella with me. I wrap my arms around her and lift her up, swinging her around and around as I celebrate the news. 

She's giggling and laughing in happiness and so am I. And I kiss her all over her face, silently thanking her for this moment. 

I know we're young. I know we don't have everything we should in order to have this baby, but I don't care. Ella has made me the happiest man on this planet and I will do everything I can to provide for both of them. I love this kid already and I don't even know how far along she is. 

"So you are happy?" She asks nervously before biting her lip as she stares at me, waiting for an answer. 

"Fuck yes I am happy, Ella. I am so fucking happy." I tell her honestly. "I promise to make everything right. I will get a job. I will provide for you. I will give you two everything you ever need. 

"I will take care of you two, Ella. I promise." I tell her honestly before wrapping my arms around her again. "I love you, Ella. I love you so fucking much. Thank you for this."

"I love you too, Mike." She says into my chest. 

I'm beaming. I can't believe how happy this little news has made me. I pull away from her and smile. "You have made me so happy, Ella," I tell her. "You have no idea. I won't let you down."

*****

"Are you really sure about this?" My best friend, Randy, says as I look down through the glass at the various rings in the display case before me. 

"Yep." I say popping the 'p'. "She's pregnant, man. I'm not going to abandon her."

"Doesn't mean you have to marry her." He says. "That shit's forever."

I snort. "I'm not just marrying her because she's pregnant. I love her. I've loved her forever." I tell him honestly as I look closely at a white gold one with a single diamond. "I want to marry her because I want her to be mine forever. And I want to be there for this baby."

"You can be there for the baby without marrying her." He mutters. "Shit's going to change."

"No, shit," I say, raising a brow at him. I turn to the sales representative in front of me. "Can I look at that one?" 

"Yes, sir. This is a lovely choice." The man says as he leans down and lifts the ring off of its holder. He carefully hands it to me and I take a closer look.

It's simple with a single, small diamond with a frame around it. It is white gold and sparkles slightly in the light. 

"You guys are so young. Are you sure this is what you want? I mean, if you do this, you will have to get a job. There will be no more partying. No more late nights with the boys. No more strip clubs. No more poker games." Randy continues. "Man, you will be a dad."

I ignore him and look up at the salesman. "How many karats?" I ask.

"Point five." He replies. "It's seven hundred and ninety-nine dollars plus tax."

"That's a lot of money," Randy says behind me. "But that is totally her."

"Yeah, I think so too," I say. 

"And then you have the fact that you will forever only have one pussy, man. Are you sure you want that?" I turn to him and shoot him a nasty look, telling him to shut up, and he lifts his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm just saying. I don't want you to rush into anything. Carm is a cool girl and all the guys really like her, but you haven't really been with any other girls since you were what, eighteen? That's almost four years of the same thing. Aren't you bored?"

The salesman coughs. "We offer a free layaway as long as you keep your payments up." The man stutters, his eyes darting between Randy and I. The poor man just wants a sale. "We require only ten per cent down now, and then you have to make the remaining payments monthly for six months."

"And a kid, man. That's heavy." Randy says behind me. "Are you really sure you are ready for that?"

I nod my head, thinking about it. "How much would you need now and what are the payments?" I ask. 

The man turns towards his computer and types away for a moment before responding. "You would need to pay ninety dollars and twenty-eight cents now to start. Then one hundred thirty-five dollars and forty-three cents a month for six months." He tells me, reading off of the screen. "And, if it goes on sale at any point of time during the layaway, we will honour that price."

I nod my head and turn to Randy. "What do you think?" I ask him, completely writing off everything he has said. 

His eyes widen before he sighs. "Whatever." He says. "I already told you my piece."

"I meant about the ring."

"Oh right." He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, it's nice."

"Yeah, I like it," I say, biting my lip. "Okay, let's do it!"

"If you just want to step this way, sir. We have some paperwork to fill out." The man says as he gestures towards a desk to the side of the store.