One Night

Telling my parents

I sat there not saying anything. Both of them were staring at me wide-eyed waiting for me to say something. I finally blurted out:

"I’m pregnant!"

I could feel something grab me from behind then realising Georgia’s hands were on my shoulders. Dad faced turned from curious to anger within seconds (as I had expected) and Mum, it took her a while. After about 2 minutes, she burst into tears. I didn’t know what to do. Should I hug her? Like I usually did when she was sad but I decided against the idea.

We sat in silence for another 10 minutes. I had to somehow break the silence but what do I say?

……

"Mum, I am so so sorry," I finally said.

"And Dad, I have taken into consideration what you have said previously about what you would do if this ever happened but please I can’t do this alone. I really need all the support I can get at the moment but if you both are not willing to do that, then I understand." I continued.

Mum cleared her throat and asked the questions I had also been expecting.

"When? How? Why? WHAT?" She just kept crying.

Another answer I didn’t want to provide. She is going to hate me now for lying to her that morning after the party.

"Well, do you remember that morning when you asked me where I was the night before and I told you I went to soccer training and then went to dinner with Georgia?" I looked up and Georgia’s face looked just as worried as mine probably was.

"Yes," Mum replied wondering.

"Well, we didn’t do any of that," Mum stared at us in shock as I continued,

"Me, Georgia, Lincoln and Tom all went to a party in Hamilton and got really drunk. I don’t remember most of it but it turns out Tom and I..." I trailed off.

"Ok for starters," Mum started yelling. Then I realised just how much trouble I was in, seen as though Mum never yells.

"1. You went to a party without asking permission and drank alcohol.

2. Got drunk and had sex with your best friend.

3. You bluntly lied to my face and

4. YOU’RE PREGNANT!" She continued.

"Yep, I am so sorry Mum. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen," I pleated.

"Yeah Yeah I get that. But why did you go to the party in the first place?" She was very upset.

I am glad Dad wasn’t talking. He still looked very angry and more shocked than ever now.

"To be honest, I have not a clue." I looked at Georgia.

"Why did we go to that party?" I asked G.

"One of the guys at school invited us and I guess we just went," George told Mum.

Dad jumped up, walked out the door (slamming it on the way out), got in his car and drove away. I looked where he drove out of the drive away in shock.

"Bronte and Georgia," She said calmly, flicking between the both of us.

"I am extremely disappointed in both of you, but I need to know Bronte, what are you going to do about this... situation," I knew she was refusing to say the word ‘baby’.

"I thought about abortion but you know what I have told you before, I would never do that! So, I am going to have this baby and keep it. But, I need your help," It wasn’t a question but I was hoping she would answer.

We sat there for a while and Georgia eventually joined the conversation. We told her everything Dr Hocking told us and a little bit of what Miss Rose said. Mum was disappointed I didn’t go to her first but she knew why I chose not to. She did eventually ask about the ‘fight’ between G and I but it was basically explained through everything else we talked about.

I did get a punishment though. I was grounded for 3 weeks with an exception of Georgia because Mum knew I would fall apart if I couldn’t see her.

Georgia rang her Mum later on to tell her she was staying at our house for the night. My Mum also rang Dad to see where he was but got voice mail. It seemed like the night was going on forever.

That night, Dad didn’t return home.