Pretending to be Pregnant

Fourteen

"You're what?" My father screamed, his eyes popping out of his head. I bowed my head in shame.

"How could you Esme?" My mother asked, her eyes sad and filled with tears. I shrugged my shoulders, almost wanting to cry myself.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered. But it was almost inaudible. Both my mother and father just shook their heads.

"I thought that we'd brought you up correctly Esme. We didn't expect you to end up a loser, with a child in your teenage years. What about school? What about college? Your dreams? Are you just going to give up on all of them, just to have a child?" I wiped my eyes as Ryan put a reassuring arm around me.

"Daddy I didn't plan this!" I begged. Dad just shook his head and turned away, whilst Ryan's mother opened her mouth to speak.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised. I mean, you are engaged. I'm a little disappointed too, but I suppose it can't be helped. The thing is, you're actually making a stab at this! You're not just falling at the first hurdle." She took a sip of her wine before continuing. "You know that I will always support both of you in whatever decision you make, but if you're doing this, you have to do it properly. That means getting married before the baby comes, setting up a stable home and working this out." Ryan nodded and looked at his mother.

"Thank you mum. Thank you so much." My parents just sat there and glared at me before sighing.

"She's right you guys. If you're going to be parents, you have to be grown ups." I nodded, tears stinging my eyes further. This lie was just getting bigger and bigger and now it had become uncontrollable. I was in deep shit.

Ryan grasped my hand and smiled at me. I looked away, feeling guilty about the whole situation. I hadn't even had time to think about Luke.

Oh god, Luke.

"So, what next?" Ryan's dad, Gareth, asked, clapping his hands together.

"I guess we decide on a date for the wedding." My mother whimpered. "Within in the next month, I suppose." She met my eyes once, before quickly dropping her gaze back towards the floor. My father sat there in silence, an expression of disapproval evident.

"I'm not sure that I'm willing to pay for this wedding anymore." My father said. "How can we be sure you're getting married for the right reasons?" I felt his eyes burning a hole in my head and I was instantly reminded of Luke. Maybe there had been some truth in his words.

"Can I have a word with you?" My mother addressed my father, before dragging him out of the room.

"So, how about four weeks today?" Ryan's mother asked me. I gasped. So soon?

"Sounds good." Ryan answered, looking eager. Again I was reminded of Luke. Could I really trust Ryan? This was all happening so fast. I just needed some time to think and take this all in.

"Would we be able to get everything sorted by then?" I asked, slightly unsure, whilst I twisted my engagement ring around my finger.

"I'm sure we could. I mean, you could go dress shopping next Saturday, although, I guess we need to know how big you're going to be." Ryan's mother told me, surveying my stomach for a moment.

"Only just around three months. I doubt I'll be that big." I told Ryan's mother. How could they not see that I was lying through my teeth? She nodded, thoughtfully.

"I suppose we can do it." Everyone turned towards the door as both my mother and father marched briskly in.

"Okay, so we have a proposal to make." My dad told everyone. "I will allow Esme to marry Ryan, but she will not be getting married until at least two months before the birth. I need to know I can trust Ryan and right now, I'm not sure I can." Protests began to emerge from around the room. "He just knocked my daughter up! Do you think I should trust him?" My father's booming voice cried. Everybody fell silent.

"I suppose that gives us time to get everything together." Ryan's mum said positively. Ryan's father agreed and soon the whole room was in agreement.

During the next half an hour or so, six things were decided. We came to the conclusion that;

I would be seven months pregnant when I got married.

I was getting married in five months.

Our parents would pay for the wedding, but after that, it was up to us.

I would still receive the monthly money from my shares in the business.

Within those five months, Ryan and I were to find a place to live.

And finally, within those five months, I needed to find a baby.