My Life Would Suck Without You

Getting To Know You

Two weeks later, she agreed to meet him for a drink at lunchtime. Jai had a Sam Adams; Ariana, an Evian.

"Are you sure you want to be seen with me so close to work?", Ariana asked as Jai waved to yet another patron who seemed to know him.

Jai laughed. "They'll think we're having an affair."

"Better that, than we're having a baby."

He looked up sharply. "Are we? Are you ready to talk about it yet?"

"Not yet, but... soon. We can talk about it ... soon."

She stopped as Jai reached over and pulled something out of her hair, just a piece of lint, but it unnerved her, this gesture that was too intimate for old high school friends and she suddenly realized what a bizarre situation this was. There she was ... sitting with a man whom she'd crushed on all through high school and now ten years later, ten years too late, she found herself pregnant ... by that very same crush. Oh, she would have loved for this to have happened way back then. She would have relished it ... rubbed in the face's of all those jocks and brainaics, especially one particular, Ivy Michaels. But now... she realized she didn't even know him, sure she'd more than willingly pulled him into her bed, but that was just the final fulfillment of her high school dreams. It wasn't real. She didn't have a clue who he was. She didn't know his likes or dislikes. She didn't know if he was lazy or industrious, neat or a complete slob and yet... she was carrying his child.

Ariana tried to imagine what his life must have been like since they parted ways ten years ago. She knew he played professional basketball right after college and therefore, was thrown immediately into a high tax bracket with all the perks that entailed. His first large purchase would have been a vintage sports car, then the largest screen television currently on the market. Despite the reputations of sports stars, she knew he wouldn't have been overly flashing, however, but would have still spent his money on extravagant gifts: a cruise for his parents and jewelry for Ivy. Then, his first career ended abruptly, to be replaced by an even more lucrative one which he seemed to truly love, much like herself, in fact.

"Why are you smiling at me like that? Now people really will start to talk."

Jai's voice broke her train of thought and she realized she was gazing at him with a half-smile on her face, trying to figure out who he was.

"Sorry, I was just thinking what a ridiculous situation this is ... that I'm pregnant with your child, but I know nothing about you, not the grown-up you."

"Tell you what...", he said, smiling. "I'm not coddling you, but why don't you come over on Sunday. Come to my apartment and spend the day. Find out who I really am ... and I can do the same with you."

"Okay", she said, surprising herself. "I will."

"Okay." Jai finished the last of his lager. "Good."

ΞΞΞΞΞΞΞ

That night as she walked into her apartment, her cell started to ring.

"How are you, Ari?", Frankie asked, sounding more chipper than he'd sounded in weeks, since she told him about the pregnancy, in fact.

"I'm fine; how are you?"

"Never mind about me", he said a little too quickly. "Have you made a decision yet?"

"Frankie, I told you that I'd tell you as soon as I decided ... we'd decided. Don't push me, please."

She was nearly twelve weeks. That deadline was looming and yet all she could do was procrastinate. Why hadn't she just done it? Because she didn't want to think about it, that's why. Much less talk about it ... to Frankie or anyone else. She was still hoping it would all go away.