The Unexpected Pregnancy Pact

Riley and The Colonel's

Riley fidgeted with her hands.  She took her engagement ring off and placed it in her pocket.  

As she waited for the colonel's she placed her hands to the side, folded them on the table. placed them on her belly then back to the side again.

As she was figuring it out she saw her parents enter the restaurant.   Taking a deep breath she stood with a smile.

By the looks on their faces she could tell what they were thinking: that their daughter was heavily  pregnant.  That of all times to be pregnant was right before she was even out of college.   That had not been the plan for her at least according to them.  And then there  was the fact that she hadn't even told them.

"Hi mom," she said,  "hi dad."

Neither of her parents knew what to say so all her dad could muster was, "Uh, wow,  look at you."

Riley wanted to shy away,  she wanted to cover her belly but she could no longer hide this from them.  

They were both colonel's in the military and they'd gotten the same time off which was only two weeks.   Then they would be back to their jobs for the rest of the year.

"Yeah," was all Riley said.  She took her place at the table and her parents took their seats too.

They ordered their drinks and meals.  Riley started with desert first.

*****

"Um.. how far?" her mom asked with discomfort.

"Twenty-one weeks," Riley replied.

"My god," said her mom.

"Were you even going to tell us," her father asked.

Riley looked at them, "I didn't want this to be something over a text or a video chat."

"So telling us in person would be better hu?" asked her dad.

Riley's mom shook her head.

"How could you let this happen?" she asked.   "You're not even twenty three."

"It's complicated."

"Try us," said her dad.

"No."

"No?"

"You won't want to hear the truth.  I know what I'm doing."

"Oh, you know what you're doing," asked her dad,  "you let yourself get knocked up for crying outloud."

Riley cringed.

"Honey," her mom said as she placed a hand on her daughter's, "couldn't you have waited?  I was twenty-seven when I met your father and I didn't get pregnant with you until I was twenty-nine."

"Well I'm not you okay?  I'm doing what's right for me."

"And getting pregnant at such a young age is the right thing?  What about the baby's father, is he going to be involved?"

Riley diverted the question.  She didn't want to tell her parents the truth so she reluctantly pulled out her ring and slipped it on her ring finger.  She showed it to her parents.

"I'm engaged," Riley said to them.

"So now you're getting married because you're pregnant?" asked her father.   "Seriously, Rye, what the hell are you thinking?"

"I love Ace and he loves me shouldn't that be enough?"

"Not if it's out of obligation," said her mom.

"It's not.  Ace loves me and we're not getting married because I'm pregnant.   I mean sure the timing is weird but he was already planning to propose from the day we met.   You know it was just one of those things where you just know.  My babies don't change that."

"I'm sorry," said her dad,  "your what?"

Riley bit the inside of her lip.  "Yeah I guess I should've mentioned that sooner.  I'm pregnant with twins."

Riley's parents sat in stunned silence.

"Please," Riley said, "say something."

"What's there to say," asked her dad.

"Anything, please."

"Okay," her dad said.   "It's your life.   Do whatever the hell you want with it, you know don't finish college for that matter but just know I have never been more disappointed than I am now."

"Jim," said Riley's mom.

"No, Lisa.  If this is the life our daughter wants to lead then fine but don't ask me to be apart of it."

Jim tossed his napkin on the table and left abruptly.

Lisa gave her daughter an apologetic look.  

"Is that how you feel?" Riley asked.

"I don't know, sweetie.   Just give your dad some time.   He'll come around. "

"We both know how he is.  No he won't."

Lisa looked sad.  "I'm sorry but I should go after him."

"Mom, if he asks you to choose will you?"

Lisa didn't know how to answer that.   Yes, Jim would most likely make her choose.   She wouldn't want to.  She loved her husband and her daughter equally and couldn't stand to lose either.

Lisa stood and placed a kiss on top of her daughter's head.

"He'll come around."

That didn't answer Riley's question.  Without another word being said her mom left to follow her dad.

Riley sat there with tears in her eyes.   She quickly wiped them away. Her parents had already paid the bill so she got up,  making a quick stop to the restroom before leaving the restaurant.