Chapter7
A few weeks after going to the park, Axel was taking a late afternoon nap. Abruptly, he was woken by his phone, buzzing nearby, letting him know he had a message. He sighed and got out of bed with a groan, bringing his grimy bedsheets along with him. They tangled around him, cocooning him for a moment and he struggled to walk straight as his legs were trapped together. “Oh, for fuck’s sake…” he muttered under his breath as he fought with his sheets.
All of a sudden, Eliza entered the room, picking up his phone. “Someone keeps messaging you!” she chimed with a smile on her face. As she stood there, looking at him with an innocent look on her face, she finally realized her brother’s conundrum. “Are you okay?” She giggled, hiding her mouth behind her small hand.
“Yeah. Totally. The bed monster is just trying to eat me…” His voice sounded muffled as he pulled the blanket up over his head, being dramatic for his little sister.
All of a sudden, she pounced on him, pushing him back on the bed. “I’ll save you!” she said gallantly as she tried to pry the sheets away from her brother’s body. The two of them playfully rolled around on the bed until finally, Axel fell off the side, his sister landing on top of him with a large thud. “See! I told you!”
“Oomph! You’re getting heavy, Liza!” he grumbled before he pulled her off him and started to get up. His phone dinged once again, notifying him that someone was trying to get in touch.
“Who is it?” Eliza asked curiously as she tried to look at his phone screen.
Axel snatched it from the nightstand, where she had left it before her valiant attack on the bed monster.
“I don’t know…someone friend requested me on Facebook and they’re sending me a bunch of messages.” Axel’s finger hovered over the keyboard as he hesitated to unlock his phone.
“I know! Maybe it’s that girl you told me about.” Eliza paused for a moment as she twirled the end of her braid between her fingers in contemplation. “Rita! That was her name. Maybe it’s Rita!” Eliza chirped, moving around him excitedly as she seemed to swell with enthusiasm.
Axel sat down on the edge of his bed. “I don’t know… let me check.”
Slowly, Axel unlocked his phone and then opened the Facebook app. Lo and behold, Rita Green had sent him a friend request. Axel took a moment to look at her profile picture. She was laying down on some sort of hardwood floor. Her perfect mahogany skin shone brightly in contrast to the light colored floorboards. Her cheeks were adorned by a bright light overhead that painted her face in an almost heavenly light. Axel’s heart quickened at the sight of her. He could feel his own body reacting to her dark eyes, full lips, and deliciously-pronounced collar bone. As his body surged with excitement, he crossed his legs in an attempt to hide his arousal from his sister, who stared at him expectantly.
“Who is it?” she peeped with curiosity when she caught him looking in her direction.
“No one. Just an old high school friend,” he lied smoothly.
Eliza pouted at the response, it obviously wasn’t what she had been hoping for.
“Why don’t you go and put some TV dinners in the microwave? It’s almost dinner time.”
“I’m not hungry,” she answered quickly. It was clear she was lying because in that moment her stomach growled.
“C’mon, I got the mac n’ cheese ones. Aren’t they your favorite?” Axel said with a slight smirk on his face.
Before he could convince her any further, she was already bounding out of the room. A few seconds later, he could hear the sound of the freezer being opened up. He grinned to himself before getting up and shutting the door. He stood there for a moment before finally opting to lock it. With his back against the brittle wood of the door, he opened the messenger app. There were three new messages from Rita. What on Earth was going on?
Hi, Axel… It’s Rita. I didn’t catch your number the other day. I had a really good time at the club with you, what do you say to a meet up sometime soon?
Axel grinned at his phone as he read the girl’s casual message. His mind wandered back to his night with her. So she had liked it. Axel leaned against the door a pleased look on his face. He could almost hear her loud, erotic moans filtering through his brain. His dick throbbed at the mental image before he looked down at his phone, noticing then that there were two more messages.
I got into a little fight with my dad, so I’m staying with my friend Carolyn. I think you mentioned noticing her. We can meet up there if you’d like!
Axel wondered where this Carolyn girl lives. Probably in another rich district. He shook his head trying not to think about the financial disparity between them. Forgetting it, he tossed on some old unwashed jeans. Axel ended up in front of his bureau. The mirror was filthy with small fingerprints. Axel sighed knowing he should probably clean it, but like everything else in the apartment, he was barely home to have time for such things. Dismissing the thought from his mind, he passed a comb through his dark, curly hair, making it somewhat presentable. When he was done he looked down at the final message on his phone.
So… um yeah just message me and we can decide on a time to meet up. I really want to see you again.
Axel chuckled. She seemed ever so eager. Had he really been that good? He had to admit that the time he spent with her in the car was one of the best nights of his life, but he was thoroughly impressed with himself. With a satisfied expression, he composed a response.
Hey, Rita. What’s up? Meeting up sounds cool. I should be free tonight if you’re down.
Just as Axel pressed the “send” button, there was a soft knock on the door.
“Axel? Are you in there? I made the TV dinners!” Eliza’s happy voice filtered through the door, making its way to Axel’s ears. His spirits heightened even more as he heard his sister. “Axel?” she repeated herself when there was no response. Another knock echoed through the room.
“I’m coming,” Axel finally answered as he shook his head, trying to erase Rita from his mind for the time being. He couldn’t allow himself to be built into a sexual frenzy, especially not in front of his baby sister. Maybe later, he would get lucky. He grinned, thinking about it for a moment before he pushed the naughty thoughts from his mind. Finally, he opened the door, looking down at his sister, laying a hand on her head, patting it gently.
“Let’s go eat.”
***
“It says he read the messages…but he hasn’t responded yet. Do you think I should send him another one?” Rita asked with a worried expression on her face.
“You don’t want to seem too needy. Just give him some time. I’m sure he’s just playing hard to get or something. I know I would.” Carolyn smirked as looked up from her textbook.
The dining room table was littered with her study materials as she furiously wrote on the back of note cards. There was already a sizable stack in the middle of the table.
Rita picked one up. On one side were the words “HBr Addition” and on the other was some complicated chemical formula. She stared at it as if it would solve all of her problems, but it just made her more frustrated instead. She put it down quickly with all the others before looking around, trying to find something that would occupy her mind. In the end, she looked back at the computer screen, her eyes glued to the little text box. Why wouldn’t he respond?
“What if he just never answers?” Rita whispered.
“He will. Stop worrying,” Carolyn answered quickly as she craned her neck further into her notebook. Her handwriting was small and fluid as she copied her notes.
“That’s easy for you to say. You aren’t the one who’s pregnant. Or the person who has to tell this guy he’s a father.”
“No, but I’m studying for a huge exam,” Carolyn retorted before she placed the tip of her pen against her lips, glaring at some chart she couldn’t understand.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Rita snapped.
“It means we are both really stressed right now,” Carolyn answered calmly as she placed her pen down. She rested her hands on her knees and then got up. “Study break.” She walked over to the small freezer and grabbed a tub of raspberry sorbet and two spoons. Grabbing a chair, she dragged it over to Rita’s side and handed her a spoon. “Come on. This will make you feel better,” Carolyn’s said gleefully as she placed a spoonful of the treat in her mouth.
Rita finally relented as she snatched up the spoon and dug in. She smiled to herself, enjoying the taste of the frozen sorbet as it melted in her mouth.
“This is really good…” Rita sighed in satisfaction.
“I told you.”
As the girls were about halfway through the small container, Carolyn’s laptop made a loud ding sound. Both of their eyes grew huge as they recognized the chime belonging to Facebook.
“Maybe it’s him…” Rita quickly scrambled her way over to the laptop. “It’s him!”
Hey, Rita. What’s up? Meeting up sounds cool. I should be free tonight if you’re down.
Rita read the message carefully. Her heart thundered in her chest as she realized that she was now responsible for telling this man about her pregnancy when they came face-to-face.
***
“Where are you going?” Eliza asked, tilting her head as she saw her brother getting ready.
“Nowhere important, don’t worry about it. I want you in bed by the time I get back, you hear me? And you…don’t go into my room because I’m bringing a guest over and she is very afraid of dogs.” Axel took a good look at the large Dalmatian, lazily curled up in the corner of the room.
“But Spot wouldn’t hurt anyone!” Eliza whined as she ran over and hugged the dog’s neck. “How could anyone be afraid of him?”
“Please, just do as I say,” Axel sighed as he grabbed his jacket. “I promise you can meet her tomorrow, okay?” Axel assured before he opened the door and exited the apartment. It was already late, but Rita had indicated that she didn’t mind.
He got in his car and took his time making his way to Carolyn’s house. Axel wondered why Rita’s father was angry with her. His fingers tightened on the wheel as he thought about his own life without a father. He was never in the picture and only seemed to come back to conceive Eliza after which he was gone for good. Axel wondered what it felt like to have a father figure in one’s life. Or a mother for that matter. His mother had done nothing but ignore him for most of his life, constantly locked up in her room like some kind of a hermit, afraid of her own shadow.
These thoughts plagued Axel’s mind as he cruised along the back roads, trying to stay within the speed limit. The last thing he needed was to be pulled over by the cops. He glanced at the glove compartment, knowing it was full to the brim with weed. He would have to do a round soon, but first, he would spend some time with Rita. He still had a bit of cash, so he wasn’t overly desperate just yet.
Finally, he parked his car on the street, looking at the solitary white house. There was a light on, in what looked like the kitchen. He checked the address one more time. This was it. With a bit of swagger in his stance, he got out of the car and made his way up the small walkway, approaching the door.
He rang the doorbell and waited. The door opened with a flurry, causing an artificial gust of wind which blasted against his face, making the tips of his dark hair flutter. Looking down, he locked eyes with Rita’s breathtaking face. Had she somehow gotten even more attractive? There was a radiating glow to her face, even though it looked slightly distressed. Her eyes were simply captivating. Axel felt his breath tighten and his muscles tense up as he awkwardly stood there, wondering what to say.
“I didn’t actually think you would come…” Rita murmured.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Axel answered quizzically, his face confused. His dark eyes narrowed in her direction. He rolled his shoulders and corrected his posture, making himself appear larger than he actually was, trying to impress her. “I never go back on my word.” He smirked with an air of pride.
“Thanks…when I didn’t get your number, I thought I would never see you again. But I have to tell you something. Important.” Rita’s voice cracked at the end of her statement.
Axel peered at her face, sensing that something was amiss. Slowly, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed his hand against her arm in an attempt to comfort her. “Hey, what’s wrong? You don’t look so great.” His voice was compassionate as he made the comment.
“Let’s sit down and then I’ll tell you…” Rita’s voice was little more than a whisper as she pointed to a set of patio chairs on the porch.
Axel nodded. “Okay.” He offered her a smile hoping it would encourage her.
When they finally sat down, Rita took a shuddering breath as she tried to process her thoughts. How was she going to break the news to him? How did you tell someone they were a father?
“I guess…I should just start with the truth.” She paused, her voice wavering. “I’m pregnant.”
Her words fell like a bombshell between them. Utter silence wrapped its way around the couple as Axel was left defenseless. Rita was pregnant? No, this couldn’t be happening.
“But… you’re on the pill aren’t you?” Axel blurted out as he tried to remember if he had used a condom or not, but with a sinking realization he came to the conclusion that he had spent the night with Rita completely bareback.
Rita solemnly shook her head. There was a look of horror on her face as she noticed Axel’s face become angry. His dark eyes narrowed and his fists clenched by his side. His jaw was locked shut and it seemed like he would never speak another word to her.
“Please…Axel don’t be mad. I didn’t mean for this to happen…I don’t really know what to do. My father found out and kicked me out. Carolyn took me in but she will be moving by the end of the week…” Rita was now teary-eyed as her whole body shook with nerves. She wanted to continue her plea, but she felt choked.
Axel ran his fingers through his dark hair, letting out a loud sigh. He was not expecting this at all. He was looking forward to a lust-filled night with Rita but she had suddenly bombarded him with this. Bile formed in his mouth, making him want to gag. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t be a father. He wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. Of course, he had nearly raised Eliza by himself, but that wasn’t the same as raising his own child. In a flurry, he got out of his chair and paced back and forth. What was he supposed to do?
Rita just sat there, unable to do anything else. She felt like she had completely destroyed his life. She could tell by the way he was reacting right now. He looked like he was about to lose it. The way the muscles on his arms were tensing up she feared he would punch a hole in something soon.
“So your dad kicked you out?” Axel was now standing before Rita, his legs spread apart in a very dominating position as he looked down at her, his face cloaked by the shadows of the night.
Rita felt a ripple of fear make its way through her body, covering her skin with goosebumps. Hesitantly, she nodded her head as she craned her neck looking up at the irate-looking man. “Yes. I tried to tell him it was an accident, but he was very angry and couldn’t be reasoned with…” Rita’s voice was humbled as she hung her head.
“And with your friend leaving, you’ll be without a place to go?” Axel’s voice was firm and serious as he presented the question.
Again, Rita nodded. Axel, seeing her response, sighed loudly. He had no choice. He had to take her in. If he didn’t, he would never forgive himself. He couldn’t just let someone who was pregnant live on the streets. If anyone knew how hard it was on the streets, it was him. He ground his teeth together as he thought about his rundown apartment. What would someone like Rita think of his almost unlivable home with its rust-colored water and peeling wallpaper?
“My home isn’t much…but it’s a roof over your head. If you want…you can live with me.” He paused. “Until you get back on your feet that is,” he added.
Rita’s face washed over in relief. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. Almost naturally, she got up and wrapped her arms around his body, hugging him tightly as her emotions fell through and she started to sob into his chest. Axel sighed once more, feeling her body shake against his own. He wanted to be angry at the situation he was now trapped in, but at the same time, he knew he couldn’t abandon this girl, especially now. It wouldn’t be right. He just had to believe that everything would work out from this moment forward.
With a semi-composed face, Axel straightened himself out, prying the sobbing girl off of his body. “Well, we should get going. It’s kind of late and I’m sure you want to go to sleep or something. Do you have any stuff you want me to put in the car?” Axel scratched the nape of his neck as he tried to think about anything else he should ask. This was all so strange to him. Never in his life had he pictured himself going through such a predicament, but he had made a mistake and now he had to take responsibility.
“Yeah… I have a suitcase, but I can carry it.” Rita walked inside, about to grab her bag, but Axel beat her to it, his powerful hand wrapping around the handle. He lifted it off the ground with ease and then promptly stowed it in the trunk. Rita stared at him as she took a step over the threshold, knowing she was about to start a new chapter of her life.