Chapter 8: Like Rabbits

With the barriers from refraining from sex abandoned, they went at it at every opportunity that came their way. And with the turn from spring to summer they went back to the forest preserve which gave them the privacy that having sex in the minivan could not.

As the end of summer came upon them Henry picked up Cindy on Saturday morning and headed to school, both having taken a morning college class. She was quiet, as if something was wrong, or maybe she was mad at him. Always on the cautious side Henry asked, “What’s wrong?”

Not making eye contact Cindy responded, “Nothing.”

Not buying it he pressed the matter lightly, “Nothing? Like I believe that. Come on Cindy what’s going on.”

Cindy nodded her head in the negative but said nothing.

Something was definitely wrong, and it was usually her Dad. So with that in mind he asked, “Is your Dad back on your case again about us? Or me?”

Shaking her head no she said, “No.”

Well, that usually was it with her, so it must be something new. He asked, this time with a little more forcefulness, “Then what’s going on?”

She finally broken down and sobbed openly, and through the tears she let it out, “I’m pregnant.”

Henry was proud of the fact that he didn’t slam on the brakes, or pile into the parked cars along the street, but he did pull over a little quickly and put the car in park. Of all the things that could have happened, this was the worst.

With a shaky voice he asked, “Are you sure?”

Fighting back tears while sniffing Cindy said, “Well, pretty sure.” But with that statement the tears began to flow from Cindy.

He leaned over and took her in his arms, “We were so careful.”

“I know! What are we going to do?” she cried.

His mind was clouded with fear, he knew what this meant IF she was pregnant. And it wasn’t his fear of Cindy’s Dad or his Mother. It was the impact to them. “I don’t know. Let’s get off the street though, maybe stop by Jane and talk to her.”

She nodded her head in agreement as she wiped away her tears. Henry put the car in drive and drove to Jane’s, currently the only safe place in the world that he could think of.

Henry parked the car and the two walked up to Jane’s door and knocked on the door. Before Jane answered Henry turned to Cindy, took her in his arms and said, “We’ll be fine. Everything will be fine.”

Jane answered the door in her big fluffy blue robe and matching slippers holding a big cup of coffee. “Hey you two. Shouldn’t you be in school?”

Nervously Henry said, “Yeah, well, we have a question for you. If you got the time.”

Her look of surprise at seeing the two of them at her door on a school day turned to concern as Jane said, “Sure. Anytime, come on in.” As they sat at the table Jane asked, “Can I get you something?”

Cindy shook her head as Henry said, “No thank you.” Looking Jane in the eye he continued, “Okay, let’s just jump into this. Cindy might be pregnant.”

“Might be? So, you’re not sure?” Jane asked.

“Cindy thinks she is, so, yes, might be” replied Henry.

Looking at Cindy Jane asked, “Why do you think you’re pregnant?”

In a shaky voice Cindy said, “Well, I’ve missed my period, which I have never, ever done.”

Waiting for more Jane asked, “Is that it?”

Shaking her head no she continued, “I am a little, sick in the morning.”

“Okay. So, you should take a pregnancy test first. And if it’s positive, they are pretty good, then, well, you are pregnant.” Jane got up from the table and retrieved her purse from the counter. She pulled her wallet out and retrieved fifty dollars. Coming back to the table she handed it to Henry and said, “Go to the pharmacy and pick up a pregnancy test.”

“What? Me?” He asked pleadingly at Jane.

“Yes, you and Cindy. Go!” she said sternly.

Henry got up from the table and took the money from Jane and helped Cindy up and walked out the door.

As the two left Jane sat down with a thud and put her head in her hands and tried with all her might to hold back the tears. So many years have passed yet the pain is still there. With any hope, this is just a scare, and the two would come away from this with a better understanding of what is at stake when you play adult games. Hopefully it is only a lesson, and not a life changing event.

Henry and Cindy picked up a couple of tests and came back to Jane’s. As they walked into the house Jane looked at Cindy and asked, “Okay, do you have to pee?”

“Yeah. But not if everyone is waiting for me to” she said embarrassingly.

Jane smiled and said, “Oh, if you think this is embarrassing, just wait.”

She pointed to the bathroom and said, “Okay these are pretty easy, pee on the end of the stick and wait five minutes and it will tell you. So, if you and your shy bladder are ready, go for it.”

Cindy took the stick and went into the bathroom, and as soon as the door closed Jane grabbed Henry’s arm and turned him to her, and as their eyes locked she said with great emotion, “Okay now Henry, if she IS pregnant, YOU need to step up and be a man. You stand by her, and protect her from her Father. SHE needs to be safe from him, and SHE needs to know that YOU WILL BE THERE FOR HER! SHE, until that baby is born is YOUR WORLD! And when the BABY is born BOTH of them will be YOUR WORLD. Be the MAN that I know you are! Step up and protect her. Fight her Dad and YOUR MOTHER! DO NOT let her go through this alone.”

Though Henry had a half a foot advantage over her, he was intimidated by Jane. Never had she been so passionate when she talked to him, and it caught him by surprise, but he nodded his head yes,

The toilet flushed and Cindy walked out holding the stick and said, “Okay, five minutes. Right?”

Jane shook her head and said, “No, two minutes.”

Cindy gave Henry the stick and said, “I can’t look. You do it.”

Henry took it and looked at the stick, there was a little pink line in both of the windows, which Henry thought was a negative. But not being sure looked at Jane and said, “Well, there are little pink lines through the two, windows. What does that mean?”

Jane looked at the box to confirm what she knew and said, “Well Cindy, you are pregnant.”

Henry went to Cindy immediately and took her in his arms and said softly, “it’s okay, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” Henry was at a loss of what else to say. But the words that Jane had spoken to him not moments ago rang out in his mind, and he latched onto them with all his might. Cindy needed him, he needed to be there for her. And he needed to do this not only for Cindy, or the new life that was growing in her, but for him. This was one of those moments in life that defines who you are. And he wanted everyone to know who he was, what he stood for, and what he would do for Cindy and the baby.

Jane watched the two hold onto each other, and knowing that it was only going to get tougher, she hoped that they were strong enough to make it through it together. She doubted it, with all the bullshit they are likely to get from Her Father and His Mother. But she knew that she would be there for them, no matter what.

After a few minutes Henry said, “Sit down and let’s figure out what our next step is.”

Thinking that it be best that she start it off Jane began, “Okay you two, if you want my advice, tell your parents right now. Don’t wait to tell them, tell them now because what will happen will impact them and they need to know. And they should be brought into whatever decisions that needs to be made. Lean on them for support, even if you don’t think you know what they will say or do, you need to give them a chance.”

“She’s right Cindy. Everything before was, guessing. Now, well, now we get to see where everyone stands. We need them.”

“I know, but I’m so scared. My Dad will kill me Henry.”

“He will have to get through me first. Together. You and I. No matter what happens you can count on me.”

Jane placed a hand on Henry’s shoulder and mouthed good job, and left them alone in the kitchen, she spoke her mind and felt that they need to work things out.

After Jane had left Cindy and Henry sat down and talked things out, they would go to her house and tell her Mom first, and then her Dad. Then they would go to Henry’s and reverse the order, telling his Dad first and then his Mother. He wasn’t sure who he worried about more, her Dad or his Mother.

Satisfied that they had everything covered, well as much as they knew about, they called Jane over and informed her they were on their way to Cindy’s house to talk to her parents.

Before they could leave Jane hugged Cindy and said softly so only she could here, “I love you and I will be here if you need to talk.”

Cindy smiled and whispered back, “Thanks.”

As she let Cindy go she grabbed Henry and hugged him saying, “Remember what I said to you.”

Knowing what was before him he smiled and said, “Will do.”

As they drove silently to Cindy’s home, Henry realized that they had a lot to talk about and little to do it. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough time and they would need to talk later.

Henry pulled up to the house and parked behind her dad’s car. He turned off the car and sat back before asking, “Do you want to talk about it before going inside?”

Cindy sat silently before shaking her head no.

“Okay, let’s go in.” He got out of the car and waited for Cindy, she was still sitting in the car and hadn’t moved. He rubbed his head and walked around the car and leaned into the window, “I know you don’t want to go in, but Jane is right, we need to do this.”

Cindy looked up at him, nodding her head as she wiped away the tears. Henry opened the door and let her get out, for a brief moment he caught a glimpse of her eyes before she turned away, those eyes that spoke of kindness and love showed nothing of that, they showed fear and dread that the coming minutes were to hold for her.

He screamed inside at his thoughtlessness for putting Cindy in this position. Of all the people in the world, she was the one person whom he never would have hurt. Yet, here they are, walking into her home to tell her parents that she was pregnant, and he was the father.

As they walked into the house his only thought, his only desire, was to protect Cindy. He might have failed once, but he will never fail again. Never.

Cindy coughed to clear her throat as she walked into the kitchen where her mom was cleaning up.

“What are you doing here, don’t you have class?” she asked.

“We did, but, we didn’t go” she replied as she walked over to her mom.

“Why not? Are you sick?” she asked concerned.

Shaking her head she said, “No, I’m not sick.”

Henry was beside her and saw the look on her mother’s face, she knew something was wrong even before Cindy said anything. And without a word being spoken she knew as Henry saw the blood drain out of her face.

In a quiet yet forceful voice she said, “For the love of God Cindy, please do not tell me your, pregnant!”

Henry looked at Cindy who was frozen in fear. He quickly replied, “She is.”

Her mother rolled her eyes and walked around the table away from them and looked into the front room, no doubt that’s where her dad was. She came back wringing her hands and walked directly before them and quietly said, “Damn you two! I thought you had more sense!”

She paced back and forth a couple of times before stopping before them saying, “Well, no sense in putting this off.” Looking at Henry she said, “I think its best that you leave.”

He shook his head, “No. I can’t do that.”

She looked at him sternly, “Do you know what will happen if you stay?”

“It doesn’t matter, I’m here for Cindy, and I’m not going to leave her.”

She shook her head, both in disgust and anger, “Fine. Let’s go” and slowly began walking away, but he did hear her mutter, “The one thing he can’t do!”

He put his arm around Cindy’s shoulder and said, “I love you.”

Cindy didn’t say anything but she did place her head on his shoulder, which spoke volumes. He pulled her tightly to him and kissed her on the head as they followed her mom.

“Mike, you doing anything” called out her mom.

“No, fixing the phone jack. Somebody pulled it out and the connector is broken” he yelled back.

They walked out of the kitchen and into the front room, her dad was kneeling on the ground next to a small table where the phone sat.

“Mike, why don’t you put down the tools so we can have a talk.”

He stropped was he was doing and looked at her with a perturbed look as he asked, “I’m almost done can it wait?”

“Yes, but, we should talk now.”

He shook his head and stood up, “Okay, what’s up?”

“Cindy’s pregnant.”

And then things went into slow motion. He turned to square himself towards Henry, and for a brief moment he got bigger, as if he was transforming into the Hulk. But he hadn’t gotten bigger, he got closer.

Henry could see clearly the anger of the man racing towards him, his hands clenched in fists, his face becoming twisted and red with rage. He saw the fist being pulled back as he stepped forward. He knew what was coming. He could have moved away or blocked the punch it, but he did neither. He allowed him to take his rage out on him. This was the first penance he was to pay for failing to protect Cindy. He’ll take the beating.

He had landed first punch, to the side of the head, before Henry covered up. He began screaming at him, threatening to cut off his balls and feed them to the dogs as he landed more punches. Henry moved back under the onslaught until he felt the wall against his back stopping him.

It was about this time that he became aware of the screaming of Cindy and her mother begging him to stop the assault on him. But it continued until her mother grabbed a hold of him that stopped it.

“You fucking piece of shit! I should kick the living shit out of you and toss you out of my fucking home! Did you force her? Huh! Did you rape her?!”

“Daddy, no”

“Shut up Cindy, I am talking to this fucking piece of shit!”

“Mike! Stop it right now! Henry wouldn’t force Cindy!”

He grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him close to his face saying, “He pushed her into it!”

Cindy’s Mom grabbed her husband’s arm to pull him away from Henry, “I doubt that! It takes two.”

He let Henry go screaming at him “No. He fucking pushed her. Forced her!”

Cindy’s Mom screamed back “Dammit Mike. No he didn’t.”

“Right! And she just ends up pregnant!” pointing to Cindy.

“Things happen!”

He looked at her like she had two heads, “Things happen?!? What the fuck does that mean. Things happen? Shit!”

He turned back to Henry “I want you OUT of my house and I never want to see you here again!”

Henry looked him in the eye and nodded. He turned to Cindy, “Love you”

As Cindy replied back through free flowing tears, her father yelled out load “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!”

For a brief moment Henry wanted to give Cindy a hug, but Cindy’s mother must have known what he wanted to do and stepped away from her husband and towards Cindy taking her in her arms. He nodded his head and walked out of the house.

Odd, he thought to himself, he didn’t feel the pain, he knew he was punched and when he was punched in the past he felt it, but there was no pain. Maybe it was the adrenalin.

However painful the last part had been, it wouldn’t compare to what was yet to come. He stopped in front of his house and said to himself, Okay, time to get prepared to go into the lion’s den. Okay, take some deep breaths to gather myself, got it, count to a billion, and walk inside. Nothing to it!

He shook his head and said softly, “Wimp.” Without a thought he walked up the stairs and into the house and saw his Mother in the kitchen.

In the past when he found himself in a position that would bring the wrath of his Mother upon him two things would always happen to him. The first was the anal pucker squeeze. It was so tight that even if he hadn’t had a bowel movement in four days and he was in immense pain his anus was like the Hoover dam keeping the water at bay. The second was the butterflies that would get him so worked up that his entire digestive system would do flip flops for the ensuing days.

The worst of it was at the beginning because as his digestive system goes haywire and with his sphincter clenched tightly, there was only one way for stuff to go.

But today there was none of that. As he walked into the house his thoughts were on Cindy and the child that grew within her. His child. And he was worried not for himself but for Cindy and her safety from her Father who was undoubtedly berating and bullying her for the position that she found herself in. He didn’t think of himself or what was to become of him, or the trouble that he would presently place himself in, it just didn’t matter. It was about Cindy and her safety.

He walked into the house, hiding his face by keeping it to the darkness along the stairs as he made his way up to his bedroom. But his luck, as it was for most of the day, was not with him as his Mother called out, “Henry, your home early. Come here and help set the dinner table please.”

He was done for. Nothing to do now except get it over with. He took a deep breath and headed to the kitchen. His Dad was sitting at the table reading the newspaper as his Mother prepared dinner. It was like a Norman Rockwell painting. And now he was going to shit all over it. So much for the quiet peaceful life of a teenager!

His Mother turned to him saying, “Get the plates from the dishwasher”

And that’s where it ended.

“Oh my God Henry, what happened to you!” she screamed.

He shook his head, “I’m okay, and it’s nothing to worry about.”

She was at his side in nothing flat looking at his face closely, “You’ve been in a fight!”

He moved away from her saying, “No, I was”

She put her hands on her hips and asked him sternly. “Was it that Alex boy?”

Rolling his eyes “No Mother, it wasn’t”

She scrunched her face as she replied, “Well it can’t be those two other boys, Frankie and Stevie. One ran away and the other is in jail.”

He went quickly past her into the kitchen, “He is NOT in jail Mother, and he’s at St. John’s Academy.”

She followed him, “Well, good riddance I say. Who did this to you? This time.”

He looked up to the heavens, this time? What the fuck! This time!?!

“Is there someone new who is bullying you?” she asked sadly.

He shook his head, “No Mother I’ve”

She out her foot down, “I saw it on the news, bullying is a real problem now.”

He got a glass from the cabinet “No Mother I wasn’t bullied. Listen I’ve got to tell you, both of you”

“Than its drugs! Oh my god you’re on creck!” she screamed.

He turned and looked at her like she was crazy. “Creck?! No mother, it’s called crack.”

Her hand went up to her mouth as she replied “Oh my God! You know what it is!”

“MOTHER! We saw the same show on television! Please, let me explain” he said VERY loudly bringing his Dad up from his paper.

His Mother reached out placing a hand on his shoulder and lovingly said “Henry, we will get you the best doctors that money can buy. We will kick this thing together!”

Nearly screaming he replied, “MOTHER. Will you PLEASE let me talk!”

His Dad finally spoke up, “Will you let him talk!”

He smiled at his Dad saying “Thanks Dad.”

He took a deep breath and said, “So, I was at Cindy’s”

His Mother stomped on the ground “She did this to you!?!”

He turned to look at his Mother yelling, “Mother! Can you PLEASE let me finish!”

Indignantly looking at him she said, “Well if she is beating you up you should dump her!”

Throwing his hands up in the air he yelled, “Mother she’s not beating me!”

Finally a glimmer of hope was seen as his Dad jumped into the conversation, “Can you let the boy finish.”

She looked sternly at her husband saying “Well if THAT girl is beating him up we should call the police!”

“Mother! For God’s sake she didn’t beat me up.”

“Do NOT take the Lord’s name in vane!”

“What! Oh for the love of, the man above! For the last time Cindy didn’t do this to me! Her Dad did!”

“George, call the police! Cindy’s father is a menace to society! Beating up boys! Has he done this before?”

He shook his head, “This is unbelievable! He beat me up because Cindy is, pregnant.”

“That whore!” his Mother screamed out.

Stunned Henry yelled “Mother!”

“Well what do you call a girl who does those things!”

He turned to his Mother looked her in the eye and proudly said, “Well, I had something to do with it.”

Shocked she looked at him, “You!?”

Surprised at what he said he tried to recover, “Well, yeah.”

His Mothers eyes got huge! “Oh my God! She raped you?!? George, call the police. Cindy is a child molester and is a menace to society!”

“WHAT! No! I’m older than she is!”

“Oh my God, she’s a Lolita! She forced you into sex with her, charms!”

“Mother!”

“That whore!” she yelled.

Shaking his head and looking at her sternly he replied, “Don’t call her that Mother.”

“Well, that’s what she is!” she replied defiantly.

Gritting his teeth he replied ‘No she isn’t.”

“A common whore who spreads her legs trying to snare young boys!”

Slamming his hand down on the table he yelled “Do NOT call her that!”

“I forbid you from seeing that whore.”

He lost it at that point, “She is NOT a whore! Fuck! She is carrying MY child! Your Grand Child! And you better NEVER call her a whore again! You hear me Mother! Never the FUCK again!”

His Dad jumped up and yelled, “Henry, calm down, and apologize to your Mother.”

“Hell No!” Pointing to his Mother he said, “NOT until she stops calling Cindy a whore!”

“HENRY. She is your mother, show some respect!”

Throwing his hands up in the air he replied, “Why? She shows me none. Bitching at me, picking on my friends, calling Cindy a whore.”

He placed his hand on his shoulder and said, “She’s only trying to protect you. Like a good mother should.”

That touch seemed to diffuse his anger. “Well, sometimes she should just leave me the,” he wanted to say fuck but held back, which was not lost to either of his parents.

With a softer voice but still showing a defiance his Mother said, “She is still a”

Whatever calm was gained by the simple placement of his Dad’s hand on his shoulder was lost, “Will you stop it! What the fuck is wrong with you! I love her”

His Dad yelled loudly, louder than both Henry and his Mother, “HENRY. Please be quiet”

His Mother quickly jumped in “Yes, listen to your father.”

His Dad turned to his Mother, “And you! You, you need to go upstairs and let Henry and I talk.”

“What!”

“If you can’t hold your tongue than you need to leave.”

That defiance that she exuded came forward in an exacting and targeted direct assault on her husband, “I am his mother, and I have every right to be here.”

He stared at her for a moment before sternly replying, “NOT if you cannot be civil. Now, go upstairs.”

She crossed her arms in defiance, “No.”

He turned to his wife slowly squared his shoulders and in a soft but forceful voice said each word distinctly, “I will drag you up those stairs” stopping and pointing, “while you are kicking and screaming and lock you in our bedroom.”

With a twinge of fear she said, “You wouldn’t dare!”

Still using the same tone, “We don’t need this drama of yours. If you are incapable of having an adult conversation then you need to leave.”

Her last card was played, “What about dinner.”

He smacked the table hard, causing the plates and silverware to jump as he loudly said, “I don’t give a damm about dinner! There are more important things than dinner!”

For the first time EVER, his Mother was quiet. She looked at her husband as she wrung her hands a couple of times before heading upstairs.

His Dad moved away from the table and went into the dining room and came back with a bottle of Scotch and two glasses. He sat down opened the bottle and poured it out into the two glasses.

Softly he asked, “Did, did you force her Henry?”

Stunned that his Dad thought they would ever do that to Cindy he replied as he sat down, “Oh God no Dad!’

Taking a drink he replied, “That’s good. Makes the next part easier.” He downed the remainder of his scotch and poured another.

He looked at Henry in the eye and said, “First off, I’m sorry that I failed you.”

“Failed me? I’m the one that, got me into this.”

“No, not that. I failed in protecting you from your Mother. I know how she is, and I, allowed, her to take control of our home and everything within it. I should have been there for you, to help guide you through, life, and not shirked my responsibilities to you. I’m sorry that, things went the way they did.”

He downed his drink before continuing, “There is nothing I can do about what has happened before, but from here on out, I will move heaven and earth for you. I will be here to help you with whatever it is you need.”

“Thanks Dad.”

His dad poured another and asked, “So, what is it that you are going to do?”

“Well, Cindy and I haven’t really talked too much on what we want to do.”

Waiving his hand he said, “Stop. This is not a question of what you and Cindy want, this is a question of what YOU want” he said as he pointed to Henry.

He sat back in the chair, “Well, I’m not sure. If we keep the baby.”

Shaking his head his Dad said, “Henry. You have skipped ahead in the book of life, so to speak, and you are trying to play catchup. Your approach is probably correct, that you consider what you and Cindy are going to do, but that is not the question I asked. What do YOU want to do?”

“I don’t think I can answer that without knowing what Cindy wants.”

His dad shook his head, “Okay. If you were married, or engaged, or were older and had the ability to provide financial support, the questions would be different. And I am not knocking you our belittling your feelings or commitment. What I want you to do is think only of yourself because you need to know what you want to do. YOU. Not You and Cindy. Not Cindy. Not Me. Not your Mother, your friends, or Cindy’s parents. This question is all about you. Put a stake in the ground. Take a stand. Tell me what YOU want to do.”

He thought about it for a moment before saying, “I don’t know.”

Shaking his head, “That’s a boy’s answer, and you are well past the point of being a boy. You gave up that right by having sex with Cindy. I don’t mean to be harsh or critical, but you brought this on yourself and you are far past the point of using your inexperience, your youth, as an answer. You NEED to understand that from now on YOU have responsibilities that extend past your own.” He let that sink in before saying, “But, if you want others to make the decisions for you, than be the boy.”

“I, I’m not willing to do that. To allow others to make decisions about my life.”

Nodding his head in agreement he replied, “Okay. So the question is, what do YOU want.”

“But what about Cindy?”

“Henry, it’s good that you are thinking about Cindy, but this is NOT about Cindy, it’s about you. You need to know what you want so you can understand what that means for you, and defines what you are willing to do, what you are capable of doing, long before you sit down with Cindy. This, discussion we are having, is about what YOU want, not Cindy, not you and Cindy, YOU. And before you can decide on what you want to do, you must face certain things. You need to know what you are willing to do, what you are willing to give up, what you are willing to do without, and how far you are willing to go. And, yes, these are tough questions. For most people, these types of conversations are, done differently, where you both talk openly about what you want. I get the feeling that neither of you will be able to have that conversation without someone there, don’t know why as there is little chance of anything else happening between you two that could make matters worse.”

Henry just stared at his Dad, who shook his head saying, “Sorry, tried to lighten the load. And failed.”

Feeling a little bit better Henry replied, “I just, I just don’t know...”

His Dad sat back and placed his hands on the table and said matter of factly, “Than you have made your choice. You are going to let other people make the decision for you.”

Henry leaned forward saying “But I don’t want that.”

His Dad leaned forward quickly seizing on what Henry said, “Than you need to make a choice.”

Excitedly he replied, “But what if I make the wrong choice!”

He reached out and touched his hand, “Henry, what we are doing is just discussing what you want to do, and it will be between you and I. Nothing more. It is NOT a, commitment to the future, if anything what I want you to get out of this are the possibilities that lay ahead, for you to begin to think of the repercussions to the choices before you, and at have a plan and goals for when you begin to move forward. Because, when we begin to talk with Cindy and her parents, in some respects, the choices are not yours and Cindy’s, everyone will be impacted, and everyone will have something to say. And, this could lead to many hard feelings that may last a lifetime. These things are inevitable, but, if you know what you want, and can articulate it well enough, and, and this is very important, be respectful, courteous, and open, you may be able to keep everyone from losing their minds.”