I Didn't Know...

"What do you mean we can't do the honorable thing?" she asked. "What are you talking about? I thought you were doing the honorable thing by trying to offer some type of support."

"Oh, I thought the honorable thing in these instances was to either marry you or pay for the abortion," he said. "And we know that marriage is out..."

"Why is marriage out?" she asked.

He just looked at her and sputtered.

"So, I'm good enough for you to fuck, but that's all, right?" she spat. "Well, don't flatter yourself. For me the sex wasn't even any good."

"It wasn't good for me either," he spat. "You're too fucking needy."

"If by needy, you mean that I didn't get off or come close to it, you're right," she said. "Think about it from my point of view. You flattered the shit out of me. I thought I was having a nice dinner with an attractive young man. After dinner we went back to you place where you seduced me. I fell for all of the bullshit because I thought something special would happen. I thought it was going to be something that I'd been missing. I built it all up in my mind and even though I knew that it was wrong, I wanted to experience it. And all that happened was that some BOY, basically jacked off using my pussy."

He looked at her and the word "BOY" pissed him off. "I was enough of a man for us to have sex," he smirked.

"WE didn't have sex," she said. "YOU did. A man would have at least gotten me involved. A man would have fucked me. A good man would have made love to me and lit me on fire. All you did was to get me warmed up and leave me pissed off, unsatisfied, frustrated and feeling like I'd been cheated out of something. And if you knew the value of what I've been cheated out of, you wouldn't be trying to sneak in here and make a fucking under the table deal, to guard your precious reputation and future."

"But I'm young," he said. "I have my whole life ahead of me. I don't want to be tied down to a woman who's only a few years younger than my mother and..."

"Then you shouldn't have stuck your tiny little dick in me," she spat. "I think I'm definitely going to file for child support. I just don't trust you. But while we're here, how much visitation should I expect you to seek?"

"None," he said, looking shocked. "Why the fuck would I want to visit YOUR kid? Isn't it bad enough, I'll have to pay for it? My lawyer did suggest that I could make you a one-time offer to do something about it."

"So your lawyer thinks that I should allow you to pay for the cost of murdering our child?" she spat.

"Well, I'd be willing to throw a few thousand more on top of the costs to pay for your pain and suffering," he said.

"Murder the child and then sweep it under the rug with shut-up money huh?" she said. "Fuck you, Ted. I'll see you in court."

"If I'm still in this state," he muttered under his breath.

The days that followed were a whirlwind of stress for my mom. She had to get a lawyer. She had several doctor's appointments. Her doctor referred her to a specialist on pregnancy in middle aged women. She went to work, came home, made all kinds of phone calls and cried a lot.

Ted and his lawyer kept increasing the amount of money he'd pay for mom to get an abortion. And from what she told me, she was seriously considering it. No one thought it was in her best interest to have the child. Her doctors worried about both her age and her fragile mental state. Mom worried about exactly how she was going to support the baby. She'd be off work for a considerable amount of time afterwards and she'd probably need to start looking for a place to live soon, although Dad had never once mentioned her leaving.

During those awful first two weeks after discovering that she was pregnant, as much as she tried, Don just seemed to avoid talking to her. Things between them were actually worse than they'd been when Don first found out about Mom and Ted.

Don had gone back to being polite. It was literally tearing my mom apart. Then things got even worse. Ted's lawyer sent Mom a paper that claimed that Ted doubted that the child was even his. He'd worn a condom when he and mom had sex. He'd heard that Mom had been having sex with someone other than him so it was possible that he wasn't the baby's father at all. Until a DNA test could be performed, he refused to pay for anything.

The escalating tension between Mom and Ted was affecting their performance at work as well. The owner of the company was worried about whether or not the company might be drawn into it. Either of them might be able to claim that the other was creating a hostile work environment. So to save the company from any possible liability, he fired both of them.

Mom's lawyer quickly filed some kind of injunction to prevent Ted from leaving the state, before things between them could be resolved. Ted's lawyer counter-filed and accused Mom of trying to trap Ted. They had a hearing set for the next morning.

But just when things looked their worst, they got better. Mom told me that she was sitting on the sofa crying her eyes out. She had no idea what she'd do. She was pregnant, she was in fragile health. Time was running out on her being able to safely terminate the pregnancy. She'd lost Dad. She couldn't even begin to tell him how sorry she was. She'd ruined both of their lives, just when they discovered how much they felt for each other. She had to find a new place to live and another job and she had no illusions about being hired while she was pregnant. Losing her job meant losing her health insurance.

There she was at the lowest point she'd ever been at in her life. She told me it felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on her shoulders. And then someone was rubbing her shoulders. She looked up into Don's eyes and saw nothing there but love. She started crying all over again. She was so glad that he was there that she didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry if I let you down," he said. "I got a little selfish there for a while. It won't happen again."

She just nodded and pulled him down on the couch next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and they just lay there on the couch together. She told Dad about everything that was going through her mind. He didn't do the guy thing and try to fix all of her problems, he just listened. She kept talking until she fell asleep. She woke up the next day still lying next to him.

"If you don't mind listening, I think I can help you with your problems," he said.

Mom just nodded her head. She was so happy she couldn't speak. All of her problems seemed lighter with Dad back in her corner.

"Wait a minute," she said, jumping up and running out of the room. While she was gone Dad called in and told them that he wouldn't be in to work that day. He also called me and told me to take the day off and meet them at the courthouse.

When mom got back in the room, Dad was waiting for her. "Morning sickness?" he asked.

She shook her head and sat down in his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her boobs against his chest. "Morning breath," she said. Then she started kissing him.

"I have to be in court soon," she said. "I don't want to waste the time I have talking or eating."

After they finished whatever they did, Mom asked Dad about his solutions to her problems.

He told her that he'd tell her after they got back from court. She almost cried again when she found out that he was going with her.

I slipped into the court room shortly after things got started. I had trouble finding the room. It didn't seem at all like the court cases on TV. I guess I was expecting a trial like atmosphere and this was merely a hearing. The lawyers argued back and forth and even the judge was becoming tired of it all. He looked as if he was about to say something when Dad raised his hand, like he was in school.

The judge noticed him. "You don't have to raise your hand," he snapped. "This isn't the fourth grade."

"Your honor, I've been listening to all of this and I think I have a solution that might work for everyone," said Dad.

"I've been sitting at the bench for over twenty years," said the judge. "And I don't see a solution to this problem that works for everyone. The adults here obviously don't like each other and they're both trying to make it seem like the other party is solely responsible for all of the wrong doing. In cases like this, I have to come up with a solution that is in the best interest of the innocent child. But I'm willing to listen to whatever you have to say."

The lawyers looked at Dad and then at each other. They both sat down.

"Your honor, Ted wants to get a job out of state. He doesn't want to have anything to do with Marlene. He really wants to put all of this behind him. He considers this whole experience a huge mistake. He thinks Marlene is trying to ruin his life, over what started out as a joke. Am I somewhere in the ballpark Ted?"

"You're batting .400," said Ted. "Miguel Cabrera's batting average isn't that high.

"Marlene agrees with Ted," continued Dad. "But only about the fact that what happened between them was a huge mistake. What she wants him to do is take responsibility for what happened between them. At the same time, she isn't going to be able to work much during the pregnancy. So she'd like some type of support and help with her medical bills, which is reasonable, right Honey?"

Mom smiled and nodded.

"My solution takes one of two forms. Marlene gets to choose which one she goes for..."

"Wait a minute. Why don't I get a choice?" whined Ted.

"Because neither of them involves you Ted until after the baby is born," said Dad. "We'll get to your choice later."

"I get a choice too?" asked Ted.

"Yes Ted," said Dad. "You get a choice."

"Shit, that's better than anything she offered," said Ted.

"Language," said the judge.

"Anyway," said Dad. "Marlene prides herself on being a strong and independent woman, but in this case, I think she needs some help. I would be willing to pay for her doctor's visits and living expenses until the baby is born and the DNA test proves that Ted is the father. That way Ted could go and find himself a job anywhere in the world he wants and not have to worry about Marlene. When the baby is born, Ted could reimburse me." Mom smiled, Ted smiled, even the lawyers smiled.

"I'll go for it," said Ted.

"You don't have a choice in this part," snapped the judge.

"What was your second idea?" asked the judge.

"Uhm I'm not sure, Marlene would like this one," said Dad. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box that I'd shown my mom before all of this started. Mom's scream was heard in every courtroom and hearing room in the building. She pushed her lawyer out of the way and jumped on Dad so hard she knocked him over onto the floor where she started kissing him. Between kisses she just kept screaming, "Yes."

The judge banged his gavel several times mildly to call the court back to order.

"I'll agree to that," said the judge. "I see your logic too. If the two of you are married, she could easily be added to your health insurance. Mr. Ramsey could reimburse any expenditures after the DNA results if that is acceptable to all parties."

"It sounds good to me," said Ted.

"This is where you get your choice asshole...I mean Ted," said Dad.

"I'm listening," said Ted.

"How would you like for this whole thing to be over?" said Dad. "No more hearings, no court dates, no DNA, you just move on with your life?"

"Who do I have to kill?" asked Ted. The judge looked at him.

"All you have to do is sign over your parental rights," said Dad. "Marlene and I'll take it from there. But it means that you won't be able to visit the child without our okay and..."

"Get me the papers. I don't want to visit the kid anyway. You don't even have to tell the kid that I exist," said Ted. "I just want out of this and I'd..."

"Wait," said the judge. "So, you're going to help raise this woman's child and be responsible for it until the child is of legal age?"

Dad nodded. "I'd have to have some type of assurances and..."

"Is a legal adoption acceptable?" asked Dad.

The judge nodded and Mom started kissing Dad again.

"But why would you...?" began the judge. "You're letting this snake get away scot free."

"Your honor, I feel like I'm getting the best part of the deal," said Dad. The judge just looked at him, waiting for an explanation.

Dad pointed at me. "Your honor, that beautiful young lady there made the decision for me. I've known and had a small hand in raising her from the time that she was about eight years old. She has brought only joy into my life from the first second I laid eyes on her. She thinks she's my daughter. I think so too and no one will ever be able to tell us any different. So maybe this time, I'll get to be there for the first eight years too. Every second of happiness I get from her, is like a gift I got from whoever her father was supposed to be. The only difference this time is that I'll actually have seen the guy.

"I'll arrange the adoption myself," said the judge. "The lawyers for both parties will write up the formal documents and submit them to me within ten business days, court is adj..."

"Wait," I yelled, just as the judge was about to bang his gavel. He looked at me strangely as I walked towards the table.

"I thought everyone was happy," he said.

"Your honor, if my dad marries my mom and adopts my soon to be brother or sister, they'll all have the same last name, right?"

"Yes, I guess so," said the judge. "You mother might decide to keep her last name. And legally speaking your uhm...dad may not even have to adopt the child. In our state infants born to a legally married couple are assumed to be the progeny of the couple. I'll have to check for clarification but..."

"What about me?" I asked. "Can I be adopted too? Why do I have to have a different name? Why do I have to have the signature of a man who never gave a damn about me on my birth certificate? If he was alive and passed me on the street I wouldn't know who he was."

"Young lady you're twenty...some odd years old, you..." he noticed Dad nodding his head.

"Okay, I'll do that too," he said.

"Mr. Ramsey, you will still be required to submit blood and DNA tests for medical reasons and in the event that a family medical history is needed to help diagnose any injuries or illnesses the child incurs during its life. Court is adjourned."

Dad and Mom got married long before my brother Ryan came into the world. Dad swore that Mom, at six months pregnant was the most beautiful bride he'd ever seen. By the date of the wedding, I'd already changed my name and been adopted. I gave the bride away myself.

After the ceremony, some of my mom's friends congratulated her. One of them was confused.

"But I thought the two of you were already married," she told mom.

"We were," said Mom. "But I didn't know we were."

Three months later the weirdest turn of events happened. Dad wasn't allowed to adopt Ryan. It had nothing to with Ted. He'd signed the waiver of parental rights form before the ink was dry on it. It turned out that Ted was right all along. He wasn't Ryan's father. The DNA tests came back negative. My mom started crying. She was sure they'd made a mistake. "I didn't sleep with anyone else, Don. You have to believe me," she cried.

A really smart nurse calmed her down and took Dad out of the room. When he came back he was nervous. On the day that Mom was scheduled to go home the nurse brought in all of the paper work. She handed the birth certificate to Dad to sign.

"Wait , Honey," said my mom. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Like the judge said," said Dad. "All children born into a marriage are the..."

"But Ted isn't the father," she said. "I don't know who the father is. I swear Ted was the only one I slept with. I've been thinking that maybe one of those parties you and I went to. Maybe while I was drunk someone did something to me that I didn't remember when I woke up and..."

"Relax," laughed Dad. "I know who the father is. You forgot someone else you slept with. It must not have been very good if you didn't remember it."

"I'm telling you, I didn't sleep with anyone else," said Mom.

"Yeah you did," said Dad. "Me."

"But..." her words trailed off. "I was on the pill. You and I have sex so often and...I did have a condom with Ted."

"The pill isn't 100% effective," said Dad. "There are certain situations that render it even less effective."

"We have a baby together," said Mom smiling.

"We have two," said Dad, taking my hand.

"We're married," gushed my mom.

"We always were," said Dad, hugging both of us.

"And I always loved you, Don," said mom. "I did almost from the beginning. I was a little messed up in the head from my first husband, but I knew that you loved me and I loved you right back."

"I...didn't know," said Dad.

The end.