Well - Part XXIV

I finally had to break the mood. “So, Jennifer, how have you been…?”

“Pregnant.”

“Uh huh, I see that… why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t have a number.”

“Right.” This was not going to be an easy conversation. I wasn’t even going to ask her if the baby was mine. I’m assuming that would be in really bad form.

“We should talk.” I finally stammered out.

“I’m going on break in about a half hour, you think you can hang around that long…?”

Oh geez, she’s pissed. “Yeah, sure… I’ll be right here.

When we were finally able to get some time to talk, Jennifer had calmed down.

“I’m only upset at myself. At first I couldn’t believe my dumb luck. As time past though, I’ve kind of resolved myself to the task. Things happen for a reason and I think we were supposed to bring this life into the world.”

Hmmm. Not exactly the viewpoint that I was expecting. I was still trying to wrap my head around this turn of events. I was thinking about Jennifer, Cheryl, fatherhood, my future was never more littered with options, problems, and potential for screwing up.

We talked for perhaps a half hour. It seems she had already made up her mind on what she was going to do. I committed to helping (although I didn’t quite know how much help I could be). We didn’t really broach the subject of any kind of ongoing relationship.

I absolutely dreaded the thought of trying to explain any of this to Cheryl.

I came to the Blind Squirrel looking for some solace from the problems that I thought were paramount in my life. I left there with a whole set of new problems and conflicts. None of them appeared to have any kind of viable resolution that could be had without breaking the hearts of someone I cared about.