Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
“What’s your hurry, Ripley? Got another appointment?”
“No I-I just think we need, you need a little time away from me.” The tears she has been holding back the last few minutes present themselves in her last statement and the protector in me is fighting with the part of me that is burning with betrayal.
“No, Ripley. That is not what I need. What I need is for you to tell me why, why would you do this without talking to me? Tell me why the girl I love and the one I thought loved me would secretly go to a clinic and abort my child, my heir, my seed that we made in love? Tell me why you didn’t tell me you were pregnant? Tell how long you have known and have been lying to me keeping it a secret? That is what I need, Ripley. CAN YOU TELL ME ALL OF THAT?” I scream the last part punching my hand through the wall, tears of deception clouding my vision and heart.
I feel her behind me before she ever touches me. “Don’t hurt yourself, Cobi. Please.” Her hand touches my back, and it is like a hot branding iron I don’t want on me. I shrug her off and walk to the other side of the room, still unable to look at her. “Can you look at me?” she asks, hiccupping her misery.
“Can you give your disloyal heart a break and be honest?” Fuck. Talking to her like this is going to kill me before anything will but the hurt is not allowing for love or understanding.
“I didn’t mean to betray you, Jocobi. I was doing it for you.” What the hell did she say? I whip around and look at her like she has lost her mind.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?”
“I did this for your future, Cobi. To make sure you get everything you have worked so hard for.” She can barely speak; every other word is hoarse and filled with anguish.
“I’m sorry, what?” I think my hearing has gone with the rage.
“To make sure you get to where you want to go. If I have this baby, think of how your life will change, Cobi. Do you really want to go into the NFL as a daddy?” Does she really not know? “Even if you don’t get drafted right away, do you want to go to college with a baby and girlfriend back home? I mean as it is, people think you dragged the swamp when you started dating me. What will they think if I keep this baby?” Is that what she has been thinking this whole time?
“Are you serious right now, Ripley? You are worried about what other people think? FUCK THEM! WHAT ABOUT ME? What about me?” I ask her, falling to my knees. She rushes over and touched the top of my head. My head is bowed, bent in exhaustion. “Would you have ever told me, Ripley? Would you have gone through with it if I hadn’t stopped you?” I know the answer before I ask it, but I need to hear her say it. My arms are wrapped around her waist now, the only thing steadying me.
“I don’t know if I would have told you, but I would have gone through with it,” she whispers, sniffling and crying.
“Why? Don’t you love our baby?” God I can feel everything I thought I knew changing this very moment. My tears and snot is soaking her shirt as I grip her for dear life. At this moment I am scared to release her. If I stop holding on I don’t think I will be able to touch her again.
Chapter Four
Jocobi
Almost like she knows, she falls to her knees in front of me and here we are, on our knees, both breaking and drowning in sorrow, guilt and pain. “I love this baby, Cobi. I was dying on that table, begging it’s little soul to forgive me in Heaven.”
“Then why, Ripley? Why would you destroy our family?”
“I didn’t want to trap you, Cobi. Let’s be honest, I am going to be stuck here in this town, probably forever, but you, you are going to do big things and I don’t want to be the reason your life changes but not for the better.”
“Better? What could be better than our child?” Her eyes widen as if she is shocked at my words.
“Cobi, you can’t be…” There is a knock at the door and then the knob is turned.
“Jacobi, son we need you and Ripley to come downstairs. There are some officers here to talk to you both.” Rip gasps and jumps to her feet. I see panic spread across her face.
“Why are the police here?” Ripley asks, crossing her arms over her chest in fear.
“For me, not you. The doctor’s at the clinic called them on me.” She looks even more horrified.