Because of a One Night Stand

"...then do you want to get married?"

My eyes flew up to meet his. Marry him? What on earth was he thinking? Was he crazy. Marriage? Maybe I should have told him sooner who I was and just how old I was. But I hadn't thought anything of it until now after meeting him again two weeks later.

However it all started that night...


Two weeks ago...


I sighed. There had been more people in today than there had been all week. I guess that was the price for working at an upscale Italian restaurant in the middle of downtown Chicago. As soon as one group left, another four groups entered. It was our busy season as Christmas neared closer and closer. I looked outside and watched the snow as it lightly fell around the city. I wanted to go outside. I had been on my feet for ten hours and was already working three hours overtime with the manager begging me to stay another two until midnight. It had been a long day and I wanted nothing more than to go home and relax with a book and hot chocolate. My parents wouldn't be home for another few days and I had the house all to myself. It was lonely without them but it gave me more time to practice my cooking and piano without any interruptions.

"Vanessa, can you cover table four for me?" Asked Janine, my co-worker.

"I can't. I'm already covering tables twelve, thirteen and sixteen for Jess."

"Please! I'm covering seven tables and I just need you to take one. I'll take two for you tomorrow, just do this one favor for me please!" she pleaded as she sprinted off into the kitchen area.

"I just said I-" I sighed as I grabbed a serving tray and hastily moved across the room to table four. There sat a group of three men, all looked about in their late twenties, maybe early thirties. However they were rather attractive and I found myself looking at one in particular. He had dark hair and a cold expression. It was obvious he didn't want to be here and I didn't blame him. In a busy place lime this, even I didn't want to be here. He wore thin rimmed glasses that covered his dark eyes and had a handsome face. He wore a suit with the sleeves rolled up and the tie loosened a fair amount at the collar. He looked like a businessman compared to his friends who wore nice but not businesslike attire.

"Are you going to take our order or what?" he said.

I quickly snapped back to reality. My eyes wandered to meet his but just as quickly as they met, I looked away.

"I'm sorry, sir. I was distracted for a moment."

"You look exhausted. How long have you been here?" Asked his friend.

"Oh. Uhm..." I looked down at my pad and pen. "Since twelve this afternoon. It's nothing really. I have two more hours and then I'm off," I said as I smiled at them. "So anyways, what can I get for you guys today?"

"Well I'd like the lasagna. I can't pronounce the rest of it but you know what I mean, right?"

"Yes sir. And for you two?"

"I'll just start with the soup for now."

"And you?" I asked the dark haired man.

"Nothing for me."

"Are you sure? There's a lot of great things on the menu. I can recommend something if you'd like. Personally I would choose the-"

"Are you deaf or just stupid? I said I don't want anything."

"James! That was uncalled for. You didn't have to speak to her that way, she was just doing her job. You could have just asked her politely." His friend turned to me and awkwardly smiled. "Sorry about that. He's in a little bit of a mood today. He bombed an interview earlier. Or so we think. He doesn't know yet but he's been pissed since he walked out of the office."

I nodded. "I understand. I am sorry if I annoyed you in anyway, sir. That was not my intention," I said as I bowed curtly. "I will be right back with your orders," I said and I hurried to the kitchen. What an ungrateful man. Just because he failed an interview didn't mean he could treat me lime that.

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked my manager, Kim.

"Janine had me take her table and the guy there is such an ass. Sometimes I hate working in the food industry. Maybe I should switch jobs."

"Don't say that. It'll be fine. You're doing good Vanessa, maybe later we can discuss a raise. But you have to keep it up just a little longer. You're one of our best!"

"Thanks, Manager," I said as I put their order up. "Order up!"

Just as I had expected, the food was late. It wasn't crazy late but late was late and I was late. I moved as hastily as possible with their meals only to find the man called James glaring at.

"How long did you intend on making us wait?"

"Sorry..."

"James, it's not her fault."

"It is her fault. If she wasn't so busy working overtime to earn a little more money for crap she probably doesn't even need, she'd have gone home already instead of acting like a brainless moron."

"Seriously, what the hell James. She's not even that late. You're getting to worked up about this. Sorry, Miss, this guy doesn't know when to shut up. You're fine."

"Ah, I'm sorry. We've been really busy for the last few days. The cooks and waitresses are doing the best they can to keep up but lately we've been falling behind a little."

"So you're blaming the cooks instead of yourself. Take responsibility for your lack of skill and get the fuck out of here."

At that moment, I snapped. In seconds my hand had found it's way to his glass of water and in one movement I flung the water into his face.

"You get the fuck out of here. I don't want some know-it-all, emo, glasses wearing freak telling me how to do my job. I was a little late. Excuse me for not fitting your perfect standards. I'm doing my job as best I can and if you don't like it, then leave. I don't need some asshole like you getting up in my face about one little mistake."

"Vanessa!"

I turned to see my manager watching. She looked absolutely furious but also looked worried.

"Vanessa you apologize."

I then realized what I had done and quickly turned back around. "Oh my god! I am so sorry, I wasn't thinking. You're right, I'm brainless. Sorry, I'll take responsibility. I'll lay for your meal. All of your meals."

"Ah, that's okay. It's not that big of a deal. He was out of line, he's a little crazy today," said his friend.


"Ha. Hahaha."

I looked at James and felt a hint of embarrassment as he laughed. He at first chuckled a bit but then it turned into a full fledged laugh. "What the hell? You're such a weird girl. I'm not happy with what you did but, you made me laugh so I'll give you some bonus points. I won't forgive you but I'll let you off the hook of letting you pay for our meals."

"Sorry..." I mumbled quietly under my breath.

I bowed apologetically before leaving the dining area. My manager approached me and pulled me into the staff room.

"I don't know what got into you but I want you to go home for today. Janine will take back her table. You need to go home and reevaluate your attitude and get some rest. I'll see you back here tomorrow and after your shift we will discuss what happened just now. Now go home."

"I'm sorry Manager."

"You don't need to apologize to me. I'll see you tomorrow."

As I left the restaurant, I called my older brother, Matthew.

"Hey Ness, what's up?"

"Are you finished work yet?"

"Nah. I sent the boys home. It's just me. You can swing by if you want to. You're off work now, eh? Or were you working overtime today? I can't remember your schedule to save my life haha. Anyways, come by if you want. I have some stuff in the back that needs to be sorted."

"Okay. I'll be there shortly"

My brother was twenty seven and had moved out the day he turned eighteen. I barely saw him and when I did it would be when I visited his bar like today.

"Hey Ness. Can you wipe down the front bar. There's only one guy out there and he's piss drunk. He's possibly passed out by now. When you're finished I'll take you home, okay?"

"Sure."

I looked up at the clock. Two thirty? Had I really been here that long. I was exhausted but somehow I felt really awake. I stretched as I stood up and yawned. I needed lots of sleep if I was going to work again tomorrow.

I walked out into the bar area, cloth in hand. I saw the man my brother was talking about, his head resting in his hands on the bar. He seemed to be crying and I felt a little awkward. Quietly I walked to his side and cleared my throat.

"Uhm, excuse me. Are you alright?"

As he lifted his head I gasped. It was the one from earlier tonight at the restaurant. I felt bad for what I did but maybe this wasn't the right time to apologize again. In this state he probably wouldn't even remember it.

"You. What are you doing here?" He asked as he stared at me. "I know you don't I? The one who threw water on me? Bah! I don't know. I'm drunk. Consider this your lucky day. I'm not in the mood to make you pay right now. But one day I'll come back and-" he paused. "Ugh. I feel terrible."

He looked so vulnerable. I wondered how long he'd been here. "Just now... Were you crying?"

"What? Me? I don't know what the hell you are talking about. Why would I be crying you stupid girl. Get outta my face and go work or what ever you're doing here," he said he shooed me away with his hand.

"Do you need me to hail you a taxi, sir? I asked.

"No."

"Well you can't stay here. The owner here is closing up early today..." I said quietly. "It'll be no problem. I'll help you outside if you need."

"Fine," he said as he stood up. I took his arm and wrapped my arm around his waist. He slumped against me and I helped him outside. I reached my hand out as I saw a cab nearing. I waved as it neared and its breaks screeched as it saw me, halting to a stop.

"Here you are, sir," I said as I walked him to the cab, opening the door.

As I helped him in, he grabbed my arm, pulling me in.

"What are you doing?" I said as I moved to leave. However his one arm wrapped around my waist as the other brought my chin closer.

"I don't know what I'm doing. But I find you so damn attractive right now that I need to."

"What? Need to what?" I asked as I tried pushing his arm away.

"Need to kiss you," he said as he leaned in to kiss me. His lips caught mine and I felt all the blood in my body rush to my head. I may have been a high school senior but it was my first kiss nonetheless. I couldn't deny that I wasn't attracted to him either in this moment but he had been rude and obnoxious to me. As soon as realization hit me I pushed him away.

"No!"

He looked at me. "I need you. I want you. Even if it's just for tonight. I don't even know your name, I know. But I don't care. Just do this asshole a favor and come home with me, I'm lonely and I need someone to be with," I could see the desperation in his eyes and I almost felt bad for him. Why was he lonely? Why did he look like crap? It was obvious this had nothing to do with a job interview but rather... it seemed personal. "What do you say?"

I looked away feeling awkward. To go home with him meant to sleep with him. I had never slept with anyone before. I hadn't even been in love. However this man had taken my first kiss and was probably the first I had been this attracted to. In the back of my mind, everything was screaming no. But the other part of me wanted to. And in the end I found myself in the cab sitting next to him.

His apartment was nice and neat and a man's apartment. A bachelor pad. I felt nervous. I knew all along what was going to happen and I wasn't sure I'd regret it or not. Maybe I should have saved my first time but in all honesty I didn't mind if it was him. I knew that I would most likely never see him again after the night. Maybe it was pity. Maybe it was because I didn't know what I was doing but I wanted him too. And perhaps only for the night.

"Do you want coffee or something?"

"No thank you."

"Tea? Water?"

I shook my head. He shrugged and poured himself a glass of water. I watched as he brought the glass to his lips and drank. He was definitely a very attractive man. I hadn't noticed before but he was much taller than I expected.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Not at all," I said as I cleared my throat and looked away. I noticed a photo on the kitchen table. There was a young blonde haired woman with gray eyes in the picture. She was beautiful and I felt a little envious. I wasn't unattractive and was actually fairly popular with the guys. But I wasn't exactly interested in the whole dating thing. "Who's that?" I asked pointing to the photo.

He flipped the photo over and sighed. "It's none of your business," he said coldly.

"Sorry..."

I watched as he sat down on his bed and loosened his tie. He looked over to me and beckoned me over. I obediently walked over to him and he put his hands on my waist, gently lifting my shirt up revealing my stomach. Oh god. I was embarrassed. It had just occurred to me that he would be seeing my naked body and I blushed. I didn't have a particularly ugly body but most girls are insecure in the beginning anyways. He lightly pressed his lips against my bare skin before pulling me down on top of him, only to roll me over so he was on top of me. As his lips brushed mine I felt immediate regret. I should have waited. But even though I knew I could have pushed him away, I didn't. For some reason I couldn't. And maybe somewhere deep inside, I didn't want to...


I woke up to the sounds of sirens and cars. I sat up only to find myself in an empty room with no one else visible. There was a note on the side table addressed to "water girl" and I assumed it was for me. I opened it and read its contents,

"Hey I'll be gone all day. Please eat whatever you want in the fridge. Leave whenever you feel ready. Thanks.

PS: thanks for last night. I must have seemed pretty desperate but you came with me and stayed with me. I didn't think you would do that after our little fiasco at the Italian place. Please allow me to apologize for that. Yesterday is always an emotional day for me. Anyways, thanks."

An emotional day, huh? I smiled a little. My body hurt. As I got out of bed I was ashamed at the red stains in the sheets. Damn. Had he noticed I was a virgin? I had hoped not but even if he did know it didn't make a difference. I wouldn't see him again anyways.


A week and a half went by and in the middle of my shift at work I suddenly found myself in the ladies room vomiting. Was I sick? I didn't feel sick but nonetheless I kept vomiting.

"Manager, is it okay for me to go home? I'm not feeling very well."

"Yes. I heard you in the bathroom. Take the day off, you're still working tomorrow unless you're sick again. Let me know how you are doing first thing in the morning though, okay?"

"Yes," I said and I quickly left.

I made my way to the nearest walk-in clinic. As I waited in the clinic I tossed around ideas of what was wrong in my head. I hadn't eaten anything unusual in the morning or anything out of the ordinary. Maybe the milk was spoiled?

"Vanessa Harper?"

I jumped to my feet and followed the nurse who had called my name down a long and narrow hallway to an empty room. There was no doctor present and she then asked me to sit and wait. I did so and began my train of thought again. It had been a while since I was last sick but this time it seemed a little different. Without my mother on father home I had decided it was best to come here and get a little check up just to make sure everything was as it should be.

"Miss Harper?"

It was an older lady wearing a doctor's coat and a stethoscope around her neck.

"Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Doctor Rose Langstaff. What seems to be the problem today? The nurse tells me a stomachache."

"Yes Doctor. This morning during my shift I felt queasy. I threw up a ton and it's more or less gone now but I don't think I ate anything out of the ordinary."

"Okay. Well explain a little more and then I'll give my diagnosis she said as she clicked a pen and readied a paper."

I told her everything about the sickness and everything I ate and everything I did in the last twenty four hours. She chuckled as I explained everything from being late for my period by a few days, the nausea and vomiting and even my minor mood swings. I had noticed she hadn't written anything down and I felt a little worried. Why hadn't she written anything down? I was serious.

"What you're experiencing with the nausea and vomiting is morning sickness."

"Morning sickness? But to have morning sickness you have to be..." I trailed off. Oh no.

"Pregnant." she said.

"What? Pregnant? B-but I don't know... Pregnant? Are you serious?"

"You are sexually active, aren't you?"

"It was one time. It was my first time. How is that even possible! No. This can't happen. The father is-" I gasped. Oh my God. Him. He was the father. The one man I had had a one night stand with and would never see again was the father. The man I gave my virginity to was this baby's father.

"It can happen. It's not that uncommon. It's a myth that girls can't get pregnant from their first time."

"This isn't possible. It can't be,"

"Is something the matter."

"N-no," I said shaking my head. "I'm sorry I have to go. Thank you for your time," I said as I jumped to my feet and ran out of the room. I practically threw my credit card to the lady at the front desk who casually explained the cost of the visit. But I was too engrossed with the thought of being pregnant I didn't hear nor cared about what she was saying. Without another word to anyone I made it home and curled up in my blanket on my bed.

Pregnant.

Me?

But who would have thought I'd see him again. It was at the coffee shop near my work. He was alone at a table reading a book when I approached him. He looked up at me, his expression blank.

"You are?"

"Water girl."

His eyes widened. "Ah so it is. Do you need something? Or did you leave something st my apartment?"

How could he be so nonchalant?

"No..."

"Then why are you here?"

"I'm pregnant..." I said quietly.

"Pardon me?" He asked as he adjusted his glasses and put down his book. "Sit down."

I did as he said and took a deep breath. "I- I'm pregnant."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"How can you be so calm?!"

"It's not mine is it? Someone who casually sleeps with another guy. I'm probably not the only one am I?

"What?! Are you serious? You knew I was a virgin. Or at least you should have. You're the only one I've ever-" I paused. This was embarrassing and he was acting like an ass again. "You're the only one I have ever slept with," I hissed from behind clenched teeth.

He looked at me and raised an eye brow.

"What do you want from me? Money? I can write a check."

"I don't want your money. I'm not like that. I want you to take responsibility," I said. I then covered my mouth. Where did that come from? Responsibility? I didn't think I would even see him again yet I was pushing responsibility onto him? "Oh uhm... th-thats not- well that's not what I..."

"Responsibility... then do you want to get married?"

Present...


And that's how it all began...






(Updates won't usually be this long. I just kept writing and writing and then bam. Lots of words. I can make them this long if people want but last time I made an update this long a few people were all "why is it so long", "it's too long" and blah blah blah.)

 

Sorry Jojo. I realized I didn't clarify the weeks. So it starts with present, two weeks ago, a week and a half later (when she is sick at work), 3(4?) days later (when she meets him again) which goes back to the 'present' when he proposes the whole 'marriage thing'. Sorry if that still confuses you. I won't be using the "present and past" thing anymore anyways

 

Yes.

 

Lol I didn't know. I asked my sister who is 9 weeks pregnant and she told me this is when she started experiencing it. Sorry if I'm wrong, I'm just basing it off what she has told me lol

 

"This isn't a joke! Marriage? What are you even saying. Do you even know what that means. We have met each other once, twice including today and yet you're spouting this marriage nonsense!"

"I'm not opposed to it. I have nothing to lose by marrying you. There's no one special in my life. I'm just a lonely person."

"Well I'm opposed to it. Why would I marry someone I don't even know. Especially someone with an attitude like yours. It's no wonder you don't have anyone special. You scare them off by your "I don't care" way of being. Stop being stupid and actually listen to me."

"James Auburn."

"Huh?"

"My name is James Auburn. I am a temp worker and twenty seven years old. And you? I know your name is Vanessa right? That's what the manager at the restaurant called you."

I blushed. The way he said my name created butterflies in my stomach. The way he said it sounded so... normal.

"Yes. I am Vanessa Harper... I'm a student."

"Student hm? What are you studying?"

"It- it doesn't matter!" I forced out.

He sighed and pushed his glasses up. "This isn't getting anywhere. You. What is it that you want from me? If you want me to be in your kid's life, I'll be in its life. If not then why are you bothering me? I have things to do, I don't have time to listen to you complain about me not taking responsibility and then telling me not to."

"How can you be so cruel? I didn't think I would even see you again yet you're making it seem as though I hunted you down just to tell you this. I wasn't even going to tell you if I saw you but I did. And now it seems as though that was a mistake," I said as I stood up to leave.

"Do you even know how to raise a child?"

"What?"

"You look too young to have a kid. How old are you anyways? Wouldn't it be better for the both of us if you just got rid of it. With a job like that, there's no way you could support a child on your own."

"Get rid of the child?"

"Abortion."

I bit my lip and clenched my fist. "I don't care if it's nothing more than a fetus... I'm not going to kill it just because of a mistake I made. There are plenty of people who wish to adopt. I'd rather go with adoption than abortion but..." I brought a hand to my stomach. "I don't even want to do that. Well anyways, I'm sorry I bothered you."

"Marriage."

"What? Why do you keep saying that?"

"Seriously think about it. I'm serious. I may not love you or think about you but if it's my child, I'll do what I can. I can tell you're upset about this and honestly I am too," he said standing up. "But if it's responsibility you want me to take, then I'll gladly do so. I'll marry you."

"Th-this isn't the eighteen hundreds. You don't have to marry me just because I am pregnant with your child. That's not how it works anymore. I don't even know how it works but I'm just confused. Like you said... I'm not old enough to have a child. But I want to try."

"How old are you?"

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. I'll be taking my leave. I hope we don't cross paths again," I said as I rushed out the door. How could I tell him? How could I tell him just how old I was? How could I possibly tell him that I was still a high school student?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"What's wrong?" Asked Cassidy, my best friend as we were walking to school. In actuality she was my only friend. In everyone else's eyes, I was the good obedient girl. The weird girl. The nerdy girl. The teacher's pet. And I suppose I was. I always did my homework, raised my hand in class and always did what everyone asked of me. I didn't mind, I had always been like this. But lately I began to feel as though I was a terrible girl. I may have been smart and never did anything foolish... but now... I had. I was pregnant.

"Nothing," I responded.

"Come on. I know you better than that. You do that weird twitchy thing with your mouth when you're upset about something."

"Cass..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'm a good girl?"

"What the hell is this? Of course I think you're a good girl. You're not stupid. I'd say you're pretty mature for your age. You really know how to avoid doing stupid things. But I guess you've always been like that. I bet you'll have a better future than all of us and make everyone proud."

Crap.

"Now what?" she asked.

"What?"

"You did that twitchy thing again. Are you unsure of what you want to be when you're older? Because I know Miss Hanson gave us that form for us to fill out about our future career and what not. After all we are graduating in six months. Is that what you're worried about? I know you wanted to study actuary but have you changed your mind?"

"That's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know. I'm just confused in life, that's all."

"I know what you mean. I looked into tons of schools for pharmacy and I can't seem to choose. My mom keeps pushing me to move out of state but I don't want to. It's so irritating."

I hung my head. I felt awful. Cassidy was worried about moving out of state for school while I was worried about what to do about the little baby inside of me. I wanted to tell her but it was scary. How was I to tell the one person who thought highly of me that I was pregnant. It was one thing to do something as foolish as smoking or drugs but this... I was going to have a baby before I turned nineteen years old. In my eyes, it would be a teenage pregnancy."

"What would you say if I told you I was pregnant?"

"What? Pregnant? You?" She laughed. "Oh God, what has gotten into you today. Are you trying to be funny? Cause it's not working. Pregnant? Where do you come up with these things," she snickered.

I faked a laugh. "Sorry, it kind of just slipped... I don't know what's gotten into me lately haha."

Yep. I was doomed. I already felt disappointed in myself just by her reaction. I wondered how disappointed my parents would be and my brother... what would he think? They would hate me. I knew they would. Maybe it would be better if I just got rid of it... At least that's what mind was telling me... but my heart felt different. Much different.