Chapter Twenty-Six

"Think back to five weeks ago. Where were we and what were we doing before we went nude?" Elowen looked at the smoke coming out of Philip's mouth and thought back to what Cindy said about him being stoned throughout her entire pregnancy. She looked away to take in the water in front of her. "Have you ever asked your rents where you were conceived? I think that's something our little boy would want to know. I want a boy."

Elowen breathed in a deep breath and breathed out strongly. "You can't smoke around me. It could suffocate the baby." Philip took another drag and chuckled. "I'm serious. You can't smoke anymore so put it out, now!"

"Elowen, chill the fuck out. That only counts for you. I can smoke whenever I want." This caused Elowen to scream right at him. "Holy shit! What has gotten into you!?"

"You're going to be the worst fucking father if you don't put that out right now!" Philip threw the cigarette into the lake before quickly shoving his hands in his pockets. He examined her face slowly trying to see if she got hit upside her head as a reason for acting like that. "I don't want you to go," she heaved.

Just then, Philip embraced her into his arms. Elowen didn't hug him back but she dug her head deeper into his chest. "I don't wanna go either, Elo, but it ain't up to me. My rents figured I wasn't good for college anymore so I'd turn into a burnout. In a way they're right. I'm not smart enough to own a business or even chase a dream. This was my fate."

Elowen placed a hand on her stomach as she sat up. "I guess I'm ready to go home now." Philip nodded then got up to help her to her feet. "I'm going to tell my mother and if she kicks me out then I'll use my last phone call to see if Kellie can pick me up."

"I can pick you up!" Philip spoke with the slight offense in his voice. Elowen looked at him as if he wasn't being serious and she knew he couldn't be. "Seriously. I'll pick you up and I'll tell your old woman all the reasons why she should let you stay. She'll feel sick to her stomach for kicking out her oldest and she'll let you back."

Elowen held Philip's hand as he delicately led her through all the sticks and trees in the woods. She was afraid of falling and harming the baby that no one could even tell she was pregnant with. "Oh, Philip. And you called me a child." He scoffed at her words. "You really think she's going to sit back and listen to a white boy tell her what to do?"

He shook his head in disagreement. "But-"

"Then don't make up stories about what-ifs. What if she makes me get rid of it. What if she kills you. What if she kills me next. These are the things we should be thinking about. Everything else is just a waste of words."

When they got back to the car, Elowen got in the backseat and laid down. She thought about what words she would use and how she would say them. She also thought about her mother's reaction and what Henry and Spencer would think the moment they find out. Elowen figured her whole life was ruined then again, she figured this was just how it was supposed to go.

She always did well in school to head to college but never knew what she was supposed to study. Elowen figured God wanted her to be wise just for the new life she would bring in the world. That's why he never gave her a purpose in life. Because she wasn't meant to have one.

"Philip..." He looked at her through his rearview mirror. "You told me our kids wouldn't have to worry but maybe they'll be stuck worrying all their lives without a father."

He didn't say anything to her comment. Elowen knew she probably hurt his feelings but it didn't matter anymore. They would be going their separate ways. Elowen would be stuck raising a kid that she never intended on having and she's only fifteen. Her mother would most likely disown her.

Philip pulled alongside the driveway and Elowen sat up from her lying position in the back seats. "Tell me how it goes and call me as soon as you get the chance. I'll tell my rents whenever you give me permission. Okay?" Elowen looked over at him and nodded. "I love you, Elo."

"See you later, Philip."

He watched her drag her feet to the porch and lazily open the front door. Spencer greeted Elowen from the couch without taking notice of the pain on her face. "Elowen?" Her mother called while turning the corner from the kitchen. "You've been out all day and never stopped to call me and let me know that you weren't murdered." She embraced her daughter's limp body. "Elo... is something wrong?"

Elowen nodded as she fought back the tears swelling in her eyes. her mother then told Spencer to go to her room with Henry. They went to the couch in a haste and Elowen immediately regretted starting a conversation. The look in her mother's eyes let her know that she was too late to take anything back.

"I'm sorry, mama." She let out a loud sob that caused her to throw her head in her hands. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I didn't know better! But now I know so please don't hate me!"

Her mother forced her hands away from her face. "Elowen, quit playing with me and tell me what the hell you done did!"

Elowen sniffled and coughed. "Me and Philip are- we're having a baby." She dug in the pockets of her dress and pulled out the pictures that were in an envelope. Her mother snatched the papers and ripped out the photos. The color drained from her face as she saw the proof in her hands. "I'm sorry."

"Elo..." Her mother dropped the pictures on the coffee table and now she was the one with her head in her hands. "What were you thinking?" Her voice muffled. She then jumped up to face Elowen. "What the hell were you thinking! You think all of a sudden you got a boyfriend that some things are okay? You knew fucking better! You knew to keep your fucking legs closed and you let a white boy talk you out of your underwear!"

She kept her head hung low as her mother gave her all the anger as expected. Elowen couldn't help but cry as her mother yelled and cussed and even attempted to flip the coffee table. She thought she would get kit next but that was saved for last. Before she was sent to her room, her mother whacked her upside the head.

"You can return that dress too! You're not leaving this house until that baby is old enough to go off to college!"

The next morning was rough. Mostly because Spencer had a ton of questions and Henry was suddenly too sick for school. Elowen had to walk Spencer to school in the cold and after that, she would be all alone once again.

"Have you thought of names? You know, when the baby gets here she'll love you again. My teacher is always going on about how her adopted baby brought the family together. Your baby will make mama happy again. Have you told your friends? What do you think daddy will think about this?"

They stopped in front of the school and Elowen looked down at spencer for the first time since they left the house. "Don't tell anyone. Don't tell your friends or your teachers." Spencer frowned. "Just stop talking about it for Gods sake!"

Spencer turned to face the school with an attitude and rushed to get to the main doors. A few of her friends were waiting for her and Elowen knew she instantly told them she was going to be an aunt. There was nothing she could do about what went on when she wasn't around.

"Oh shit, Elo. What did she say?" Philip blew smoke out his nose as Elowen played with the necklace wrapped around her neck. "Why didn't you call me, baby?"

Elowen rolled her eyes away from him. "I can't go to the winter formal so we're going to have to go back and return the dress. Also, I was too scared to pick up anything. She hit me and she cursed at me. I used to be the only good thing to her and now it's like I'm the devil."

"Yeah right that you aren't going to the winter formal. I need my girl by my side. I can't let this happen." He took another puff of his cancer stick and almost as a light bulb went off in his head, his eyes lightened. "Let me speak to her elowen. I don't care if she holds a fucking shotgun to my dome."

They both knew it was a terrible idea to bring him around her mother so soon after the news was dropped. But winter formal is tomorrow and Elowen, despite what she felt, still wanted to go. "It's suicide, Philip." Her words made his smile grow. "You'd seriously rather die in shitty Oklahoma than somewhere where the ocean is pretty?"

"Not that pretty. Blood moves downhill. Where do you think the ocean lies?" That made Elowen squirm which also made her agree to the fact that Philip should exchange words with her mother. "I'll be subtle like a prince. Smile with charm and I won't touch anything valuable. The only reason she should be mad at me while I'm in there is that you're pregnant."

Elowen agreed.

"And I got you pregnant. That was my doing because... you know, it takes two to party hardy."

She rolled her eyes once again while brushing past his shoulder. He quickly stepped on his cigarette butt to catch up with her. "Don't say things like that and don't mention the formal. Be sympathetic."