Zachary

I sit back in my chair and bring my bottle of beer to my lips as I watch Matt and Brian play a game of eight ball pool. Tonight was the night I was going to break it to them, the news. They both knew Evelyn was back, they had seen her around town but neither of them knew why. Evelyn told me I had to be the one to tell them.

“They’re your friends,” Evelyn had told me. “It’s your job. Maybe you can get Brian to stop hating me.”

I argued the fact that Matt was her cousin, so technically that’s her territory, but she ignored me. It’s not that I didn’t want to tell them. I was happy with Evelyn. I was so happy, I couldn’t remember the last time I was this happy. I just didn’t want to explain to them how long this has been going on with Evelyn and why I hadn’t told them sooner. Not that it was any of their business, but still. We told each other everything and I’ve been keeping that fact that I was sleeping with Evelyn behind everyone’s back for nearly a year now.

I decided to start with Matt and Brian first because they were going to be the two that cared the most. Brian really disliked Evelyn because of our past, he never liked her really and Matt would care because of Evelyn being family.

“Baker, you’re up,” Brian called.

I finished my beer and then grabbed the pool stick from Matt. Brian begins to set up for the next game and I watch, trying to figure out how to start this conversation. Brian tells me to break, and I do absentmindedly.

“So, I have something to tell you guys,” I announce as Brian eyes the pool table. He bends over the pool table and hits the cue ball into a striped ball, which went straight into a pocket.

“What’s up?” Matt asks.

Brian misses the next ball, and so it’s my turn. “I’ve…uh…I’ve been sleeping with Evelyn on and off…since her family’s reunion.” A solid ball goes into a pocket and without looking at either Matt or Brian, I search the table for my next move.

“Figures,” Brian mumbled eventually.

“You know that's not a good idea, dude. One of you are going to get hurt,” Matt expressed.

I knock another solid ball into a pocket and line up my next shot. “Well, there’s more to it.” I miss and knock the cue ball into a pocket.

Brian smirks at me as he looks for his next shot. “What does that mean?” Matt asks me.

“We’re…kind of seeing each other,” I say awkwardly.

The news distracts Brian just as he attempts to make a move, and instead of the cue ball hitting one of the balls, he knocks it completely off the table. It bounces onto the floor and rolls across the room. “You’re what?”

“You could have led with that, dude!” Matt claps a hand on my shoulder.

Brian rolls his eyes. “But why? You deserve better than her. I mean, you should know that after all these years.”

“She’s not the same person she was in high school, Brian,” I shrug. “She really is different…if you’d just give her a chance.” Brian shakes his head, clearly unhappy with my news and takes a swig of his beer.

“How long have you guys been seeing each other? Didn’t she have a boyfriend?” Matt asks with a grin.

I shrug. “We’ve been dating for about a month. She…uh…we’re actually living together. I asked her to move back.”

Brian and Matt both raised their brows disapprovingly. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Dude, don’t you think you’re moving a little too fast?” Matt asked after throwing a sideways glare to Brian.

Man, if they only knew. I chuck to myself slightly. “Well, it’s funny you should say that. You see, the reason why Evelyn and I seem to be moving fast is because…well, we are kind of doing things backwards.”

Brian scoffs and rolls his eyes. “What, Zack?”

“She’s pregnant. I got her pregnant.” I admit with a breath. I feel the corners of my mouth
tugging upwards as I try to suppress a smile. Neither one of them say anything or move or look at each other.

Matt opens his mouth to say something and then closes it. He opens it again and after a confused expression crosses his face, he closes it again. After another second, finally, he says, “Dude, haven’t you ever heard of condoms? Or…I don’t know…pulling out? Birth control?”

“Are you sure it’s even yours?” Brian adds.

I scoff and shoot him a glare and then reply. “Yes, Brian. She said it is and I believe her.”

“You believe her?” he laughs. “So, she just says that you got her pregnant even though she’s been fucking you and that other guy and you just believe her? Where’s the fucking proof? Dude, Evelyn cannot be trusted. She probably just wants you to be her baby’s father because of how fucking successful you are. You need to get a DNA test.”

“A DNA – are you serious, Brian? No, she stopped sleeping with Jeff a long time ago. I know it might seem a little sketchy but…I love her and she loves me. She wouldn’t lie to me, especially about something like this. She even gave me an out. When she told me she was pregnant she also told me I didn’t have to stick around if I didn’t want to. She said she would tell everyone she got pregnant by a one night stand, she wasn’t even going to give the baby my last name if I didn’t want to. She gave me an out, I just chose to stay.”

Brian scoffs again, rolling his eyes. “I need another beer,” and with that, he walks out of the room.

“So?” I sigh, glancing at Matt.

Matt takes a deep breath and leans onto the pool table. “Well, I wish you would have been more responsible…”

“I’m thirty years old, Matt. I can take care of a child.” I roll my eyes.

Matt shakes his head. “I know you’re capable of taking care of a child, Zack, that’s not what I meant. I just mean…you and Evelyn have had a rough past. I think both of you would make great parents. I just think you two should have worked on your relationship first.”

“This wasn’t planned, Matt. It’s not like I wanted her to get pregnant, or that we were trying. It just worked out that way. I know it’s going to be rough for us. It’s not going to be easy but I’m willing to let go of the past if that means I can have a future with Evelyn. I love her, dude. I love her and I love our unborn child,” I reply.

Matt nods. “Okay, well, then…congratulations, dude. If you’re happy, then I’m happy for you.”
I smile, feeling relieved. “I am. Thanks, dude.”

I leave not too longer after I break the news to Brian and Matt. I was ready to get back home to my girlfriend and our unborn child. When I enter the house, Evelyn is laying on the couch reading one of those What to Expect When You’re Expecting books.

“Hey,” she smiles, “how did it go?”

“Good. Matt gave me the “you should have been more responsible” talk and Brian gave me the “you deserve better” talk.” I tell her, joining her on the couch.

“Oh,” she frowns.

I lean over and kiss her cheek. “Why are you frowning? It went well.”

She sighs. “Except Brian still hates me.”

I purse my lips together. “He doesn’t hate you, he just doesn’t trust you.” Evelyn sighs and looks down at her hands. “He will, though,” I reassure. “He’s just got to get to know you.”

“How do you know he’ll get to know me, though?” She asks sadly.

“Because,” I pull her closer to me and intertwine my fingers with hers, “you’re not going anywhere. He has no choice, and when he does give you a chance he will realize he loves you.”

She smiles, “You sound so sure.”

I shrug. “I am.” And I was. Evelyn was the love of my life, I had no doubt in my mind that everyone that met her would love her.

Notes

Thank you for reading!

Thanks to imagine fiction, foREVer-A7X, Hollie, MeRi, Kimmie and LittleMissVengenance for commenting!

Merry Christmas and Happy first day of Hanukkah!

Title credit: Avenged Sevenfold "Natural Born Killer"