Shotgun

In the golden hour of the setting sun, he stood on the front porch holding her, she was crying, “I really didn’t want them to say it. I thought they would probably say it but I didn’t want to hear them say it,” and he stroked her hair. 

“My mom didn’t mean it.” 

“Oh, she meant it all right.” 

“They’ll come around, babe. In a week she’ll regret saying it, and after a few more weeks she’ll swear she never said it at all.”

This made her laugh a little, and she wiped her face with the tissue he gave her, then they sat down on the wicker chairs.

< - I’m looking it up right now on my phone, the clinic opens at 9 am, I don’t care what she says, she is getting in that car by 8:30, she has her whole life ahead of her - honey, they both said it’s not an option, we have to respect - now is not the time, Patrick! - I hope you don’t expect him to go with her, he is not missing an hour of school for this bullshit, if it’s even true, my son has a future - >

“What really set her off is when you said you’ll turn down UF. But baby you should still go to UF, I’ll just go with you, I can take my gap year and apply. Charlotte’s going to Gainesville. I’m already mentally composing an admissions essay based on tonight’s events, it’s going to be super dramatic.” She put her flip-flopped foot on top of his. “We’ll be up the creek though if they really cut us off. My parents have a 529 for me and it’s got like eighty plus grand in it, and I looked into it, they can’t stop me from using it for a downpayment on a house when I’m over eighteen, and we both have full rides so we don’t need it for that. But we’ll still need help. . .” she trailed off. 

“Listen, babe, both your parents are doctors and you’re an only child, they’ll never cut you off. They just want to scare us, punish us like we’re kids. My mom has properties and Travis has his construction company, and I only have one little sister. Your parents drove you all over the state for debate so of course they’ll take you to a few doctor appointments. They’ll get over this and help us. And if they don’t we’ll still be fine. I have money saved up from my job and my uncle’s always on my side. Anyway, UF isn’t as special as it used to be, USF’s got a good program too and I want you to be close to your mom.”

< - Your son is a PREDATOR, my little girl isn’t even eighteen until May - oh, your kid? What about my kid? How do I even know it’s Justin’s baby? The slutty way she dresses it could be anybody’s kid - ladies, they want to get married, isn’t that better than - Travis, just stop it, stop it! You don’t know what you’re talking about, only trailer trash gets married when they’re teenagers - >

He tipped over the wicker coffee table with his foot. “Do you want to get out of here?” 

“Oh my god yes. Let’s go hide from them for a few days and not answer their calls no matter what, where can we go where they won’t find us?” 

“Hmmm”, he said, tapping his chin, “Tyler can disable the security system on his parents’ guest house, and if we park at the dock and walk there they won’t see the truck in the driveway.” 

“Do you have your keys?” He took them out of his pocket and dangled them from his finger. “I don’t know about your mom but my mom will wait for me after school and try to catch us, do you want to skip last period?” 

“I can’t skip tomorrow, I have a review in AP Chem. Can Danica open the gate by the pool so we can leave out the back?” 

“She can.” 

“Are you going to wear your ring to school tomorrow?” She stretched out her hand and the lavender gem sparkled in the glow of the bug zapper. 

“Fuck yeah I am.”

He grabbed her hand and looked in her eyes, “You’re going to have to stop cursing before the baby’s born.” 

“It’s so hard to stop, this is just how I talk babe.” 

“It’s OK babe, I’ll help you. If I ever hear you curse in front of me again,” and he leaned down close to her ear and whispered in it. 

“Three days? Three days. Don’t say things you’re not gonna do, Justin. You’ve made a lot of promises to me - to us. How could I trust a man who would break a promise like that? Who couldn’t even wait three days? How could I marry a man who was so weak he couldn’t even keep a commitment for one single short night?”

The yelling voices came closer.

“They’re looking for us,” he said.

“Well fuck them,” she replied. He leaned back in his chair.

The screen door slammed open. “JUSTIN! MADISON!” 

But the only sound that answered them was flip-flops hitting gravel, running away.