Hunter
When Blue and I returned to the lunch table, we acted like we hadn’t tried to eat each other by the fountain area just a moment ago. Instead, I picked up my mini-pizza and took a large bite off it, and reached out to get the Tuna Greek salad wrap. Elaine and dad knew what had happened of course; their faces told me they weren’t oblivious. If anything, they appeared to be content with this new development, i.e: me getting serious with a woman in my life. The mermaid part, they didn’t need to know.
I noticed Elaine’s plate filled with her usual vegan food. Not that I hated vegan food, it’s just that I couldn’t make a habit of eating it to save my life.
“Blue and Hunter were swapping saliva out there. I saw you.” Elliot spoke to me with a mouthful of sausages.
Aunt Paige sighed and shook her head. She picked up her plate, and reached out to grab Elliot. “Let’s go sit and eat with Hannah, sweetie...”
Elliot pulled his hand away. “No. I’m sitting here with Blue.”
“Come, Elliot.” Aunt Paige warned having had enough.
“Nooooooo....”
“You’re not going to the Carnival next Sunday.” Aunt Paige said. She’d pulled an ace out of her sleeve. I realized she must be doing this often.
Elliot jumped down from the table. “Where’s Hannah? Let’s go sit with her.”
I watched as the mother and the kid walked away from the table and that made this even more awkward. At least Elliot played as a good comical distraction between our conversation.
“So Blue, what are you planning to pursue as a career?” Dad asked.
"Haven’t really thought of any career as of now.” She said.
Good girl.
I’d predicted my dad’s list of questionnaire for Blue and had told her specific answers to those questions, so far nothing had been asked out of the book.
“Surely you have something you aspire to become.”
Blue thought of that for a while.
Oh god, no.
This wasn’t even rehearsed. Blue was walking into dangerous territory.
Before I could tap her knee, she said, “I’d like to become anything that Hunter would like me to become.”
Huh?
surprise on their faces, clear as day. Dad narrowed his eyes at me; even my step-mom was giving
Do what you want to.”
They thought I was being a possessive boyfriend and keeping Blue from
go into modeling. You have the face and the body. Why haven’t to
shrugged. “I don’t know what modeling
wanted to
saw a mother while I was going to work the other day, and I really wish I could have a child like that, my very own baby that I could watch as he or she grew up. Wouldn’t that be
seconds away from
that she aspired to become a mother. Someone needed to
could you?” And that was
you done?” That was
of caviar back on the plate that was supposed to go in my mouth. I looked at the two of them. “What did I do? Why are you guys looking
and Elaine never sighed in front of guests unless she was downright pissed. Blue appeared to be folding and unfolding the table cloth, obviously worried and confused about what was
a right to spoil
so sorry, Hunter. I couldn’t
drive me fucking
“Why didn’t you tell us anything, Hunter?” to Blue she asked, “How many months pregnant are you, my
“Preg…what?” Blue asked.
answer to their question and secondly, it was still hard for
I’d
“I understand things like these could happen, she got pregnant but so
were glazed over too. Seemed like she was planning to take her future grandchild to charity events and show off to her circle of posh ladies. “You can have a kid and still manage it. We will do
don’t think I’ve been more proud of you, Hunter, taking responsibility for the young lady and the child. We have enough
them stop talking to just breathe? I
to Blue’s parents. They have nothing to worry
getting giddy with happiness; she took Blue’s hands in hers. “Forgive me, honey, but I’m so excited for this.
And my chest was filled with a warm fuzziness that I couldn’t even describe. It was like a weight had been lifted
so happy in one
you…” I grinned. “But Blue is
at me with blank expressions for so long that
said. “We…we thought…oh never
I’m not pregnant.” Blue said innocently. “I tried to…I tried to convince Hunter that
slowly shook my head. God only knew what she was about to say. One could only
the one most excited. He eyed
faces, I kinda wished
you.” I
up from his plate; his silver-gray eyes which were much like
up more times than I can count, and you’ve always had my back. I hated you for cutting my financial resources but when I
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