| Romance Fiction posted July 30, 2017 | Chapters: |
...7 8 -9- 10... 
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...decisions to be made
A chapter in the book The Products of Love
Ron's reaction to the news
by Mustang Patty
| Background 'The Products of Love' is the story of Jenny and Ron. Their love affair started out so sweet, and then life stepped in and things got rocky. Can this deep connection ever be broken? |
The story so far…
Back in 1983, Jenny and Ron met on their way to work in the shipyard. He worked at one end of the shipyard and she worked in a building closer to the gate they went in together. After flirting and talking for several weeks, Ron finally asked Jenny out.
Their first date was magical, and it was the beginning of a wonderful six months or so of dating. Jenny warned Ron that there wouldn't be any sex until they were in a committed relationship. She remained true to her word. Ron finally told her he loved her and expressed his belief that they had something that would last.
The feelings of elation for Jenny were dispelled the very next day. She arrived at Ron's house, after ignoring her ringing phone as she left the house. When she let herself in, she found Ron sitting with a strange woman. Unbeknown to her, this was Ron' half-sister who had been blackmailing him for years.
She left the house with a broken heart, and Ron didn't follow her. He was at a total loss as to what to do.
The misunderstandings continued and the couple drifted further and further apart.
Jenny and Patty worked together to follow the instructions for an in-home pregnancy test. The result was positive, though Jenny felt like it was a negative event. Wanting to get the hard part over, she called Ron to give him the news,
From the last chapter:
[Patty said,] "Don't set yourself up for disappointment. I'm bringing it up because he hasn't been the greatest guy you've ever dated. Not even close. In fact, he has been a jerk ever since you guys had sex. You may have to bring up this baby by yourself."
"Maybe I should call him now. With you here, I can get through it…no matter what he says."
She went to the phone and dialed Ron's number. He picked up after two rings, so she knew he had been up for a while. "Hi Ron. It's Jenny. I have something to tell you."
And now, we rejoin our story…
Ron clutched the phone tightly. It was her. Why was she calling him? Their last words to one another seemed pretty final in his mind.
"Um…hi, Jenny. If you're just going to start in on me again, I really have better things to do than listen to you bitch and moan."
He heard a huge intake of breath on the other end of the line. "No, I didn't call to start in on you. I have some news."
"What is it? I haven't got all day."
"Well, um, I'm…um, pregnant. I guess only one time was all it took. Seems like we're going to have a baby."
Stunned, Ron felt himself sway. Closing his eyes, and desperately trying to control the swirling thoughts in his mind, he said, "Give me a minute.
"How could you let this happen? I thought you were on the pill."
"We never really talked about birth control, and I wasn't exactly prepared the night we got carried away. You proclaimed your great love for me, and I lost my head."
He could hear the sarcasm in her voice, and it stung. Afraid he would say the wrong thing, he stalled.
"Jenny, I'm going to need some time. I will call you back after I've processed all this."
"Oh…okay. Um, do you have an idea of when you might call? I kind of need your input on this. Please don't be a dick; I'm a mess."
"It will only be a couple of hours. Talk to you then," he placed the receiver in the cradle of the phone and stood in his kitchen like a lost man. Like a boat escaped from its mooring, he and his thoughts floated out to sea.
----------@>>
Patty had left the room to give Jenny privacy while she made the call. Hearing the silence from the other room, she went to make sure her friend was okay.
Sitting on the living room floor with the phone still cradled in her lap, Jenny remained still as a statue. Her face was ashen and filled with pain. She looked up to see Patty at the door, and the unbidden tears started to stream down her face.
"He didn't really say anything. Nothing. He just asked for time to 'process.' He didn't sound the least bit concerned for me. I didn't hear any emotion in his voice at all. It's like we were never anything to each other."
"Honey, he's probably in shock. You must admit, he probably thought he'd never hear from you again. He didn't always portray much emotion anyway. It's just Ron, being Ron."
"He said he'd call back in a few hours. Can you stay until he calls?"
"Of course, I can. My housework can wait, and I'll go to the grocery store tomorrow. Let's just find a way to pass the time. You look and see what's on TV, and I'll get some coffee for me, and a glass of milk for you."
----------@>>
Ron walked from room to room in his little house. He could see memories in every room. There was the table, where they shared several meals. The couch reminded him of the hours they sat watching TV and sharing passionate kisses. His bedroom was full of sweet and agonizing desires fulfilled. The house was full of the time they'd spent together. The thoughts he'd turned away from for the past few weeks flooded his brain.
He couldn't talk to anyone about this. First, they would think he was a fool to be so careless. Then they would remind him of how happy he was while he was with Jenny. Next, they would start talking about his responsibilities.
Did he want to be tied down to a woman who could turn so cold? She never gave him a chance to explain about Veronica. Willing to believe the worst, she'd judged him unworthy and ended everything. Had she ever really loved him? How could she walk away so easily?
After running through all the possible scenarios in his head, and agonizing for a few hours, he made his decision. He needed to call Jenny and give her his input on the situation.
After dialing the familiar number, he listened as the phone rang a few times. Impatient to get this over with, he cursed her for not being there. After four rings, she finally picked up.
"Hello?"
"Jenny? It's me, Ron. I thought about it, and I think we should just make a clean break of things. I can meet you tomorrow to give you my half of what it would cost to get an abortion. To me, it's just the best thing to do."
Hearing the sharp gulp of air on the other end of the line, he listened for her acceptance. "Well, if that's what you think is best for you…where do you want to meet?"
"I'll swing by your house tomorrow morning. Let's get this all over with." Without saying goodbye, he hung up the phone. He slid down the kitchen wall as his tears overcame him. He mourned all that could have been.
...to be continued
 Recognized |
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Cast of Characters;
Jenny Austin - our protagonist. A young woman who works in the shipyard and has fallen in love.
Ron Grimsley - A confused young man who isn't really sure how to handle his first time in love.
Patty - Jenny's best friend - 'me'
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Jenny Austin - our protagonist. A young woman who works in the shipyard and has fallen in love.
Ron Grimsley - A confused young man who isn't really sure how to handle his first time in love.
Patty - Jenny's best friend - 'me'
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