The Other Side

“Not exactly.” She looked about her. “Can I talk to you?”

“Sure.”

Sensing that Charli needed to talk privately, Mark beckoned her to follow him. The nearest door was for the disabled toilet and there was no one in there. He allowed Charli to go in first and followed in behind, locking the door. They might get some raised eyebrows when they came out but it was private.

Charli was chewing at her lip when Mark turned back to her. He knew she had something to say but he didn’t rush her; the poor girl looked like she was struggling with what she had to say.

“I’m pregnant.” Charli’s words came out in a rush. “I hadn’t had s*x with Andy for weeks. I checked the dates and the doctor says I’m six weeks along. The only person I’ve had s*x with in that window was you.”

Mark felt like he had been hit with a sledgehammer. Of all the things to have been told, being a father was not one of them.

“You’re pregnant.”

“Yes.” Charli hurried on, “You don’t have to be involved with the baby. I can raise it on my own. I just wanted you to know to give you a chance. If you don’t want to know, that’s fine, but I thought you should know.”

“Whoa, slow down there, Charli. You’ve just thrown this news on me and it’s taking a while to sink in.” Mark put his gym bag down and leaned against the wall. His legs suddenly felt weak. “Wow. Me a dad.”

“I never thought I would become a mom now. I did think about it a few years back but then Andy started acting in a way I didn’t like, I didn’t want him becoming a father.” Charli wrapped her arms around her middle. “I don’t want to be a single parent but if you don’t want to be in the child’s life I’m willing to do it.”

Mark closed his eyes and tried to let it sink in. He was about to become a father. Things had happened so quickly between them that he hadn’t thought about protection the first time. The next two times he had remembered to put a condom on but he remembered from s*x ed. at school that it only took one time. And they had done something stupid.

It was too much to take in. Mark didn’t know what to say or think.

He swallowed and opened his eyes. Charli was watching him nervously, a glint of expectation in her eyes. She wanted him to stand by her and help. He wanted to but he needed to get his head around everything.

“Will you let me think about it?” He croaked. “I’ve always wanted to be a father but this is very sudden. I just need to get my head around it and think clearly.”

His heart ached when Charli’s face fell. Now she looked miserable.

“I understand.” She moved towards the door, her head lowered. “I’ll leave you to it.”

She left the bathroom but Mark wasn’t going to let her go like this. He snatched up his bag and hurried after her, not caring that people were looking at him strangely because they had been in the disabled bathroom together.

“Charli. Wait.”

Charli stopped but she didn’t turn around. Her back was stiff, her head lowered. Mark walked around and stood before her. He didn’t like seeing her like this. He wanted to hold her but he guessed that Charli would shrug him off.

But he did put his fingers under her chin and lift her head up. Charli’s eyes were wet and her cheeks were stained with tears. Mark swallowed and stroked her cheek.

“Whatever happens I won’t leave you out in the cold. That’s not how I work.”

Charli sniffed and turned her face a little into his hand.

“I know.”

That small movement gave Mark some hope.

“I’ll call you tomorrow. It’s my day off. We can talk some more then.”

Charli nodded, swiping at her cheeks with her hand.

“Okay.”

Mark didn’t want to leave her like that. He bent his head and kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger on her skin. He heard Charli let out a shuddering breath and when he drew back he saw her eyes were closed.

“I’ll talk to you later.”

Then he turned and hurried away before he did something he would regret. Like take her into the changing rooms with him.

*****

Charli drove back to her apartment with a heavy heart. Mark’s answer hadn’t been what she wanted. Deep down she had wanted Mark to jump into it and say he wanted to be a dad right away. But he had asked to think about it.

As she drove home she thought about what Mark had said. And she knew he needed time to think about it. She had thrust it upon him pretty quickly and it was a lot to take in. When it wasn’t planned, pregnancy was a big responsibility. And Mark was quite rightly thinking about it.

At least he had said he wouldn’t leave her out in the cold. From what she knew of Mark from interviews and their talking, he was a responsible person. He didn’t ignore things when it didn’t go his way like Andy; he took things on and followed through. She wouldn’t have to worry about being unsupported.

Being a single parent, though, was still on the table. Mark may not want to be with her properly. He would support his child but he might not want to be with her. And Charli was wishing that he did want her. There certainly hadn’t been any arguments when they had s*x. Maybe he had had second thoughts in six weeks.

Not calling him to talk had been hard. But Charli didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if her leaving the way she did would make things awkward. But the look on Mark’s face, the smile when he saw her, said that he was pleased to see her.

She hoped they could work on something.

Charli’s thoughts were still on Mark when she stepped out of the elevator and made her way down the hall to her apartment. She didn’t realize that she wasn’t alone as she dug into her purse for her key.

“Charli.”

Charli jumped. Andy was leaning against the wall by her door. He looked like he had just taken a shower, his blond hair cut short and wet, wearing a white shirt and jeans. Charli would have thought he looked handsome before. Now she couldn’t stand the sight of him.

“Andy. What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to take you out.” Andy pushed away from the wall and walked towards her, smiling that charming smile he used when he was getting his own way. “I’ve just got back from training in San Francisco and I thought we could go out and do something. There’s a movie on tonight you’ve been going on about seeing. We can have a meal afterwards and then I was thinking of some intimate time together.”

Charli couldn’t believe his gall. He seriously thought a few weeks away would make her want to go back. She shook her head and stepped around Andy.

“Andy, I told you it’s over between us. Besides,” She glanced back and gave Andy’s crotch a dirty look, “I’m not touching that after it’s been in Kim’s ass. You don’t know where that’s been.”

She unlocked her door and went through.