“Lauren!” I heard my mom call out my name as she knocked on my door.

“Come in.” I said barely enough to be heard.

“Are you ready to see your little nephew?” She said excitedly as she entered the room but suddenly stopped on her tracks when she took a look at me. “What’s wrong?” I shifted a little from the fetal position I was in and clutched onto the pillow I was hugging. I shook my head and blinked a couple of times to get rid of the tears that wanted to form as my mom sat on the bed besides me and started to stroke my shoulder. “Lauren? Talk to me sweetie.” Without answering her I sat up and turned to hug her as I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. She rocked me a bit and when I felt I was able to talk I broke away from the hug and looked down at my lap. “What’s wrong?”

“Jaime has cancer.” I said in barely above a whisper.
"Oh no." I looked up at my mom as she held an expression filled with sorrow.
"..and I'm pregnant." Her eyes went wide as her expression quickly changed.
"Did you just say-" I nodded my head and wiped away at a stray tear.
"Oh Lauren."
"I know.”
"What are you planning on doing?"
"I'm keeping it of course but right now I have to be there for Jaime. I needed to ask you something-"
"What is it?"
"Even though I technically don't live here anymore, I need to move out." She looked at me confused. "I'm calling Elise to have my things from the dorm shipped over. Jaime and I think it's best if I stayed at his place."
She began to nod as she took everything in. "Sweetie are you sure you want this? You can always go back to school and when the baby comes there are options you can take."
"But what about Jaime? I've never been surer mom. I love him and it kills me to know what he's going through but I'm not leaving him. School can wait this is happening now and I wish you would back me up on this."
"I am I just know it's going to be hard especially in the future. Are you prepared in the case that you might have to be a sin-" she stopped as she knew how hard it was for me to hear the what ifs. I know she was right and it did cross my mind but I didn't want to have to think about that right now. I know getting pregnant happened for a reason and I wasn't getting rid of the baby no matter what just as I wasn't going to leave Jaime's side.
Even though it’s only been a couple of months I couldn't picture life without him. In the short amount of time he's filled me with so much love that I've never felt before, he's made me think a different and better perspective. I can't imagine ever going back.
"Is he coming over later for the barbecue?" She asked after a while.
"Yes, I think so."
"Ok, well go take a shower and get ready, your brother is coming over in a little and you know your dad is going to want you out there." She got up from my bed and I followed her as I walked over to my closet.
"Mom-"
"Yes?” she stopped at the door and looked at me.
"Please don't tell dad anything, I'll tell him when I'm ready."
"Ok. And Lauren don't worry, things will be better in no time."
~~~

I heard the doorbell ring and I quickly ran to it knowing it was Jaime on the other side. I swung the door open and nearly attacked him with a hug. I feel his chest vibrate as he chuckled while hugging me.
"Lauren who was at the door?" I hear my mom say as she approaches us. "Oh hi Jaime, nice to see you again."
"Hi Mrs. Smith." The two greeted each other and I took Jaime's hand in mine as my mom led us towards the sliding door. She opened the door and I squeezed his hand as we stepped out one by one.
"Hey Jaime, you made it!" Tommy said from where he sat. I let go of his hand and he went over to my brother to greet him.
"Where's Emily?" I asked as I walked over to him.
"She's inside changing the baby's diaper."
"How are you likening being a dad?" Jaime asked him.
"Oh it's great. A bit tiring since its barley been a week but I love the little guy. "
"I'm sure it's exciting."
"Oh yeah, every day is something new with him."
I heard the sliding door open again and out came Emily, with the baby in her arms and my dad right behind her. My dad looked in our direction and he looked a little taken back when he saw Jaime standing right beside me. They both came over to where we stood and my dad stopped right in front of us.
"Dad this is Jaime, my boyfriend."
"Michael." He said as he extended his hand for him to take. "Nice to meet you."
I noticed my dad examine him a bit before I pull his arm so we can sit down.
“Jaime, sorry if I look a bit shocked but I didn’t know my daughter was seeing anyone.”
“It’s ok, I understand. Things were a bit quick.”
“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I’m twenty-six.” His eyes went wide and he nodded his head as he took in the information.
“Oh really?”
“Yes.”
“And what is it that you do?”
“I used to be a paramedic but I wasn’t completely fit for the job after a while.”
“So what you’re saying is that you got fired?”
“Dad-“ I said when the conversation started to take a turn. I know what he was trying to do, he was fishing for anything bad to make me back out of this relationship.
“Lauren I’m simply asking him a question.” He told me before looking back at Jaime as he waited for his answer. I can tell everyone noticing him start to feel uncomfortable but my dad wouldn’t back down.
Jaime let out a deep breath besides me as he readied himself to answer my dad’s questions.
“No Mr. Smith. I didn’t get fired I just stopped working when the job just became too much for me and I couldn’t do it anymore.”
“Why? What can possibly keep you away from working?”
“Dad drop it.” Tommy told him this time but he ignored him.
“Cancer. I have melanoma.”
My dad pressed his lips together down in a straight line, not expecting that response and looked down at his plate awkwardly. The table remained silent until I saw him look back up and I already knew he had more for Jaime.
“So you have cancer, ok. What is it that you want from my daughter exactly?” He said bluntly.
“Michael!” My mom nearly shouted from where she sat beside him.
“Karen it’s a simple question and you can’t say these questions haven’t filled your mind.”
“No they haven’t actually.” She said but he simply turned back to Jaime.
“Well Jaime? I don’t mean to sound rude I just want to know what a twenty-six year old wants with someone four years younger than him.”
“I understand your concerns but I love your daughter and would never do anything to hurt her.”
“Love?! Are you sure about that just yet? You guys have only been dating for what a couple weeks?”
“Almost three months and yes I’m sure. I don’t use the term loosely.”
“Hm.” He said as he looked away and shook his head, not liking what Jaime was saying.
“What are you finding so wrong about this dad?” I asked him as I was losing my patience with him.
“Wrong?” He snorted as he shook his head again. “You left school and I didn’t like it but I didn’t push it because I know you were here for your brother. Now you come out with this surprise that you have a boyfriend. Next you’re going to say you’re not going back to Berkley.”
“You’re right, I’m not.”
“Why?” He asked, his voice getting louder now. “What is your excuse now?”
“Don’t you get it dad? I need to be here for Jaime especially right now. I can’t just get up and leave like that. It might be ok for you but I’m not like that.”
“There will be plenty of boys you will meet, maybe someone your age at that. Don’t throw away your future for some guy. Law school is waiting.”
My eyes went wide and I clenched my jaw as I tried to hold back my tongue on what I wanted to shout at him but I knew it wouldn’t make a difference. I shook my head and pushed myself away from the table so I can get up. Jaime looked at me and I motioned for him to get up as well. I couldn’t be there anymore and just let my dad bash on Jaime when he didn’t even know him.
“I don’t even know you anymore. I can’t believe you, you were never like this.” I muttered before walking away to the sliding door. I let Jaime go into the house first and as I stepped a foot inside I stopped myself and charged back to my dad’s side. “Before I go I just want to inform you that I am quitting law school for good and if and when I go back to school it will be to study something else.” I stopped as I felt tears start to fall from the mixture of my frustrations and sadness I had inside me. “In the meantime I will be stay here in San Diego and hope that Jaime will get better for his and my sake and for the baby.” My dad cocked his head back at the end of my sentence and looked at me confused. “Yes I said baby. I’m pregnant.” I dropped the information on him and I saw his eyes slowly go wide as he took everything in. I turned around and walked back inside and walked inside the house. I got out of there as quickly as I could and grabbed my bags before following Jaime out the front door. No matter what my dad thought I wasn’t going to change my mind. I knew what I needed to do and what was best.