to have and have not

Eric tried not to stare at all three of the pregnancy tests laid out on the dresser. But there they were. All three with the same outcome. A part of him was pleased yet scared to death. He tried not to be so restless as he braided Syd's hair. It gave him something to do, or was it..he wanted to be close to her.

"Come home with me." He whispered in her ear. "Please, I don't want to miss out on this. I don't." He was filled with sadness wondering how close he would have been to Amanda if she'd ever let him. He didn't want to think about that now.

"But I couldn't." She shook her head, no.

"What?" He let go of her hair then and looked at her. "Were you not going to tell me? What were you going to do?" He shook his head, no at the thought she wanted to get rid of it. Eric felt so powerless now. She could still do it. "You aren't think of having an abortion, are you?"

"No. No, its just, you know, its my problem." She nodded.

"What? Its not just your  problem. Stop thinking it is. Its our problem. I want to be with you. You're all I think about. Don't you see?" Eric thought he might crumble as he sat on the floor next to her. "You have to, you have to come back with me."

"But, I'm taking online classes. I'm going to be a transcriber."

"A medical transcriber?" Eric scowled. "Who decided this? You're artistic. You love music."

"They talked me into it." She shrugged, hugging herself

"They?" He squinted as if they couldn't do this to her.

"Kip and my Mom." She looked at him. "You know, I could do it from home."

"What? So they could just lock you away?" Eric shook his head. "You're so much more than-" Eric sighed. "This is our chance. You and me. Who cares what they think? Its like a sign. I found you, and we're here and we should just do it. You and me."

"You and me," Syd said.

Eric didn't think it was a question, after all. But a decision.