Gen 2-Chapter 3: Tribulations

Well it didn't take me long after I crawled underneath the covers to have curiosity get the best of me....that and my father's and Pepper's voices creeping in from underneath the door frame. I cracked open the door and saw them arguing in the living room.

I don't know if my mother ever told you but Pepper and I have always been close even since the days when I was a toddling terror. It's harder for me to be as mad with him because I feel both upset with and protective of Pepper at the same time. I have to say he's the closest thing I've got to a best friend. Even though I tried to trust Pepper's judgment, unlike mom and dad, something bothered me about Bridget. Maybe it was that she was causing an uproar at my house.
The arguing back and forth continued for a while. I caught snatches here and there.

"I cannot believe you...engaged to this girl...who you really don't know...Pepper!"

"I love her.....I do know her....we are getting married..........like it or not"

"Your mom and I.....just don't....see you hurt.....I'm going to bed"

The next few days weren't any better and it seemed to be that every time Dad and Pepper were in the same room it turned into an argument. I could tell Dad was loosing steam. Mom didn't say anything...to anyone, especially Bridget. It was as if she were giving us all the silent treatment in order to keep her cool.

Bridget was trying to fit in the family. So much that she got a new, more colorful, hair style and a more colorful wardrobe. She really wasn't all that bad of a person.

The silent front mom was putting up wouldn't last much longer though. A few weeks after the engagement I walked by Mom and Dad's bedroom and saw that Bridget was pacing back in forth by the computer, biting her nails. Of course I watched. She heard that all to familiar ding that she had a new email and sat down.
When she stood up she started rubbing her belly and it hit me,

"Oh...my...berry, you're pregnant!" She turned in my direction. Oops, I said it out loud.
"Please don't tell anyone yet. I need to tell Pepper."

That evening she announced her pregnancy in the living room. Dad and Pepper had been trying to have the first civil conversation in weeks about Pepper's work at the time. When she told everyone, I pretending to look surprised but no one was paying me much attention anyway.

Pepper was thrilled, Dad was quite and mummered "congratulations".

 Mom stood up, walked over to Bridget and said:
"Is it Peppers?"

The smile was off of Bridget's face immediately."Excuse me?"

"Are you sure the baby is my sons?"

OMB this is about to get ugly.
"You have got to be kidding me? You haven't said anything to any of us in WEEKS and you choose to say that first? To accuse me of being dishonest? I can't believe you!"

"I...didn't mean for it to come out like that....I...."

"You've been nothing but disapproving of me since I came back from school. You haven't even bothered to find out anything about why I came back or anything."

"I understand that but you need to understand that I have to protect my son. You'll understand sooner than you realize" Mom said looking at Bridget's midsection.

"I'm through with this conversation." She left and went to Pepper's room. He followed suit and we didn't see either of them that night. I did hear quiet sobbing and Pepper speaking to someone on his cellphone when I walked by the room though.

The next morning when I woke up, I felt like something had changed in the house. Apparently that night, Pepper and Bridget had gathered their things and left. I felt a sudden surge of panic mixed with sadness in my chest that morning. I knew he wouldn't be coming back and I was a little disgusted that he had left this way.