Category: The Unwritten Pages.

I buttoned up the last few buttons of my pink colored Polo shirt, as I truly believe Nic and Danny were having a mini-Nicki on their hands. I tied my locs up in a ponytail, preparing for another hot summer day.

“Dad,” Milo barged into my room in a panic. “Do you know where my music bag is?” I turned around, looking at him standing there.

“It would be in your room.”

“It’s not in there.”

“Did you check?” I asked, already knowing he didn’t.

“It’s not in there, dad,” Milo whined, panicking even more. “Mollie put her ballet shoes in my music bag when I was at her house and now she’s all like ‘where are my shoes’ and if I don’t find this bag with her ballet shoes in them, she’ll–“

“Milo,” I stopped him in his tracks. “Take a deep breath, bud.” I only continued once he actually let out a deep breath. “I know it’s somewhere in your room because I was the one that put it in there after you left it near the front door again.” Milo stood there with nothing else left to say. He turned around and sprinted out of my room. I shook my head, raising Milo has not been an easy task.

After dropping Milo off at Mollie’s house for the day, I start driving up to Valley Stream to Danny and Nicki’s house. I was nervous attending their baby shower, knowing that I was going to see a lot of people that we went to Waverly High with. God forbid I see Pep there… I don’t think she’d make the trip though for that.

In an attempt to try to get us talking to each other, Danny and Nicki always mentioned how every time they try to invite Pep to their house, she refuses to come back to New York. That bothered me, knowing that her family would love to get to see her every now and then and never would visit them. I would hate to be the reason why she wouldn’t come back, knowing that once she does, there’s no avoiding me, or Milo.

Before I knew it, I got to Danny and Nicki’s house. I walked toward their front door with their gift in my hand, and rang the doorbell. Danny answered the door.

“Milo,” Danny greeted as he pulled me into a hug. “Thanks for coming, dude!” I walked into their decorated house filled with blue and pink balloons, and some shaped as baby pacifiers. If I knew anything about Nicki, it was that she was going to go all out for their first child.

“Of course,” I smiled, walking down the hallway to where the rest of the party was. Nicki’s family were at one side of the room, talking to other party guests. I see some people from high school, all grown up into their own and nothing like the way they were 10 years ago.

Nicki gets up from one of the seats, smiling from ear to ear. She immediately pulled me into a hug.

“Milo!” She said happily. I hug Nicki tight, finally realizing that we were no longer the kids in the same 1st grade class, but now adults doing adult things in this world. “I’m sorry for being mean to you when we were younger. I never thought that the kid I used to bully in 1st grade would now be at my baby shower, welcoming my first baby and—” I pat her gently on the back, calming her down knowing the waterworks were about to start.

“Nic,” I reassured her, looking at Danny.

“Babe, let Milo sit down,” Danny suggested. Nicki immediately let go of me.

“Right! I’m sorry, my brain is all over the place today,” she explained, walking over to a few vacant seats in the main room.

“You don’t need to be sorry,” I said, sitting down next to Nicki and Danny.

“Was Gwen as emotional when she was pregnant with Milo?” Nicki asked.

“Very,” I answered. “Especially toward the end of it.” Nicki took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, as if she was processing just how far along she was. Someone called out Nicki’s name, excusing herself from both Danny and I.

“How are you holding up?” I asked. Danny’s visual expression on his face told the entire story.

“It’s… been a lot,” Danny said. “Seeing all these people here to celebrate us is…nerve wrecking. And then preparing for the baby’s arrival and—”

“Breathe, dude,” I reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all new to you two. It’s going to be scary and overwhelming, but you guys are at a good place in life. I mean, you have the support system to welcome your baby.” Danny smiled and nodded his head, nudging me in the shoulder.

“Thanks, dude. I’m glad that you’re a part of our support system.”

“Of course I would be,” I began to say. “Who else is going to be Uncle Milo?”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Danny said, standing up from his seat. “Once the party is over and everyone’s left, do you mind staying back for a few? Nic and I wanted to ask you something.” I nodded my head, agreeing but confused at what it could possibly be. Nevertheless, The party was beautiful, and both Nicki and Danny announced that they were having a girl, Daniela would be her name.

…

I helped clean up the main room area with Danny, as Nicki greeted the party guests out of the house. Danny kept turning his head toward the door, watching it every once in awhile. At some point, he immediately just stood there staring at the door, noticeably distracted by something.

“Bro,” I called out to him. Danny faced me, pretending I had his attention this entire time. “Nicki isn’t going to go into labor at the front door or something.”

“No, no; I know,” Danny quickly said as he continued to clean up. Danny was acting weird throughout the party; I deemed it as just nervousness at first, but maybe it was something that I should be questioning. I shrugged it off, hearing Nicki say goodbye to the last set of people. I heard the front door closed, and pitter patter from Nicki’s fuzzy slippers.

“Thanks for helping out, Milo,” Nicki said as she sat on the couch. I could tell how tired she was after today; I don’t blame her, I would be too after the amount of people that were here today. Danny walked over to Nicki, rubbing her shoulders as he stood behind the couch.

“That’s what friends do,” I said, tying the last garbage bag up. “Plus, Danny told me to hang back for something that he has not told me just yet.” Nicki turned her head and looked up at Danny. Danny continued to rub her shoulders and said nothing. “Something tells me this is bad news.”

“No,” Nicki quickly said, placing her hand on top of her stomach. “Absolutely not. Why would we ruin our baby shower and share bad news?”

“Because you guys have horrible poker faces,” I said, more jokingly than being serious. The doorbell rang, which made all three of us face at that direction. Nicki got up, and walked to the front door. I look at Danny, who looks like he’s sweating in literal puddles.

“Guess somebody forgot something,” I said, turning around to open the sliding door to take out the trash. It wasn’t until I turned around and heard a familiar voice; one that I haven’t heard in a long time. That’s when I saw her, standing with Nicki in the middle of the main room.

I shouldn’t have been surprised, but in that moment I was shocked. It was like I was looking at a hologram rather than an actual person. It was Pep.

Nicki was the first person to speak, clearing her throat before she did. “Now that everyone who is needed is here–“

“Nic,” Pep said, looking at Nicki. Pep’s hair was still curly, but now so much shorter. She’s not wearing her glasses, and it looks like she has a slight summer tan from the North Carolina heat.

“Dude,” I said to Danny as he wipes his face with a paper towel. Nicki pulls Pep into the seat next to her at the same time Danny pulls me down the seats next to him. This was an intervention.

“We both wanted to talk to you guys about something very important,” Nicki started the discussion. “I know these aren’t the circumstances you guys wanted to be in–“

“This couldn’t have been a phone conversation?” Pep interrupted. Nicki looked at her, clearly annoyed.

“Just because you and Milo don’t want anything to do with each other doesn’t mean anything to me,” she spat back. I looked over at both women, sitting in my seat in complete silence.

“Nicki is just trying to say–” Danny began to explain until Nicki got up from her seat.

“What I’m trying to say is that today isn’t about you, or you,” she said as she pointed at both Pep and me. “Today is about me, Danny, and our daughter. So, this is why I don’t care if you guys are not friends; you’re still our friends.” I looked over at Pep. Her legs were crossed and with her arms crossed. I remember Pep well enough to know this is what she does when she knows she’s wrong. She hated to admit it when she was, and she always felt a sense of love from her friends.

She never said anything else, and Danny decided to walk over to Nicki, clearing his throat.

“I’ll be the one to bring us back on track,” Danny said openly. “We wanted you both here when we tell you that you two are Daniela’s godparents.” Pep’s face softened and uncrossed her body. Sitting up, she looked over to her friend.

“Wait, are you serious?” Pep asked as she got up, pulling Nicki in a hug. “You want me to be a godparent?” Nicki started to tear up in the hug with Pep. I always appreciated the friendship they had with each other. In times of hardship, they always loved each other like sisters.

“You two mean so much to us. We practically grew up with you guys, and it means a lot to us to still have you guys here during the journey.” I smile at Danny as he put his arm around Nicki’s shoulders. I glanced over at Pep one last time for the night, somewhat hoping that this isn’t the last time I get to see her.

“One regular slice and one pepperoni slice,” I said at the counter of the pizza parlor, looking behind at their fridge of drinks. “Can I also get two cans of Coke as well?” It was quick getting the pizza slices for both Danny and I, and it was nice to have someone come back to our stomping grounds in the pizza parlor after all these years.

“Thanks, man,” Danny said as I handed out his regular slice. I guess growing up means you don’t swoon over the meat lover’s special slice anymore. “Man, I love Nicki, but she’s literally been scarier than all of the villains in a scary movie!”

“She’s 5 months pregnant, bro,” I reminded him. “She’s just now realizing that her body is carrying another human being.” I looked at Danny, who immediately got white in the face. “Plus, she’s Nicki. She sucks under stress.”

“I just wish I knew how to help her,” Danny said, seemingly genuinely worried. “When I see her in pain, it just makes me feel bad that I did that to her.”

“Bro, she was there when it happened,” I mentioned, hoping to make Danny feel better about the situation. “Don’t listen to her when she says she hates you for making her go through this. She is not going to mean it.”

“I still can’t wrap my head around the thought that Nic and I are about to be parents,” Danny admitted, pulling his hair back in a stressed way. “When did it hit you that you were gonna be a father?” Ever since they announced to me that they were expecting, Danny had these nonstop questions about the process and my experience with pregnancy, forgetting that my experience was completely different than his.

“I can’t say, to be honest,” I said, taking a bite out of my slice. “I couldn’t really act like I was going to be a dad at the age of 15.” Danny rolled his eyes, knowing he’s heard this explanation a thousand times in the last 5 months.

“But you had to feel like one at some point,” he argued back.

“Yeah, when Gwen passed away and was left being the one to discharge Milo out of the hospital,” I recalled. The day Milo was born was a chaotic one, and totally unexpected. In the span of 12 days, my whole world had turned upside down.

“I don’t mean to bring back bad memories,” Danny apologized.

“The birth of my only son isn’t a bad memory, it’s just an experience that can’t connect with yours. You’re married to Nicki. You guys live together in a nice house, planning a baby shower to celebrate the birth of your first child. Gwen and I didn’t have that.”

“But you still went through the motions of being a man getting ready to bring a child into the world—”

“I was a kid having a kid,” I corrected. “But I understand the feelings you are going through. They’ll always be there when you’re about to become a father.” Danny nodded at me, sharing an agreement to one another. There’s a slight pause before Danny finishes his canned soda; the hollow noise hitting the tabletop.

“So, when are you gonna have another kid?” Danny said bluntly. “My kid needs a friend.”

“Bro, what?” I laughed as I asked.

“Milo is getting older, dude; when are you gonna have another kid?”

“How the hell am I suppose to know?” I scoffed. “I don’t even have the time to clean my apartment, yet alone go out on a date with a woman.”

“You’re not dating anyone yet?” Danny asked as if it was the most shocking discovery in the conversation. “Are you still not over Marielle?” I felt my body tense up hearing the name of my ex girlfriend.

Marielle and I were students at the same college, and one of my electives as a junior was something she was taken towards her major. She was studying to be an actress and was pursuing this once-in-a-lifetime experience at Oxford, all the way in London. She told me late last summer that she got accepted into the program at Oxford, and was going to live in London for the next two years. Knowing that long-distance wouldn’t have worked for us, we both agreed to call it quits.

“I haven’t spoken to Mari since she left for London,” I emphasized. “Why try to date when a.) the women our age aren’t looking to be with a man with a kid already, and b.) eventually it’s not going to work out?” It was true; dating as a single father was strange, considering I’ve been a single dad since I was a sophomore in high school. Surely, women dated me later in high school and in college, but the elephant in the room was always my son knocking on my bedroom door when I had a woman over. Clearly, they never wanted a second date with me.

“So, that’s it? Mari leaves for London and Pep leaves for North Carolina with her fiancée—” My body tenses up to the sound of Pep’s name. Danny immediately stopped the thought and jumps on a new one. “Have you heard from Pep lately?”

“The last I heard was that her fiancée unfortunately passed away,” I said, recalling that conversation with Lydia one day. “Her mom told me, but I haven’t spoken to Jennifer—”

“Pep,” Danny corrected.

“I haven’t spoken to her since she left for North Carolina last summer,” I finished my sentence, dismissing Danny’s correction.

“I just don’t understand how best friends like you and Pep just have a huge falling out like that,” Danny questioned, finishing the last of his slice.

“You should know, you were there when it happened.” The last time Pep and I spoke was the night before she was leaving for North Carolina. She was moving closer to her fiancée’s family since he was dealing with a chronic illness. I was against her moving so far away from her family; she deemed it as jealousy for being able to move her life along while mine was forced to stay here because of my son. It was the last straw after breaking them in half to create more, but for the sake of Pep and me, we ended our friendship and communication there on that same night.

Before we got any deeper to the conversation, my phone rings on top of the table, noticing the number as the repairman. “Hello?… Yes, speaking… That’s great, thank you again.” I hung up the phone and began to get up from the booth. “Thank god they were able to fix my AC unit—”

“Dude,” Danny said as he put his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay to let things go for the sake of your own future. Yeah, your whole world is your son, but don’t forget you’re allowed to include your own wants and needs into that world.”

At the time, I didn’t understand why Danny worded things like that. The more I analyzed this day out with him, the more I realized that him and Nic had something up their sleeves this entire time—

And I was the fool that fell for it.