10 Weeks Later

(The story contains specific references to a mental health condition and substance abuse. Reader discretion is advised.)

This story is a dialogue between Francis and Alice, a separated couple currently going to the hospital to meet their 18-year-old daughter, Megan. Francis is a 41-year-old advertiser, while Alice, also 41, is a freelance writer, unemployed 300 out of 365 days every year. Their daughter is a college student and an excellent soccer player, attending one of the best colleges in the country on a full sports scholarship and being the vice-captain of her varsity team, despite being a freshman.

At present, our couple is stuck in a traffic jam and a discussion transpires.)

F: How did she get into the hospital in the first place?

A: I got a call from her school saying she collapsed during a match. Jonathan was there, and he accompanied her to the hospital.

F: What was Jonathan doing there?

A: Trying to be a good boyfriend. What's it to you?

F: Well, we're still legally married. Unless you're sure you want a divorce, you can't mess around with somebody else. 

A: REALLY? Who are you talking about faithfulness, huh? You've slept with more women than Bruce Wayne, and you're talking to me about staying faithful?

(Faithfulness to a partner is an exceptionally touchy subject, ever since Alice walked in on Francis involved with a friend of hers, which subsequently led to the discovery of Francis's multiple infidelities.)

F: You've got it wrong.

A: Oh, I have? Enlighten me. Have all my best friends got it wrong? They slept with a lookalike, huh? You say you were faithful to me. The man with the chastity belt who has never put a foot out of line. That's who you are, right?

F: It wasn't like that. You don't understand.

A: Understand what? How are you going to twist the story further? Just admit to the fact that you were unfaithful, that you were the cause of our marriage being the shitshow it was, that you were unhappy with your life at home, and you used your charming looks to get with a lot of women to ease your unhappiness. But no, even though the evidence is in front of you, you refuse to give me the closure I need. You continue to lie, continue to twist the story. Can't you just say that you were at fault, for once?

(Stunned silence.)

F: Can this wait? If I wanted to get chewed out, I would've arranged a coffee date, not this. We have a priority right now.

A: Oh, yeah, yeah. It can wait. Everything can wait. You are the king of the world, aren't you? Your priorities, your girlfriends, your work. What about me? Did you ever think about my needs? "Hey Alice, I am getting a transfer, so you have to quit your job, OK? Thank you." I put everything on the line, so you could have the career you wanted. And this is how you repay me.

(It's funny. They never fought before marriage, and everyone always believed they would be one of those Hallmark couples. Married for 50+ years. But they proved the world wrong, and in a bad way.

Alice and Francis had been together since school. It was a given. They were the two most popular students in the entire school. Francis, the soccer team captain, 6 feet tall, with sharp facial features, blue eyes, and the most charming smile. And Alice. What could one say about Alice? She looked as though the gods had sculpted her and given her the best features any woman could have the benefit of receiving. She had silky black hair surrounding her round face, with piercing green eyes that could draw you in and trap you.

It did not come as a surprise to anyone when Francis finally asked her out after their middle school graduation, and she accepted.

They wed shortly after graduating from college, which marked a turning point in their lives.

Three months after their wedding, Alice got pregnant. The pregnancy exacerbated her underlying mood swings and anger issues, later diagnosed as bipolar disorder, and led to the first set of arguments amongst the couple regarding the two options to deal with the pregnancy. Alice, heavily against abortion, refused to go through with the procedure, despite Francis's numerous claims regarding the impact a child would have on them, that they were not ready to be parents. Alice refused to consider his arguments. Now parents to a daughter, our young couple settled into their new life. Steadily, cracks began to appear in their marriage. Alice found help in substances to cope with her bipolar disorder and resisted Francis's numerous attempts to help her get clean. Francis, long disillusioned with life at home, began his 6-year long journey of extramarital affairs. After a while, their relationship was non-existent, and they stayed together solely for the well-being of Megan.)

F: Why does everything have to be about you? Why do you take everything I say straight to the heart, without a second thought? You made your choices, and I made mine. We are where we are. Can you shut it for once and let me focus on the road, please?

A: Fine. I'll shut up.

F: Thank you.

(The smooth voice of John Mayer floods the speaker system of the car as the warring couple falls silent. The traffic eases, and they rush to the hospital. They pull up into the hospital parking lot and walk in while Alice resists Francis's attempt to hold hands with her. They take the lift to the third floor. As they emerge, Jonathan, standing nearby, comes over to hug Alice. Jonathan is a handsome, 25-year-old business executive. Alice had met him at a singles' night at one of the local bars three months earlier, shortly after the separation. They have since been on fifteen dates. The hug is followed by a tense and curt handshake between the two men.)

J: She's in Room 303, doing fine.

F: Thanks.

A: I appreciate the support, Jon. Would you like to come inside with us?

J: I'm not allowed inside right now—hospital policy. Only parents are allowed. See you later, though.

(The parents step inside Room 303. Megan, all of eighteen, is lying on the bed, dressed in the hospital gown, watching a made-for-TV romantic comedy. She is almost a carbon copy of Alice, with virtually the same physical features, the only difference being her smile, which is something her father says he gifted to her. She smiles as her parents walk in.)

F: Hi, Meg! How are you doing?

M: I'm OK. Feeling much better.

F: Are you in any pain? Anything else happen?

M: I puked a bit when I came here, and I've got a bit of a stomach ache. The doctors did some scans on me and said they'll get the reports in some time.

F: Do you have any idea how this could have happened? 

M: I haven't been sleeping well for the last few days, and I think I was just too tired and overworked. 

A: You shouldn't have played, then.

M: It was an important match. I had to play, at least for an hour or so.

F: Well, you're safe. That is what's important. How long did the doctor say the results would take?

M: He said it could take an hour. He should be back soon.

(The parents continue to have a conversation with Megan, and about 15 minutes later, a doctor walks in. The badge on his coat reveals his name to be Dr. Kidman. He is around 50, shorter than everyone in the room, and looks like George Costanza from Seinfeld. He has a bunch of files labeled with Megan's name and addresses the parents with an air of foreboding in his voice.)

Dr. K: Hello, I assume you are Megan's parents?

A: Yes.

Dr. K: Well, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, there is no way I can sugar-coat this.

A (Shrieking): Oh, no! What is it, doctor? Is she going to die?

F: Hold your horses! Let the man speak.

Dr. K: Thank you. There is nothing to worry about, ma'am. Your daughter is in perfect shape. Could not be healthier. But she is pregnant.

F, A, and M: WHAT?

Dr. K: Our early scans detected nothing wrong with the stomach. Nor were there any problems with the pancreas or liver, which could have contributed to her stomach ache. Megan mentioned she had missed a period and was having trouble sleeping, so we got an ultrasound done, just as a precautionary measure. It reveals that your daughter is ten weeks pregnant, which explains her sudden stomach ache, lack of sleep and consequent tiredness.

(Francis slumps into a chair, his head in his hands, struggling to deal with the situation.)

Dr. K: I would recommend you find out who the father is and bring him into the loop. You must know whether he wishes to be around if your daughter plans to raise the baby.

A: What do you mean, if? Of course, she will raise the kid.

Dr. K: She must make the final decision, ma'am. We are a pro-choice hospital with excellent facilities. If she wants to let go of the child, our highly trained specialists will conduct the procedure, and I assure you, it would be painless.

F: Just a second, doctor. I need to know something from Megan.

Dr. K: Go ahead.

F: Can you give us the room for a few minutes?

Dr. K: Sure.

(He steps out of the room. Alice and Francis launch into an interrogation of Megan.)

F: Who's the father?

A: If you abort the kid, I disown you.

F: Who is it?

A: No roof over your head, Megan. You can't abort the kid.

F: Who is the father? Tell me and tell me NOW!

M: OK! I'll tell you. Calm down, please.

(Alice sits down and picks up a glass of water, taking sips.)

F: It will be alright. We'll understand.

(A long pause.)

M: It was Jonathan.

(Alice spits out the water she is drinking and turns to stare at Megan, shocked.)

F: Jonathan? Her boyfriend? Are you telling me you're pregnant by the same man your mom is dating?

A: But how? That's impossible. What about your boyfriend?

M: No.

(Francis throws his hands in the air and lets out a sigh.)

(To Alice)

F: What sort of household are you running, huh? You can't even control your own "boyfriend." Why don't you go outside and tell him he's dead meat? Tell him to run away, because he's a goner if I see him again.

A: I want the whole story. This is a shocking revelation.

M: Please don't hurt Jonathan. He's done nothing wrong.

F: I'll decide that. Now tell me what happened.

M: I came home from college, and he was in the kitchen, waiting. Mom wasn't home; he said she had gone for a wine tasting, and he didn't want to be drunk at three in the afternoon.

(Francis throws a disgusted glance towards Alice.)

M: My boyfriend had just broken up with me because his family was moving away, and I was unhappy. Jonathan realized something was up and asked me what it was. He was friendly, said some comforting things, and we had a good talk. And then, it just escalated.

A: Did you use protection?

M: Of course, we did. We used a condom.

F: Did you check the expiry of the condom?

M: I didn't. It was just lying there, so we used it.

(Francis sits down again.)

A: So how are we going to raise the kid, Meg? You know you can't abort it.

F: It's her choice. Know this, Meg. Whatever you choose to do, I will support you. And if you need a place to stay, considering your mother cannot stop drinking, my door is always open. I've changed, and you'll be in good hands.

(He steps out of the room and asks Jonathan to come inside.)

A: Leave Jonathan alone.

F: I'm not going to do anything to him. Why would you think that? I'm just going to talk to him, like a man, and let him go.

(Jonathan knocks on the door.)

F: Come in.

(Jonathan enters. As he turns to close the door, Francis sneaks up behind him. Jonathan turns around to find himself face to face with Francis, who punches him in the face. Jonathan crashes back against the door and utters an expletive. As he gets up, Francis hits him again.)

J: What the hell did I do? Why did you break my goddamn nose?

F: You knocked up my daughter. That's what you did, Jon. Get away from here. Run as far as you can go. If you ever come near my family again, I swear to God, you will be in a lot of trouble.

J: She's pregnant? But how? That's impossible. I am so sorry, Francis, I really am.

A: The best thing for you would be to leave. We'll talk later, Jonathan.

(Jonathan leaves, clutching his nose.)

A: That was not a rational way to deal with that situation. What was that about a man-to-man conversation?

F: What the hell do you mean by rational? Is there anything you have done that is rational? You don't know if you want a divorce, you're sleeping with a man who is, what, 15 years younger than you, and he is simultaneously sleeping with our daughter. It does not make an ounce of sense. You're out for wine tastings in the afternoon. You're living in an apartment your sister owns, you make no money whatsoever, and you aren't there to support your daughter. And after all of that, you tell both of us that she has no choices? Pray tell, what is rational?

(The argument escalates wildly, with the parents throwing foul words and insults at each other. With her eyes full of tears, Megan desperately pleads with her parents to stop fighting. The quarreling, coupled with the departure of the bloodied Jonathan, rouses the attention of people in the waiting hall outside. They notify Dr. Kidman, who brusquely enters the room and manages to separate Francis and Alice, who are on the verge of coming to blows. He sends them outside, threatening dire consequences if they resume fighting. Dr. Kidman returns to Megan, who has by now shed enough tears to irrigate a small garden. Her blood pressure has skyrocketed, so he calms her down, offers her a glass of water, and asks a nurse to get some fresh fruit.

Francis and Alice sit quietly outside, feeling the nasty glares directed at them. Alice turns her attention to the TV, watching Kim bully Kylie in a re-run of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Francis flips through an issue of The New Yorker. Then he speaks in a quiet voice.)

F: Where did we go wrong?

A: I don't know, probably somewhere between your fourth affair and my first lapse into the world of Smirnoff and Jägermeister. I think our relationship collapsed when Megan was born.

F: Do you want to take care of this situation together?

A: I am not moving back in with you, Francis.

F: I'm not asking you to move in with me. I'm asking you to be in this together, for Megan. This is a life-changing situation for all of us, and if we don't keep our options open and ourselves together, we will not be able to deal with this scenario.

A: She is not getting an abortion.

F: Oh, for the love of God, Alice! She is in college. How is she supposed to raise a kid in these circumstances? Juggle her classwork, her sports, and the baby at the same time. She cannot leave it behind because I still have twenty years left to retire, and you are not in a situation to take care of a newborn baby. Do you want the same thing that happened to you to happen to her? You not wanting an abortion changed our entire life, Alice. You know for a fact that we weren't ready. Your mental health was all over the place, and I had just started working. You missed out on a brilliant career opportunity, and we missed out on so many experiences together. Our life could have been so different, but it wasn't, Alice. Let her choose what she wants to do. If you write the story of her life before she has even thought about what she wants to do, nobody will enjoy it, least of all her. So, please, keep an open mind. Let her decide what she wants to do, and we'll go from there.

A: (stunned) OK.

F: (emphatically) Thank you.

(To the nurse attending to Megan)

F: Any idea when she gets discharged?

N: Hopefully, in an hour. We need your signatures on a couple of documents, and then you can take her home.

F: Thank you very much.

(An hour passes. They sign the documents. Megan, now all changed and slightly happier walks out with them. The temporarily reunited family drives off towards Francis's house.)

F: You want a burger, Meg?

M: Doctor's told me not to have fried food, but I'll take a McFlurry.

F: Sure thing.

(Francis pulls into the McDonald's drive-thru and orders a McFlurry. As he is ordering, a Snapchat alert lights up his phone. Alice stares at the notification for a few seconds before dismissing it and turning up the volume on the radio. Francis collects the order and hands it to Megan. They drive off into the darkness.)

John Mayer (on the radio): "Your body is a wonderland..."