The prompt from this weeks’ writers group was “Write a story that includes a character who is behaving under the influence of someone or something.” I wasn’t super wild about what I came up with, and of course after I was done with the group I thought of all the other ways I could have gone with the prompt. But still wanted to post it. Enjoy!

The fights were nothing new. There was always something to fight about. She always did something wrong – not exactly the way he would have done it or how he wanted it done. The booze only made it worse. But this time there was something more compelling her to make this work. Love. The love she was feeling for the new life growing inside of her.

It wasn’t planned. Nothing in her life ever was, just a chain of reactions, one after the other. So, when the two pink lines appeared on the plastic stick, she reacted. Opened the bathroom door and went right to where he was sitting on the couch and told him. His head dropped into his hands. “How did this happen?” He asked “I thought you were on the pill.”

“No, remember we talked about this – I’m scared of blood clots. I stopped taking birth control 6 months ago.”

“When? Ok. When did it happen?”

She knew he wouldn’t remember this either. “Umm…I think it was about 4 weeks ago, after Raymond’s party. Remember? We’d both had so much to drink.”

“Ok, so we weren’t in our right minds. You know what you have to do about this.”

“No. I…I don’t.”

His eyes met hers. It wasn’t outright fury, but the anger was there. Simmering just underneath. “I’m going to the bar.”

And with no other words he got up and left.

She knew what would happen next. So she made a phone call, grabbed the keys and left to take a walk. Clear her head. Think. She wasn’t sure if she wanted kids, now or ever. This wasn’t a life to bring a baby into.

Everything she was feeling – the fear, loneliness, sadness, desperation, and yes, love, had led her here to these steps. She had to do this, not for him, or for her, but for the little human being.

The door opened “Hi. Emma?” She nodded. “Welcome to the women’s center. Come in, let’s talk about how we can help.”