Breakeven

Round 7 - June 2040 - Mini-Update

Last Update/ Meadow's next update/ Slade's next update
Meadow Thayer is 19, Slade Willis is 25 (Brian Johnson is 25)

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing

Just praying to a god that I don't believe in

Cause I've got time while she's got freedom

Cause when a heart breaks, no it don't break even

The Script

"Meadow, I thought I made myself pretty clear about this. Me and you are done. You want more than I can or am even willing to give. I don't get what's so hard to understand about that," Slade said.

"I'm not here to beg you to see me again. Are you really that shallow and conceited?" she asked.

"Then why the hell did you call me saying you just had to see me?"

"Not because I want to sleep with you again! Actually, that's the last thing I want........"

"Oh, please. Now you gonna tell me we didn't have a good time together? If this is your childish way into goading me into proving you wrong, then you're wasting your time. I was there, I know how hot things were with us, babe," he said.

"Can you take your head out of your pants for one second? Read my lips: I do not want to have sex with you again!" she said.

"Then will you tell me what the hell you are doing here?" he said throwing his hands up in frustration.

"I'm pregnant."

"What the fuck do you mean you're pregnant? I'm suppose to believe this kid is mine?" he yelled.

"That's exactly what you are to believe because it's true. I'm having your baby Slade."

"Bullshit! Bullshit, Meadow! Even if you are pregnant, it's not mine! You live on a college campus. I've lived there before, I know what goes on! You're not blaming this kid on me. How damn desperate can you get?!"

"Wow. I knew you were going to be a dick about this, but I had no idea you would do this. You think I want this Slade? I just finished my sophomore year of college! I'm 19! I don't need a damn kid right now!"

"Then take care of it. Problem solved," he said.

"It's not that simple! You don't know how many times I've picked up the phone to make an appointment to do just that. But how can I sleep at night knowing I did that? I'm having this baby, Slade."

"And I suppose I'm suppose to run out and buy toys and shit? Not happening! How do I even know this kid is mine?" he asked.

"Because I'm telling you it is! I don't really give a shit if you believe me or not. We can get a blood test, whatever it takes. But I'm not taking care of this kid on my own," she said.

"I guess this is the place where I'm suppose to ask you to move in with me and we go get married and ride off into the sunset. Even if this child is mine, I don't want anything else to do with you. I'll cut a check, whatever I need to do. But me and you are done!"

"You know, everyone kept trying to tell me what a bastard you were. But I wouldn't believe it. I guess I still had on those rose-colored glasses. But they're off now. I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man standing. Funny how when you were screwing me you didn't think about the possibility that we could create a child. I hate you," she said.

"The feeling is mutual darling. I didn't think you would be foolish enough to let yourself get pregnant. Although, you're right, I'm just as much to blame. I could tell you were a gold digger from the moment I met you. Should have just left your ass alone," he said.

"Gold digger? Are you serious? Believe it or not, I actually liked you Slade. Sure, I could see myself moving into this house and living with you. But who wouldn't? You toss around the fact that you're in a band and have this great house. How could I not envision it? You think I'm a gold digger? I'll show you a gold digger! When this kid is born, I'll be sure to take your ass to the cleaners. I'm going to own all of this shit!" Meadow yelled.

"You just try it. I'll petition to the courts for full custody before I let you take anything of mine," he said laughing. "Now get the hell out of my house!"

She wouldn't let him see her cry. No, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She'd wait until she was on campus in the confines of her room before she would allow herself to fall apart.......

"You're an asshole, man. How could you do that?" Brian asked after Meadow left.

"Not right now, Brian. Not right now, man. I can't listen to your bullshit right now."

"You're wrong, Slade."

"What do you want from me? I'm an asshole, everyone knows that! I can't be some kid's dad, man. What kind of father would I be?" he asked.

"You should have thought about that before you started screwing her. She's in college, man. You know she can't take care of this kid on her own."

"What if it's not even mine? You're taking her side but you don't even know her! She's not as innocent as she looks!"

"The only side I'm on is this poor kid who is about to be born to the worst possible parents," Brian said.

"What am I suppose to do? Move her in? Play house with her? That isn't who I am, Brian."

"No one is saying that you have to do those things! All you have to do is take responsibility if the kid is yours. And that's more than just shelling out money, Slade. The kid will need a dad. Trust me, I know. I lost my dad before I ever got the chance to really know who he was."

"I need some time. This is all just too much," Slade said.

"Fine. Take some time. But you don't have much time to waste. And you owe her an apology," Brian said.

"For what? For telling her the truth? For saying how I feel? I won't apologize for that!"

"No, for how you said it. Planned or unplanned, trapped or not, you're going to be a dad. So you need to man up and get your head out of your ass," Brian said walking away.

He had planned to move out. To get his own place. But he wasn't going to stand by and watch Slade mess up some innocent kid's life. This was one time that Slade Willis wasn't going to be able to charm himself out of a situation...........

* Ugh, this was so hard to write! I know it was pretty harsh, but I just couldn't see Slade being all nice and comforting to Meadow. They are both very strong personalities and I imagined this being a very heated conversation.

* Meadow and Ginger will be getting an apartment in LaQuest. Meadow is going to leave LBU and I'll let her finish her degree with my online college program. So she'll still graduate when Ginger, Caleb, and Ricky graduate. As far as the baby and her and Slade are concerned, we'll visit that in the next uni update next round :). 

* As big and nice as Slade's house is, he only has two bedrooms, one of which Brian is using. So if he wanted to let Meadow come stay with him (which he definitely doesn't!), Brian would have to move out to make room for the baby. I plan to let him move out soon, but I think Slade needs him right now, whether or not he knows it or is willing to admit it........