Caught Myself - Part II

Round 8 - August 2040 - LBU

Last update/ Next update
Ginger Newson and Meadow Thayer are 20

Don't know what I want

But I know it's not you

Keep pushing and pulling me down

When I know in my heart it's not you

Paramore

Even though she knew they would have to struggle to pay off the loan they had to take out to get this place, Ginger had to admit that it had a nice view. It was one of the newer apartments in downtown LaQuest Beach and was actually a great complex. She was out of her mind, agreeing to help Meadow out with her problem. She was sure that she was now a shoe in for sainthood once she died........

It wasn't much. They weren't able to find an affordable three bedroom so the baby would have to share her room. She'd bought yellow furniture with the little money Slade had given her since she didn't know what she was having. She didn't want to know, it'd be kind of a surprise. Slade was only willing to do so much before they had a paternity test. She hoped he would want to have a relationship with his kid, outside of just sending her money. Sometimes she wished she could wake up and be back at LBU and none of this had ever happened......

They decided to go out to lunch to discuss their new living arrangement.

"I feel the need to tell you again that I am not going to be your live in babysitter once this kid comes. I've babysat for 4 little kids for most of my life and I have no intentions of doing it again any time soon," Ginger said.

"You don't have to keep saying that. I get it. This arrangement is more for help with paying bills than it is for a babysitter. I'm hoping once Slade realizes that it is his baby, he'll take an interest and help me out so I can find a job. I get a stipend from the online classes but it won't be enough once the kid gets here."

"How is that going? Is he acting any better?" Ginger asked.

"Yea, I guess. I asked him about helping me come up with names but he said he didn't care what I named the baby."

"If it's a boy would you name him Slade Jr.?

"No way! I mean Slade's name is cool and all, but only because he's in a band. I don't want my child following in their father's footsteps. I haven't really decided. I was thinking about M names, like Megan for a girl and Mason for a boy," Meadow said.

"Those are some pretty nice names. Have you decided what you're going to do about a job?"

"Right now I'm not too picky. I plan to start working somewhere as soon as the kid is born. I want to save up enough money to buy a shop and open up my own floral boutique. I've even thought of a name: "The Meadow." Get it? Because of my name and stuff?" she asked.

"Yea, I get it," Ginger said laughing.

"I just want to say thanks again for moving in with me. I know we aren't friends or anything," Meadow said.

"Hey, it's okay. All I really need from you is a peaceful coexistence. I don't want to regret my decision."

"You won't. You know, even after that terrible fight, I still kinda hope Slade comes around."

"Meadow........" Ginger began.

"Hey, no I get it. It's a long shot. But I still have the hope. Everyone thinks I'm a gold digger, and maybe that's true. Maybe I didn't pursue Slade for the right reasons. But I really did grow to like him. Obviously the feeling wasn't mutual," Meadow said sadly.

"My foster mother used to say that the world needs all kinds to turn. Slade isn't a settling down type of guy, Meadow. He's just not. I think you should concentrate on doing what you can to give this baby the life they deserve. And who knows, maybe one day you'll find a guy who won't mind waiting on you hand and foot," Ginger said with a laugh.

"Maybe. My whole social calendar is going to change. I won't have time to do anything since I'll always have to haul the kid around."

"You'll manage," Ginger said. Normally, she would have said she wouldn't mind keeping the baby sometimes, but she couldn't do that with Meadow. Ginger knew that sometimes could turn into ALL the time in a heartbeat with Meadow.

"You know Kimberly thinks that Ricky is the father of your baby," Ginger said.

"Yea, I've heard. Seems the whole campus thinks that. I don't care what they think, the truth will be revealed in 5 months. Until then, they can all bite me."

"I think they're kind of giving Ricky a hard time about it," Ginger said.

"And? I'm not going to feel like the bad guy in this. I never made Ricky do anything," Meadow said.

"Yea, but you knew how he felt about you. And why did you have to tell Kimberly? Why'd you have to be so vindictive?" Ginger asked.

"Don't you know? Because I'm a bitch. Come on, let's get out of here," Meadow said.

"Fine. Are you ready to go home little baby? Are you all full now?" Ginger said talking to Meadow's stomach.

"Ginger?"

"Yes?"

"Stop it. I'm already fat. Let's not draw anymore attention to it, shall we?" 

"Does it hurt?" Ginger asked.

"Being pregnant? Nah, it's just really uncomfortable all the time."

"Actually I was referring to the stick you seemed to have lodged up your behind!"

"Stop being so sensitive. I don't want people touching or talking to my stomach. I don't see what the big deal is."

"No worries, it won't ever happen again. Let's go," Ginger said.

"So you're mad now? Ugh, and I thought I was dramatic!" Meadow said following Ginger out.

Caleb came by later that day to have a drink with Ginger in the bar downstairs.

"So how is it going?"

"How is it going? I must have lost my mind when I agreed to do this! Why didn't you try to stop me?" Ginger asked.

"Well, if you remember correctly, I told you that Meadow wasn't your responsibility. But you wanted to be a good samaritan," Caleb said with a laugh.

"Yea well, I should have known better."

"It can't be that bad can it?"

"It's not as bad as I thought it would be I guess. But it's still pretty bad. Guess I just have to make the best of it right?" she asked.

"Unfortunately my love, that is correct."

"It is a nice complex, at least you have that," Caleb said.
"It's way more than I would have ever got on my own. I was sorta hoping I would be living with you after college," Ginger said quietly.
"Hey, that can still happen! This is just until she gets her feet on solid ground right?"
"Yea, I guess. What ARE you going to do when you graduate?" Ginger asked.
"Probably get an apartment with Ricky. Mayor Brown is going to let me do an internship with him after I graduate since I want to go into politics," Caleb said.
"One of the perks to your dad being friends with him, huh?" Ginger said smiling.
"Something like that. You're still going to go work for Jessica right?"
"Yea, that's the plan. I'm hoping Meadow will be on her feet by graduation........I can't see myself doing this for an extended period of time."

"Hey, you lived in a house with 5 other people most of your life. Surely you can survive living with just this one," Caleb said with a smile.
"You're forgetting one thing: Meadow Thayer is unlike anyone else in the world."
"You can do it, babe. Everything is going to work out just fine."

Caleb was right of course. Though she annoyed her, Meadow wasn't exactly intolerable. And Ginger had told her that she would help her and she always kept her word. So she would be roommates with her for as long as it took..........she prayed it wouldn't be too long though!!

She was terrified of what the childbirth process would entail. She vaguely remember hearing about it in anatomy in high school, but she really didn't pay much attention to it. Maybe she would be able to get Ginger to be in the room with her when she gave birth. There was no point in asking Slade.....he was adamant about not having too much involvement before the blood test. In a few months time, she would be a mother........changing diapers and screaming infants just weren't the path she expecting her life to take.......life was funny like that sometimes.........

* Meadow and Ginger aren't even friends yet lol. Usually when people live together, it doesn't take them long to be friends.....these two couldn't accomplish it. When Ginger tried talking to Meadow's stomach, she rejected it lol. And they had no wants for each other. Meadow gets a little income from the articles she has to write to finish her degree online. She also has to get a bronze badge in sales, restocking, and since she's interested in flowers she'll need one in flower arranging before she'll get her degree. The standard for an online bachelor's degree in my hood is 14 articles, but since she completed 2 years at LBU, I'm only requiring her to do 7. So she has quite a bit to do before graduation. 

* I haven't decided how long this arrangement will be. It depends on so many factors. Slade may change his mind once the baby gets here, I judge that by his wants. Ginger and Caleb may want to get engaged (though neither of them have the want right now). I do want Caleb and Ricky to get an apartment together though. I'm not quite ready to send Ricky back to the land of the non-playables yet. 


* Baby Willis will be here in January. I'm going to try to let her have the baby in the hospital this time. I always get so lazy and avoid setting it up :). Also, Meadow is now a playable, so you'll see her every round now, regardless of when she splits with Ginger. She also has a profile now. I just enjoy her character so much :).

* Three more uni updates and then these guys will be done. There will be a small break in uni updates after that and then my next young adult will be Christa Brown.