Christmas

It got better as the month went by, and soon my energy was back. As December loomed closer John pointed out the obvious. “So… my parents expect me home for Christmas, and well… I was hoping you might want to come with me?” Oh shit. I knew it was gonna happen at some point, but ever since becoming John’s girlfriend I had just been living in the moment, enjoying our little world together. I knew we had to tell our families at some point but, I wasn’t looking forward to that. John’s parents would probably be the simplest. Nothing much had changed for them other than what one might expect. John had a girlfriend and.. .well a pregnant girlfriend. That might be an issue. I didn’t know how they would react to him bringing home a girl they never met with the added surprise of becoming grandparents. But then again nothing to what my parents would have to adjust to. And now we had the problem of Christmas. I really wanted to go back with John, but my parents probably expected me home as well.

We talked about it for a while and decided that since we were both from the same city, we would go home together, and then meet his parents first. Explaining the situation there, and knowing we had their support would hopefully calm me down enough for us to talk to my parents. Mom had been calling me, and I had been ducking her calls and just answering via text.

Plans were made. We would drive back home on the 15th. I had given away all my good shifts during the holiday rush to be able to go. Next month's paycheck was probably only just gonna cover my share of the rent with nothing left over. We would stay at John’s parent's house, and then go visit my parents on the 20th. Depending on what happened we would decide where to celebrate Christmas. Briefly, we talked about not telling anyone about the baby yet, but my body made that point moot. Like the doctor had said when I had my last checkup, I was “carrying forward”, which meant I would show sooner, and by mid-December that much was clear. There was no hiding it.

As we drove home it all became so real for me again. This was my life now. It had changed so much in just a short time. I was carrying John’s baby, I was John’s girlfriend, and now I was gonna meet John’s parents. Not that I hadn’t met them before, but never as Carmen. They would be my baby’s grandparents and my inlaws. Inlaws… That meant getting married. Oh god, we might get married! I might walk down the aisle and be John’s wife at some point. New feelings of joy and happiness bubbled up inside me. “John? Have you told them that I am coming?” “Yes and no. I told them I would bring my girlfriend, but nothing more than that”. “What should we say when they ask how long we have been together?” I asked. “1,5 years?” he said. “That seems about right for the time I first met Carmen… and a lot better than 3 months, and oh by the way she's three months pregnant.” I laughed. “Good idea. We might not lead with that.” “John?” I asked a little while later. “Have you ever thought about getting married?” “What…? Ehh yes I guess. I figured once I met the right girl that would eventually lead to marriage.” “...” “Me too. I would like to get married someday,” I said and smiled at him. He smiled back.