NOW GET OUT – C2012 JoJo

Back in the early sixties, a young and unmarried woman who found herself pregnant was ostracized by society as a whole, and dubbed a “whore” and a “slut” so when Miranda received the news that the “rabbit had died” and she was pregnant, her first reaction was one of pure horror. How could this have happened? Well, of course she knew how it had happened, but she’d acted responsibly, taken precautions which she’d been assured were 98% effective, and yet it hadn’t been enough! Damn! She’d have to tell Richard – and he was about to go off on a 3 month business trip abroad too.

She hadn’t expected him to be overjoyed about his impending fatherhood, but nor had she expected him to go white as a sheet and look like he was going to faint from the shock of it.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” he finally croaked in a weak voice.

“I’m afraid not,” Miranda said firmly. “I had the test taken a second time just to make absolutely sure, and indeed we are going to have a baby.”

“Oh God,” Richard groaned and buried his face in his hands.

Miranda sat silently, with dread sinking into the pit of her stomach. “Richard, I don’t see that this would be a major problem. After all, your divorce should come through at any time…” she didn’t finished her sentence because his head shot up and his face went beet red.

“You did file for divorce didn’t you?” she asked anxiously. “You swore to me that you had … you said it would come through any time now.”

Richard jumped up out of his chair, strode over to her liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of her best brandy. Taking a glass from the counter, he poured himself a hefty shot, which he tossed back into his throat and drank in one large gulp. After gasping a bit, he faced her.

“No Miranda, after thinking about it, I couldn’t do it. I had to think of the children.”

“Children? What children? You never told me you had any children!’ Rushing up she pushed her hands against his chest, backing him into a wall. “So lover boy, how many children do you have?”

“Four,” he said with a weak smile. Taking a deep breath he mustered up his courage. “And a fifth one on the way.”

“WHAT? You son of a bitch! You told me you and your wife were separated, and hadn’t slept together for 3 years! You told me the only grounds you had for divorce was separation, so you had to live apart for 3 years before it could be granted! You said you’d get your divorce any time soon!”

“I know, I know … what can I say? I’m a cad, a bounder, a scoundrel…”

“And you are a rat fink lying cheating bastard too!”

“Yes, yes I am all that, but let’s forget about it for a moment and concentrate on what we’re going to do about this … problem … now? He paused. “I know,” he took a deep breath. “There’s nothing for it – you will have to have an abortion. Tell you what – I’ll pay for half of it.”

Miranda marched over to him and got right up into his face. “You… want… me… to…. have… an …. ABORTION?” She poked him hard in the chest with each word. Richard flinched.

“Now now Miranda, let’s be sensible. Ouch, stop doing that – it hurts!”

“It’s meant to hurt you sleazy … worm.” She took a deep breath.

“And where do you think I would have to go to get an abortion?”

“There are people who do this kind of thing – for a fee,” he said weakly. “And like I told you, I’ll pay half of whatever it costs.”

“Half?” Miranda squeaked. “You’ll pay HALF? Your generosity underwhelms me.”

“Yes, there are people who perform abortions – in back street alleys! And often times the desperate women who go to them result in being so badly damaged internally, they’re unable to ever have a child again, or worse yet…” she pushed her face right up to his “They end up on a white marble slab in the morgue, having suffered a slow, protracted, excruciatingly painful death.”

Richard winced. “Yes well, there are risks, no doubt about that” he said. “And if it resulted in your death, or course I wouldn’t want that.”

Miranda laughed. “Well, that’s big of you! I’m deeply touched! It almost brings a tear to my eye! Look – I’m all choked up!” She sat down hard on her chair, and crossed her legs. “And what if it results in my not being able to ever bear a child again?” Her leg started swinging back and forth faster and faster.

Noticing it, Richard nervously coughed and looked away. “I think that’s a risk you’d have to take.”

Miranda jumped up and slammed into Richard’s body, making sure her right knee came into contact with his groin. Doubling over Richard moaned deeply. “Have a heart Miranda, come on…” For good measure, she did it again. Richard collapsed into a chair bending over and clutching himself.

Propping her arms on either side of his chair Miranda leaned down, towering over him. “Richard, hear me well. ABORTION? THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN – do you understand? I have no intention of submitting my body to the indignity of an abortion – and not only because I would be putting myself and my health in jeopardy. There are other far greater reasons.”

“Well, they’d better be bloody good ones,” Richard muttered.

“Oh they are, Richard. First of all, I have enormous respect for the sanctity of life! Secondly, this baby was conceived in love – well on my part only because you’re not capable of loving anyone other than yourself – and most of all – because I love this baby, and it has a right to live! If need be, I will bring it up all on my own and be both mother and father to it because God knows that, other than biologically, you aren’t man enough to father anything other than possibly a dung beetle!”

Leaning down, she grabbed Richard’s hair and pulled hard. “Now get the hell out of my apartment and my life! When you were born, the doctor should’ve slapped your mother for having given birth to such a sorry excuse for a human being! I never want to set eyes on you again! NOW GET OUT!”