Chapter Twenty - Six - Whoa

“Oh god.” Melinda said as she took a deep breath and looked at Nick as Ed walked into the room.

“Melinda, you’re pregnant?” Nick asked as Ed looked over at Melinda.

“What?!? You’re pregnant!” Ed yelled as Melinda jumped, grabbing the papers from Nick, “Melinda - ”

“Hold up.” Nick yelled as Melinda looked at him even more, “You’re fucking pregnant, just it can’t -”

“Shut up Nick.” Melinda said, “It’s not what you think.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Nick asked as he crossed his arms.

“I think I’m having a heart attack.” Ed said as Maria ran over to him, “Melinda who the hell are you pregnant by?”

“She said it’s a very nice boy.” Maria said as Melinda stood there staring at Nick.

“His name is Michel. He was in our band. He’s from France.” Melinda said as Nick tilted his head a little, looking at her, “We’re getting married in two weeks.”

“WHAT?!?” Nick and Ed yelled at the same time as Maria started to pass out and Nick grabbed her.

“We’re getting married in two weeks.” Melinda said as she cut her eyes over at her father, “I’m in love with him.”

“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” Nick yelled as Melinda jumped, “You fucking slept with Michel when -”, he said as he paused and looked over at Maria and Ed, “When, you know, we were on the tour and all?”

“Um, yeah, well I can’t get pregnant by myself.” Melinda said as Nick shook his head at her.

“I can’t believe you’re fucking pregnant!” Nick screamed at her, before walking out of the kitchen, and running upstairs.

“Melinda Shayne Manning.” Ed said as Melinda looked over at him, “I want to meet this boy right now.”

“But Daddy -”

“Don’t sweet talk me right now. You call him and you tell him to get his ass over here right now.” Ed said, “And I mean it.

“Okay.” Melinda said as she looked down and grabbed the papers from her father, picking her cell phone off of the floor and ran out of the room. She ran upstairs to her room, and walked in to see Nick sitting on her bed and slammed the door, “Hi.”

“Don’t ‘hi’ me.” Nick said as Melinda sat her stuff down on a table and looked over at him, “You fucking slept with Michel when we were you know together?”

“We were never together Nick. Remember our ‘business deal’?” Melinda said, “And yeah, I’m marrying Michel.”

“I can’t believe you would go and get knocked up and -”

“Oh fuck you!” Melinda said as she walked up to him, “I didn’t get pregnant by myself you know? Someone fucking helped me.”

“Yeah, Michel I suppose huh?” Nick asked as he shook his head at her, “You’re such a fucking whore.”

“Fuck you.” Melinda said as she tried to him and Nick grabbed her arms and leaned in to kiss her but she pushed him away, “And get the fuck off of me. Our ‘business deal’ is over with and if I’m such a fucking whore, get the fuck away from me.”

“I didn’t mean it.” Nick said as Melinda rolled her eyes at him, “I just never even - I mean the thought never crossed my mind about Michel.”

“Yeah well.” Melinda said as she crossed her arms and looked down, pressing her lips together, “It was with him. ”

“You sure?”

“Yes. I mean, thank god right? God knows we can’t have a baby together.” Melinda said as Nick looked up at her and then looked away.

“Yeah.” Nick said as he took a deep breath, “It’d be really bad.”

“Right.” Melinda said, “So like I need to call him and tell him to come over because my dad wants to meet my baby’s father.”

“Right.” Nick said as he looked down and then over to his left, “You can’t marry him.”

“Why not?” Melinda asked as he looked over at him.

“You so can not be in love with him. I don’t believe it. There’s no fucking way.” Nick said as Melinda shrugged her shoulders, “Just - you know, you can’t be in love with him.”

“I am.” Melinda said as she starred back at him and he walked up to her, looking into her eyes, “Don’t sweet talk me. It won’t work, I’m going to marry him.”

“Congratulations I guess.” Nick said as he leaned over, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. He looked back at her, before turning around and walking out of the room, shutting the door behind him..

“God I’m in so much shit right now.” Melinda said as she burst into tears and reached over, grabbing her cell phone and dialing Michel’s number back. She crawled down onto the floor in the corner of her room as he picked up his phone.

“Bonjour?”

“Michel, um, I have a idea.” Melinda said as she wiped away tears and started to cough.

“You have you been crying?” Michel asked as Melinda started crying again, “What is wrong?”

“Listen, I know a way for you to stay in the country.”

“How?”

“Marry me.”

“Why?”

“I’m pregnant and I just told my father you’re the father and we’re getting married in two weeks.” Melinda said as Michel dropped the phone in shock and picked it up.

“Melinda, you are pregnant? By who?”

“Well -” Melinda said as she leaned her head back on the wall, “I can’t let anybody know who I’m really pregnant by.”

“But why not?” Michel asked as she gasped again, “Oh Matt. Oh no, he is married Melinda.”

“Um yeah I know.” Melinda said as she looked around and sighed, “If I give you directions to my house will you come over and just play along, please. You help me out and I’ll help you out. Please. We can stay married for six months and then you can have your green card permanently and then you can be out of my life if you want to be and I can raise the baby on my own. Just you know I just can’t let anybody find out who I’m really pregnant by.”

“Melinda, I do savoir.” Michel said as Melinda closed her eyes.

“Please Michel, please.”

“Okay, I promesse, I will.” Michel said as Melinda smiled and looked over at her window.

“Yeah. I like the beat of that song.” AJ said as Brian nodded their heads to the music while in the studio. Kevin and Howie had already left and they were getting ready to leave when Nick busted back into the room, “Nick, you’re back.”

“I fucking hate everything!” Nick yelled as both Brian and AJ jumped after hearing the tone of Nick’s voice, “God fucking dammit!”

“Nick, buddy what’s wrong?” Brian asked as he walked over to him, putting his hands on his shoulders, “What’s wrong?”

“Melinda!” Nick yelled as AJ’s ears perked up, “She’s fucking pregnant!”

“Whoa.” They both said at the same time.

“Oh no, not by me. By Michel!”

“Michel? That French guitar player?” AJ asked as Brian pushed Nick down into a chair and Nick put his face down in his hands, “Holy shit, are you serious?”

“Are you sure it’s his?”

“Yes and she’s fucking marrying him.” Nick said as he looked up at them, “I’m so fucking mad. She was fucking him while we were you know, doing it.”

“Are you sure it’s his though?” Brian asked as Nick looked over at him, “I mean, did you use protection all the time right?”

“Yeah well, um, yeah.” Nick said as he looked at the both of them, “Yeah.”

“You’re so lying out of your ass Carter.” AJ said as Nick rolled his eyes, “Maybe she’s lying man.”

“She swears up and down she isn’t. I think she would tell me if it’s mine you know. She says she’s in love with him and that just eats my fucking ass up and I don’t even know why. I mean I just know she’s not in love with him and I don’t know why she’s marrying him.” Nick said as put his face back down in his hands.

“Nick, buddy, I know why it’s bothering you so much that she’s saying that.” Brian said as he squatted down in front of him, patting his shoulder, “You’re in love with her.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Dude, you are.” AJ said, “Okay check this out right. Think about how happy you are when you’re with her. Then think about how miserable you were at home the other day.”

“Nick, I know you man. You’re in love with her. Think about that song you wrote.” Brian said as AJ started laughing.

“What song?” AJ asked as Brian looked over at him.

“A love song about Melinda.”

“Whoa.”

“It wasn’t a love song.” Nick mumbled at them.

“It was too and the way you fight - ” Brian started to say as AJ interrupted him.

“I mean whoever fights like you two do, that’s passion right there man.” AJ said as he shook his head.

“Nick, if you weren’t in love with her and she was nothing more than a fuck buddy -” Brian said as Nick interrupted him.

“Business associate.”

“Whatever,” Brian said, rolling his yes, “If she was just a ‘business associate’, then you wouldn’t care this much and be this upset. Look how you’re reacting. Did you yell at her?”

“Yes.”

“Did you call her out on sleeping with him while she slept with you, calling her a whore?” AJ asked as Nick didn’t say anything, “Did ya?”

“Yes.”

“Did you cry on the way over here?” Brian asked as Nick mumbled something, “Huh?”

“Whoa!” Nick yelled as he jumped and looked up at them, “Oh my god.”

“What?” Brian and AJ asked as the same time and Nick stood up and looked around, putting his hands on top of his head.

“I’m in love with her. Holy fucking shit, I’m in love with Melinda.” Nick said as Brian and AJ cracked up laughing at him.

“So the wedding will be in two weeks?” Ed asked as him, Melinda, and Michel sat in the living room a little bit later.

“Oui.” Michel said as Melinda closed her eyes and opened them back up, looking at her father.

“Do you speak English son?” Ed asked as Michel looked at him.

“Yes I do speak some English very well.” Michel said as Melinda took his hand, holding it.

“Well.” Ed said as he looked Michel up and down, and looked over at Melinda, “Do you have to get married?”

“Yes.” Melinda said, “I want to be married.”

“Well.” Ed said again as he looked at Michel and then back at Melinda, “I must say this came as a total shock, but if this is what you want -”

“It is.” Melinda said as she smiled at her father when Nick walked into the front door and into the living room.

“Hey Nick.” Michel said as Nick gave him a look and sat down in a chair, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on, continuously flipping channels.

“Well I guess we need to plan a wedding.” Ed said, “What kind of wedding do you want?”

“Just a small one.” Melinda said as Nick cut his eyes over at her and looked back at the TV.

“This has been a interesting day.” Brian said as him and AJ were walking out to their cars around that same time across town.

“Dude, I’ve seen that Michel somewhere before. I remember thinking that when I met him that time. I just know I have but I can’t put my finger on it.” AJ said as Brian looked at him, “Oh well.”

“See ya tomorrow.” Brian said as AJ got into his car and cranked it up, sitting there thinking.

“Where do I know him from? Damn.”