"Julie, be reasonable," he said with a hint of irritation.
"What is reasonable? Letting you and your wife make the decision to abort my pregnancy? Nobody even asked me if I would consider this option. What makes you think I'm even supportive of abortion?"
"You don't strike me as someone who would be opposed to a woman's choice," he stated.
"A woman's choice for her own body? Either way, whether I believe in it or not—which, by the way, is something you don't even know about me—it would be my decision to make, not yours, and sure as hell not Emma's. How dare you come in here and tell me how you're going to deal with me, what you've decided to do about my pregnancy. Who made you God, Matt?"
He was frowning at her. "You can't seriously want to keep it!"
"Why can't I? As you're so fond of pointing out, it's my body and my choice. Choice goes both ways, Matt; whether I choose to keep it or choose not to—my choice, not yours."
"I'm married," he stated, irritation flaring up in his eyes.
"You weren't concerned about that when you were fucking me on the sofa, now were you?" she shot back, feeling suddenly disgusted that she had ever let him touch her.
"Julie," he said, his gaze darting to the door as if to make sure no one was listening.
All she could do was shake her head, wondering how she had been so blind to him. Clearly he had played her, and she couldn’t believe she had fallen for it.
"I'll tell you what you can do with your plan, Matt. You can shove it up your ass. I haven't decided what I'm going to do about this situation yet, but I'm not ignorant enough to let you convince me that having an abortion is the only reasonable choice just because that’s what would make your life easier."
"That’s not—It is the only choice that makes sense, Julie."
"You're making me like you less with every word that comes out of your mouth, Matt. Just stop talking. I can't believe you're the same person that I…" Without knowing how to finish the sentence, she just shook her head.
"What would you have me do, Julie?" he asked, looking up at her. "If not an abortion, what would you really have me do?"
Shrugging as she slid her cell phone into her purse and put it on her shoulder, she said, "I don't know, but you better get ready to figure it out, because I just made my decision. I'm keeping it."
"Julie, think about this. You're being irrational."
"You're being selfish," she countered. "Whether you like it or not –whether I like it or not—we put ourselves in this situation, and I can't think of a single responsible reason –other than the lack of planning involved—that I should have an abortion. I'm not 14, I am an adult and a student in college, so I will eventually have the means of supporting myself and a child. I was not raped or taken advantage of in any way, I have only myself and my own stupid choices to blame for what happened. And I adore Anna, and now I'm going to lose her, so at least I know you make cute kids. I may as well just keep the one you gave me," she said, patting her stomach and loading her school bag on her shoulder, pulling her suitcase off the bed and extending the handle.
“You’re being vindictive,” he stated.
“You’re being an asshole,” she returned, wheeling her suitcase toward the door.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Leaving," she stated.
"Where are you going?"
"I have no idea," she stated honestly.
"Just wait a couple more minutes, my brother will be here anytime now, and although I had to…talk him into it, he said that you can stay with him for a little bit until we right this situation."
"That's amazing," she said, shaking her head. "Well, as kind as it is of your brother to be my little pre-abortion shelter, I already told you, I'm not doing it."
With that, she took her stuff and left the room.
"Nana," said Anna, reaching her arms up and gesturing with her fingers for
Julie to pick her up.
Looking down at the baby's tear-stained cheeks broke Julie's heart, and even though Emma was sending death glares in Julie's direction, Julie stopped and bent down to Anna's level, fighting back tears herself.
"You be a good girl, okay?" she said, kissing Anna on the forehead. "I'm so sorry."