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XXIX .. revelations
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FLASHBACK — NEW YORK CITY; 1988

bella placed her books in her bag as she finished up her last class of the day. she slung her back around her shoulder as she walked out of campus and walked to the apartment. upon entering the building, she grabbed her key from her bag and opened up the door. as she opened the door, she found johnny laying on the couch, fidgeting with the remote.

"hey hon." bella smiled as she placed her bag down. "how was work?"

"can we talk?" johnny said as he sat up.

"what's on your mind?" bella said as she took a seat next to johnny on the couch.

johnny took a deep breath as he intertwined his hand with hers. "why didn't you tell me?" johnny said as he looked into bella's green eyes.

"why didn't i tell you about what?" bella said with a confused look on her face.

"bella, stop, i know about the baby." johnny said as he stood up and paced around the room. "i know you're pregnant."

"john, what are you talking about?" bella said as johnny handed her a pregnancy test, then she remembered. a week after the couple went partying to palladium and studio for bella's birthday, she realized she had missed a few days of her period. out of curiosity, she decided to take a pregnancy test.

"why didn't you tell me you we're pregnant?" johnny said as bella held the test in her hands.

"because i'm not pregnant." bella said as she handed the test back to her boyfriend. "you see the single line? two means positive and one means negative."

"oh." johnny sighed as he held the small stick in his hands. "but if you were pregnant, would you have still told me?"

"we did agree to tell each other everything, right?" bella sighed as she ran a hand through her hair.

"yeah." johnny said. "just promise me that if you ever get pregnant, and it's mine, you'll tell me and we'll work it out, somehow."

"yeah." bella sighed. "i promise."

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

PRESENT DAY — LOS ANGELES, CA; 1990

"these pieces are so cute!" bella said as she and jenna were checking inventory. bella ran her hands through the silky fabric of a sky blue slip dress. "too bad none of this is gonna fit me in a few months."

"when are you telling johnny?" jenna said as she sat down on a stool next to bella. "he's gonna find out sooner or later."

"i know." bella sighed as she organized the clothing. "this is kinda eating me alive. remember when i had that pregnancy scare back in college? well after that, we kinda agreed to tell each other everything."

"you'll feel much better when you tell him." jenna smiled. while she and bella organized inventory, tina walked into the room. "what's up tina?"

"bella, your mom called and asked if you could call her back when you can." tina smiled as she walked back into the offices.

"i don't think telling johnny is your biggest problem." jenna said as she and bella walked out of the showroom and back into the offices. "wait until your folks find out."

"shit, don't even." bella sighed as she walked back into her office. jenna sat down on a chair as bella picked up the phone and called her mom back. "hello? ma?"

"hi honey!" lisa, bella's mother answered the phone. "i called you earlier, but you were in a meeting?"

"no, ma. i was looking through the inventory." bella chuckled as she twirled the phone cord through her fingers.

"i called because i'm making dinner and i want you and johnny to come have dinner." lisa smiled.

"alright." bella smiled. "we were gonna go have dinner with chrissy, but i'll let her know–"

"bring them along." lisa said.

"okay, are you sure?" bella said.

"of course!" lisa smiled. "we have enough to go around."

"alright ma, i'll spread the word." bella smiled. "i'll see you later."

bella hung up the phone and took a deep breath as she leaned back into her chair. "we're having dinner at my place up in north hollywood, if you'd like to join." she smiled as jenna took a sip from her water bottle. "you can take your boyfriend as well."

"i'll let him know." jenna smiled. "so what're your gonna do?"

"i'm gonna kill two birds with one stone; i'm telling johnny and my parents tonight." bella sighed as she nervously rubbed her temple. "it's now or never."

"that's bold." jenna said as she stood up. "jimmy and i will be there, if you need anything. i'll, uh, make some phone calls."

"thank you." bella softly smiled. "i really appreciate it."

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

bella stood in the bathroom of her old bedroom, staring at the small stick in her hands. a few tears fell from her eyes as she leaned against the wall. bella took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom, shoving the stick in her pocket.

the group of friends sat around the table, laughing and exchanging stories, while bella was a bit quiet. she sliced the small steak that was on her plate as chrissy gave bella a soft and reassuring smile.

"anyone want more wine?" lisa smiled as she grabbed a wine bottle. "bella?"

"no, but thank you." bella smiled. "i will take another cherry coke though."

"now that i think about it, you haven't had a drink in a while." johnny chuckled as he opened up another beer and served it in his glass.

"i'm, uh, tryna lay off the alcohol." bella said, biting her lip, hoping he bought the little white lie.

"aren't you not supposed to drink while you're pregnant?" tommy said as the room went quiet and all eyes turned to bella. "fuck, i forgot."

"while you're–what?" johnny said as he turned to bella.

"you're what?!" matthew, bella's father, said as he placed his fork down.

bella felt her heart race as she ran a hand through her hair. "what's tommy talking about?" johnny said as he turned to tommy. "what are you talking about?"

"alright." bella said as the dining room went quiet and the only thing that was heard was bella's heart beating out of her chest. bella took a deep breath as she turned towards her parents and boyfriend. "i'm pregnant."

johnny took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair as he lowered his head. lisa looked at matt, who shot a glare at johnny. "how long have you known?" lisa spoke up, cutting the tension.

"for about 2 weeks now." bella sighed as she pulled the test out of her pocket. she turned to look at johnny, who sat there, speechless. "john, please say something."

without saying a word, johnny got up from his chair and walked out of the house, out to the backyard. bella sighed as she went after him. she found him sitting on a small bench and slowly approached him.

"we agreed to tell each other everything." johnny said as bella sat next to him. "why didn't you tell me?"

"i didn't know how." bella sighed.

"what's worse is that the guys know, jenna and chrissy know, but i don't." johnny said as he stood up and paced around. "i'm gonna ask you again; why didn't you tell me?"

"because of the way you'd react." bella said as she stood up and stood in front of him. "i guarantee you that if i would've told you earlier, you would've reacted the same way or worse."

"does it make a difference now?" johnny said, slightly raising his voice. "it was okay for the guys to know but not me?"

"so that's what this is about; the guys?" bella said as she raised her voice as well.

"isabella, you don't know how dumb i feel right now!" johnny said, his voice getting louder. "that night that we had dinner together, they knew? and neither you or the guys could say a thing to me? i'm the father of the kid, but i was the last one to know."

"i didn't know how to fucking tell you." bella said as tears streamed down from her eyes. "i was fucking terrified when i saw the result appear and i'm still trying to process it. i'm fucking pregnant and i don't know the first thing about being a mother. i'm scared, johnny."

bella sat back down on the bench as she sobbed. johnny felt his heart ache as he watched the brunette cry in front of him. he sat down next to her and held her in his arms. "so?" johnny sighed. "what do we do now?"

"i don't know." bella sighed as she placed her head on his shoulder.

"it's up to you." johnny said. "whatever you decide, we'll work through it."

after talking it over for a few minutes, the couple walked back into the house, hand in hand. "so? what happened?" jenna said as the group stood up and turned to the couple. "what's gonna happen?"

bella and johnny turned to look at each other before announcing their decision. "looks like we're gonna have a baby." johnny softly smiled as he tightly gripped bella's hand.

lisa smiled as the couple was congratulated by their friends. it was a happy moment, except for matt. bella's smile disappeared as he saw the uneasiness in her father's eyes. matt turned his gaze away from bella as he got up from the table and went upstairs.