Brothers

One hundred a month isn't so bad, all things considered. Certainly it's less than what you'd be paying on your own, and it will undoubtedly help your impoverished family.

In the morning you go to the bank, you get home and give your father a hundred. He thanks you and asks you to grab him a beer from the fridge. As you search for a bottle in the fridge you glance at the clock on the wall, it's 10:30. Your dad likes to drink light in the morning before moving to the heavier stuff later in the day.

The months pass and you are consistent about giving your father the rent money. You are able to pay for your car and your insurance and have enough left to afford a few decent meals and a few dates with Gwen.

Gwen and you start to get very serious. The two of you sneak away often to be together.

One night after work, you pick her up for a date and she is exceptionally quiet and withdrawn, very unusual for her. You try to start a few conversations with her, but all of your attempts are met with one-word responses.

Eventually you tire of the game she is playing and pull the car over to the side of the road.

"Alright," you say. "What's your deal?"

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"You know what I mean," you tell her. "You've been real quiet tonight. What is it? What's bothering you?"

"It's… Well…" She sits there a while, real quiet, just staring forward at the dash. She takes in a deep breath.

"Paul," she says. "I'm pregnant."

Shit. You can't afford a child. It doesn't look like you have many options though, does it?

"What do you want to do, Paul?" she asks.