Read Online She Had No Choice by Debra Burroughs - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Debra Burroughs
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waitress from the diner Enrique had taken her to on their first date. She was even more determined to talk to him right then.
“ Enrique! I don’t want to make a scene, but I have to talk to you. It’s important .”
“ Okay, okay,” he sighed, giving in to her persistence. Turning to his date, he said, “I’ll be right back.”
“ Okay, sugar,” Betty replied.
He eased off of his bar stool and reluctantly followed her to the back of the crowded restaurant by the kitchen. She pulled him over to a darkly-lit corner. Looking around to make sure no one could overhear their conversation, Sofía mustered up the courage to look Enrique in the eye.
“ What do you want, Sofía?” he asked, irritated that she dragged him away from his date.
“ Enrique, I’m pregnant.”
“ Pregnant?”
“ Yes.”
“ Why are you bothering me with this?”
“ You are the father, of course.”
“ No, no, no, no,” he said, shaking his head.
“ Yes, Enrique, you are the father,” she said with fear in her voice, afraid of his rejection.
“ How do I know that, chica? How do I know you have only been with me?
“ You are the only man I’ve ever been with, Enrique,” she told him, with tears filling her eyes to the brim. “I promise you, this is your baby. I need your help.”
Enrique knew he was the only man she had ever been with. From the first night, he knew she was a virgin. From the way he was squirming, it was obvious he didn’t want to be tied down with a baby and a woman he didn’t love. He had gotten what he wanted from her and now he just wanted out.
She reached out, her hands trembling, trying to put her arms around his waist, hoping to feel his arms close in around her once more. She wanted him to hold her, to tell her everything would be okay, that he loved her and would take care of her, that he would marry her.
Instead, he firmly took hold of her arms and loosened her grip on his torso, pushing her back a little, trying to distance himself from her and the situation.
“ I’m sorry, but this is your problem, Sofía. Leave me out of it.”
“ But, Enrique…”
“ I’m warning you. If you try to pin this on me, I’ll tell everyone that you’ve been with lots of men, that you are a whore. I’m outta here.”
And with that he turned and walked away from her, took his date by the arm and walked out of the restaurant. Tears began to flow, there was no holding them back – bitter, angry tears. Her heart hurt as she felt it breaking apart. She turned her face to the wall, hoping no one would see her crying. What was she going to do now?
She knew she would never see him or hear from him again. Without his help, she wondered how she could possibly raise this baby alone. Would she have the strength? At least, she thought, she would have someone to love.
Chapter 7: Out of Wedlock
1932, Ruby, Arizona
For so many years, Sofía had been a shy, petite girl who always wanted to please. She realized this was what got her into trouble, pregnant and alone. She knew at that moment she could no longer be that girl. She recognized that now she was a woman who would soon be responsible for another life, a tiny baby who would be totally dependent on her.
There was no more room in her life for being shy or weak. If she couldn’t reach down deep and find the power to get through this, she and her baby would be in serious trouble.
Beside herself with fear, she felt like she had no one in the world to talk to about her situation. She was too ashamed to tell anyone but Enrique that she was pregnant. She hid her condition for a couple more months under baggy clothing, worrying every day, praying for the strength to raise her child alone.
“ What am I going to do?” she asked herself, over and over again. Enrique refused to marry her. She was a pregnant, unmarried woman who barely spoke English. She could work at the restaurant for a few more months, but soon her belly would grow too large
“ Enrique! I don’t want to make a scene, but I have to talk to you. It’s important .”
“ Okay, okay,” he sighed, giving in to her persistence. Turning to his date, he said, “I’ll be right back.”
“ Okay, sugar,” Betty replied.
He eased off of his bar stool and reluctantly followed her to the back of the crowded restaurant by the kitchen. She pulled him over to a darkly-lit corner. Looking around to make sure no one could overhear their conversation, Sofía mustered up the courage to look Enrique in the eye.
“ What do you want, Sofía?” he asked, irritated that she dragged him away from his date.
“ Enrique, I’m pregnant.”
“ Pregnant?”
“ Yes.”
“ Why are you bothering me with this?”
“ You are the father, of course.”
“ No, no, no, no,” he said, shaking his head.
“ Yes, Enrique, you are the father,” she said with fear in her voice, afraid of his rejection.
“ How do I know that, chica? How do I know you have only been with me?
“ You are the only man I’ve ever been with, Enrique,” she told him, with tears filling her eyes to the brim. “I promise you, this is your baby. I need your help.”
Enrique knew he was the only man she had ever been with. From the first night, he knew she was a virgin. From the way he was squirming, it was obvious he didn’t want to be tied down with a baby and a woman he didn’t love. He had gotten what he wanted from her and now he just wanted out.
She reached out, her hands trembling, trying to put her arms around his waist, hoping to feel his arms close in around her once more. She wanted him to hold her, to tell her everything would be okay, that he loved her and would take care of her, that he would marry her.
Instead, he firmly took hold of her arms and loosened her grip on his torso, pushing her back a little, trying to distance himself from her and the situation.
“ I’m sorry, but this is your problem, Sofía. Leave me out of it.”
“ But, Enrique…”
“ I’m warning you. If you try to pin this on me, I’ll tell everyone that you’ve been with lots of men, that you are a whore. I’m outta here.”
And with that he turned and walked away from her, took his date by the arm and walked out of the restaurant. Tears began to flow, there was no holding them back – bitter, angry tears. Her heart hurt as she felt it breaking apart. She turned her face to the wall, hoping no one would see her crying. What was she going to do now?
She knew she would never see him or hear from him again. Without his help, she wondered how she could possibly raise this baby alone. Would she have the strength? At least, she thought, she would have someone to love.
Chapter 7: Out of Wedlock
1932, Ruby, Arizona
For so many years, Sofía had been a shy, petite girl who always wanted to please. She realized this was what got her into trouble, pregnant and alone. She knew at that moment she could no longer be that girl. She recognized that now she was a woman who would soon be responsible for another life, a tiny baby who would be totally dependent on her.
There was no more room in her life for being shy or weak. If she couldn’t reach down deep and find the power to get through this, she and her baby would be in serious trouble.
Beside herself with fear, she felt like she had no one in the world to talk to about her situation. She was too ashamed to tell anyone but Enrique that she was pregnant. She hid her condition for a couple more months under baggy clothing, worrying every day, praying for the strength to raise her child alone.
“ What am I going to do?” she asked herself, over and over again. Enrique refused to marry her. She was a pregnant, unmarried woman who barely spoke English. She could work at the restaurant for a few more months, but soon her belly would grow too large
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