6.8: Press Release

   Booker Singleton stood on the stage, in front of the podium. He kept glancing down at his note cards, picking them up, putting them down, then picking them up again. He glanced around hoping that nobody noticed how nervous he truly was. The crowd was still buzzing from the last man who had stood up onstage. A girl, a lady really, was sitting in the front row, looking up at Booker. Her gaze was a mix of admiration and hate. She was glad he was finally going to do it, but angry that he hadn't let her have a choice.
  "Ladies and gentleman, please welcome to the stage Mr. Singleton!" An announcer said, somewhere off stage. Booker looked up, smiling to the crowd. The media members clapped. They hadn't expected to be invited to this press release. It was quite exciting.
  "Welcome and thanks for coming tonight." Booker said, as if it wasn't a political function every journalist in the city wanted to be at. "Now tonight, we're going to begin with a few questions, instead of my usual speech. I know there's been rumors flying around and I would like to clear things up a bit."
   "Booker, over here!"
   "Mr. Singleton, could you-"
   "Why did-"
   "Is it true-"
   "Who-"
   "What do you have to say-"
   "Over here, sir!" The media was abuzz, shouting.
   "Let's be orderly. We'll start with you." Booker pointed to the first journalist.
   "Sir, what do you have to say about losing the election for mayor? It happened three weeks ago."
   "I ran an honest campaign and if the folks of Appaloosa Plains felt like my competitor would do a better job, that's up to them. I congratulate Mr. Edwardson."
   "Sir, why do you think your campaign failed?"
   "Mr. Edwardson is from a family rooted in politics. His father was the mayor and I believe that we tend to think that if the father was good, the son must be better. We all know that isn't always the truth, but I'm sure Mr. Edwardson will be a great leader."
   "Sir, why did your campaign fail?"
   "Well, there are many reasons. I think many citizens didn't understand my stances on many issues, because I focused more on helping the families of Appaloosa Plains then I did other major political issues."
    "Thank you, sir." Booker pointed to the next media person, as everyone sat silent.
    "Could you tell us what your plan is next?"
    "I'm focusing on helping the city from my City Council position."
    "Do you think you'll be reelected for that?"
    "I hope so." He chuckled. "I want to help as much as I can and I hope I'm given the opportunity."His answer was deemed generic. He was treading dangerous waters. When he lost, everyone who voted for him was worried. What did the others know that they didn't?
   The girl sat in the audience, waiting for him to do what her promised. Booker rambled on, answering questions about political mumbo jumbo. She sat there, rubbing her inflated stomach. Her feet hurt. Her outfit wasn't nearly as fancy or professional as the journalist's, but she was only an average citizen. Citizens has a chance to ask questions at the end.
   "I would like to allow the citizens of Appaloosa Plains to ask questions now." Finally. The girl had waited an hour for this to happen. She glanced around, wishing someone would speak up first. Finally, a man dressed in overalls shouted something.
    "Y'all said there'd be some big ole announcement. What is it?"
    "Um," Booker blushed, caught off guard. Nobody had brought up the announcement yet. He looked at the girl, who was smiling up at him. "I believe I put it off enough." He took a deep breath. "I know people have said things about my personal life, relationships and all. I have been in a loving, caring relationship with a wonderful lady."
    "Who's that lady?" Somebody yelled. "What's her name."
    "She's actually here tonight. Kayleigh Janes." He gestured to the lady in the front row. Everybody gasped as they spotted her stomach., She was pregnant.
    "That girl pregnant! How long ya been dating? Ya married?"
    "We've dated approximately seven months. A little longer. Yes, we are married as of two weeks ago."Shock sprang across the girl's face. She was angry. He lied. They weren't married. She was knocked up and when she told him he refused to get married. Kayleigh Janes was still Kayleigh Janes, not Kayleigh Singleton. "She kept her name, because she owns and runs Janes Daycare." Lies, lies, lies. She hadn't named her daycare yet.
     "How preggers is she? Is it ya baby?"
     "She's seven months pregnant and yes." The girl felt funny. What wa going on? Shoe looked down at the puddle by her feet and realized something.
     "BOOKER!"
     "Ladies and gentleman, Kayleigh Janes."
     "Get your butt down here."
     "Excuse me?"
     "Booker." Kayleigh stood up, clutching her stomach. This man, her boyfriend, was an idiot. "Labor." She whispered. A pain shot through her. She was only seven months! What was going on? It was two months early. Booker stood there in shock as cameras went off. The baby he had just announced as his was coming into the world tonight.
   "Dude, do something!" Somebody yelled, as they glanced up at him.
   "I....I..." His world was moving slowly. He only announced their relationship because Kayleigh's father, who found out about the pregnancy the day of the elections, threatened Boker. His daughter and future child, his first grandbaby, didn't deserve to live in hiding. The girl was knocked up as soon as she turned legal, that's what her daddy thought. He said he could sue him. Said he's say Kayleigh was only seventeen if Booker didn't announce it. Trevor Janes leaked a tidbit about Booker's relationship. Trevor was why Booker lost. Everything was real now.

Kayleigh's POV...
   
    "Ahh!" I screamed. What was my idiot boyfriend doing? Standing on the freaking stage. It was funny that we had to keep the baby because of what the voters would think, when he ended up losing the election anyway.
   "Kayleigh?" Booker was running off stage, the gravity of the situation finally hit him.  After his drunken outburst at the art museum when he said a bunch of things, Booker had become a lot more sensitive towards me. He apologized endlessly and bought every baby item on the market. I still had everything he said lingering in my mind though. Thank goodness that night was the only harsh thing he had said to me, or he'd probably be living by himself by now. He knew if he messed up again like that, I wasn't going to stand for it.
  I took his hand as he lead me out of the room, to the cab.
  "I love you Kayliegh."
  "Shut it."
  "Bu-"
  "I'm going to name this baby myself, okay?"
  "What? I thought we decided together we like the name Mary."
  "Mary? You're kidding me, right?"
  "I-"
  "We're here. Let's go." I stumbled out of the cab, with Booker close behind me.
  In the hospital room with Booker standing there holding my hand, I realized something important. This baby was going to have to deal with its father who I knew hated children, even if he denied it, for the rest of its life. This baby was going to mean that I couldn't go off to college ever or take a spontaneous trip to New York because I couldn't leave it alone with Booker since I knew it would be handed off to a nanny and he'd ignore it. As I pushed and pushed while screaming as loud as I could in Booker's ear I realized something. The squishy thing the nurse just handed me, my baby girl, was the reason Booker hadn't got elected. I didn't know how he'd forgive her. I loved her to death already, but Booker? Poor girl...
   As I stepped out of the hospital the next night, I hugged my baby close. Booker was at the desk dealing with something. I didn't know since he told me to just go get in the car. He didn't use those exact words, but I knew he just wanted me at home away from the public eye. My baby girl was born two months early without a reason, perfectly healthy. I was thankful for that.
   "I love you Hazel." I whispered to her. "Don't ever forget it. And always be yourself, don't think you ever have to hide because of what someone else thinks, okay?" This was my baby and I was going to raise her how I thought was right, even if Booker thought differently.

NOTE: I want to apologize to anyone I offended you politically, religiously, etc. I am in no way using this blog to voice my political opinions  or try and influence yours. This is just a harmless story and I hope that everyone (even if you prefer to lurk) will understand and continue reading. I thank you for sticking with the blog this long and hopefully will continue until I reach generation ten. Thank you!