The Big News (part 3)
Plot: Jasper and Ava sit down with Alfonso, Ava’s dad, to talk.
The final instalment of the Big News java fic trilogy lol
Part 1 and Part 2 here
The silence in the living room was palpable, and Ava couldn’t bear it any longer, as she and Jasper sat on the couch watching her father Alfonso, who sat on the armchair adjacent to them, take in everything they had told him. Although her father hadn’t said a word since the news, his expression told her everything - his frustration, his worry, and his disappointment towards them.
She bit her bottom lip and looked down at her feet, unable to meet her father’s eyes anymore, until she felt a light squeeze on her hand. She turned and saw Jasper smile at her. It was only for a short moment, but with it alone she felt comforted and safe. Jasper has shown nothing but support for her during this entire situation, and she was very grateful - and relieved - for that. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how she would have handled this situation if things were different.
At last, Alfonso’s sigh broke the silence, and both Ava and Jasper could breathe again, though still remaining tense.
“How did this happen?” he asked.
“Well--” Jasper began, but Alfonso immediately cut him off.
“Don’t even think about answering that question!”
“Daddy...” Ava whispered.
“Ava, how--” Alfonso sighed, angrily running his hands through his hair. “--You’re still young!”
“I know--”
“And you’re still in college!!!”
“I know, daddy!”
“Do you have any idea what it’s like to raise a kid?!” asked Alfonso, rising from his seat. “And on your own?!”
“She’s not gonna be on her own,” Jasper cut in. “I’ll be with her--”
“Oh, you better!” glared Alfonso, pointing a finger at his direction. “Otherwise you won’t leave this house alive!”
“Daddy!” Ava interjected, and Alfonso let out another frustrated sigh.
“Sorry, it’s just--I...” he paused, pressing the bridge of his nose tightly. “...This is not what I wanted for you…”
“I know...I’m sorry.”
Silence returned, as Alfonso sat back down on his chair, and Ava and Jasper remained seated, holding each other’s hand tightly.
“So, what’s the plan?” asked Alfonso, after running his hand through his hair, again. “How are you gonna do this, hm?”
Jasper and Ava exchanged nervous glances with each other, but before facing Alfonso, who had his hands outstretched, waiting for an answer.
“W-We’ll...figure it out.” said Jasper, his voice barely inaudible.
“How?!” Alfonso repeated in an aggressive tone. “Because you gotta start thinking now, or did you think this was gonna be a walk in the park?!”
“N-No, sir--”
“You gotta start thinking about money--money for food, for clothes, diapers, doctor, medicine--”
Ava and Jasper sat silently as Alfonso continued to list off the long list of things to worry about when raising a child, and the more he talked the angrier he got, as his face began to slowly turn red.
“--and you gotta think about where to live too, or did you think you were gonna bum around here, huh?! Leave the baby to Ava, or to me, while you go prancing around with that guitar of yours, like you got no care in the world--”
“No!” Jasper cut in, his fear leaving his voice for a moment. “No, I’d never do that--”
“You better not!” yelled Alfonso, standing up once more from his armchair to walk over to Jasper, pointing a finger at his face. “Because if I catch you slacking off--”
“DADDY!” Ava screamed, tears already streaming down her face.
She started to sob, and that was the only sound that remained in the room until the door opened, and her grandmother, Benita, entered the living room while carrying grocery bags. She stopped once she saw them in the room, and sensed the tension in the air.
“¿Que pasó?” she asked, after placing her grocery bags on the floor.
She glanced at each of them until her eyes fell upon Ava, who was still sobbing, and gently came up to her, cupping her face with her hands. “What happened to you, my love?”
“Mamá, not now, I’ll tell you later--”
“Are you trying to keep secrets from your mother, Alfonso?”
“No, it’s--you know what, fine.” and he turned to Jasper and Ava. “Tell her--tell her what’s going on!”
Jasper and Ava faced her grandmother, who looked down at them with a kind smile. Ava started to control her breathing, as she tried to regain her composure.
“Abuela, I'm pregnant.”
Benita looked at her for a moment, her face unreadable, then glanced over to Jasper and Alfonso, who were waiting for her reaction with bated breath.
She turned back to Ava. “I knew that already, cariña.”
Ava blinked, and everyone stared at the little old lady in disbelief.
“What?!" cried Alfonso. "You knew?!”
She nodded her head.
“H-How…?” Ava stammered.
“I heard you two talking about it the other day,” she explained, glancing at Jasper then back at Ava. “You weren't exactly quiet about it.”
“We thought you were asleep…”
Her grandmother chuckled.
“Why didn't you say anything?” Ava asked.
“I didn't want to intervene, at least, not at that time,” she said. “So I decided to wait, and hear it from you when you were ready,
“You two are already going through so much,” she continued. “I didn't want to put more pressure, unlike someone here…”
She turned to face her son, and Alfonso's face was even redder than before.
“Oh, so now I'm the bad guy?!” he cried. “They do what they shouldn’t, and I’m the bad guy?!”
“No one is calling you the ‘bad guy’,” she retaliated. “But this is not how you approach a situation like this,
“And you more than anyone should know this,” she continued. “You were about the same age as Ava when she was born.”
“But that’s why, Mamá,” he explained. “I know how hard it is, and you know this too, you were there!”
“I know,” she confirmed. “And I also know how hard it was to raise you and your sisters alone, too.”
Alfonso paused, and silence fell in the room once more.
“Things were difficult when your father died,” she began. “I felt helpless...I didn’t know what to do, and I had no one to help me, or give advice...
“If I had the support back then,” she continued. “Like how I supported you, things would’ve been a lot easier.”
And she turned to Ava and Jasper once more, caressing her granddaughter’s cheek, and giving them a warm smile.
“And that’s what these two need right now, love and support.”
“Graçias, abuela.” said Ava, softly.
“Now I’m not condoning your actions,” her grandmother added, looking at the two. “Nowadays it is much easier to be aware of the consequences, and prevent them from happening, what you two did was foolish.”
Jasper and Ava lowered their heads, while Alfonso nodded confidently, but stopped once his mother faced him again.
“But what’s done is done,” she said. “We can’t go back and fix it, so we have to deal with what we’ve got, and we’ll be here to support you along the way.”
She smiled sweetly at Ava, who’s eyes were already swelling with tears, then turned to Jasper, who was looking up at her nervously.
“You just being here already shows how much you love her,” she said. “And how much you’re willing to be responsible about this--you’re doing more than any man out there.”
Jasper nodded, and she patted him on the shoulder.
“It is getting late,” she told Jasper. “You should head home, before your mamá starts to worry.”
Jasper looked at Ava for a moment, worried about leaving her, but once glance at Ava’s warm smile set him at ease.
“I’ll get going then.” he said, and kissed Ava goodbye, as well as giving a curt nod towards Benita and Alfonso.
As he left the apartment, Benita dried Ava’s tears and told her to help put her groceries away in the kitchen, to which she politely obeyed and left the living room. Alfonso then slowly approached his mother, while scratching the back of his head.
“Mamá, I’m sorry,” Alfonso whispered to his mother. “I just want what’s best for Ava.”
“Me too, hijo,” she said. “Which is why we must face this with a clear head.”
Alfonso nodded, and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. The two then made their way to the kitchen, and began helping Benita put away her groceries, still in silence - except for a few comments made here or there - but this time it was more comforting and warm, liking a loving hug.









