• 13. Demanded

    6 months later, Rhode Island.

    “Honey, can you go to the store and get me some cookies?” I yelled to Damien, there never seemed to be any food in this damn house.
    “Sure, hold up. Give me like five minutes.” Damien came into the kitchen and saw me with my hands folded over the big bulge that was now my stomach, “never mind then, I’ll get going right now.” he said to my pissed off face. I smiled and then kissed him.
    "Yeah, you don't want to piss off a six month pregnant lady!" I yelled to him as he laughed then shut the door, "three more months to go, sweetie." I cooed as a rubbed my big tummy.
    I searched through our litte pantry lazyly for potato chips. I didn't find any. Hmmmm, I thought, I think I'm going to call Damien so he can buy me some... maybe a tub of ice cream, too... Oh! And McDonalds for dinner. Yummy. I smiled. As I was reaching for my cell phone, It rang. It was Sarah.
    "Best friend!" I shouted happily.
    "Abby!" She sobbed.
    "Sarah? What's wrong, sweetie? Are you out of potato chips, too?" I joked.
    "No! Jessie left me!" she cried harder.
    "What? Hold on, calm down, honey. Start from the begining, tell me everything." I said seriously.
    "I-It's not his baby! I did a DNA test today and the results came back negitive when I sampled his hair! Abby," she sobbed, "He's not the father of the child I'm carrying!"
    "Oh god. I'm so, so sorry. But... If he's not the father.... then who is?" I whispered.
    "Abby...." she quieted her sobbing, "Can we meet up at the coffee shop between our houses? I need to speak with you ASAP."
    "Okay, I just need to get some shoes on and I'll be there, alright? I'll see you in five. I love you." I said quickly, I wanted to know what was on her mind.
    "Bye." was all she said, then hung up.
    I walked as fast as my little legs would allow down the street towards the coffee house. When I arived I took a seat at the table Sarah was sitting at, her eyes were red rimed.
    "Aw, sweetie, it pains me to see you like this." I said as I slowly sat down in the seat across from her.
    "Abby, I'm here to tell you the truth." she whispered as she sipped water from a cup.
    "Sarah... what are you talking about?" I asked, hesitating.
    "Abby..." She sighed, then just put it out there, "Damien cheated on you with me." she said quickly, but clearly.
    "W-what are you talking about, Sarah? Is this some kind of cruel joke?" I asked.
    "No. When we all lived in Cali, ─You, me, Jessie, and Damien─ we had a short affair," She began, "During work days at Hollister, when him and I had days off together, we would... hook up." she shuddered, but continued, "He's just as gulty as I am in this situation. We talked about relationships ─yours, mine, and ours─ but in the end, we decieded it was best that we were just friends. We vowed that we would never tell you or Jessie about our litte affair because we were just to much in love. He, please forgive me, but he complianed constantly that you two were going no where with your relationship, he said that you didn't love him because you were still attached to Josh Beckett," I cringed, "he also said once that he was glad me and him were hooking up because you refused to have sex with him."
    "I have to go." I said suddenly as tears started falling from my eyes, I got up as quickly as my pregnant body would allow and started walking back home.
    Sarah tried to race after me with no sucess, instead she yelled, "I wanted to tell you sooner! Abby, please don't let this come between our friendship!" she gave up running after me, so she said, "Just call me when your ready..."
    By the time I reached my little, cozy house, my vision was cloudy. I slammed the door and limped down the hall to the kitchen with one hand on the small of my back, keeping me up right.
    "Honey? Is that you? Where did you go? I was so worried," Damien called from the kitchen when I saw his face I cried harder, "Abby? What's wrong? I have your cookies!" he ran over to me and tried to hug my shaking body, I pushed him off violently.
    "Get off of me!" I shreaked, "I can't believe you would do this to me! How could you cheat on me with my BEST FRIEND!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my baby didn't like this, she started kicking really hard. I gasped.
    "Abby... not now, you're not in the right conditon to be yelling, baby's don't like that." he said calmly.
    "What the hell do you know about baby's? Besides the fact that you have two baby girls on the freaking way!" I yelled in his face.
    He looked a me dumbfounded, then said, "W-what?"
    "Yeah, that's right! You freaking got Sarah pregnant, too! Jessie left her today because he found out it wasn't his baby that she was carrying, and that only leaves one person! You. You two were hooking up around the time she got knocked up, so guess what? You have two children. Hope you have a joyfull life with the only one you're going to see. So leave, now." I demanded.
    "Abby, you know you can't live here by yourself while you're six months pregnant. So kicking me out won't help you... you need me, Abby. You love me, even tough you won't admit it."
    "Now!" I shreaked, and pointed at the door.
    "Fine, whatever. Have our stupid baby, but leave me out of it." he shouted, and then slammed the door behind him.

    That night I cried myself asleep thinking of Josh.





    14. Saying Hello to My Past

    Ding Dong sang the door bell. I got up slowly from the couch to answer it.
    "Abby!" My mom cheered, she was so lively, even for a thirty seven year old, "Baby, it's been two months since you kicked him out, you have to get out and live a little."
    “I get out.” I protested.
    “Going to the store to get food doesn’t count.”
    "Mom, I'm eight months pregnant, I'm not ready for this... Maybe in two months we could go out, but I'm just not in the mood."
    "Well, what if I told you today is Sarah's baby shower?" she asked.
    "I would slam the door in your face." I said coldly.
    "Oh come on, you haven't even had a baby shower! So guess what? I just gave you one. C'mon! Get your comfy shoes on and let’s get out of here!" she said grabbing my hand and my shoes.
    "Mom... Don't make me do this." I warned.
    "I will, you and Sarah need to make up, and if this is the only way of getting you to talk to her... then so be It." she said with a smile. I looked at the driver seat of her car and saw Joe, her husband, sitting there with a sympathic face.
    When we arrived at my mom's house ─she still lives in the one she bought when I was in high school, this surprised me─ I saw pink and purple balloons everywhere, along with streamers and really loud party music.
    "Mom..." I whispered.
    "C'mon, I let Sarah have her baby shower here as long as she allowed you to have yours here at the same time! She was super happy that she just couldn’t say no!" she laughed.
    "Fine. But I'm not saying I’m going to enjoy this..." I said as she helped me out of the car.
    I was greeted with hugs, kisses and warm hellos. Sarah was almost one of them, but she stopped short when she saw my deadly glare.
    “Abby… It’s been two months since we’ve spoken. I’ve called many, many times, left messages, sent e-mails, all that stuff. Abby, I want the past behind us so we can focus on our future together. So, what do you say? Best friends?” she held out her arms, a hug.
    “Sarah, I love you to death. You’re like a sister to me. When you told me you slept with the father of my child, I was hurt. I was appalled, too. I never, ever, thought anyone could hurt me more than Josh did,” I shuddered, “and that night, I found out someone could.
    “As I cried myself to sleep thinking of Josh, I noticed that I had fallen in love again, and when you told me that my second true love cheated on me with you, I was hurt more than ever because after Josh, I never that I could trust anyone with my heart again.
    “When I gave my all to Damien the day I found out I was pregnant, I let all those walls I put up fall and I allowed myself to fall in love again. You took that away from me. I could never forgive you for what happened in the past, but I will blame you for what happens in the future because you’re my best friend until the end.” I smiled, wiped my tears away and gave her a giant hug.
    She sighed in my arms and said, “Two babies, one daddy.”
    I laughed and kissed her sisterly on the cheek.
    Moments after, the phone rang and my mom answered in with a friendly hello.
    “Abby!” she yelled, “get over here, someone wants to speak to you.”
    “Ugh,” I grumbled to Sarah, “It better not be Damien. I don’t want him to put a damper on our special moment.” She giggled as I said this.
    I walked into the kitchen and saw my mom’s face, she looked worried.
    “What’s wrong, mom?” I asked, fully concerned.
    “Your bitter past is calling,” was all she whispered.
    I snatched the phone from her hand violently and said, “Hello?”
    “Congratulations, I’m sorry for everything, and I love you.” Mumbled a voice that I hadn’t heard in over four years. Before I could answer, he hung up. I looked at my mom and she wrapped her arms around my bloated stomach as best she could as I just stood there and cried.
    “Somebody call an ambulance!” one of the guests yelled form the living room, “Sarah’s water just broke!”
    We raced Sarah to the hospital as fast as we could. All the party guests sat in the waiting room for hours on end. But, out of all her other friends and family, Sarah wanted me to be with her in the room, holding her hand, as she gave birth. And so I was. Let me tell you right now, that was not a pretty sight.
    When it was finally over, I wiped my hot hand over her forehead that was matted with sweat and whispered, “You did it.” In her ear as she drifted off to sleep.
    “Excuse me,” the nurse whispered, “Uh. It says on here that you are the god mother,” she said looking at a clip board, “Is this true?”
    “Um. I think…” I mumbled.
    “Oh, well, I think she might be out for a while, so would you like to see you god daughter?” she whispered.
    “Sure.” I smiled and kissed Sarah’s forehead, then left the room quietly with my hands on my stomach.
    I walked into a room full of sleeping babies.
    “Here she is,” the nurse whispered.
    I looked down at the precious sleeping baby. She had black hair, rosy red cheeks, light skin, and small, soft, pink, lips. Her eyes fluttered open and I gasped. As tears fell on my cheeks, her hot, blue eyes pierced my skin. She had Damien’s eyes. Sarah and Jessie’s little Angel had Damien’s eyes.
    I raced out of the room as fast as my pregnant body would allow. I knocked into something rock hard, a wall, I thought. But, as I looked up, I saw a man.
    “Josh.” I gasped.
    “Abby, I’m sorry,” he whispered, and then wrapped his arms around my pregnant body.
    That moment I forgot all the hurt he caused my heart and just let him hold me in his arms. I needed his moment.
    “I’m sorry,” he repeated over and over again in my ear.
    “Josh,” I croaked, “Josh… I love you.” I sobbed. I needed him to know this.
    “I know, Abby. I still love you, too. I’m sorry I lied. I will never hurt you again.” He whispered.
    * * * * *

    He drove my home and put me to bed. I fell asleep in his arms like the old days. I was afraid he would leave while I was asleep, but he told me he would stay as long as I didn’t tell him to go. I needed him now, more than ever, and he understood that.
    * * * * *


    “Josh… what ever happened to that girl you were supposed to marry?” I asked, early the next morning, as I stroked the arm that was around my waist.
    “Did you not here me, love? I told you, I lied.” He said.
    “Why?”
    “Because, I wanted you to live a normal life, and I was getting in the way.”
    “I could have lived a normal life with you here.” I protested.
    “You loved me more than you should have, so breaking your heart seemed to be my only option.”
    “So, everything you told me was a lie?”
    “Yep. My family and I never moved, we just simply stopped working and going to school, we only went out to hunt and shop for new clothes. I never met someone else, I didn’t fall in love, I didn’t mean to run into you at the fair, and I never fell out of love with you.
    “When you moved away for college, I wanted to go with you so bad, but Carlos told me to do what I thought was right. You weren’t mine anymore, you were Damien’s and I couldn’t find it in myself to accept that. So when I didn’t follow you, I broke down and didn’t talk to anyone for about four years.
    “I was ecstatic when I found out you came back! I couldn’t wait to see you, even if you didn’t know I was watching. When I finally found you, I was speechless. The first thought that came to my mind was, ‘what did Damien feed her?’” he laughed, “But, as I listened harder, I could hear a small, faint heartbeat. I was happy you were living life, but also crushed that you had forgotten me.”
    “But I didn’t forget about you, I just wasn’t thinking of you at the time. You were just hanging out on the back burner.” I smiled.
    “I know. I was at the coffee shop that day you met with Sarah. I knew what was on her mind, and I was about to stop her from telling you but you stopped me.” He said.
    “What do you mean?” I asked.
    “I looked at you when you walked into the shop and I froze. You were more beautiful than ever.” He sighed and started drawing little hearts on my belly, my baby started kicking.
    “But I’m pregnant. I’m freaking fat!” I said.
    “I know, but the look you had on your face made you look so stunning. You were concerned that something was wrong with your best friend; the person you loved at that moment was her. She broke your heart. When you left her sitting there, she had all this guilt on her.
    “I followed you home and heard all the yelling. When Damien left you here, alone in this house, to be pregnant by yourself… I was furious. I accidently ran into him after he left and I gave him a piece of my mind!” he grumbled.
    I tried to sit up, but I was too heavy, so I just asked, “What the hell did you say to him?”
    “I told him that if I ever see him speak to you or Sarah again, he would be sorry. He just backed up with both hands in the air and told me that I could have you.”
    “I’m glad he did.” I said, then leaned in and kissed him.
    When he released, I sighed and wondered what happened next.
    So, he continued, “After you fell asleep that night thinking of me, I knew I couldn’t leave you by yourself any longer. I watched over your house during the day and I would listen to you dream at night. Then yesterday, I followed you to your mom’s house and I hung out in your old room while I listened to your speech. The reason I called was because I wanted you to know that I was still here, I was sorry and that I still loved you.”
    “Josh, I want you to know that I never stopped loving you, I just wanted to see that was out there,” I looked at my stomach and said, “I guess I found out.”
    And that’s how it was. We were still in love, despite all that we went through. Solemates, at whatever costs and heart break it caused us.
    At that moment I noticed that everything I wanted was staring me right in the face. I didn’t run when he told me to, I just stood there like an idiot and told him I loved him. I knew he would never hurt me again, or the little baby that was inside of me. Instead, he would care for us. Love us until the very end.



    14. Rayneen

    “Push! C’mon, Abby! Everyone that loves you is here!” someone yelled from my side.
    Everyone that loves me, I thought. Then their faces flashed in front of my eyes. I remembered seeing everyone’s face as I was rolled away to the hospital room. My mom, her husband Joe, Sarah, Angel, Jessie, Terrance, Jasmine, Michael, Toby, Mark, Joey, Carlos, Yvette, Annie, Aaron, Daniel, Jessica, Josh… and even the one person I didn’t really want to be here… Damien. They were all her for me.
    I pushed with all my power, but it didn’t seem to work. I was in so much pain, I didn’t wasn’t to do this anymore. I just wanted to go to sleep… just take a long nap… I tried again, squeezing the hands that were holding both of mine, Sarah and Josh.
    Seconds later, I heard a small cry. That second, I knew I had done it. “Baby…” I whispered, and then blacked out.
    * * * * *
    She had dark locks of hair,
    Pretty blue, crystal eyes like her sister,
    Rosy red cheeks.
    Her smile brightened even the saddest person’s day.
    Her and her sister were the most loved babies ever.
    Sarah’s sweet little Angel and my sweet little Rayneen.
    * * * * *

    My eyes fluttered open and I franticly searched the room with my eyes until I found her.
    Josh was staring at her wide eyed in his arms. This almost made me laugh. He looked at me then, and smiled. He came over to the bed and handed her to me. I studied every future on her face as she slept.
    Little patches of black hair were growing from her little head. I could feel tears building up in my eyes; she had her grandpa’s hair color. I smiled and stroked her rosy red cheeks with my pinky finger. Her soft, pink lips opened in a big O as she yawned. She batted her long lashed, and opened her eyes.
    “She looks just like her sister.” I whispered. Her baby blue eyes studied my face, and then she smiled.
    “She loves you.” Josh told me.
    “W-what?” I asked.
    “She loves you.” He repeated.
    I smiled and kissed are forehead, “I love you, too, Rayneen.”
    Josh kneeled down by my side and planted a kiss right on my lips. Rayneen giggled.


    Epilogue

    It’s been three months since Rayneen was born. I currently moved into a cozy, little house just a few yards from Josh’s old home. Yes, I live with him and my baby. I forgave him for everything, and he hasn’t left my side since. It seemed like what happened for five years was nothing, besides my friendship with Sarah, her little Angel, and my sweet baby Rayneen.
    “Hurry up, love! God, we’re only going to the house to pick up Rayneen, you don’t have to get all dressed up!” he laughed.
    “Baby, come here.” I whispered.
    “What’s wrong?” he raced into the bathroom. I was just staring at myself in the mirror.
    “Look at us,” I said, “Do you see how old I look compared to you?”
    “Abby, we’re not having this conversation again.” He stated.
    “Josh! Just hear me out; I’m freaking twenty-two years old! You have the appearance of a seventeen year old! Do you know how that makes me feel?” I felt tears stream from my eyes, I quickly wiped them away.
    He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my, now, small waist and whispered, “Abby, you know I love you, but that is just something I can’t do. You know this.”
    “Do I Josh? Please, please just do this one little thing for me. I want to be with you forever. But I can’t do that if I’m stuck like this!” I yelled.
    He placed his cheek on top of my head and sighed, “Are you sure you want this, Abby?”
    “Positive. I know I wanted this the day the world stood still five years ago.” I said.
    He placed his lips on my neck and whispered, “I love you, Abigail Marie Tracy, and I am sorry,” then he bit down.
    I screamed.