to Kiss a Drug Addict

29. The Absence of Rose

Chapter 29:

I wrap my hand around Melissa's as she lays down on a blue hospital bed. The room is cold and smells like plastic gloves. Her hand trembles as the doctor applies gel onto her stomach. Next to Mel there is an ultrasound screen, where we'll be able to see the baby.

"We would usually do this at a later stage of your pregnancy, but since you are young we just want to ensure everything is okay for the time being. Now, you mentioned you experienced some bleeding?"

"Yes." Melissa replies "I thought it was my period but then I found out about my pregnancy."

"Okay, there's no need to worry. It is normal for spotting to occur after conceiving. Has there been any more bleeding after that?"

"No." she says.

"Alright, now we're going to see the fetus."

After a while, we are able to see Melissa's growing child. It's small and round and I can totally see its nose. Well, it doesn't have a nose yet but I can imagine it: Small and round like Melissa's.

"Look, look Mel." I gasp "Look at the head!"

Melissa holds her mouth, gazing at the screen. "That's inside of me." she says.

I squeeze her hand, "in six months you'll be able to meet em'."

Melissa looks at me with wide open eyes, "You'll be there right? You won't leave me?"

I immediately shake my head, "Of course I won't. I'll never leave my best friend."

Melissa ends up crying. She cries at the sight of her baby and at the sincerity in my words. Her parents are still giving her the cold shoulder. They don't even acknowledge the fact that she's pregnant. She needs all the love and attention she can get.

"Can I get a picture of that?" she asks.

"Of course you can." The doctor replies.

..........................................

Later that day, I arrive home. Once I cross the door I plop on the couch and close my eyes. Today has been exhausting. I went to school, I went to the hospital with Melissa, I visited Peirce and helped him with all his homework, and I promptly avoided Tyler. Probably the most exhausting part of it all is that I had to ride my bicycle because Matty didn't want to let me borrow his car.

When I see him walking by me, I complain "Thanks for nothing."

He forces my legs to move to sit where they were comfortably resting.

"I do not appreciate you leaving me carless on a very busy day of mine. You don't do anything all day."

"No," he protests "Except College and my job and maintain my beautiful sister."

I rest my legs on top of him and close my eyes again.

"Wake me up when all my problems are solved." I murmur.

"Melissa texted you." He says.

"Oh, yeah? What did she say?"

"She said 'Thank you for coming with me to the doctor's. I love you bestie xxx'. Is she sick?"

Matty doesn't know. Great, another problem. He's going to find out anyway.

"Melissa's is pregnant." I tell him "Some jerk knocked her up."

"Landon?" he asks.

"Mmmhmm."

He doesn't say anything for a long time. I open my eyes and find him staring at the TV in front of us. I would've thought everything was normal but the TV isn't on and he wears an expression that concerns me. I sit up and rub his shoulder.