Inside Your Heaven

Inside Your Heaven - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A Secret to Keep

            Terrence drove off to a relatively unknown part of California… well, to his friends, at least. It was in the suburbs, and the houses were a bit small and some were run down. He sees a street with a sign ARLINGTON and turned there. He parked in front of one of the better, but not less deplorable, two storey apartment with a number 4 on the door.

            Terrence got out, and before he could even knock, the door was opened by a girl around Terrence’s age. She was supposed to be beautiful, but being so haggard masked everything. Her honey hair lay in a mess and thinning slightly, and she’s getting slightly thin. And to answer why, her belly was as round as a ball.

            “Hey, Cassidy,” Terrence greeted the girl, and the girl smiled rather weakly. “Why’re you up?”

            “Can’t wait to see you,” Cassidy said in an almost whispery but cheery voice. “And so is this little guy,” she added, patting her round belly.

            Terrence then knelt down and placed his hands on Cassidy’s belly.

            “Hi, buddy!” Terrence cooed, and he felt light movement from within. “You’re excited to see daddy, aren’t you?”

            More movement was felt, and it became so intense that Cassidy gasped, but then chuckled at the same breath.

            “Easy there, buddy,” Cassidy said, patting her stomach. “Daddy’s not going anywhere.”

            “Yeah, I’m not,” said Terrence to them both as he stood up and hugged Cassidy. “Anyway, here,” Terrence said as he handed her a small brown envelope. “My latest paycheck.”

            “Oh, Terrence, this should be for your use, not mine…” Cassidy chastened. “We can manage by the money we already have…”

            “No, I have enough money for school and other stuff,” Terrence insisted. “I have my college fund as well as trust fund, and I don’t spend much, so everything I earn is now for you.”

            Cassidy still wanted to argue about the money, but the look on Terrence’s face made her think twice.

            “Now, I gotta go,” Terrence said. “I need to go check in or else I’m going to sleep outside my dorms,” he added with a chuckle.

            “You’re not going to stay for dinner?” Cassidy asked, frowning. “I just prepared dinner…”

            Terrence thought about it for a moment.

            “Okay, a few more moments then,” Terrence said, kissing Cassidy’s forehead as he went in the house.

            “Will you not come to school this year?” Cassidy Hunt heard Terrence ask. “I mean, I have a job, and a career soon after. And with the trust fund being more than enough for just me, I can support you while at school.”

            They were lying down on the couch near the window, with Cassidy lying on Terrence’s chest, enjoying what little time they have left.

            Ever since that one time they went to bed together, Cassidy’s life had turned for the worst. The both of them were just having some fun at a party, and ended up in bed together. It was a no-strings-attached sex, and it felt good to both of them. the next day, they exchanged phone numbers and that was it.

            Until the signs appeared.

            First was the strange morning sickness. Then came the mood swings and the abnormal cravings. And then she felt the cramps.

            It was a terrible day that day. She was rushed to the hospital by her parents, thinking she was poisoned by something, but great was their surprise when the doctor came out saying that she was just experiencing the normal cramps of a pregnant woman.

            She and her parents had a fight that night. Cassidy couldn’t believe her ears what they wanted her to do.

            They wanted her to abort the pregnancy.

            When she heard that she was pregnant, she felt so happy, for she was going to be a mother. She knew it in herself that it was going to be tough, but if it was for who it was inside of her, she would do anything. But hearing her parents wanting to kill her child, her fury was beyond imagination, for she never thought that her parents would ask her to murder her child before he or she had even got a chance to live. In the end, her parents threw her out of the house, and it was painful.

            She never knew who to call, so she called whoever it was whom her finger landed on. Thankfully, it was Terrence, and she was saved.

            She told everything to Terrence, and at first, he was shocked. He never knew what to do with her, but when he saw her face in tears and in pain, he became determined to fight for the one Cassidy has been carrying.

            The next day after she was thrown out, Cassidy went to the doctor to confirm who the father was, and it was confirmed that it was Terrence. Though it was a hard news to take, she walked out the hospital with Terrence holding her like he never would let her go, and that was enough for her to come and love him.

            “I don’t want to,” Cassidy answered quietly. “You still have a future ahead of you, and I being there would cause you to lose your dreams. For the both of us, I want you to graduate and be the person you want to be.”

            “But how about you?” Terrence argued. “You just got out of high school like I did, and I do love you and our child, but… taking away your future like that… won’t you please reconsider?”

            To that, Cassidy just shook her head and then smiled.

            “I will, but not now,” Cassidy said. “After he, or she, is born,” she said, pointing to her stomach, “I will continue my studies, but for now… I’m gonna focus on being a mother.”

            “I love you , you know that?” Terrence said, kissing Cassidy on the lips.

            “I know, that’s why I can do this,” Cassidy replied with feeling. “because I know I have you, and our child, and that’s all that matters. The rest I can live through.”

            After their dinner, Terrence left Cassidy and drove towards PCU when his phone rang.

            “Hello?” Terrence said as he answered.

            “Where are you?” his sister, Tracy, asked. “Dawson and the rest are waiting for you!”

            “I’m heading there,” Terrence replied quickly.

            “Where have you been?” Tracy asked probingly, with an undercurrent of threat.

            “I… uh… went somewhere… just drove around,” Terrence lied, and a lame lie it was.

            “Uhuh,” Tracy replied, obviously not buying it, but thankfully letting it go. “Anyway, head over here as fast as you can. You don’t want Gracie throwing you out again in the streets now, would you?”

            “Okay, see ya later, big sis,” Terrence said before hanging up, letting go a big breath that he didn’t realize he was holding.

            Yes, no one, even her sister, knows about Cassidy. The instant he started breathing again, he felt his heart drop to his knees, for his secret could severely compromise his life as well as Cassidy’s.