Treasured Miracles [Series 3 of Bittersweet Disasters]

[41] "This Can't Be Happening To Me."

◈◇◈ JAKE ALLOCCO ◇◈◇

{5:06 pm} "CARLOS, MORGEN AND KAIDEN WILL be here in about an hour," Trent replies to me from the doorway of our bedroom. "I'm going to go start getting ready."

I nod. "Yeah, I'll probably do the same."

Trent shoots me a thumbs up and then disappears. I tug Nova to straddle my lap and smile at her. "Hey, gorgeous," I whisper.

"Hi," she mutters, playing with my dog tag. "When are you going to start getting ready?"

"In a few minutes," I answer. "Are you okay? You seem a little distant." I brush my fingers through her hair and brush my thumb against her cheek.

Without saying anything, Nova grabs my hand and places it on her stomach. The second I touch her stomach, I feel movement and I quickly yank my hand away. "Woah, what was that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Is the baby okay?"

She giggles softly. "The baby's fine," she answers. "The movement you felt was the baby moving around. I've been feeling that a lot lately. I can't wait until the baby starts kicking. That was probably one of my favorite things when I was pregnant with Jace. I loved watching him kick and I loved the feeling of him moving inside me."

I sigh mutely as I brush my fingers against her cheek. "How much do you remember from when you were pregnant with Jace?" I whisper, peering at her.

She sighs as she fidgets with her fingers.

▶︎▷▶︎ NOVA WEST ◁◀︎◁

I fidget with my fingers as I answer, "Besides the constant abuse I received from Tyler during my pregnancy, I remember the day I found out I was pregnant and I remember the day I went and found out the sex of the baby. I also remember when I was home by myself, Jace would be so active and lively in my stomach. But it's like he knew when Tyler would get home because his activeness and liveliness instantly stopped and he didn't make any movement." Gazing down at Jake's stomach, I squeeze my eyes shut as I remember the day I found out I was pregnant.

++ '''Flushing the toilet, I lean against the stall wall and sigh heavily. "Why have I felt like this lately?" I murmur as I lightly rub my stomach. Standing in front of the sink, I giggle softly as I wash my hands. "You'd almost think I'm pregnant," I reply to my reflection in the mirror.

As I wash my hands, I think back to the night Tyler sexually assaulted me. It only takes me a few seconds to realize that he actually did rape me that night and that I could now be pregnant. "Shit!" I curse softly as I quickly dry my hands.

As I'm walking back to my locker, the bell rings and the hallway soon fills up with noisy, rowdy teenagers. Stopping at my locker, I lean my forehead against it as I cover my ears. ''It's too loud!'' I think as I continue to shield my ears. ''Why do these teenagers have to be so loud?!''

After a few moments, I stand up straight and enter my combination to open my locker. Putting my books away, I retrieve my bag and grab my sunglasses from the little tray on my locker mirror. I perch them on the top of my head before I slam my locker shut. I glance around to make sure no one's watching and then bolt outside to my car.

Parking in front of the drug store, I grip the steering wheel as I squeeze it. "Fuck, what if I am pregnant," I whisper to my reflection in the rear view mirror. "I am so screwed if I am." I lay my head against the steering wheel as I take a couple deep breaths.

After a few seconds, I climb out and lock the car. Entering the store, I go straight back to the pharmacy section and grab a couple pregnancy tests. I walk up to the register and drop them on the counter. The cashier shoots me an apologetic look as he scans the tests. I just ignore him as I dig through my purse for my debit card. I pay for the tests and then exit the drug store.