The Pregnant Scam

Chapter Sixteen

      The rest of the week flew by and before I knew it was Wednesday the next week. I was in my bedroom walk in closet deciding what to wear for my first appointment to the doctor. I felt nervous; I hated hospitals and any doctor appointment, especially if they had to give me a shot. Pulling off a pretty dark lavender shirt from my rack of clothes I slipped the shirt on over my head and buttoned the two buttons that were on the back.
       Frowning as I studied my body in the mirror, I felt bloated and fat. Even though I wasn't that far along yet I felt like my shirts were becoming too tight across my stomach and that you could see that I was starting to have a baby bump. Not to mention my thighs looked like thunder thighs at least in my insecure opinion I thought so. It's not like I could talk to anyone about it though, Lexi already told me her opinion that I'm fat, my mom would just say that's what having kids does to you, and Anthony. I couldn't mention it to him, he won't understand. He may be claiming my baby as his but at least his body never changes!
           I sighed as I grabbed some mascara and started applying some makeup. After my makeup was complete I looked at myself again in the mirror and decided my dark navy jeans and the dark lavender shirt with the lace towards the top wasn't so bad. I slipped on some purple flats. I was leaving earlier than my appointment because Anthony decided to take me out for lunch before the appointment.
       After saying goodbye to my family I hopped in my car and made the forty minute drive into town to Anthony's house.
       Lexi rolled her eyes when I opened the front door of their house, "Wow, you're like a pimple that won't go away. When will you take the hint that your pathetic apologies  can't make up for what you and my brother done." She crossed her arms over her chest.
     Ignoring her insult I looked around the living room hoping to see Anthony but the living room was empty, "I'm not here to see you actually." Lexi raised her eyebrow at that, but she kept her arms folded over her chest. "I'm here to see Anthony, he's taking me on a.... date, and then to my first appointment for the baby." I blushed slightly, Anthony hadn't called it a date so why did I call it that to Lexi? To make it seem like Anthony and I were really together together? I have no clue really.
         She narrowed her eyes at me was the jealousy in her eyes? I turned away so I won't have to look at her. Debating weather I should stay in the house or go back to my car to wait for him. Wanda came upstairs from her childcare holding a baby in her arms. She stopped and stared at me a moment before giving me a friendly smile, she walked over to me and gave me a hug while still balancing the baby on her hip.
        I jumped with surprise at her hug, I hadn't seen or talked to Wanda since her angry out burst in Spanish when Anthony told her I was expecting. I gave her a hug back.
      Wanda stepped back and smiled, "How are you feeling?"
     "I'm nervous." I said with a short laugh, "I've never done anything like this before, and I still get morning sickness at times, but it's mostly gone. I'm just getting big."
       Lexi was still in the living room with us but she didn't say anything as her mom continued talking to me, "Aw you'll do fine Julia, I was a nervous wreck as well when I was pregnant with the twins. But you'll do great." She gave my hand a squeeze, "I can't wait to see an ultrasound of the baby." She winked her eye at me.
       I smiled it was like Wanda had done a complete turnaround from last week. I liked that she seemed excited for the baby and wasn't shunning me or insulting me like Lexi was.
      Wanda looked down at the eight month old baby she was holding, then she looked back at me, "Would you want to hold him?" She asked.
        My eyes widened and I shook my head nervously, "Oh no, I couldn't possibly...."
        "Nonsense, you must hold him!" Wanda cut me off and plopped the little boy into my arms.
        "Oh, okay." I wrapped my arms around him and looked down into his chubby little face. He was a lot heavier than he looked!
          "After all soon you and Anthony will have a little one just like little Julian here." Wanda shook little Julian's  hand.
           "Right." I murmured looking down at Julian he was a chubby little guy in his little onesie that said mommy's little monster on it. He had hardly any hair and his big brown eyes looked at you with such innocent it made you feel all warm inside. I smiled down at it, it was hard to believe that what was growing inside me would soon look like this.
       "Look at you, you're rockin this motherhood already." Anthony joked as he saw me holding Julian. He was wearing blue jeans with a nice red shirt, he already had his black glasses on ready for driving.
       My cheeks flushed slightly at his remark and I handed Julian back to Wanda, "Right, how about you try holding a baby and get some daddy skills done." I teased lightly all the while Lexi stared daggers at us.
        Anthony laughed, "Na I'm good."
        Wanda clicked her tongue, "Anthony, Julia's right you need to learn how to hold a baby, change a diaper, bottle fed."
        "Okay, mom, I'm sure I'll get plenty of opportunities to do that in nine months when the baby comes." Anthony turned to me, "You look beautiful by the way." He commented at my outfit.
        The made my cheeks get even more red, I hope he was just playing it smooth since his sister and mom were right there. After last week when Anthony nearly kissed me when we didn't have to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend I couldn't help but start to wonder if he's taking it too far and actually believing our scam himself. That we were a real couple. I didn't want to accuse him of that and bring it up though in case he was just playing the role and just a really good actor. I smiled up at him, "You ready to go?" I asked playing the girlfriend card I took his hand in my own and our fingers locked around each other's hand.
         We said goodbye to his mom and Lexi, not like she would care and then walked outside the front door. Once we were outside walking across the front lawn I released my fingers from Anthony's hand and moved towards his white car. I slid inside the passenger leather seat while Anthony took the driver's seat.
          As he pulled away I blurted out, "Have you ever acted in a play at school before?"
          Anthony chuckled as he turned right onto  Soldier Road, "Umm no, why?"
          I looked out at the town houses we passed, "Just curious."
         He found a parking spot in front of Apple Bees one of my favorite places to eat. We stepped into the dim lighting the restaurant always had a dark kinda romantic lighting at least I thought so. The carpet was dark navy blue with red swirls in it. The walls were red and all around the walls were tables with booths that had red padding. Out in the open spot of the restaurant were tables with black chairs with red leather cushions and of course the bar which Anthony and I couldn't sit at.
        A waitress with red curly hair tied up in a ponytail and a name tag that said Tiffany led us over to a table with booths. Anthony slide into the one side and I took the one across from him then Tiffany gave us menus and left to bring me a root beer and Anthony a pepsi while we decide what food to get.
        I studied the menu debating weather to get BBQ chicken wings or the chicken macaroni and cheese. Finally I decided in the BBQ chicken wings and Anthony ordered himself some of the spicy shrimp. I glanced around Apple Bees and even though we weren't technically dating just faking it; I wondered if this is what is was what being on a real date was like.
       Our food soon came and we both dug in hungrily. "This is the best shrimp ever!" Anthony said with his mouth full of spicy shrimp. Picking up a piece of shrimp he held it up for me to try, with careful hands he put it in my mouth.
      The spicy seasonings hit my tongue like a spark of fire hitting dry grass making it go up in flames. I squeezed my eyes shut has tears formed all the while Anthony sat across from me laughing at the face reaction I made. "It's spicy isn't it?" He smiled amused.
       I grabbed my root beer and took a big slurp though it didn't really do anything to cool the fire that was in my mouth right now, "Yeah it sure it." taking my napkin I dabbed the corner of my eyes then took a bite of a chicken wing; there that was a lot better.
          Anthony popped another piece of shrimp in his mouth then took a drink of Pepsi, "Hey so in the car why did you think I played in a school play before?" He asked.
          "You can't let it go can you." I replied taking a another big drink of root beer while Anthony looked at me expecting an answer, I sighed. "It's nothing really." I lied, "I just think you should try out this fall for the play, I heard they're doing Sleeping Beauty. You could try out for Prince Charming, or is it Prince Philip? I always get Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella mixed up." I remarked.
          He laughed so hard he about choked on his food, he covered his mouth so his food won't fall out. He finished chewing then spoke, "Absolutely not Jules, but you should try out I bet you'll make a great sleeping beauty."
          Now I was the one to laugh, was he nuts? "There's no way Mrs. Peggy would give me the part." I pushed my empty plate to the corner of the table for the waitress to grab when she came by. Mrs. Peggy was the high school play director.
          "Why not?"
          "Unless Sleeping Beauty suddenly was expecting a baby. By time that play is ready I'll  be five months pregnant."
            Anthony grinned, "Maybe Mrs. Peggy would do something really absurd and cast you as Sleeping Beauty and rewrite the script so that the princess had an affair with the Prince. You know spice it up a bit, I bet she'll raise a lot of money for the school that way."
          I shook my head and smiled, "That's the craziest idea I ever heard."
          "Crazier than our scam to trick our whole family and friends that we're together and you're having my child?"
          "Shhh! Not so loud, " I looked around carefully making sure I didn't see anybody I knew, "No nothing's has crazy as that."  I smiled.
            Anthony finished his shrimp and paid for our meal. Leaving Apple Bees I directed Anthony to the Women's Health Clinic which was across town.
            Inside the clinic was a bit chilly. They had their AC too high in my opinion I shivered as I walked up to the sectary office where a nurse in a pink scrubs was busy clicking away on the computer. Anthony had went to find a seat in one of the wooden chairs with blue leather cushions, while I checked in. Somewhere in the distant a phone rang and another nurse answered it. Giving the nurse in the pink scrubs a shy smile I spoke, "Hi, I'm here for my appointment."
          The nurse gave me a quick once over, "What's the name?"
        "Julia Blade."
         She handed me a clipboard and pen with a paper, "Sign your name here, just a reminder the operation will take at least forty-five minutes. You may hurt for awhile afterwards but everything will be fine. Just make sure to eat and drink a lot." She said it like a droid who's said it millions of times. 
      I stepped back alarm, operation? What operation! "I'm sorry I don't understand, what operation?"
     The nurse eyed me, "You're here for an abortion right?"
      I widened my eyes, "No! I'm.... I'm here for my first check up to see how the baby is doing." I placed my had over my little baby bump.
       "Oh I'm so sorry!! She apologized taking the clipboard back she handed me a different clipboard, "I'll need you to answer these questions then, and please sign, and date them. Again I am so so sorry." She gave me apologetic smile, "You're so young to be having a baby I just assumed, I'm sorry."
       I took the clipboard from her, "It's fine." I turned and hurried across the room to where Anthony sat in a two person seat. I felt humiliated by the nurse's assumption, I guess it's not her fault though. I bet lots of girls around my age do go down that road instead of keeping the baby. I placed my hand on my forehead as an overwhelming feeling came over me as I stared at all the questions I had to answer. Some of the questions were easy like did I take any drugs, or alcohol after conceiving? Or did me or my partner have STD, or were carriers of CF? How far along was I? Then there were other questions that were harder that I had no clue of. After about twenty-five minutes I finally had all the questions answered and returned the clipboard to the nurse.
     She took the clipboard from me, "I just want to say, I think it's really great what you're doing. Not many girls could go through with what you're doing, you're really brave?"
       Wow she's so kind, I thought to myself giving her a smile I replied, "Thank you."
       "A nurse should be here soon to take you back to Dr. Stallcup."
      Nodding I went back to Anthony and sat beside him on the double seat.
       Anthony was looking around the waiting room, I wondered what was going through his head. He turned to the low wooden square table with four legs. The table had magazines, most of them were Parent Magazines. There was also a model of a woman's ovaries. He picked up the plastic model and looked it over then he turned to me, "This is?"
        Slightly embarrassed I nodded not wanting to say it out loud.
          "Oh." He said replacing the model back on the table he looked straight ahead at the off white wall, "Sooo." He said after an awkward silence, "What side of the you know, do you think your baby came from?"
         I stared at him flabbergasted my cheeks turning redder than they ever have before, "How should I know what side my egg came from and does it really matter what side?" 
        He shrugged, "I guess not." He stared again at the off white wall this time his knee bouncing up and down.
         Anthony's bouncing was making me even more nervous, after five minutes of him bouncing his knee I carefully laid my hand on top of his knee which made him stop. "I'm nervous." I admitted.
         He took my hand that was resting on his knee, "That makes two of us." He said with a nervous chuckle.
         I realized then the he really was nervous, that's why he asked that awkward question about the model and what side my egg was he was just as nervous as I was! that made me a bite relieved that I wasn't the only one. I looked around the waiting room, there wasn't any other guys there. All the patients waiting were woman who were expecting some had small baby bumps and others looked ready to pop! Being the only guy there had to be making him nervous. I gave his hand a squeeze, "Thanks for coming with me, Anthony."
       He smiled, "No problem." His hand felt sticky and sweaty in mine, I leaded over and rested my head on his shoulder.
       "What will I do without you." I said with a smile. I was so thankful that he's sticking through with my scam.  He really has given up a lot to make sure that our plan sticks and that nobody knows the truth. I don't know what I would do if our roles were reversed.
         A nurse with brown shoulder length hair and Disney scrubs opened then door, she glanced at her clipboard and looked around the waiting room as she said, "Julia Blade?"
        Quickly I stood up and with Anthony following me we went up to the nurse who smiled warmly at us, "Hello I'm Carrie and I'll be your nurse for the day." She turned to Anthony, "You must be the father."
       "Yep that's me."
        Carrie smiled cheerfully, "It's so great to see father here for emotional support, right this way." She led us down a narrow hallway where on the wall was a scale to measure your height and weight. Carrie first had me stand with my shoes off at the wall to measure my height, then she had me stand on the scale to measure how much I weighed. I grimaced when I saw the number Carrie must have seen my reaction because she said, "You're weight is perfect, nice and healthy Mommas make nice and heathy babies." She quickly added, "You'll be surprised how much weight you'll lose right off the bat after giving birth to your baby." She jolted down a few notes then led us to a room where she directed me to sit on the comfortable leather seat that you can lay all the way down on while Anthony sat in a hard plastic chair beneath the window. She told us Dr. Stallcup would be in shortly then closed the door.
       True to her words Dr. Stallcup came in eight minutes later. Dr. Stallcup was a lady in her late thirties with brown chestnut hair, she wore a white button down lab coat and a stethoscope hung around her neck. She smiled, "Julia it's nice to met you I'm Dr. Stallcup I'll be your doctor throughout your months of pregnancy and I can also deliver your baby if that's what you decide when the time comes." She walked over to the sink that was in the room and carefully washed her hands.
      I nodded shyly, "Oh and this is Anthony, he's the father."
      "Nice to meet you too Anthony, I'm glad to see both parents on board." Dr. Stallcup sat down on a black seat with wheels. She opened up a yellow filing folder I guess which held the papers I filled out. "First things first, let's measure your baby." She pulled a tape measure out from one of the drawers by the sink and wrapped it around my midsection. "32 inches around." She went over to the filing folder and wrote that down, "This is your first time having a child, correct?"
     I nodded again and Anthony and I both answered, "Yes." I quickly added, "I'm three weeks pregnant."
      Dr. Stallcup frown at her notes, "Really? By the size of your belly I'll say your more than that. Closer to six weeks."
       Shit, I didn't even think of the Doctor being able to realized how far along I really am. How would we explain that, would she realized that we lied? "Ummm." I fought for the words to say but none came.
        "It's perfectly okay and normal to get the weeks confused. Most new mothers don't even know they're pregnant till they're two or three weeks along. Have you been eating nutritious meals and taking prenatal vitamins?"
        "Nutritious? Is that even a word, nothing that taste good is nutritious!" Anthony joked.
       Leaning over I smacked his knee.
      Dr. Stallcup grinned good naturally, but then turned serious, "Eating a healthy diet is very important during pregnancy, not only for the baby but for you as well Julia."
       "Yes I'll make sure to eat healthy," I said casting a look at Anthony, "I haven't been taking prenatal vitamins though."
         "You'll need to pick some of those up from the store, they're called Women's Prenatal Multi-Vitamins you can find them just in one of the aisles by the pharmacy section." Dr. Stallcup took more notes with her pen. "Now with you being a new mother I'll like to mention a few things to you about pregnancy, you may know some of this already but I like to remind my new mothers. Then I'll like to get a look at the baby's heartbeat and all that and we'll be done." She placed her pen down on the counter and turned to me and Anthony her gazed fixed on us, "You haven't taken any drugs or drank any alcohol recently have you?"
       I shook my head, "No."
      "Good girl, keep doing that, drugs and alcohol are really harmful for the fetus especially the first weeks when the baby's brain and body are growing. Since you two are teens and it's summer, amusements parks are very fun, but please take my advice and read the signs if you ride any rides. There will be signs warning mothers if they're pregnant not to ride them." She flipped through some papers, "Your weight looks good, not too skinny, I want you to be aware but don't be worried if you gain weight, it's normal and healthy you're carrying weight for two now." She smiled at me, "Also I want you to understand your boobs will start to grow too, not right away but closer to when you'll expecting the baby which would be March 15th if we're correct on how far along you are. Some babies are later than the due date and some are popping and ready to be out of there, we will see when it's closer to March. Have you been feeling any morning sickness?"
     "Oh yeah!" I gave a chuckle, "But it's mostly passed now."
       Dr. Stallcup nodded, "That is normal, it usually last for the first few weeks then slowly goes away, but not for every mom. I've had some mothers keep it right up till delivery. Now let's take a look at your baby's heart rate." Dr. Stallcup stood up and took her stethoscope and out the two ear pieces in her ears and laid the cool metal curricular part on my bare abdomen. Slowly she moved it around on my skin until she froze and a big smile came across her face. There he/she is." Quietly she counted and wrote down in her notes. Then keeping the metal curricular part on my abdomen she handed me the end that sticks in my ear, "You want to hear your precious baby?"
      My fingers shaking I took the stethoscope and placed the ear pieces in my ears and listened. I gasped as I heard the beautiful thump thump thump of a tiny heartbeat. Tears welled up in my eyes, this was amazing to know something so tiny was alive inside me even if it happened out of something horrible it was still incredible to think that I had a baby inside me! Wiping my eyes I held out my hand to Anthony, "It's so amazing, Anthony." He stood up and came over to the leather bed where I laid, "Here listen." I placed the stethoscope over his ears as he knelt down towards my belly.
      His soft brown eyes got so huge like a kid who has just tasted a peanut butter cup, "Woah." He managed to say and grinned up at me.
       Dr. Stallcup smiled as we handed her back the stethoscope and I pulled my violet shirt back down over my stomach, "Seeing the parents reaction the first time they hear their baby's heartbeat it's one of the best thing about my job besides seeing the precious baby when they're born." She looked down at her notes one more time, "The heart rate was a little slow, but it's nothing to be too concerned about right now, make sure you get those prenatal vitamins at the store today and take them everyday. They will help with your hormones as they start to change plus give you and your baby the extra vitamins you need. Do you have any questions for me?"
      "No, Dr. Stallcup, thank you so much!"
     "No problem and if you do ever have a question just call the clinic and they'll put you through to me. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks then for your next appointment."
       Up at the front desk I talked to the same nurse who checked me in, I made sure that the clinic would bill the amount to my dad's insurance which should cover everything. I also planned my next appointment which won't be till after school starts.
        "Well that wasn't so bad." I said as we left the clinic and headed back to Anthony's white car. "I can't believe summer is almost over."
          "I know right? It's gone so fast. Just two weeks left and school starts."
        "Ugh don't reminded me." I groaned.
        Anthony started the car and took me to Walmart to get the vitamins then we went back to his house. We walked quietly up the grass to his front door, "Do you want to stick around and hang out?" He asked as he opened up the front door.
      Hang around the Baez home that used to be the most awesome fun thing to do. See my best friend and Anthony who's my friend as well what could be better? But now I didn't feel like watching Lexi glare at me from across the room, "No offense Anthony, but I really just want to go home, talk to you tomorrow?"
      He leaned against the open door away, "I understand, I'll see you around, sweetheart." He brushed his hand through my long blond hair and leaning down he planted a kiss on my forehand before stepping back.
       It was all I could do not to hold my breath while he kissed my head, when he pulled away I could see Lexi's eyes burning right through me as she stood in the background at the end of the staircase. Reacting quickly I grabbed his shirt as he turned to go and pulled him back to me I kissed him right on the mouth my arms going around his neck as I pulled him close to me. I did it out of spite okay, Lexi's I hate you cuz you slept with my brother was getting really old to me and seeing her right there I just wanted to kiss him at that moment. I pulled up for air and smiled at him hoping my eyes looked dreamy and starry like all those actresses do when they stare at a guy in a movie. I turned to look at Lexi just in time to see her march heavily up the stairs no doubt to slam her bedroom door in Three... Two..... One...... Slam! Yep I was right.
       "That was my sister wasn't it?" He asked.
        "Yeah."
         "Well, good thing she was watching." He winked at me and smiled down at me.
         I smiled and turning around I walked to my car. I thought again about Anthony and him acting like my boyfriend. Yep that's all it had to be Anthony was just really good at acting as he leaned on the door frame a moment ago and smiled down at me I almost believed it myself that he could like me. That is if things weren't so messed up right now.