The Pregnant Scam

Chapter Twenty-One

Downstairs in the First Baptist Church's basement I sat beside an elderly lady named Patsy who was a short little old lady with grey hair. The adults' Sunday School room was downstairs in the basement where later we'll all be eating lunch.
I tried staying focus and listen to the story of Jonah that the Sunday School Pastor was preaching, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Anthony and our plan to break up our fake relationship once the baby was born. I know it was originally my plan for the scam and my idea to go separate ways afterwards. It was because I didn't want to hold him down and be burden to him anymore than I had to, besides he wasn't even the father he shouldn't have to give up his life for a child that isn't even his. Being with Anthony was nice, even if it was fake, but for me it didn't seem so fake anymore. It almost felt like we were really a couple having a baby together. I couldn't think about it that way though, because the more I did, the harder it will be when the baby is born to do what has to be done.
"So we learned in our lesson today that Jonah was running away from the problem and running away from God. Just like many time we might try to run away from our problems like Jonah did, but instead of being like Jonah when we're facing hard decisions or problems we need to run to Christ. That's it for today a folks, thanks for listening I'll see you upstairs in a bit for the morning sermon and worship."  Pastor Scott said dismissing the adults and breaking me out of my thoughts.
I grabbed my flowered pattern bible case and zipped it up placing my notebook for taking notes on top all the while Patsy watched me.
"How are you doing, Julia with the baby and everything?" Patsy asked gathering up her things as well.
"I'm good Patsy, and you?"
Patsy shook her head, "I don't know how you're holding up so well. I mean having a child out of wedlock! Is the father and you even thinking about marriage?"
I grimaced the ladies at church were so noisy. "No, we're just taking it day by day, I appreciate your concern, but we'll figure it out when the time comes." I forced a brief smile and picked up my things to leave.
"You do know marriage is the only way? It's bad enough to have sinned by having a child before marriage, but not to get married to the father... well that'll be another sin against God. After all God says in Deuteronomy 22:28 that if a man lies with a women who he isn't married to then he must marry her."
"Lots of women have babies and don't marry the father, especially if he's a douchebag which Anthony isn't, he's amazing now if you excuse me." I rushed out of the Sunday School room and ran up the carpet stairs taking them two at a time. I couldn't believe the nerve that lady had telling me I was sinning by getting pregnant and by not marrying I'll be sinning. It's not like I wanted to be a senior in high school and be pregnant! The only reason this happened is because Sal forced himself on me. Surely God would forgive someone who didn't want it to happen and would show them grace. I wiped my eyes and went to the ladies room to wash my face. I couldn't help but wonder if that's what all the members of First Baptist thought and I didn't want to go sit with my family in the pews after what just happened with Patsy.
After drying my face off I paused outside of the baby nursery and peeked in the little glass window on the door. I saw toys scattered on the floor and baby Daniel who was a couple months old playing on the floor while Beth the caretaker for the babies sat in the rocking chair rocking Naomi who was a couple months old as well. Beth saw me looking and gave me a smile and a wave.
Taking a deep breath I opened the door to the nursery and immediately was hit with the smell of baby power and other sweet smells that a baby usually smelled like; except of course when they have a poopy diaper. "Hi." I said slowly looking around the room. The nursery was painted to look like nature outdoors. The walls were a sky blue and at the bottom an excellent artsy church member had painted strips of grass all the way around. In one corner by the rocking chairs the wall was painted to look like a tree with great detail to the trunk and leaves. All around were insects and bugs as well like an ant hill down by the grass with little black ants climbing up it, lady bugs, butterflies and even bees were painted in the sky or perched on a flower or leaf. There were two rocking chairs in the corner by the painted tree, beside the rocking chairs was a little picnic table and play kitchen set. Below the wooden hooks to hang diaper bags were two wooden bookcases, one held books while the other had an arrangement of baby dolls and stuff animals. To the left of the door was a white bookcase filled with an arrangement of toys. On the floor was an alphabet rug where little Daniel laid on his belly with a couple weeble wobble toy people.
"Please join us Julia." Beth said warmly as she rocked Naomi in her arms.
Thanking her graciously I sat down on alphabet rug next to baby Daniel. I looked into his brown slanted eyes that slanted upwards on his flat face and his cubby little body with his short neck. I biting my lip which was a bad habit I was getting into, I wondered how Kate did it. Raising a baby with Down Syndrome it seemed to me like it would be a lot of work not to mention stress. Nervously I touched my belly but kept my eyes fixed on Daniel. What if my baby was like Daniel? Daniel gave me a wide toothless smile.
"Aww he likes you." Beth mentioned.
I smiled up at Beth and looked back at Daniel. He was a cutie pie that's for sure.
Kate Daniel's mother walked in just then her bible and purse in hand. She wore a navy blue dress with flats. She laid her bible and purse above the wooden bookcase and pushed her hair back, "Sorry I'm late, Beth."
"Oh you're fine darling I was just enjoying this time with the babies and Julia." Beth carefully stood up with Naomi. "Julia, do you want to hold her?"
"No I'm good, thanks." I said quickly feeling embarrassed. The thought of holding a baby petrified me, what if I dropped the baby or hurt it somehow?
Beth laid Naomi down in a little bouncy swing before leaving the nursery to join the other church members in the auditorium. Kate was going to stay with the babies during the sermon.
Kate greeted me with a warm welcoming smile, "And how is the expecting mother doing?" She asked as she scooped Daniel into her arms to check if he needed a diaper change.
I returned the smile, Kate was such a sweet lady and a wonderful mother to her six children. She was definitely a woman to look up to. "I'm doing good. Thankfully I'm through with the morning sickness, now it's just random food cravings."
She gave a short little laugh, "Ahh I remember those days." She chuckled as she took Daniel into the room off of the nursery which was mostly used for breast feeding moms. It also had the two wooden cribs for naps and the changing table. Kate kept the door open into the nursery so she could still see Naomi.
Smoothing my red maternity dress out I stood up and paced the small nursery while Kate changed Daniel. I fingered the play baby dolls on the bookcase and gently picked one up that wore a dress with wild strawberries on it. I held the baby doll in my arms and thought how this would be my life in seven months. Me and a baby girl or boy, then Anthony and I would come up with a story on why we broke it off.  I shivered and put the baby doll back on the shelf. I stepped away from the bookshelf just as Kate came back into the room with Daniel smelling fresh with the smell of baby powered.
"How far along are you Julia?" Kate asked sitting down in the rocking chair she started rocking Daniel.
I took a seat in the rocking chair beside her while I did the quick math in my head eight weeks total minus the two weeks that we were hiding so it fit in our time frame equaled six. "Six weeks." I lied not that she would ever know.
Kate smiled, "Only 34 weeks to go. Are you excited to be a mom?"
"Uhh, it varies on the day." I said with a small smile. I stared off into space for a moment before turning to Kate, "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course anything."
Taking a deep breath I didn't know how else to say it, so I just blurted it out. "When did the doctors tell you Daniel had Down Syndrome? Was it before or after he was born? And how hard is it with him and all the... you know?"
Gently Kate placed her hand on mine. I hadn't realized that my hands were shaking till her cold but soft hand was on top of mine, "Sweetie, it's all going to be alright."
I let out the breath I had been holding which came out sounding like a sob. Before I knew it I was sobbing and crying hysterically. Damn these hormones of mine!
"Aww Honey." She stood up and placed Daniel down on the floor, then she reached out and wrapped me in her arms.
Crying even harder I clung to her feeling slightly embarrassed I didn't know her that well. "How can you be so sure?" I asked wiping the tears from my eyes.
"Not that it couldn't happen. There is always the chance something could go wrong during delivery, but the chances of you with your age having a baby with Down Syndrome is one in one thousand two hundred. You don't have to be afraid because God is watching over you and your baby. Even if the possibility does occur weather your baby has some health problems or is perfectly healthy I'm sure your family will help you out with the baby either way."
"You're right." Even though right now all they wanted to do was help me find the adoption agency I thought to myself. Some how, some way I had to show my family I was capable of taking care of my baby and still continue living my life as well.