CAPTURE THIS (Updating regularly)

Chapter 5

Amber hesitated. She didn't want to say anything to make the situation worse but she felt she had to speak.

"Dad... We can get through this together. Annette would have told you, she just wanted to wait until she was ready."

Mr Riley shook his head before raising his gaze to her. "Your sister is heading back to university tomorrow. I wouldn't see her until her next break in December. What makes you think that I wouldn't find out about this at Christmas when she comes into this house with a bump?"

Annette whimpered beside Amber, another wave of tears cascaded down her face. 

"She would have told you before that, Dad. She's in shock."

Her father laughed humourlessly. "I'm in shock Amber. I never thought I'd find out I was going to be a grandparent through a pregnancy test in the trash."

"Dad, it's going to be okay. We'll figure something out for her, won't we?"

Mr Riley shook his head frantically. "Like hell we will. She got herself into this mess. She'll be the one figuring things out. Once you head off to live in your flat at uni tomorrow, that's it. You get the money your mother left you and your savings account, and that's it."

Without another word, Mr Riley stormed out of the room. The both heard the front door shut a moment after that.

Mr Riley hadn't been gone for a minute but Annette flung her arms around Amber and started wailing.

"What... What am I g-going to d-do? I don't h-have enough money for a b-baby! I've never had a job in my l-life!"

Amber sighed and held her sister. "Look, Dad's just found out. He's just in shock. He'd never kick you out the house." 

But it turned out their father was being serious. He can home very late that night after Amber had helped Annette pack her bags for her last year at university. Annette went to a university in London, which was about two hours away from their little town. There was no way she would be able to take all her things with her in her state.

Mr Riley only spoke five words that night. Amber listened intently has his slow, heavy footsteps ascended up the stairs and outside Annette's door. She waited to hear her father's softened, level headed voice but instead, she was greeted with frost.

"I'll pay for the cab."

Amber spent most of the night in her sister's room despite having to wake up early for school the next morning. Ann was unconsolable. After the tears had halted, all that was left was fiery rage.

"He's our Dad, Ambs. How can he treat me like this? If mum was here, she would never let this happen. I mean, yeah, she'd be mad but... but she would be happy after a while, you know?" Her voice wobbled uncertainly. "I don't even know what mum would do. I was twelve. We never talked about these things."

"We do know mum would never chuck you out, Ann. Maybe it's better if you just head to uni and out this whole thing out of your mind for a bit? You and dad just need some space," Amber reasoned. "I'll talk to Dad after you leave. He'll come around."

Ann shook her head. "I don't think so Ambs. Before you arrived, he kept implying that I should get an abortion. He never said it but I knew it's what he wanted to say." She threw a disgusted look at Amber. "He wanted me to abort his grandchild, Ambs. His own flesh and blood. Mum's flesh and blood. Well, screw him. If I have to bring this baby up alone, I will."

Amber watched as her sister's face once again fell into a stubborn, undeterred frown of determination.

Ann lay next to her sister in her big double bed and stared up at the pale ceiling.