Expired

Chapter 25

This is Thomas⬆️

"This is Thomas." Alice says shyly. "Nice to meet you all." He says with a friendly smile as he shakes our hands. "So you two are dating?" Danielle asks. "We're married." They both say at the same time. "Oh........well that's surprising. How long have you been married?" Danielle asks. "About eight years." Alice replies holding Thomas's hand being shy. "Whoa you must've only been about sixteen when you got married is that correct?" Danielle asks. "Yes we did.....we were both sixteen when we were married." Alice replies. There's something going on with her responses to questions. She keeps addressing the answer to the question.

"Interesting." Danielle replies and we all awkwardly sit there for a moment. "Oh how rude of us......why don't you all come in and have a seat." Thomas says opening the door a little more to show Alice more. I knew she was hiding something! She was hiding a baby bump!" My eyes grow wide she looks so young. Except she said she got married eight years ago and she was sixteen so she's twenty four. And she's pregnant? She seems pretty young to be pregnant but I guess there have been sixteen year olds who have gotten pregnant so good enough.

"So you're expecting?" I ask. Oh my gosh why did I ask that? What is she isn't pregnant? I am such a jerk! Why did I just ask that of course she's not pregnant plus why is a baby bump worth hiding she was probably just shy or something. "I'm so sorry I was just assuming because you-" I start but I'm cut off. "Yes I am." She interrupts. "You are?" "Yes." "Phew I had a panic attack for a moment!" I call out in relief. "Haha it's okay." She says giggling. "Oh wow congrats!" Ben and Jade say. I stare at Danielle for a second because she didn't say congrats. Why is everyone acting so weird. "How far along are you?" I ask with a polite smile.

"Eight months and two weeks." Alice replies. My mouth drops open. "You you you're that far?" I ask again. "Yes the doctor says they're due any day now." She says while she smiles and rubs her belly. "Your having twins?!!" Jade screams out. "Yes." Alice replies quietly. "Oh my goodness that's so exciting!" Ben says like he's so interested. "Thank you! And yes it's very exciting." Alice says looking at Thomas. He kisses her and puts his hand on her belly.

"I don't mean to intrude on anything but does Thomas know?" Danielle asks. "Does Thomas know what?" Alice asks. "About the Expired?" Danielle asks. "Ohh ummmmmm does Thomas know?" Alice asks like she's hiding something. "Do I know what?" Thomas asks. Alice just sits there quietly and sets her teeth on her teeth like she's nervous. "Do I know what?" He asks a little louder. "I'm an Expired!" Alice shouts unexpectedly. Immediately after she says that she crouches and puts her hands on her stomach in pain.

"Oh my Alice!" "Are you alright?" Ben asks sitting by her. "Yes I'm fine that wasn't anything." Alice says with a smile and sits back up like she's fine. "You're Expired." Thomas says string there with no expression on his face. "Yes I'm sorry I never told you it's just that I was afraid you'd turn me in and I'd get killed." Alice says with a worried look on her face. "You're Expired." He repeats with the same look. "Yes." Alice says again. "We need to tell somebody." He says with the same look. "THATS A TERRIBLE IDEA!" Alice screams pushing him from the door. He falls on the floor.

"Alice what has gotten into you!??" He yells and gets back up. "What's gotten into you!?" She screams back. "Who are we going to tell?" "Do you want to kill me?!" She screams. "No! I don't!" Thomas screams back. Alice grabs her stomach and does the same thing she did a couple minutes ago. She drops to the ground and takes deep breaths. "Okay that's it we're taking her to the hospital." Danielle says trying to pick her up. Ben rushes to them both and they put there arms up by her armpits and walk with and for her.

Jade, Thomas, and I just stare at them while they move out. Before they head out the door Jade tries to help. "I'll call an ambulance to get her there!" Jade yells. They nod their heads and head out the door. "Wow that was a big fight." Thomas says and puts his hands on the back of his head. "Yeah that was." I laugh a little. "What was that even about?" Thomas asks. "I think you just took it a little hard that she's Expired." I say trying to explain. "Are you Expired too?" He asks. "Yes........but you can't tell anyone.......well......unless they were just in here." "Whoa.......were they all Expired?" "Yeah but you can't tell anyone!" "Okay......I won't." He finishes.

"Good now let's get Alice to the hospital." I say motioning to leave. He nods and we head out. When I open the door the ambulance is already there and they're loading her in. Thomas and I run into the ambulance and take a seat by the bed. We all sit and watch Alice with the oxygen mask over her mouth and nose and she tries to breathe through the pain. Thomas grabs her hand and runs his other hand through her hair. She stares at him and starts to calm down. She starts to breathe lighter and stop moving around as much. "It's going to be okay we're almost there." Thomas says trying to calm her down. She nods her head and closes her eyes.

We get to the hospital and they rush her in while the rest of us walk in carefully. We hop out of the ambulance and walk to the doors of the hospital. "She's going to be okay right?" Thomas asks. "Of course hon she'll be fine she's a strong woman." Danielle says trying to help. Danielle always knows exactly what to say and when to say it. She always knows how to help and is always positive. "So what are you going to name the kids?" Jade asks. "I was thinking about naming the girl Charlotte and the boy Andrew." He says. "Charlotte and Andrew......I like it!" Ben says enthusiastically. "What about their middle names?" I ask. "Andrew Thomas and Charlotte Grace." He says.

"I adore the names but is Alice going to let you name both of them?" Danielle asks. "I'm not sure but I'll pitch them to her and let her decide." He says. We walk into the waiting room and sit in the seats. Thomas walks into her room and shuts the door behind him. Me and Ben sit by each other and I grab his hand. "Have you ever wanted kids?" Ben asks. "What?!" I almost scream. "Have you ever wanted kids?" He asks again. "Well, Ben I'm only fifteen I haven't even thought about it." I ask. I start to worry inside though. I don't want to rush into anything with him. "Okay just asking." He says calmly.

"Look I'm sorry I freaked out I just don't want to rush anything." I say. "Me too I was just curious." He says with a smile." Thomas walks out and looks at us with a worried and sad look. "Well.........I'm a dad!" He says enthusiastically. "Yay!" We al shout and he takes us to see Alice and the babies. I'm the first one to open the door but the rest follow behind me. Alice is in her bed holding a baby in her arm. Where's the other one? I wonder. She smiles at us as we all sit by her. "This is Andrew Thomas Bryant." She says looking at her baby boy. "And this is Charlotte Grace Bryant." Thomas says walking toward us with his baby girl in his arms.