Beautiful Mistake

xii

"It's almost Thanksgiving!" Tessa shouts as she sits down on my couch. She crosses her legs and grabs her blanket off the floor.

"Thanksgiving is next week. So relax." I change the channel on the television and keep repeating the same cycle. Change, watch, change.

"Thanksgiving is the only holiday besides Christmas where you can pig out without anyone looking at you weird." I suppose she's right, I'd like to eat my cravings without people looking at me, "And plus, as two seventeen-week pregnant women, we need to eat."

Tessa snatches the remote from my hand and sets it on the opposite side of her, "I'm tired of watching you change the channels." We sit here for hours and just watch cartoons.

Both my and Tessa's phones buzz at the same time. We look at each other and then grab our phones off the coffee table.

Fwd: Aye! The party's at 11527 Gilmore Dr. Bring booze and bathing suits!!!

"Did you just get a message for a party?" I ask and Tessa nods. "Who forwarded this?" I look at the number and it was unknown. I sigh and delete the message.

"Those messages are meant for college students." I raise an eyebrow at Tessa and she continues, "I signed us up for the anonymous party texts when we went to the party at Collin's house."

"Why did Collin have a sign-up sheet for that?"

"I don't know, I was wasted and I thought it was gonna be fun. Obviously, we can't do it now..." Tessa's phone buzzes again and she looks to see who it is. "Warren just texted me and said that his mom wants to take us crib shopping. Is it okay if I go?" She pouts her lip and clasps her hands together in the pleading motion.

"Why are you asking me? It's your baby shopping time! Go!" I shoo her off my couch and she jumps up. Tessa slips on her sandals and gives me a quick hug.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow!" She yells as she shuts the front door to my house.

I sit alone in my living room and try to think of something to do. The television is still blaring its cartoon and I stand to turn it off. After, I go upstairs to my room and lay down on my bed.

"Being home alone sucks," I say to myself as I stare at the ceiling. The pictures on my closet door are all bent at the edges, showing off how old they are. I also have new pictures up there. Like the ones I took with Tessa at the mall, the bottom is marked with "Til' Death Do Us Part" and is decorated with tiny gravestones.

Soon enough I get bored at looking at everything my room contains. I shut my eyes and snuggle as deep as I can into my comforter.

***

"Caroline, honey. Wake up, it's time for dinner." My mom stands over me with a slight smile on her face.

"Alright ma, I'll be down in a few minutes." She nods and walks out of my bedroom. I sit up, rub my eyes, and throw my comforter off my body. I stumble out of my bed and walk down the stairs. My legs feel numb as I descend the 19-step staircase.

I am greeted with the smell of dinner. I grab a plate of the spaghetti and meatballs, drench the entire thing with half a bottle of hot sauce and then top it all off with at least a pound of Parmesan cheese.

"Wow Caroline, you are gonna have a great night tonight." An overly masculine voice says from behind me. Confused, I turn my head and see a man in a U.S. Army uniform. I took a second but it finally clicked in my brain. My dad is back!

"Dad!" I practically jump out of my socks. I haven't seen him in six years! "You're here!" Tears were evidently streaming down my face and my dad kisses the side of my head.

"Oh, you've grown so much. And it looks like you've gained weight! I've missed you baby girl." I get off of him and put my hand on my hip.

"Hey, just because I gained weight doesn't mean I'm fat. Yet." My dad gives me a weird look but I keep talking,"How come you didn't tell me you were coming!"

"It was last minute and I wanted to surprise the two of you. If you knew I was coming you probably would've thrown a welcome back party. I just want it to be you, me, and your mother for a few days."

"I'm happy. My day is eternally made." I take my plate, grab a fork, and sit down at the table across from my mom and dad.

"How's school been?" He asks. I look at my mom and she slightly shakes her head. My heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach.

He doesn't know. My dad doesn't know I'm pregnant.

"Actually there's something Caroline wants to tell you." My mom says before I can answer his question. She gives me a stern look and then nudges her head toward my dad as if to say, 'Tell him or I'm going to.'

The silence was incredibly tense and awkward. I take a deep breath and begin to say what I don't want to even think about telling my dad.

"I'm-," My words are cut off by the front door opening and closing.

"Care! I'm back, Warren's mom spotted the cutest crib! She said next time you should come with so you can pick a crib for your baby." Tessa rambles on and the second she walks into the kitchen she freezes. She looks from me, to my mom, to my dad.

"Uh, surprise?" I brace myself for yelling but nothing came. My dad truly looks surprised, like he had nothing to say.

After a few more antagonizing seconds of silence, he finally says, "Is this what you were about to tell me?"

"Yeah, that's what I was about to tell you." I glare at Tessa. She turns and runs upstairs to I'm guessing, my room.

"How far along are you?" He asks while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Just 17 weeks."

"Alright, well. When you've finished with your dinner I want you to go upstairs. Your mother and I have to have a conversation." With that, I try to hurry and finish my dinner. When I'm done, I put my plate in the sink and go upstairs to be accompanied by my big-mouthed best friend.