From Teen To Mom

Chapter 6

Greyson and I find ourselves captivated by the image on the screen. Our baby, still in its early stages, looks like a tiny, shapeless blob and I couldn't believe that was it.

"You are about 10 weeks along, and it looks like you will be due on May 5th," Dr. Malina shares, breaking the spell.

He tightens his grip on my hand, and I smile at him weakly.

"We're going to be parents," he whispers, his voice filled with awe and panic.

Reality hits me like a ton of bricks. "Yeah, we are..." A wave of uncertainty washes over me. Am I ready for this? Taking care of a baby requires so much responsibility. They cry incessantly and wake up multiple times throughout the night. And let's not forget the thought of pushing a human being out of my body. Labor seems like a terrifying ordeal. And we did have other options, options that wouldn't uproot our whole life.

"I printed out lots of pictures for you," Dr. Malina interrupts my thoughts, offering us a stack of ultrasound images.

I simply nod, unable to find the right words, while Greyson thanks her as she exits the room.

"I can't believe we're having a baby. It's so crazy..." He says, breaking the silence.

I remain silent, my mind racing with a mix of emotions, until the doctor returns with more pictures, a yellow baby blanket, and small gray knitted booties. We express our gratitude and leave the office. I carefully tuck the pictures into my purse, while Greyson agrees to hold onto the blanket and booties to avoid the risk of my mom discovering them prematurely. I can't bear to break the news to her just yet.

"By the way, I told my mom last night,"  He confesses quietly.

"What?! Why?! And why didn't you tell me?!" Panic seizes me. Nobody was supposed to know about this yet!

"Relax, it's fine. She's across the country, and my brother has two kids, and my sister has three. She was already expecting me to have one. She didn't even sound surprised," he reassures me.

"We weren't supposed to tell anyone," I protest.

"I'm sure you told your guy friend, what's his name?" he retorts stubbornly.

"Alex, and that's different," I snap back, feeling a mix of anger and frustration.

The rest of the drive back to Greyson's house is filled with uncomfortable silence. He wisely chooses not to argue with me. As soon as he pulls into his driveway, I slam the car door and storm off to my vehicle, speeding off and leaving him standing speechless, outside his car, in his driveway.

In the days that followed, I withdrew from any interaction with guys. I intentionally avoided Greyson and Alex in the school hallways, ignoring the countless missed calls and texts from both of them. Occasionally, I would hang out with Jessica, Lexi, and Jordan, but I still hadn't mustered the courage to tell them about my pregnancy. I wanted to pretend like it wasn't happening, and I couldn't shake off the anger I felt towards Greyson for telling his mom without consulting me first.

As soon as I arrived home, I sought refuge in my room, immersing myself in studying or sleeping. I also found solace in reading, knowing that once May arrived, I wouldn't have much time for it anymore. My mom was almost always at work, and my brother Brandon was preoccupied with his friends or his video games, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

One Friday morning, I woke up feeling nauseous and spent the entire morning throwing up. I mustered the strength to ask my mom if I could stay home from school, and she obliged, assuming I had caught the flu. Little did she know, the real reason behind my sickness. I curled up in a ball on the couch, wrapped in my warm fuzzy blanket, and decided to watch The Lion King, my favorite movie. It was then that I heard a knock at the door.

Groaning, I got up to answer it, remembering that my mom was expecting a package that required my signature. To my surprise, it was Greyson standing there. Instantly, I felt self-conscious about my disheveled hair, tired eyes, and lack of makeup.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asked, cutting right to the chase.

"I'm not avoiding you, I've just been busy," I lied, hoping he wouldn't see through my facade.

"I know when I'm being ignored. I'm not stupid. What's going on?" he pressed, his eyes searching mine for the truth.

"I'm not ready for this baby!" I blurted out, unable to contain my emotions any longer.

He looked at me for a moment, his expression softening. "That's what this is all about? You not being ready?"

"Yes, I'm not ready! I don't want to give up my life!" I confessed, my voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.

"There's nothing we can do about it now." He replied calmly.

"I'm scared," I whispered, feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed. "We do have other options, you know. We don't have to go through with this."

"You mean getting an abortion?" He asks, unsuccessfully trying to hide his shock and I nod.

"I'm only sixteen. You are only eighteen. I want to become a doctor one day and do things with my life." I say, trying not to cry.

"You can still do those things, Mercedes." He insisted with a pleading in his eyes. "Overall, this is your body and your decision but just know that if you do choose to have the baby, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to be like our dads."

"Let me think about it," I say.

"How about this? Let me take you to dinner. Before deciding anything, we can focus on getting to know each other more," he suggested, surprising me with his thoughtfulness.

I pondered his offer for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Okay. That would be fine, I guess."

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at 6," Greyson stated before turning to leave, leaving me standing there, both surprised and comforted by his unexpected gesture.