Time Of My Life (A Forever Series Spinoff)

Chapter 2: A Lime

I bit my bottom lip and picked at the green polish that coated my fingernails. The bus jerked to a stop and I burrowed further into my seat. A few people got on and we began moving again. I looked up and out the window, the passing building almost blurring at the speed we went.

I let out a long sigh and brushed my hair behind me ear, resting my hand onto my stomach and closing my eyes. I felt pretty sick still, but I had been drinking more water. After googling it, I read somewhere that water helps make morning sickness less obvious.

The bus stopped again and I opened my eyes. After a quick glance outside I realized that this was my stop and pushed myself out of the bucket seat, making my way to the doors and exiting.

As I began walking to the strip mall clinic, I found myself keeping my head down in fear of seeing somebody I would know. The last thing I needed was one of my moms friends seeing me walk into a pregnancy clinic. Once I was in, I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and looked around. The lobby was, thankfully, almost empty. A few people were littered here and there but most were silent and in their own thoughts. I approached the front desk and smiled at the plump, grey haired woman hidden behind it.

"I called in yesterday and made an appointment," I told her and she looked up from her computer.

She nodded and a grin showed up on her face, "You're Gabriella then?"

I sighed, "Gabby,"

"Right," she dropped her gaze and handed me a clipboard full of paper, "Fill this out and get it back to me. Once that's done we can get you inside to see the doctor." I nodded and moved to find myself a seat. I looked at the first page an groaned. At the very top it asks age and then says that if you're a minor you must have a parent or guardian sign for you. I stood up and went back to the desk.

"Excuse me," I began and the woman looked up at me, "I don't have a parent to sign this."

She bit her cheek, "How old are you?"

I wasn't sure what type of look I was about to get but it was mandatory information so I sighed, "15."

She sighed and bit my bottom lip, "Well, why don't you just fill out the forms like you're not a minor and we can pretend we didn't notice?" She gave me a small smile, "I don't want your baby to go without care."

As wrong as it sounded for her to say that, it was a little reassuring. I was grateful that a complete stranger was willing to lie on my behalf so that I could get the care I needed for my growing baby. I nodded and moved to sit down. It took a ridiculous amount of time to fill out the information but I did my best to answer everything. Some things I wasn't sure about so I left them blank and then handed the receptionist the clipboard back. She smiled and took it from me.

I went to sit back down but was only there for a few minutes when she stood up, "Gabby? Follow me please." SO I did. She led me through a narrow hall and into a small room. It was large enough for a bed, a small counter space and a few chairs, but small enough that it still felt cramped.

Sort of like my womb.

I slid onto the bed once the door closed behind me and looked around the room. There were posters everywhere about options and what to do. Some were advertising prenatal vitamins, but I had never taken a vitamin before, so were they really necessary? On the biggest wall in the room was a customized poster - or more of a chart. It displayed the whole pregnancy and told you what the baby was as big as. At 5 weeks, a baby is the size of a sesame seed. At 7 weeks, the size of a blueberry. At 14 weeks, the length of a pea pod.

I didn't have the chance to read much more before the doctor walked in.

He was a short, older man with grey hair and a somewhat stylish goatee. His hair was a little crazy looking, but his face was warm and happy. I didn't feel uncomfortable around him.

"Hello Gabriella." He began.

I cut him off, "Gabby," I replied, "I prefer Gabby."

He smiled, "Okay, Gabby. Im Doctor Jordan. Why are you in today?"

As if it isn't obvious, "I think I might be pregnant."

He nodded and tapped my hip so I laid down and rolled up my shirt so he could get a closer look. He began to poke around at my stomach and frowned, "When was your last period?"

I did my best to remember but I just couldn't figure it out. Eventually, I shook my head, "I have no clue."

He nodded and continued to feel around, "Have you been drinking a lot?" I nodded and he smiled, "That might be it then." I was lost at his train of thought but kept quiet, not wanting to sound stupid. He pulled out a machine that looked like a wide wand with a rounded end, "This is a sonogram. It will show me the inside of your womb and will confirm if theres a baby there or not, sound good?"

I quickly nodded and he squirted a small pile of gel onto my stomach before pressing the wand thing firmly into my skin. He watched the monitor and swirled the word around a bit until the room was filled with a faint swooshing sound. I frowned and he turned the monitor to me.

He didn't have to point anything out or speak. I could see it: the beautiful outline of a forming baby. It already had a toes.

"Id say you're almost 12 weeks."

I was completely speechless. That was... what? 3 months? How is that even possible? How didn't I know?

"Have you been drinking or doing drugs?" The question seemed ridiculous but I shook my head, "Are you taking any medication?" Again, I shook my head.

"Im only 15," I whispered and looked to him for support, even though I didn't know him, "How am I supposed to be a mom?"

"You have options," He began and took a deep breath, "But keep in mind that you're getting further into the pregnancy and it won't be a simple procedure for much longer."

I hadn't realized what he was saying until he had finished speaking, "Abortion?" He was done prodding at my belly so I pressed a hand to it, ignoring the sticky gel on my skin, "I don't think I could do that."

"We can fin you a good adoption agency too. There's plenty of people who want babies."

I shook my head, not sure if I wanted that either, "Can I just think about it for a while?"

He nodded, "Why don't we wait a few weeks and plan for then?" I sheepishly nodded and took a damp towel from him, cleaning myself off.

I was pregnant, I thought as my hand glided over my belly and I had to fight the smile that wanted to appear on my face. As he left I looked at the chart behind him. My baby was the size of a lime.

I lost the internal battle and smiled.

******

As my hands fluttered over my are stomach, I let out a long sigh. I was standing infant of the full length mirror admiring my belly when I noticed that my baby was making it's appearance. If I had waited any longer I wouldn't have been the first to know.

I picked up my phone, debating whether or not I should call Chaz then realized it would be stupid to tell him now. He already hated me for telling him I only wanted him for sex so throwing a baby into the mix was so not a good idea.

Instead, I googled the 12th week of pregnancy. My baby was the size of a lime. His or her fingers and toes are starting to move. If I poked my belly, the baby would squirm even though I wouldn't feel it. It had a human-like face and it's ears are now in their permanent position.

I grinned and rubbed the small bump between my hips and below my belly button. It was hardly noticeable to anybody who didn't know about the baby, so everybody but me, and still tiny enough that I could easily pass it off as too much food.

But I knew it was there and it was a growing symbol of my future child.

Boy, I was so falling in love with it.