Farm Girl Has Bad Boy (#3)

Chapter Nineteen

I roll my eyes as Emery pulls me into him, laughing lightly. “You always know exactly what to say.” I give him a small smile as he brushes the tears from my cheeks.

“Now, go wash your face with cold water.” He pushes me gently towards the bathroom and when I get back a few moments later, I can tell by the expression on his face that he’s trying to figure out what possibly could have just happened.

Emery takes my hand and together we head down the wooden stairs into the living room. Most of my family is seated there, all looking at me once I reach the carpet. I turn left to look into the kitchen where I see my mom cooking and Miya helping her which only leaves my dad to my defense.

“There you are,” Aunt Bessie gives me a knowing look, however I know she’s probably thinking something else happened between Emery and I.

I look around and notice that Mary actually left, causing tears to threaten my eyes again. Blinking, I realize everyone is staring at me, waiting for some kind of explanation that I don’t have.

“River wasn’t feeling well,” Emery offers, putting his arm around my waist. “But she feels a bit better now.”

“Well that’s good,” Aunt Carol smiles, fixing her glasses. Beside her, Travis gestures to the couch where no one sits, clearly open for Emery and I to be right in the middle of everyone. I’m surprised when I walk over that no one asks where Mary went and wonder if she gave some kind of excuse on her way out.

“So you’re having a girl, River?” Uncle Rick gives me a small smile, trying not to make me uncomfortable.

“Yeah,” I smile back, fidgeting with my hands in my lap.

“What are you going to name her?” Aunt Bessie cuts in next, leaning forward with curiosity.

“Uh,” I stumble, embarrassed. I look over to Emery who is looking as nervous as I am and clearly isn’t going to be much help. “We don’t know yet, but when we figure it out we’re going to keep it a secret until she’s born.”

Aunt Bessie leans back in her chair, clearly unsatisfied with my answer. “Well that’s a shame,” she sighs quietly.

There’s an awkward silence that no one even tries to fill. We all sit quietly, no one meeting each other’s eyes until I see Taylor shift in her seat, folding her arms across her chest.

“Why didn’t you just get an abortion?”

Aunt Carol gasps and for a moment I think she’s going to pass out. Sarah, sitting beside Taylor snickers and I watch as her dad shakes his head. However Aunt Bessie just watches me curiously, clearly wanting to know the answer.

“I think that question is inappropriate, Taylor,” my dad says sternly. He gives me a sympathetic look as I do my best to stay calm.

“But clearly River has an answer, doesn’t she?” Aunt Bessie interrupts, turning to face me. She clasps her hands together, waiting. “Don’t you?”

I look to my dad for help but he’s rubbing his eyes with his palms, clearly stressed out just like I am. For a minute, I contemplate what to say. Honestly, I don’t think killing my child ever really crossed my mind. I can’t even kill a fly with a flyswatter, so how could I kill a human being?

“It’s something that I don’t believe in,” I answer quietly, hoping that my simple answer will just put this whole topic to rest.

“But you’re barely seventeen,” Taylor snaps, looking at me through narrowed eyes. “How do you expect to take care of a child?”

“We’re figuring it out,” I respond almost immediately, getting angry that my own cousin is doubting me.

“So you have plans?” Aunt Carol asks, brushing her hair behind her ear. Beside her, Travis sits quietly, giving me an I’m-sorry look for his mom asking a question.

“Um…” I mumble, trying to fill the silence while everyone waits for my answer. My dad stares at Emery intently, waiting for him to speak up.

“Do you have a job, Emery?” Aunt Bessie questions. “Some form of income? What about college or university?” Emery stares at her expressionless as she continues. “Do you plan on living here or living somewhere else?”

“Like River said before,” he replies, his voice even. Everyone immediately is looking at him, not daring to cut in however he doesn’t seem to even notice. “We’re figuring things out.”

Before, I had used the term ‘we’re’ simply because my family was asking me. However, it seems that I’m the only one preparing for our baby that’s not going to be in my stomach forever. The fact that Emery thinks we both are planning things for the future angers me and I make a mental note to talk to him about it later.

“Well then,” sighs Aunt Bessie. Again, another awkward silence consumes my entire family until the sound of something shattering in the kitchen sounds. Then, before any of us can ask what just happened, Miya runs into the room and jumps onto Aunt Carols lap.

“I’ll go see what that was,” I mutter and as I start to get to my feet, Emery rises to his and helps me up.

“I’ll help you,” he mumbles, clearly wanting to escape my family for a few minutes just like I do. But still, somewhere deep down, their questions are helping me realize all the things we really need to figure out in only a few months.

“What happened?” I ask as I step onto the kitchen tile. Shattered glass covers the floor where my mother kneels sweeping it all up with a dust pan.

“Miya dropped a bowl,” my mother explains quietly.

“I’ll help,” I whisper back, attempting to bend down beside her and failing. As I try again to kneel down, my stomach continuously gets in my way until Emery rests a hand on my shoulder.

“You shouldn’t be doing stuff like that. Let me.” Before I can object he’s sitting me in a chair and helping my mother get rid of the glass.

“Don’t tell me you’re only here to get away from your family,” my mother says, giving me a perceptive look. I shrug and she rolls her eyes. “That’s why I’m doing the cooking in the kitchen all by myself.”

“How long until dinner?” I ask once Emery is seated beside me and my mom is checking the oven.

“Not long and then after you have to open your presents!” A grin spreads across her lips and I start to dread opening gifts. My family has always gotten me and my parents things we didn’t want, didn’t wear or things we would question why anyone would want. I just hope that maybe the baby things will make up for sixteen years of ridiculous presents.

“Emery!” My Aunt Bessie calls from the living room. I turn to face him and watch his calm expression quickly change. His eyes grow wide in fear and his lips press together in a thin line. “What’s this about you breaking the Snow’s loft?”