The President's Daughter

Chapter 11: One Life Begins One Comes Undone

"Give it a week and if you're still sick we're buying a test." She demands. I don't say anything else because the national funeral was in just a few hours and I don't feel like arguing.

I go to Arlo and I's room and I rummage through the bag of clothes from Versace that Arlo picked out for me on our way back. I pull out a beautiful black long-sleeved dress that comes down to the floor.

I had hair stylists and makeup artists offer to do my makeup for free and I couldn't say no. I was too weak to do this all on my own. I have sympathy for people who can't afford funerals and everything else because even just getting ready was hard.

Once my hair is blown out and curled and my natural looking makeup is applied, I carefully slip on my black dress with black heels. One of the artists puts a black veil over my face as if I was a bride of some sort.

I like it though, it makes me feel as if no one can see me. As if no one can see me mourning - making me appear older than I already was.

When I am finished I go to the living room where I find Arlo in an all black suit sitting on the couch. He looks up at me and gives me a small smile. "Beautiful..." he says. I smile back at him and take his hand to get into the limousine; destined for D.C.

My mother sits next to me and she is also wearing a veil. She has a tissue in her hand and I feel sorry for her. I can't imagine loosing someone I loved like that in a different way. He was my father but he was her husband; that kind of love was different.

I resist the urge to cry, one of us had to be strong. I had to show my mother I was okay, even though it felt like I was drowning; like I could have a panic attack any minute. As if he could read my mind, I feel Arlo discreetly put his hand into mine, clasping it. He calms me down.

We arrive at D.C. and there's so many people. I've never seen this many people in one place at the same time. The casket is in front of us and there are many secret service men and generals holding the casket with an American Flag draped across the top of it.

My mother keeps her head down low as we walk to the national cemetery. I want to scream at the photographers and people with their phones out but I can't. I know with all the spotlight on me I am an even bigger target.

After the funeral we got home around 12 am. I am so exhausted I could fall asleep at any moment. I gave my mother a hug goodnight. I knew she was going to cry herself to sleep but there wasn't anything I could do about it. The best way to grieve is to grieve with yourself.

I took off my makeup and hopped in the shower for a few minutes. I put on my pajamas and curl up to Arlo in my bed. I lay on him with my head in his shoulder and fall asleep quickly.

"Nova!" I hear someone shouting my name. I laugh and look back as my father tries to keep up with me. I splash in the waves and go even further.

My father scoops me up and tosses me on his shoulder. He laughs and so do I. He holds me and brings me into the deeper part of the water.

I'm scared; I've never been out that far before. I've seen many shark movies I know for a fact we're not supposed to be out so far.

"Don't be scared, Nova." My father says. "But daddy, we're so far!" I yell at him as I tighten my grip around his neck, scared to death of either drowning or getting ate by a shark.

"It's okay, Nova. Daddy is here with you. I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay?" He asks me and smiles. I nod and smile back. I trust him.

We go to the deeper part of the ocean and he helps me jump the waves. He never lets me go. I know I am safe. "I'll always be here to keep you safe, little one." He says. I grab his hand and we go back to shore.

After drying off my mother comes from the sand, looking awfully tan. My father gets his clothes back on and my mother grabs my hand. We walk side by side and enjoy the sun and the wonderful weather.

I wake up with a jolt, breathing heavily with tears running down my eyes. The recollection of a day at the beach when I was only 5 haunted my dream.

I can't stop myself from crying. I want my dad. He told me he'd always be there. There's nothing I want more than to have him here hugging me, calming me down just one more time.

"Nova? Baby are you okay?" Arlo says as he wakes up next to me. He hugs me and lays me back down. "A bad dream. I don't want to talk about it." I whisper as I cry more. I end up crying myself to sleep while Arlo holds me.

—

A week passes and I still get sick. I don't know what it is but this time my mother catches me in the act of throwing up.

"That's it. We're getting pregnancy tests." I roll my eyes and agree.

We buy some tests at the store and I immediately run to the bathroom to get it over with. After peeing on 2 sticks I wait for the results.

Before I can check, my mother comes barging into the bathroom. The results show on the stick and my eyes go wide. I feel dizzy all of a sudden...

Two lines. Two lines are fucking positive. I'm pregnant... The look on my mother's face shows me she's awfully satisfied with what is on the stick.

What am I going to tell Arlo?

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