Crossroads ✔️

NINETEEN

On the day I was to be discharged, I was feeling so much better. Dom had to get back to school and I had already spent two weeks in the hospital. Jannie promised Dom she'd take care of me till he came back.

Rick didn't come home despite what had happened.

The worst sibling ever

Doctor Greene gave me medications to help me cope with school stress and depression and I couldn't thank him enough. He kept reassuring me that I'd have my baby back soon and as much as I tried, I couldn't understand why he and Dom kept saying that.

I hadn't been able to forgive mom and honestly, I knew within me that I probably never would.

Keith came to help me go home. She was the closest support I had now. Sean seemed skeptical about my mental health and had suggested I see a psychiatrist the last week. Keith hadn't taken it lightly with him and all I could do was cry and feel sorry for myself.

Now, even though the feelings of intense pain didn't go away, I felt much calm but I knew I could be heading for depression hence the medication.

In the car and on the way back home, Keith told me about a new guy at school who whizzed all the maths tests.

"Amy Schneider likes him though so..." She trailed off and I completed the sentence for her "He's a no no"

She shot a surprising look my way and I wiggled my brows.

"Whoa whoa whoa!!" She countered, just understanding what I meant.

"No, I like someone else... Not him" she rolled her eyes and I gasped..

"You like someone and you didn't tell me??" I asked with an octave in my voice. "Keith, start talking".

"I can't tell you yet" She said, her face suddenly showed unreadable emotions that I lost my voice for a second.

"Are you alright?" I strained and patted her shoulder. She nodded, looked at me in the rear mirror and fixed her eyes back on the road.

Whoever it was she liked was hurting her feelings

At home, Mom got down from the escorted car and made no effort to help me go in. I had earlier made it clear that I didn't want her anywhere close to me.

I took a quick shower and Keith said she had to leave.

Hours after, I tried to read but I couldn't. All I could think about was Jamil. I hated him but that didn't mean I didn't miss him..

He would have cared less if he got to know that I'd lost the baby. That was what he wanted me to do from the start.

"It's not characteristic of his type to fall in love"

Gran's words re-ehoed in my head over and over again and tears blurred my vision.

If only I had listened.

I got up,walked over to the wardrobe and pulled it open. Neatly arranged in a petite pink baby bag were the clothes I had gotten in anticipation of my baby's birth.

I fingered the caps, the cute baby booties and the baby hair accessories, moaning quietly.

"My baby" I cried, burying my face in the clothes.

I heard the door grind open and I looked up to see Mom and Rick standing there ever so quietly.
They actually looked sober. If I didn't know better, I would have thought they were remorseful for what they did.

"Chris, my child" Mom reached for me and I knocked her hands off me.

"Don't touch me"

"Christa, we did what we did cause we care about you. You might not see it now but we do." Rick cajoled in the most gentle tone I've ever heard him use with me.