*Chapter 15*
{Month 8}
"O'Reilly Graclyn Holmes, you know you should not be lifting that," Kai scolded as I put some pickles on a high shelf.
I held the jar in my hands and looked at it. "Kai, this weighs, like, a pound," I informed her, looking at her like she was crazy. Which she very well could be.
"And how did the boxes of pickle jars get here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.
I paused for a second, thinking of a good lie. "Johnny carted them over here for me," I said, shrugging.
"I call bullshit," she accused.
"Whatever, I used a trolly," I told her. It really was nothing. It hardly weighed ten pounds when I rolled it over here like that.
"Even though it dosn't feel like a lot, it's still putting strain on the babies, O'Reilly," she said. "You can't be doing that, especially when you're due in just a month."
I shrugged again. "My doctor hasn't told me otherwise," I told her. I continued to arrange the pickles as we talked.
"Isn't your appointment tomorrow?" she asked. I nodded and she continued. "I bet you anything she'll tell you you have to take your maternity leave from Houston's."
I sighed. "I know, Kai. I just need the money, and I don't want pull the 'I'm pregnant' card to get out of work."
"I know, Riles, but this is for your health and the babies' health now," she sympathized.
I sighed again. "I know. I promise I'll stop if she tells me I have to tomorrow."
"Thank you," she smiled.
"Can you take over for me?" I asked her. "My shift ended twenty minutes ago, and I really need to get home and finish an assignment I have due tomorrow."
"No problem," she smiled again. "See you later, Riles."
"Bye, Kai," I called to her, walking down the aisle to the break room. "I love you."
"Love you, too," she called back. I smiled as I waved my employee card and went into the break room.
I quickly pulled my apron off and threw it in my cubby. I grabbed my purse and clocked out before leaving the store and going home.
Before I even pretended to start my assignment, I laid down for a much needed nap. I turned on the TV and stopped on ABC Family since I knew I could stand most of the shows they aired. After only one episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager I was out like a light, and I was asleep for the next two episodes.
I finally woke up at five-thrirty and got to work on that assignment. I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table with my laptop to type it out. After asking my doctor, I learned I was allowed to have one cup of coffee a day as long as I used a regular serving and I only used Sweet n' Low. I have abided by those rules ever since.
At around nine o' clock there was a knock on my door. I blinked my eyes a couple of times before getting up from my seat. My eyes were tired from looking at a computer screen for nearly three hours straight. I stretched as I walked to the door and felt my back crack. I sighed and opened my door.
There stood a smiling, but tired looking, Mason with a bag of what smelled like Chinese food in his hands. He bent down and gave me a soft kiss on the lips before walking inside. I closed the door behind him and smiled as he took of his coat and laid it over the back of my couch.
"I figured you were working on school stuff and were too busy to have eaten, so I picked something up and dropped by," he explained, walking into the kitchen and setting the bag on the table. "I hope you don't mind." He turned to me and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand,
I smiled and shook my head. "No, I don't mind at all. You're welcome all the time." I walked over and pulled the take out boxes from the bag and set them on the table.
"The orange chicken and broccoli beef is yours," he informed me, taking a seat across from where my laptop was set up.
"Thank you, babe," I said, passing him his dinner.
"You're welcome, love," he said, smiling at me.
Over the last month or so, we had made 'babe' and 'love' our go-to terms of affection. We hadn't labeled ourselves in a relationship of any kind since he knew I wasn't ready for that, but we had no problem using little names for each other. I felt like if I called him my boyfriend I would be cheating on Preston. It was completely ridiculous, since we had never gone out, but it was just a nagging feeling in my mind that told me I shouldn't do all that with Mason.
We ate dinner in relative silence, only speaking to ask about each other's days. He said he had been at work since ten o' clock this morning and was beat. I told him about the incident at Houston's earlier with Kai and how I had my appointment tomorrow. I had to go in to the gynecologist every week now since I was so close to my due date and I was carrying twins. So far, everything was great, and there wasn't any developmental issues they were concerned about.
After dinner, Mason helped me finish my paper and then we traveled into the living room to watch some TV. Surprisingly, he let me watch my Secret Life marathon and even made comments about it every once in a while. I was glad he didn't mind my obsession with ABC Family shows, especially ones as darma-packed as this one.
I must have fallen asleep on the couch with him, because I woke up the next morning in bed with a note attached to my headboard.
'You know, you're really cute when you sleep. You make little mewing noises and scrunch up your nose occassionally. Have a nice day at school and remember to go to your appointment at the OB/GYN. I'll be in there when you have your appointment. I'll see you later.
Love, Mason'
I smiled and laid back in bed for a second before getting up and taking a shower.
My morning proceeded like any other Monday. I got ready, grabbed a cup of coffee and headed off to school. I turned my paper in that morning in English and learned more about simple grammar mistakes that people make and the history of famous authors. After that class I had an ethics class and then a break.
The doctors appointment I had was scheduled during my break, so I went to the hospital and prayed it would be quick. I did not want to be late for my psychology class. My teacher liked me just fine, but I did not want to get on his bad side. I had seen him go off before and it was not pretty.
I was quickly called into the nurse's station where they took my regular measurements and had me wait a few minutes for a free room. Once one was open, one of the nurse's escorted me in and did all the sanitary requirements in the room. I sat on the crinkly paper and cringed as the nurse told me that the doctor would be with me shortly.
I sat in solitude as I waited. The room was deathly quiet and any slight movement I made seemed extremely loud as it bounced off the white floor and walls.
I looked at the poster of the happy couple I saw one of the first times that I was here. I was still envious of the probably fake relationship they had. I needed something like that, and, deep down in my heart, I knew Mason wasn't it. No matter how much he liked me or I liked him, he would never be the person that I needed. He may meet my financial and supportive needs, but he'd never fit into my emotional and psychological needs. No matter what, he would never be as perfect for me as Preston is.
There was a slight knock on the door and it peeped open a bit.
"May I?" my doctor asked, smiling at me. I smiled back and nodded and she entered the room fully, closing the door behind her.
"How are you doing, O'Reilly?" she asked, sitting down in her wheely chair and opening up my medical file.
"Good, waddling around as much as I can," I joked, rubbing my belly. I literally had to waddle everywhere. The size of my stomach and the strain it was putting on my back made it impossible to walk normal. It was actually kind of irritating after being so athletic and physical when I was in high school.
She laughed. "Yeah, that tends to happen. What about early contractions or anything like that?"
I shook my head. "Not that I've noticed. All that's really happened is that they've stopped moving as much."
"That's normal," she nodded, setting my file aside. "There isn't really any room in there anymore, so it doesn't allow for a lot of movement. Have you decided whether you want to have a C-section or birth naturally?"
"Natural," I answered without hesitation. "I want to have more children one day and I don't want to have to keep getting C-sections because there's a chance of a tear."
"Okay, that's no problem," she smiled. "What about work? Do you still have the two jobs?"
I nodded.
"Well, I know you don't want to, but you're going to have to go on maternity leave at Houston's," she told me. "I'm sure Mr. Houston wouldn't mind and you would have no problem going back when you can. As for babysitting, you can stay with that until the babies are here."
I sighed. "I had a feeling you were going to say that," I admitted. "Mr. Houston already said it was fine, and the woman I'm babysitting for knows what's going on. I just don't want to leave."
She patted my knee. "I know, but it's for the babies' health. If you were to lift anything too heavy or fall on the job you could seriously hurt or even suffer a miscarriage, however horrible that is. I hate to say it so bluntly, but it's reality."
I nodded. "I know, I just don't want to face the music."
"I know you'll be just fine, O'Reilly. You're a smart girl. There's nothing to worry about."
And in that moment, I believed her.
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So sorry for the late update. I've been busy with doing things for the end of school and finals and getting my schedule for next year all straightened out. But, this is my last week before summer vacation and upates should be regular from there on out.
Hope you guys liked it. Give me some feedback or simply vote or like the chapter. Everything you do means the world to me.
Oh yeah, and this chapter is dedicated to @genuinestar21 for the amazing cover :D
--Nikki