CHAPTER 10
I got up that morning and said, “I am six months today.”
“Is it normal to count the months down?” Nick laughed.
“Yes. It’s exciting, however I look like I swallowed a water melon.”
“No, you look beautiful.” I turned to me.
“I can’t wait until I’m not fat anymore.” I laughed.
“You aren’t fat, you are carrying beautiful life.” He tried to reassure me.
“Well, it is Friday, and then we have the whole weekend to get baby things. So let’s get ready.”
“Okay.” We got up and each had a shower and a small breakfast and headed out for school. On our way to school I was telling Nick that Erica and I became friends again. He seemed happy to know I had my best friend again, even though I knew he didn’t like her that much. We got to school and I was so thrilled to see that the school wasn’t so hot. I had been so hot for the last few days. It was in the middle of February and I wore a tank top to school under my jacket. In normal winters, for me, I would be freezing to death.
Every time I entered Chemistry I would think about how funny it would be if Mrs. Jones and I had our babies on the same day. I know my due date is a week before hers but it could still happen, and whenever I would enter English I would think about how happy I was to have Mrs. Lawson be there for me. I was sure Mrs. Jones would be too, and Ms. Tyler. Then I started to think, would it be awkward to have all teachers at the time you give birth? Yeah, it would be but it is my life style. Without these teachers I would be nothing. I didn’t honestly care, as long as this baby was healthy and happy my life was complete, and it would be complete in 3 months. I was so excited.
The day went by so slowly, today was the only day I wanted to go by fast and it doesn’t. I couldn’t wait to pick out baby clothes, gender neutral of course. I wasn’t sure what else we were buying, Nick had many things in mind and I couldn’t think of any of them.
I sat in study hall and wrote a list of things I needed to get over the weekend and my future doctors’ appointments. The period never wanted to end, every time I looked at the clock only 5 minutes had gone by. The bell finally sounded and I walked out the door to find Nick by his truck. Every now and then I got awkward stares from people because of my huge stomach but I just didn’t care.
“Hey how was your day?” He asked and opened my door.
“Fine, how was yours?” I slid in with a little help from Nick.
“Fine, I was waiting for this day to be over, I am excited to go shopping.” I smiled as he got into the driver side.
“Me too, I put a list together of some stuff we should get, so I am happy I got paid today.” I laughed.
“Ha, I have been saving money for a while, I have about 500 dollars.”
“Damn, hahaha. Well are we ready?” He nodded and drove off. It only took 10 minutes to get to Baby World. We got out and entered the store, surprisingly there were only like 5 people in here, considering it was a huge store.
“Hi guys, how can I help you today?” A woman looking to be about mid 30s came up to us.
“We are just baby shopping, we already have a crib, changing table and a few toys and such, and a rocking chair.” The rocking chair was given to me by my teachers, they are so sweet.
“Well, if I were you I would get stocked up on diapers now. Also, have you bought any clothing?”
“No, we need to though.”
“What gender?”
“We don’t know, do you have anything not gender specific?” She smiled and led us to the middle of the store. A whole section was filled with non-gender specific baby clothes. We both nodded her thanks and went upon choosing a few outfits and such. We got a bunch of diapers to start and wipes. I knew I would be breastfeeding for a while but we bought some canned baby food. We finally finished after an hour and went home bringing all of the baby things up to the room and setting them where they should be.
“I can’t believe this is true. I really can’t believe we are having a baby.” Nick said.
“Me either.” My eyes roamed the room.
“It just doesn’t seem real.”
“I know…hey Nick?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you know how much I love you?”
“Do you know how much I love you, because I really do?” He kissed me.
We spent the rest of the day in our room just being with each other. We even ended up falling asleep in each other’s arms. I was so happy.
~~
“Good morning.”
“Morning.”
“How are you this lovely morning?”
“Tired.” I laughed.
“Like always.” He joked back.
“Well I am sleeping for 2 on a 1 person schedule.” I laughed again.
“Well I am very sorry to hear that. I am also sorrier to say we have to get ready for school.” I sighed.
We both took showers and got dressed and headed off for school. I sat in Chemistry for about five minutes and the phone rang for me to go to the guidance office. I nodded and did so, this better be important because it takes a lot of effort for me to walk all the way over there.
“Mr. Medina you wanted to see me?” I met him outside his room.
“Someone is here to see you.” He let me open the door, my day just dramatically changed for the best. Ms. Tyler was standing there and ran into a hug.
“Hey!” I said hugging her back, “What are you doing here?”
“Well to see you of course! Look at you! You look so…”
“Pregnant.” I finished laughing.
“Well yes, but good and adult.” We both sat down.
“Yeah, I know I am 6 months and 4 days.”
“Wow, Casey that’s crazy. Do you know if it is a boy or girl?”
“We want to be surprised, So no.”
“How are you doing besides that?”
“I am doing fine, just waiting on the baby’s arrival, I got an expectant visit from Meredith a while ago.”
“Oh?”
“Things did not go well, she found out I was pregnant, obviously, and things got violent and I ended up with bruised ribs. It wasn’t good.”
“Oh my, Casey, why didn’t you message me?”
“I don’t really know I just don’t think I thought of it, a lot was going on.”
“Well, as long as you know you can always rely on me if you need to.”
“I know and I will, and you are definitely going to be called when I go into labor. I really want you there.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She smiled that reassuring smile that got me through the last few years.
“Thank you.” I smiled back at her.
The bell rang to go to the next class and Ms. Tyler said she had to go so I just went on the global history. I never really could focus on my schoolwork anymore, but I really need to since I will be out with the baby when we start reviewing for exams. I simply couldn’t catch myself to focus, luckily I knew enough to get A’s on all of my tests.
I sat in Global and continuously thought about how much I couldn’t wait to see this baby, and get back into my thin self, I really wasn’t too keen on being fat, yet again I don’t think anyone is. The say slowly drifted on, when I was walking to choir class I bumped into Mr. Jay on accident.
“Oh, I am so sorry.” He said very plain sounding.
“Yeah…my bad.” I gave him that same attitude back.
He rolled his eyes at me and started walking away.
“What is your problem with me?” I shot him the worst look.
“You shouldn’t talk to your teachers like that.” He turned around.
“You shouldn’t kick students off of your band because they are pregnant on accident.” I looked at him.
“Miss. Nelson I could write you up.”
“Please do, but answer my damn question.” I started getting angry, this must be my mommy hormones coming out.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, what is going on out here?” Mrs. Rays came out of the room.
“Well he clearly isn’t going to answer me, so nothing now.” I rolled my eyes and then turned to Mrs. Rays.
“Alex?” Mrs. Rays shot him a curious look.
“I’m going to write her up for her behavior, that was unacceptable Miss. Nelson.”
“What do you have against me?! I don’t understand what I did that is so freaking horrible!” I was so frustrated, “You took one of the only things I loved away from me at the time I needed my music the most, so what if I am pregnant, wow, just kill me now I am such a horrible human being for being responsible with a mistake!” That was a mouthful.
“Do you know what a reputation I would get if I let a pregnant teenager be in my band? This band would go nowhere, so leave it at that.” He marched away.
A tear slid down my face, “I hate judgmental people.”
“Casey, we are going to take care of that, that isn’t right.” She pulled me into a small hug.
“What does he have against me?” I looked at her.
“Well, I really shouldn’t tell you this, however, Mr. Jay was a son of a teenaged mother and father and they dumped him off, so I think that’s what he has against you.”
“Wow, but I am not his parents, he doesn’t need to treat me like that.”
“I know, and we will take care of it, I promise.” We walked into the choir room and she shot an e-mail to his boss informing her on the situation. I hope that they will get back to her before the end of the period. I was kind of disappointed that I would most likely be gone when the school concert was going to be. Oh well, I would then have something better than a concert. I smiled at that thought, I really couldn’t wait for the baby to get here. I was so excited to think about holding my little girl or boy. Part of me really wanted it to be a girl but I mostly wanted a boy, I love boys. I smiled at myself again. Then, another thought occurred to me, what would we name the baby? I haven’t ever thought about names at all, I wonder if Nick has. I wasn’t sure, and knowing me and Nick it would take us days after the baby was born to decide a name, I don’t want the baby going home being named Baby Bowman. In that case it could name itself anything, one day be like Bob and the next Mary or something. No way, that would be way too weird, Nick and I were going to discuss baby names today.
When class ended Mrs. Rays asked me over to her, I assumed she got a e-mail back. She turned the computer to face me so I could read it,
Rachel,
Thank you for letting me know about this, I am very sorry for the caused trouble. I will take care of this immediately after school is out today. I will not let this slide, and please send my condolences to the student.
Thank you, Head of Music Sophia Brown
“Thank you very much Mrs. Rays.” I smiled at her.
“You are welcome Casey, and I never got to ask, but how are you? How is everything going?”
“Fine, the baby is good and healthy and that is all I am concerned about.”
“That is great to hear, do you know if it is a he or she yet?”
“No, Nick and I didn’t want to know, we want to be surprised. I am almost there, I am getting so excited. Oh speaking of which, unfortunately I will not be attending the Spring Concert due to my absence.”
“It’s okay, our sopranos will miss you, but I wish best of luck, and you know you can always count on me as a person to talk to.” She smiled at me and I went on to study hall.
I sat down in a chair and took out a pen and paper and started thinking of some names to jot down. I threw a few suggestions on the paper and then folded it and put it in my pocket. Some of them sounded okay but others eh, maybe. I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring, but I had a half an hour left. I asked to use the restroom and when I was walking there I overheard a conversation I probably shouldn’t have heard in the conference room.
“Alex you cannot kick kids out of your band because they got pregnant or because of your past personal issues. What if I were to kick you out of your job because I didn’t like how tall you are? I wouldn’t because it would be wrong.” A woman said.
“Well, what do you want me to do let her back in? I do not want a pregnant figure in my band, forget it.” He is such an ass.
“Well even if you asked her to join back in she probably wouldn’t because of how you judged her.” Damn right I wouldn’t.
“Whatever, I don’t have to listen to this crap anymore.”
“Alex! You are fired!” She yelled, I started to hear footsteps come towards the door and I walked away quickly. I was just walking in the bathroom when a voice stopped me, “I hope you are happy Casey Nelson!” I ignored it and went to the bathroom, no way a pregnant girl can hold it to argue back. I walked out a few minutes later and a woman with really curly red hair was standing outside.
“Are you Casey Nelson?”
“How can you tell, the pregnant stomach?” I laughed.
She laughed, “I am truly sorry about Mr. Jay, I am but he is gone now so no more worrying about him anymore.”
“Thank you, it just wasn’t right.”
“No it wasn’t, but it has been taken care of, good luck Casey but I must go now.” She smiled and left.
“Thanks.” I smiled and walked back to study hall. I sat there for about 5 minutes and the bell sounded. I met Nick by his truck, he smiled at me and helped me into the truck.
“How was your day?” I asked.
“Fine, not too shabby, yours?”
“Hah, Mr. Jay flipped out on me, so Mrs. Rays e-mailed his boss and got him fired.” I laughed.
“What did he say to you?!” Nick freaked.
“Nothing Nick, it doesn’t matter, it has been taken care of.” I tried to calm him down.
“No it isn’t nothing. I will kill him! I swear that guy is such an ass.”
“Nick calm down!” Why did he start freaking out.
“No Casey! This isn’t funny! I am so tired of people making fun of you and saying things, it is just wrong!”
“Nick, it is okay!” He was so mad, it kind of scared me.
We sat in silence for the rest of the night, I had no idea why he flipped out like that, it was so unusual. We even turned away from each other sleeping. Why was he acting like this?