"Stevie, let me get that," her father fussed as she lifted a bag out of the trunk. "Daddy, you have like five suitcases, I can take one," Stevie insisted, feeling anxious as she stood outside of the dorm rooms
"Its best you don't carry anything heavy in your...condition."
Stevie rolled her eyes as she followed him into the large castle like building. Stevie felt an arm around her shoulders. "Don't let that bother you. He did that same to me both times and he won't change no matter what you tell him."
Stevie nodded, grimacing as her mother kissed her cheek. The brochures that Stevie had looked over made the campus seem beautiful and lively...in reality it was quite stoic. "Mama...I don't like this."
"It will be alright. We can send you a care package of things from your room to liven it up a little. It will feel like home in no time" her mother reassured her.
"Okay..." Stevie stuck close to Barbara's side, holding onto the last few minutes of comfort that Stevie would have with her. "Can't you visit every weekend?"
"It's a very long drive and flying is expensive. Your brother has school."
"Speaking of Chris, I thought he was going to help dad?"
"He's probably sulking in the car. I will bring him up before we leave."
"Thank you...I still have to give you the money for the record player..." Stevie dug around in her purse, having brought her savings with her
"Stevie..." Barbara said, trying to stop her.
"Mom, I need to. He's right, things have been all about me and the baby and he deserves a little more attention."
"Alright, I will send your father out after we get home."
"Thank you," Stevie handed her mother over half of everything she had, "He loves The Beach Boys, get him their new vinyl. He doesn't have that one."
"I will do my best."
"And maybe The Stones..."
"Alright, honey. Let's not focus on that. Let's focus on getting you settled in." Barbara said upon reaching her room.
"Can you do be one more favor?" Stevie turned to her mother outside of the door
"What is it?"
"Will you get Lindsey more baby books? I want him to keep reading," Stevie handed her mother a few more bills, "and maybe a nice guitar strap?"
"Honey, you should be saving all this for the baby."
"I know, but I really want to show him I care. After this baby comes, he will be raising her until I can join him when I'm done with school. He deserves a present."
Barbara stroked her daughter's cheek. "Alright, sweet girl."
An administrator from the school approached them, "Nicks family?"
"Yes" Jess answered. "Would you like a tour of the school and grounds?"
"No thank you," Stevie said quietly, extremely intimidated by the older woman
"Wouldn't you like to know where your classes will be and the recreation area, maybe you can meet a few of the other girls."
Stevie pressed herself into her mother's side and shook her head.
"Sure, we would love for her to!" Her father said, putting the last of her luggage into her room and closing the door. It was private and Stevie appreciated that. She wanted her own space and to spend time alone without feeling as if she had to be social right away.
The head mistress led them to a different building across the lawn. It was a large brick building, reminding Stevie of a hospital in a way. "Mama," Stevie whispered, "I'm scared..."
"Don't be. Soon the halls will be filled with girls and you will make friends. You have your own room just like at home" Barbara reassured her.
"This is where our classes are held, we will take your high school schedule and fit it into our programs as well. Our staff is trained in emergencies if something were to happen and there are several nurses located throughout the campus. Any questions?" The headmistress asked, "I am Ms. Daily by the way."
Stevie simply shook her head. "Alright then. Let's head into the cafeteria then we can take a trip to the recreation areas" Ms Daily led the way and Stevie hurried to catch up, followed by the rest of her family.
"Your doctor appointments and delivery will all take place in campus. We have doctors and midwives from the local hospital that will assist you when the time comes," Mrs. Daily smiled sympathetically, opening the door to the mess hall, "This where you will eat, we provide three meals that are packed with nutrition for you and your baby," touching Stevie's shoulder
"Great..." Stevie said.
"Many girls have care packages sent from home filled with their favorite snacks for use after hours when the cafeteria is closed."
Ms Daily took her down the corridor showing her various things but Stevie's mind was swimming.
"How many girls are here?" Jess asked
"We are almost at fifty girls. Of course some here aren't in Stephanie's situation as they have already given birth but we give the option to stay and finish school here after baby."
"Is there a nursery here, or are all the babies sent back home afterward?" Stevie asked, a hand falling to her bump. She was nervous, biting her lip in anticipation.
"There is a nursery but most girls choose to drop school when their baby is born. Any arrangement that you make privately are fine as well."
"We have arrangements" Jess said, following the woman through to the nursery. The facility looked so cold and it sent a shiver down her spine.
"What are the breaks for holidays like?" Stevie asked, already thinking about the next time she could go home.
"Well, it's up to the individual family. There are short breaks for all of the major holidays. Parents can come in and stay at one of the beautiful lodgings in town or students can choose to go home for vacation but must arrive back in time for classes to begin again." Ms Daily said with a warm smile.
"Okay..." Stevie replied quietly
"Do you have any questions before we get Stephanie all settled in?" The head mistress asked
"No..."
"Then I guess that's everything. Thank you for choosing our facility." Ms Daily led Stevie back to her room. Before going in, her parents hugged her.
"I guess this is goodbye" Stevie said sadly.
"I'll get your brother, TeeDee, so he can say goodbye, too." Barbara told her daughter.
"Remember my presents for him."
"I will."
Jess stood awkwardly in the doorway, not ready to let go of his little girl, "Take care, Tee."
"I will. I'll call every night," she hugged her father tightly, holding back tears
"Talk soon, honey" Jess said, pulling back. Barbara came back with Christopher at her side and Stevie looked up, wiping the tears she had shed. "Be nice" Jess warned his son as he left the siblings alone.
"Hey nerd," Stevie said softly, looking down at her feet, "Im sorry about all of this."
"It doesn't matter"
"Yes it does, Chris." Stevie touched his shoulder and he looked at her. "I know I've made things hard for you but that was never my intention. I've been so wrapped up in the baby that I didn't realize what effect this might have on you."
"It's okay..."
"I'll miss you," Stevie replied softly, "I really am sorry, Chris. I hope that you can forgive me."
"Don't worry about it. I was really shitty to you too." Chris said.
"I forgive you. Let me say goodbye to Mom," Stevie hugged her brother tightly
Stevie hugged her mother, the tears so tried so hard to hold in, fell down her cheeks, soaking the fabric on the shoulder of her mother's dress . "I don't want you to go."
"I don't want to go either, Tee...but this is something that you have to do," wiping the tears from her daughter's eyes. "I love you!"
"I love you too, mommy" Stevie said, hugging her mother tightly again. When Barbara pulled away, Stevie didn't know what to do with herself. She would be alone for the first time in her life. She was scared.
"Call us when you get the chance," Barbara squeezed her hand tightly, "I'll give Lindsey a picture of the baby for you."
"I planned on sending it in my letter to him, but this might be even better. Thank you, mama." Barbara shut the door and she was alone. She walked toward her bed and sat down. "I guess it's just you and me, baby" Stevie spoke to her unborn child.
"Let's try to get some sleep,okay? Mama is tired..." Stevie laid back, it wasn't the most comfy bed in the world but it would do
She pulled up the blanket her mother had dropped at the foot of her bed from home and snuggled into it. "Hopefully tomorrow we can talk to daddy." she said wth a yawn before falling into a deep sleep.
Stevie was woken at six thirty sharp, frowning she momentarily forgot where she was
She sat up, rubbing her eyes, hoping it was all just a strange dream.
"Breakfast then classes" she heard a voice say from behind the door. Stevie got up and went through her suitcase for clothes.
She chose a loose fitting shirt and a floral skirt, "Comfy?" Stevie rubbed her belly
"Are you hungry? Me too." She smiled down at her growing bump then made her way down the hallway.
"Which way is the mess hall?" Stevie asked a girl who was coming out of her room. She looked to be about six months gone
"Follow me." she said.
"Um, so what's your name?" Stevie asked. She was always a sociable girl but since she had found out she was pregnant, she had become more introverted.
"Emily, yours?" They girl smiled softly as she waddled down the hallway
"Stephanie but all my friends call me Stevie."
"Nice to meet you." Emily said, playing with the curled end of her hair. Stevie could tell she was quite shy.
"How far alone are you," the girl asked, "I just passed six..." rubbing her large stomach
"Do you know what you're having?" Stevie asked.
"No, but I think it's a boy!" Emily said excitedly. "What about you?"
"A girl, my boyfriend thinks it's a girl as well..." Stevie smiled at the thought of Lindsey
"Is he supportive, your boyfriend, I mean?"
"Yeah, he's amazing. He's so in love with our baby and with me." Stevie said dreamily.
"He sounds dreamy," Emily smiled sadly, "Well this is the mess hall," gesturing to the room they had entered
"Thanks."
"If you have no one to sit with, would you like to eat with me?" Emily asked and Stevie looked around. It was just like her high school. There were already cliques and she didn't want to be left out.
"Yeah, that would be great."
Stevie's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the "food" that they were serving, "Does the food always look like that?" She whispered to Emily.
"Not always, sometimes its worse," she replied
"Jesus Christ...."
"It's supposed to be healthy but I don't care." Emily's face twisted into a grimace as she pushed her tray away once she got to the table with her new friend. "Mom sends me snacks in the mail two times a month. After class, you can come to my room and share if you want."
"My mom is supposed to do the same thing, she's probably not even home yet." Stevie shrugged, "but I don't want to take all of your food."
"Don't worry! I stockpile it!" Emily laughed. "I mean it, its okay."
"Okay...thank you," Stevie smiled softly, taking a small bite of the mush on her plate
"It doesn't taste any better than it looks, does it?" Emily asked and Stevie shook her head, a horrible look on her face. Emily giggled. "Yeah, I don't think so either."
"How do people eat this stuff?"
"I think we all rely on those care packages." Emily pointed to a few other girls who didn't seem to be enjoying the food either. Stevie managed to swallow and took a sip of her water, nearly spitting it out as she saw their reactions.
"Don't eat it, honey!" One girl yelled across the lunch room at her, causing Stevie to blush
"Most everyone here is friendly. Mainly because we understand what each other is going through," Emily explained, rubbing her huge stomach
"I guess that's a plus."
"Yeah, and I know the food sucks but it's better than being back in my town with everyone talking about me." Stevie nodded, pushing her tray away as well. "So what's your first class?"
"Math," the girl grimaced, "Yours?"
"Math," Stevie chuckled, "at least you won't be alone now."
"I guess not."
"How long do we have to sit here?"
"We don't. Let's go to my room before class starts. We might have enough to scarf down a snack cake."
"Cake? Your mom sends you cake?" Stevie gasped
"That's why I've put on twenty more pounds!" Emily giggled
"I'm sure whatever I get won't be that good."
"Then it's a good thing I want to share, huh?"
Stevie smiled, nodding. "Wanna get outta here?"
Emily looked around. "YES!"
Both girls hurried back to the dorms, Stevie stopping as she heard a young girl moaning and crying out. "That's Penelope. She's been trying to stop her labor for the past day..." Emily said sadly
"How far along is she?" Stevie asked. She didn't want to be nosy but she was curious.
"Nine months. Her parents are making her give the baby up for adoption...I've gone to check on her several times...she's pitiful."
"Should we call someone? The baby will make it since she's nine months and it would be scary to give birth alone." Stevie felt emotional, her hand stroking her small bump. At least her parents weren't making her give her baby up. She knew she would be reunited one day.
"The staff know...she throws things if they try to help her through this. I've heard that they are calling her parents to come to her. I should go check on her...."
"Alright."
"Do you want to come too? I'm sure she would take all the support she can get right now."
"Oh, I don't want to intrude..."
"Don't be silly. We have to stick together in here."
"Okay..." Stevie said softly, following Emily into the dark room.
"P, it's Emily. I'm here to check on you..."
"The contractions won't stop!" Penelope sobbed, clutching her stomach as she lay on the floor.
"Let's get you back into bed and then we'll see what we can do..." Emily and Stevie slowly helped her from the floor
She climbed onto the bed, wincing as another contraction hit her.
"I'm Stevie, I'm new here." Stevie said, introducing herself.
"Are your parents letting you keep yours?" Penelope asked, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm not sure..." Stevie lied, not wanting to upset the girl. She watched on as Penelope held her stomach with one hand, using the other to hold between her legs.
"P, I think you should let the doctors help you now. You've been at this for a day...you are exhausted," Emily rubbed her back soothingly
"I can't. They'll take my baby and I want my baby, I love my baby!" she sobbed.
"I know, Penelope but honey, you're in pain and I think you're close" Emily said softly.
"I don't want them to come out and be taken from me. Do you think they'll let me hold them?"
"I'm sure they will," stroking her hair out of her face, "You are exhausted, Penelope, and your contractions are very close together. I know you want to keep them, but this isn't the way to do it...."
"You sound just like them!"
"That's not my intention, I just want you and the baby to be healthy." Emily reassured her. Penelope looks up into her friend's eyes and nodded.
"Good, I'll stay with you through this. Stevie, here is the key to my room. Help yourself to whatever you want," Emily tossed Stevie the keys and turned back to Penelope
Stevie hurried off to Emily's room, feeling terrible for Penelope. She unlocked the door and went inside. Her room was decorated just like any other girl's room would be at home. It was pretty, unlike Penelope's room that felt cold and sterile.
Stevie opened a cake tin, taking out a slice and scarfing it down. She was still hungry but didn't want to be greedy as the food wasn't hers.
It was delicious, moist, buttery...old fashioned, just like her mother's cakes. Stevie felt an odd sensation, a flutter in her belly, but thought nothing of it as she heard Penelope screaming. Stevie left Emily's room, watching as two women in nurse's uniforms and a man in a long white coat rush into Penelope's room, forcing Emily out. She door slammed shut and Emily was crying.
"What happened?" Stevie asked.
"She started bleeding...." Emily was as pale as a sheet
"It's okay," Stevie took her into her arms, "They'll help her."
"I really don't want to go to class. I need to know what's happening with Penelope." Emily put her head on Stevie's shoulder and cried. "What if her baby d-d..."
"That won't happen. She will be fine and so will her baby."
"Her parents aren't even here yet"
Stevie stroked her new friend's back, watching and as the people who entered the girl's room minutes before emerge with Penelope on a gurney. They hurried down the hall, most likely toward the labor ward located on campus.
"Emily, I don't think that there is anything that we can do..." Stevie said softly
"We have to try! They might let me see her!"
"She needs space right now. The doctors are with her and will make sure she's safe. We can see her right after, okay?" Stevie felt Emily nod against her and pull away. The girl wiped her tears and forced a smile.
"Thanks for being here. I'm scared for her."
"I understand, I'm worried as well," Stevie led Emily back to her room, "Do we have to go to class?"
"If we care about our grades, we will" Emily said rationally, "But right now, I don't even think I could concentrate."
"Neither could I." Stevie couldn't get that image of Penelope out of her mind. It scared her even more that she already was about having her baby.
"Maybe this will change her parent's minds...I can't imagine what Penelope will be like if they make her give the baby up."
"Poor girl..."
Stevie and Emily sat together for a while in silence. It was comfortable as they were both thinking and there to help the other.
"Are you keeping your baby too?" Stevie asked.
"Yeah, when he's born I'm going to get a job and find an apartment. Maybe I'll finish school and go to college when he's a little older."
"You're really going to wait until the baby's older to go to college?"
"Yeah, it'll always be here. My mom said babies aren't babies forever and as obvious as that sounds, it really got me thinking." Emily told her. Stevie had never thought of that before.
"Are your parents supportive?" Stevie asked
"Yes, they just want me to get a job after I have the baby so I can be more independent."
"That's great. I wish Penelope had that kind of support."
"Me too, that's why I always tried to make her feel better in here."
"How long has she been here?"
"She was here before I got here...that's been over four months..."
"Wow...have her parents visited her here often?"
"Not once to my knowledge." Emily said sadly.
"I feel so bad for her..." Stevie closed her eyes, "I wish that we could do something nice for her..."
"Maybe we can get leave to go into town and get her something. Like makeup, or magazines. It might make her feels normal when she comes back."
"Do you think she'll come back? Once she's had the baby and had to give it up, would she just go home?" Stevie wondered aloud.
"She probably wouldn't want to go home with her parents...but she may coke back to collect her things if she does. I think that she would like a blouse or something like that," Emily agreed
"It might be fun for us to shop a little, too." Stevie forced a smile, even if only for Emily's benefit. "I think I have a catalogue in my bag. We could get some ideas of what she might like and what to look for when we go out."
"I'd like that," Emily stood, "I'm starting to get stiff."
"Let's take a walk to my room then."
Stevie got up and led her down the hall. She opened the door and Emily smiled. "It's pretty in here."
"Not quite, but I'm going to work on it." Stevie said. Emily sat down on her bed, looking at the trinkets already on the nightstand.
"Here," Stevie pulled out her catalogue, handing to to Emily. Maybe we can find something in here for her
"Hmmm..." Emily opened the small booklet and flipped a couple pages before her eyes widened. "What about this?" She turned the book around to show Stevie, pointing to the item she thought might be best.
"I think she'll like it," Stevie smiled at the off white blouse, "Its very pretty."
"I'll ask if we can go out and get it..."
"Do we need a cab or are things close here?"
"We'll need a cab. There's no way I'm walking all that way like this" Emily said, stroking her large belly. "I'm only 6 months but I feel 9!" Stevie giggled as Emily left the room to seek permission. Stevie sat, looking at the blank walls. Since seeing Emily's room, she felt inspired to make the space her own.
Stevie took out one of Lindsey's shirts that she had stolen, holding it to her nose and closing her eyes as she smelled him
"Ugh...I miss you." she said into the fabric. She could almost hear his voice, letting her he loved her. Tears stung her eyes but she had to wipe them away quickly when Emily returned, poking her head through the doorway.
"We can go."
"Okay," Stevie grabbed her purse, following Emily to the front gate...