16 And Pregnant
Chapter 3 - Six Weeks
Beth Greene
It was Monday and I was supposed to go to school but because I've been getting sick the past couple of days my parents have told me to stay at home for today and if I wasn't any better tomorrow then they will take me to the doctors. I think I know what the problem was though because I haven't had my period yet and it's been six weeks since I had sex with Daryl. I think I might be pregnant. Of course I haven't told anyone what happened that night, not even the girls. Daryl dropped me off the next morning round the corner from Chloe's house and I told them that I saw Maggie's boyfriend so left to go home.
Of course I didn't want to be pregnant but I had done a paper on it at school about the signs and symptoms and I'm getting a few of them. I feel sick when there's food cooking, I'm more tired then normal, I have a belly ache and I hadn't had my period yet either. I was scared and I wanted to talk to someone about this but who could I talk to? Everyone would freak out and kill me if they knew what I done.
I was the sort of girl that parents want their daughters to be like, I get straight As, I have a bright future, I have a good relationship with my family, I go to church on a Sunday and say my prayers at dinnertime with my family. Everything I have worked for in my life could be going down the toilet and ending now if I'm pregnant and I don't know what I was going to do. Although Daryl seems like a decent enough guy but I can't see him being daddy material and I was freaking out.
What I needed to do was buy a pregnancy test somehow and take it without anyone knowing just to confirm or deny my suspicions but I have no idea how I was going to do that. I didn't have a car that I could take and just drive off into town, I would have to borrow Maggie's car and if I asked her to go into town she would ask my why I wanted to go and I'm a terrible liar. Maggie would see straight through me.
Luckily dad was out working today so I could avoid him, mom was out in the barn fixing things with Shawn so if Maggie does suss me out it will be just her. I threw my legs out of bed and walked down the stairs to see Maggie in the kitchen drinking a glass of milk "Hey, how you feeling?" Maggie asked me.
"Better... Listen can I borrow your car please?" I asked her.
"Why?" She asked suspiciously
"Need to run into town" I told her.
"What for?" She asked.
"Maggie please can I just borrow your car?" I asked starting to panic.
"What are you hiding?" She questioned.
"Nothing!" I shouted.
"See now I know you're hiding something… Beth you can talk to me, what is going on?" She asked me and I could see in her face that she was starting to get a little worried.
"I don't wanna say I just… need to get something" I told her.
"Look I know that I'm not the easiest person to talk to sometimes but I'm your big sister, if you can't talk to me then who can you talk to?" She questioned.
Before I could stop myself I started crying. Maggie rushed over to me and wrapped her arms around me and brought me in close to her "Beth sweetie talk to me" She said but I just continued to cry into her chest, she rubbed my back comfortingly. Maggie started walking with me upstairs and we ended up in my bedroom. We sat down on my bed and I continued to cry "Beth if you don't tell me what's wrong now then I am going to get Shawn and mom" She told me and I knew she was would do it.
"Maggie if I tell you then you have to promise me that you won't tell anybody… it's a major secret" I told her and she nodded her head at me "I think I'm pregnant" I said.
"Oh my God!" She exclaimed "You better start explaining yourself right now!" She shouted and stood up.
I explained to her what happened and she was angry that I had gotten drunk in the first place and was even angrier at me for sleeping with someone I didn't know "Not only might you be pregnant but with if you caught disease? Did you not think of that? You're the sensible one out of all of us Beth… What's daddy gonna say? Or Shawn?" She questioned me angrily but I didn't answer "Right get up now, we're going into town and we're getting a pregnancy test" She said.
Me and Maggie drove in silence to town and I waited in the car as Maggie ran into the drug store and brought me a pregnancy test, she handed the bag to me as she got into the car and we drove back to the house. The whole time we drove she didn't speak a word to me and I knew she probably wasn't going to speak to me for a couple days because she was so angry.
When we got back to the house she ordered me up the stairs to take the pregnancy test and I did as I was told. I took the pregnancy test and put the cap on it as I walked into my bedroom. Maggie was sat on my bed and I put the test down on my bedside table as I waited for the result to show, it said I needed to wait three minutes and it's been two.
When the three minutes was up I looked at the pregnancy test and wasn't surprised to see that the test was positive. I nodded at Maggie and she looked down at her hands in her lap, I knew she was disappointed in me but there was nothing that we could do now "Oh Beth I can't believe this… how could you be so stupid?" She questioned.
"I'm sorry Maggie" I told her.
"Sorry? You're sorry? What's daddy gonna say? Shawn? Mom? What's this Daryl guy gonna say?" She questioned.
"I don't know" I replied "Maggie please don't say anything until I tell Daryl" I pleaded with her.
"Fine but you have till the end of the week" She said before walking out of the bedroom slamming the door behind her.
I laid down on my bed and I started crying. I was stupid to sleep with Daryl in the first place. When he found out it was my first time he offered to stop and I should've taken him up on that offer. I should've just said that I didn't want to and end things then and there but I didn't, I slept with him and now I'm 16 and pregnant.
Daryl Dixon
Baby brother.
I told you I don't wanna talk to ya whilst I'm in here. Just get on with your life whilst I'm here and then when I'm out we'll start back up where we left up. I'll make sure your not strapped for cash, I'll send you what I can but it's not gonna be a lot. Stay out of trouble and I'll see ya in 8 months
Merle
When Merle was in prison he never liked speaking to anyone he just kept to himself and then when he was freed he would carry on doing what he always does. He'll go back to drinking and doing his drugs and I will be expected to follow him but I was sick and tired of doing that, I wasn't going to be Merle's sheep anymore. I'm done with Merle. I'm gonna carry on with my life and when Merle comes home I'll make sure he's got somewhere to stay and then he can go.
Since I was 17 I've lived on my own and as soon as I got a place of my own Merle moved in and I couldn't get rid of him. I needed to get on with my life, find myself a job, girlfriend and finally settle down with my life. I'm 35 years old and I ain't getting any younger, I don't want to be like Merle… 47, alone, addicted to drugs, addicted to drink and a criminal record as long as your arm. I want more from life.
I needed a drink.
I got to the bar and saw I was the only person in there. When I reached the bar I had a beer waiting for me, I sat down on a seat and Jamie stood there looking at me with raised eyebrows "I've not seen you for a few weeks, where you been?" He asked me.
"Trying to find a job" I told him.
"Well I'm looking for a barman" He said.
"You offering me a job?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. You're a decent guy and I know you can handle yourself if anything happens and you're a regular here so you know everyone, you fancy it?" He questioned.
"That'd be great" I said.
"Alright, you start on Thursday at 6pm" He told me.
I finished that beer and had one with Jamie to celebrate and then I left. I went to the store and brought myself some smokes before jumping back into my truck and heading home, I needed to write to Merle and let him know what's going on and what's gonna happen when he gets home.
Merle
Things are gonna change. I've got myself a job and I'm gonna try and get on with my life, I wanna settle down now. I'm 35 years old and I don't wanna be 80 and regret my life. When you get out I'll make sure that you have somewhere to stay because I don't think you should stay with me anymore, I'm supporting you and you're my big brother… you're meant to support me. I hope you can understand.
Daryl
After I read through the letter I put it in an envelope and made the decision to post it tomorrow and I knew already what Merle's response was gonna be. He was gonna tell me that I was leaving him and I owed it to him to look after him but I was sick and tired of being his bitch.
I sat on the sofa and threw my head back and sighed, my thoughts went to Beth and what had happened right here on this sofa. I liked Beth she seemed sweet and a nice girl and I was gonna invite her for some breakfast or something but when I woke up the next morning she was already gone. She left me a note saying; Thanks for a great night, you opened my eyes to a lot of things. Sorry to be running out like a slut before you wake up but my friends are gonna wonder where I am
I don't know how the girl can call herself a slut, I know other 16 year olds that have done way worse that that.
The one thing I remember about Beth was her big blue eyes, it was like looking into an ocean or something. I know sounds stupid but it's true. She said her boyfriend wanted more then her so he dumped her… was he crazy? I know men that would kill for a girl like Beth and he had her and just got rid of her. I know she slept with me as a revenge thing and I don't mind but I hope she knows that guys like her dick ex boyfriend think that they can have the world and they can't, he'll come back running they always do but I hope she tells him where to go.
Man, if I had a girl like Beth in my life then I would never let her go. I would make sure she knew how much I loved her, cared for her, wanted her and needed her. Girls like her don't come around very often and for someone to break up with her is just ridiculous and proves that she deserves someone better in her life.