A Sister in Need
AN: Hiya readers, this one's a nice chapter for ya, the chapter after this one is by far the funnest chapter I've written I actually laughed at some of the things I wrote there, so leave me some reviews and I'll post it faster. And yes several readers got brownie points for my L word reference, I was speaking of Dana Fairbanks man I was so pissed off with that. djyxa yes Jenny's death was untimely but that bitch had it coming lol Tiffythetitan yes what Jess Brittain did to Naomi was horrible but it was not really much different than what Ilene Chaiken did to Dana, I think in the L word it was worse cause we actually saw her die and then Alice had that breakdown, awwww maaann. Anyways, rant over, enjoy!
"I got pregnant once," Effy said taking a drag of her cigarette.
Katie, Naomi, and Emily who had been looking through a baby magazine snapped their heads towards her with a collective, "WHAT?"
Effy just smirked.
"You're taking the piss!" Naomi cried.
"Yeah, you're just saying that so I can stop asking if ten minutes have passed so we can check the pregnancy test," Katie said. "And put out that fag will ya? My sister could be pregnant here!"
"Right, sorry," Effy said putting out the cigarette.
The girls resumed reading their magazine and Effy just looked at them for a while. Emily felt the staring and looked up at her in question. "You were joking right?"
Katie and Naomi looked up at Effy. Effy smiled and shook her head.
…
"Tony!" Effy cried running down the hall into her brother's room.
Tony who had been lying on the bed reading a magazine jumped up and ran to her side. He looked at Effy worriedly knowing she didn't usually show emotion at all. "What's wrong Eff?"
"Tony, I fucked up," Effy cried, "I fucked up bad. Oh shit shit shit!"
"Okay, okay, Effy calm down," Tony said in a relaxed tone that he could always keep in the most stressful times. "Take a deep breath and tell me everything."
"I'm only 15 years old Tony, I can't deal with this," Effy cried in exasperation.
"Sit down Effy," Tony said guiding her to his bed. "Tell me."
"I'm pregnant."
Tony's eyes widened.
"I always make sure to use protection, but two weeks ago I got real fucked up, I don't remember…I don't even remember who I was with, I think more than one guy, shiiittt!" Effy cried putting her face into her hands.
"Alright," Tony said hugging Effy to his chest, "It's alright baby sis, we'll figure this out okay. Just calm down."
"My life is ruined Tony, I can't finish school like this, much less go to college," Effy said.
"I'm not letting a stupid mistake ruin your life Effs, tomorrow we'll go to the clinic," Tony said. "I'll take you myself."
Effy looked at him with fear in her eyes. "Abortion?"
"Well you can't have the baby Effy."
"But killing it?"
"Technically the baby doesn't have life yet Effs," Tony said.
After cuddling his sister throughout the night as she cried, Tony woke up bright an early to take his sister to clinic before his first day of his last year of high school. He hadn't even started college yet and he was already solving problems. Effy had been silent the whole drive to the clinic and Tony didn't want to press her. He knew she felt uncomfortable about the abortion but what other choice was there?
When they arrived at the clinic the first thing they saw was a group of protesters marching in a circle holding up signs. They were obviously protesting abortion and they weren't being very silent about it. Tony could see several police cars parked all around ready to jump in if need be. The leader of the group seemed to be a middle-aged blonde woman who was running around the circle encouraging the protesters to be louder and stronger.
The moment Tony and Effy started walking up the path into the clinic the protesters were upon them. They were yelling their slogans in their faces and calling them 'baby killers.' The moment Tony saw a tear in Effy's eyes he turned into a raging bull and started shoving them yelling out, "fuck off you hippy wankers!"
"Back off now you lot!" the blonde leader said stepping in between them and Tony who looked monumentally pissed off. "That is not how we put our point across. This girl is a baby herself, look how scared she looks." She looked at Effy who wiped away her tears gingerly and said, "there are other options you know."
"Come on Effy, we don't have to listen to these tossers," Tony said grabbing Effy's hand and guiding her up the path.
"Won't you even listen to the options? If you don't like them then you can go into the clinic without any fear child," the woman said.
"We said fuck. Off!" Tony snapped.
The woman's voice was so soft and Effy had so many doubts swirling around in her brain she felt compelled to hear what she had to say. "Wait."
"What?" Tony said in frustration.
"I want to hear her."
"Effy…"
"Please Tones, please."
Tony sighed deeply then turned to the blonde woman. "You can talk to her, all you other wankers stay the fuck away!"
The blonde woman nodded then walked to Effy. She led her to a bench right next to the clinic door as Tony guarded them pacing back and forth like a bouncer.
"Are you being forced to do this?" the blonde woman said.
Effy shook her head.
"So, your…" she looked at Tony, "boyfriend? Is not forcing you?"
"Brother, and no," Effy said.
"What's your name child?"
"Effy."
"And how old are you Effy?"
"15, just turned a few weeks ago."
The blonde woman nodded. "I was not much older than you when this same thing happened to me." Effy looked at her with interest. "I was 16 years old and my parents kicked me out of the house once they found out I was pregnant. I was alone and I had nowhere to go. A few of my friends hid me in their rooms or attics while I tried to find some way to support myself. The father of the baby was a complete wanker, he brought me to a clinic just like this one and tried to force me to get an abortion.
"I was scared and alone, so I went along with it. I was waiting in the waiting room for my name to be called and it was the most uncomfortable feeling ever. Everyone knew why I was there since the clinic was usually used for free STD testing, abortions, and child-care for people who couldn't afford it. These parents were sat there with their children talking to them and caressing their heads and giving them kisses and those beautiful kids were laughing so innocently and carefree. How could I deprive the world of another beautiful creature? I was contemplating leaving when this girl walked out of the room crying. Her boyfriend was hugging her and trying to calm her down. She kept crying that she could never have kids and he kept saying that they'd find a way to build a family.
"The guilt was too much, so I ran out of there as fast as I could. I dropped out of the school and I started working anywhere they'd allow me to. I had been blessed with the ability to bring children into the world when other poor young girls couldn't. I knew I had to have that baby and raise her to appreciate the things we got in life whether they were good or bad. I worked hard for years and sacrificed everything, but now my daughter is a beautiful young woman and she's my world."
Effy blinked in surprise. Her heart hurt for this woman who had obviously struggled so much. "She's lucky to have you."
"No Effy, I'm lucky to have her."
Effy smiled slightly.
The blonde woman grabbed her hand and said, "Look Effy, I'm not saying you should keep the baby, but there are people just like that poor girl who was crying that day who hope scared young girls like you will give them your baby so they can love them and raise them as their own."
Effy nodded her head slowly. "Adoption."
"Yes, you could bring a beautiful creature into this world and then let that creature grow in a place of love and affection and happiness," the blonde woman said. "It doesn't have to be this. Look," she took out a little notepad and started writing on it. She handed Effy the paper that had her phone number. "I have a friend who's a great adoption agent, she places babies in the best homes and of course you'd chose where your baby would go. If you decide to forgo this abortion today give me a call okay?"
Effy looked down at the number then back up at her. She had such a warm smile and the nicest blue eyes she'd ever seen. They were clear blue and pure, so different than the dark blue piercing ones she and Tony shared.
The blonde woman stood up slowly and said, "Call me when you decide, my name is Gina."
…
Naomi's eyes were wide. "You met my mum before you met me?"
Effy nodded her head. "I didn't make the connection though until you introduced me to her. She didn't mention anything about the clinic so I thought she didn't remember me, but then on the plane on our way to your wedding she asked me if her friend managed to find a home for my baby."
Naomi looked stunned. "Wow, that's…I didn't even know she was considering abortion with me."
"She wasn't, the whole point was that she was scared but she loved you so much she faced her fears," Effy said. "The way she talked about you made me so jealous. I wished Anthea loved me so completely like that."
"Yeah, Jenna too," Emily said with a small nod.
"She loves us like a lot yeah? But when we're not up to her high standards it's easy for her to toss you aside," Katie said.
Emily nodded in agreement, "Like her love is conditional."
Naomi smiled slightly and said, "I think I'm gonna call my mum and tell her how much I love her."
"And tell her you nearly died of cancer?" Emily said.
"What's the point of upsetting her Ems?"
"You can't keep telling her it was phase one and that there was no actual danger to your life," Emily said in exasperation. "Remember how I felt when Effy had to call me and tell me you were dying? It's not fair Naomi."
"She's right you know," Katie agreed.
"Really?" Naomi said. "Are you going to tell your mum that you overdosed on MDMA and would have died had it not been for Cook?"
Katie bit her lip.
"Not so easy is it."
"Bad news is never easy to give," Effy said.
"You don't have to do it now babes, but think about it," Emily said. "You're cancer-free now and we're going to be extra careful, so she has no reason to worry."
Naomi sighed deeply and changed the subject, "So what happened to your baby then Effs? You gave it up for adoption?"
Effy smiled at the sudden subject change then nodded. "Tony wasn't in college yet so we were at the same school still. He was in his last year so it wasn't hard for him to keep up with classes and hide my pregnancy. He dressed me in big jumpers that hid my stomach, took me to doctor appointments, made arrangements with the adoption agent, and even made excuses for my morning sickness. He did everything, even hid it from our parents!
"So when it came time to have the baby, he made up some bullocks about an educational tour of Italy, France, Spain, and Germany and got our parents to agree to let us go. It was 'supposedly' a three-month tour that would take all summer and would get us back in time for my new school year and Tony's first year in college. We spent the whole time in Manchester with this nice couple who had tried for 14 years to have children and couldn't. They were real nice and they took care of me as if I was the baby.
"When I gave birth, which was grueling so be ready Emily, I refused to look at the baby because I didn't want to get attached. Tony did though. He told me it was a boy and the couple had named him Luke, but I asked Tony to offer no descriptions because I didn't want to think of him every time I saw someone who had his features. He must be 11 years old by now."
Effy looked a bit sad and Katie reached over to grab her hand. "Do you wonder about him?"
"I wonder sometimes if he's going to be famous or change the world and I would admire him and not know he was my son," Effy said.
"You could try to find him Effs," Emily said. "I'm sure if you called the adoption agent maybe she can contact the parents and they can let you meet him."
Effy shook her head. "I think he has a good life wherever he is and I don't want to interfere with that. I have a tendency to fuck things up."
"That's too bad Eff," Naomi said, "and you do not fuck things up."
"Well I didn't fuck this up did I?" Effy said with a smirk. "No one has asked if ten minutes has passed in the last ten minutes."
Katie and Naomi bolted out of their chairs startling the hell out of Emily. They ran towards the bathroom anxiously as Emily stood up and called out, "Oi! You should know before you touch that pregnancy test that I peed on it!"
"Ew I almost touched it!" Katie cried loudly. "Naomi, you grab it."
"Fuck no it has piss!"
Effy laughed at the two women as Emily sauntered over with a calm look on her face. They looked like a cartoon trying to push the other into grabbing the pregnancy test. Emily stepped in between them nonchalantly and picked up the stick.
The both groaned a small "Ew."
"It's my piss," Emily laughed.
"So?"
"SO?"
Effy stood up and joined them. Though she didn't jump around anxiously like Naomi and Katie, her anxiety was evident in her eyes. They had attempted insemination five times to no avail. She had called from London every time they took the test and she was tired of hearing the disappointment. She had come back to Bristol for the weekend to visit Anthea and Tony who had come home from wherever the hell he was living to stay with her for a few months. She was hoping she'd actually get a positive answer while she was there instead of hearing the disappointment in Naomi's voice over the phone like the other five times.
"Damn," Emily said dejectedly throwing the pregnancy back on the counter.
Effy saw Naomi and Katie's faces fall and they let out long sighs.
Emily turned to them sadly and said, "I guess I can't be skinny anymore."
It took a minute but both Naomi and Katie snapped their heads up with their eyes wide. Effy let out a squeal of excitement as a shit-eating grin spread across Emily's face and Naomi and Katie hugged her at the same time screaming.
"Oi take it easy she's pregnant!" Effy cried.
Both women immediately released Emily and the room became silent. They all glanced at each other smiling then burst into happy laughter.
…
"Naomi Lillian Campbell!" Gina Campbell yelled stepping into the house past Cook who was at the door. Naomi immediately cringed at the sound of her full name knowing that when Gina said it she was pissed off. Emily who was sitting on the couch in a sea of pillows Katie kept adjusting and fluffing (annoying the Hell out of Emily) looked at Naomi with an encouraging smile.
"Hi mum," Naomi said sheepishly.
"Don't hi mum me!" Gina cried. "You told me the cancer was stage 1! You didn't tell me you nearly died and had to do inhumane clinical trials to survive! Those are the organizations I protest against for fuck sake!"
"Well that organization saved my life," Naomi said softly lowering her head in shame. "I know that it was at the cost of dozens of other lives, but I really can't be mad at them when I'm standing here in front of you, alive."
Gina burst into tears suddenly and pulled Naomi into a hug. "How could you not have told me you dozy cow? I could have lost you."
"I'm here now mum," Naomi said. She had called Gina a week after finding out about Emily's pregnancy and decided to come clean because she thought she would want her future child to tell her something like that if God forbid he were ever in that situation. What she didn't expect was her mother to jump on the first plane from Ireland and come knocking on Cook and Katie's door.
"Don't you ever keep something like that from me again, you hear?" Gina scolded.
"Promise," Naomi vowed. "I'll fax you my monthly scans if you'd like?"
"Don't get snarky with me," Gina laughed slapping Naomi's arm playfully.
Naomi laughed and pretended the hit hurt. "So you staying for a bit then?"
"Just the weekend," Gina said, "Kieran has a trip to Hawaii planned for us. We liked New York so much, we thought we'd travel around the States and see what they have to offer."
"I did a photo shoot for a class in Washington D.C, there's loads to look at," Emily said.
"What state is that in love?" Gina asked.
"It's in two states, Maryland and Virginia," Emily said. "Tour guide explained it."
"I reckon we might stop there then," Gina said.
"Maybe Florida too yeah?" Cook said, "In the movies girls are always flashing their tits."
"Those are porn movies Cook," Naomi said shaking her head.
"And why would I take Kieran to see that?" Gina laughed slapping his arm lightly. "Reckon mine are enough."
"MUM!"
"Sorry Naomi darling."
"Jeez, gross," Naomi mumbled shaking her head as Cook went out to bring in Gina's bag. Gina walked into the living room where Katie had just set a tray with water, soup, and a giant prenatal pill into front of Emily.
"Katie, you're not my slave you know," Emily laughed.
"I thought you'd like me being the doormat for once," Katie said with a teasing grin. "I'm just taking care of you yeah?"
"It's okay Kay, I don't really need much," Emily said.
"For now darling," Gina said sitting across from the twins on the loveseat. "Wait til you get morning sickness and cravings for the most ridiculous things in the world. The worst are the hormones! You'll be happy one minute and pissed off the next for absolutely no reason. Or you'll burst into tears out of nowhere! Or…and this one may be good for my daughter…" she winked at Naomi who just walked into the living room, "You'll want to do nothing but shag."
"MUUUMMMM!"