12 weeks pt 3
"Thanks for dinner." I say to Topanga and Cory.
"Maya, you know you are welcome here anytime." Cory replies.
"We have missed you hanging around here." Topanga adds.
"I missed being here. There has just been a lot going on recently." I say.
"We would like to talk to after Auggie goes to bed if you don't mind." Topanga tells me. I immediately jump to the worst conclusions. Am I in trouble? What did I do? Or did they know about the baby?
"Why can't you guys just talk with me her?" Auggie asks.
"Because this conversation isn't for little boy ears." Cory tells him.
"Oh I get it. Is it about the birds and the bees?" Auggie says which elicits a laugh from me and a look of terror from Topanga.
"August Matthews! How do you know about the birds and the bees?" Topanga asks carefully. I could tell that she was a little scared of his response.
"Mom, I am not a little kid anymore. I know things." Auggie says like it was no big deal.
"Ok well we will have to have that conversation later. I think it is time for you to go get ready for bed. I will be up in a few minutes to help you." Topanaga says.
"Can Maya help me tonight?" Auggie asks.
"Uh Auggie I don't think Maya is going to want to-"Cory begins to say but I interrupt him.
"I don't mind. I will go help him and then when I come back, we can talk." I suggest.
I follow Auggie to his bedroom and help him pick out pajamas. After he gets his shower and I brush his hair, he goes into his room while I clean up the bathroom.
"Maya! Help!" He yells from his room. I quickly drop the towel I was folding and run to see what was going on. I immediately thing that he hurt himself or something. Once I get to his room, I see a teary eyed Auggie sitting on his bed.
"What's wrong buddy?" I ask and make my way over to him.
"I can't find Mr. Googly!" He says and lets a tear loose from his eyes. "I can't sleep without Mr. Googly." He continues.
"You can't find Mr. Googly? Where was the last place you had him?" I ask.
"If I knew that I would know where he is now wouldn't I?" He says harshly.
"Buddy I am only trying to help here."
"I know. Im sorry but I just can't remember."
"Then I guess we are going to have to play detective. Alright detective Auggie, I am going to need you to get in bed while I do my search."
"Okay detective Maya." He replies smiling and then crawls under his blanket.
"So the first thing I have to do is get on his level." I say and then get on my knees, " then I will just search around until I find something." As I am searching around, I figure out a way to make him laugh.
"I think I see something under your blanket Auggie. I think it's him. The only way to know for sure is to use my tickle weapon." I say and then grab his feet and begin to tickle him while he starts screaming with laughter.
"That's my feet detective Maya." He laughs and kicks his feet to make me stop which makes me fall the short distance to the floor. As I am laying on the floor, I see Mr. Googly under the bed.
"I think this case is closed detective Auggie. I found the runaway under your bed." I say and take Mr. Googly from behind my back.
"Mr. Googly! Thank you, detective Maya, you are my hero." Auggie smiles.
"Your welcome Auggie. I think it is time for you and Mr. Googly to get some sleep now." I say and tuck him into his blanket.
"Maya?"
"Yes, Auggie?"
"You would be a good mom." Auggie tells me and this catches me off guard. I really needed to hear that.
"Thanks bud." I say as I run my hand through his thick wet curls. I then turn out the light but before I leave I just stand and look at Auggie as he falls asleep. He is so peaceful now. It is amazing what one stuff animal could do for a child.
A few minutes later, I am now face to face with Cory and Topanga at the kitchen table.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" I ask them. Right now, Riley is finishing up her homework in her room because her parents wanted to talk to me alone. She resisted at first but I told her it would be fine.
"Maya, we are just a little concerned about you." Topanga starts.
"You haven't been acting like yourself for a while now. We never see you anymore and even when I do in school, you seem very distant. I see that you have looked very sick for a while too. There were a few times where I saw you walk into school and right before I would approach you, I would see you run to the bathroom. Now, I am not sure if you are just trying to avoid us or if there is something bigger going on here, but I want you to know that you can always talk to us. This being said, we have a feeling we know what is going on with you." Cory tells me.
"You do?" I ask, getting nervous. Cory and Topanga are like my second parents and I am scared they are going to be mad. I know they would never stay mad at me or keep Riley away from me but this is still nerve racking.
"Maya, do you have cancer?" Topanga asks me.
"What?" I ask taken aback. Why does everyone think I have cancer?
"This isn't something you should be ashamed about. We will help you through this. I had a feeling this is what was going on which is why I let Lucas be the one to talk to you today, that way you could have someone to talk to who has been through this already." Cory explains.
"Yes, and we are going to try to do whatever we can to help you throughout this. I know money is tight for your family so we can help with your treatments." Topanga suggests.
"That means a lot to me but I don't have cancer guys." I try to explain.
"You don't? I'm sorry Maya. I didn't mean to assume-."Topanga begins to say but is interrupted by Cory.
"Then what is going on? Because you sure haven't been acting like yourself." He says.
"I'm pregnant." I say nervously. The only response I get for a few seconds is a bunch of coughs that sounds like Cory is choking and Topanga patting him on the back.
"Oh Maya, how did this happen?" Topanga asks. I then tell the story that I basically have rehearsed now that I have had to tell it so many times. They don't interrupt me as I tell them which makes it hard to tell what they are thinking about all of this.
When I finally finish my story, I am startled by Topanaga yelling, "Im going to kill them. No, first I am going to shut them down, get every penny they own, and then I will kill them!"
"No, you can't!" I say loudly.
"Maya, you can't just let them ruin your life like this. This wasn't just a tiny mistake. This mistake messed the rest of your life up. They need to be held responsible." Topanga firmly states.
"My baby isn't going to mess up my whole life and I already signed a contract saying that I wouldn't say anything which I guess I am breaking by telling you." I try to explain.
"I'm sorry Maya. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that this mistake is going to impact the rest of your life. You should have never signed a contract. Was your mom with you when you signed?" She asks me.
"No, it was just me at one of my appointments." I tell her.
"Ok good then this contract is voidable since you are a minor and did not have a parent present." Topanga explains.
"I love it when you speak lawyer." Cory interjects.
"Now is not the time Cory." She says to him. She looks at me for a few seconds and can tell that I am still uneasy and says, "How are you doing with this? How are you feeling?"
"I'm scared. I never thought this would happen to me. There is one part of me who knows this is crazy and the other part of me who is actually kind of excited to have a child and I feel stupid for that part because I know I shouldn't be excited to have a baby at my age." I say. I'm not sure why it is so easy to talk to them but whenever I am with them, I basically just spill all my secrets to them.
"Sweetie, it is natural to feel excited for a baby and it is also natural to feel scared. Many women just have that nurturing instinct from a young age and there are many people who know that they want to have kids, even if they are young. The most important thing to know is that you are not alone in this and that you have support from so many people because none of us are going to let you fail." Topanga says to me with her hand on my shoulder.
"Maya, you are the strongest person I know. You have gone through so much while growing up and I know you can get through this. I am not saying it won't be difficult but I know that you can do it. You are going to be a great mother." Cory adds.
"Thank you both. I am so lucky to have you guys." I tell them and get up to give both of them a hug.
"Your welcome Maya. You are going to have a lot to figure out but you have a little time to think about stuff. If you need anything, you come to us." Topanga tells me.
I love them so much.
Decision Journal:
Decided to keep the baby
Decided to tell my friends about the baby