Sara looked at the test her eyes going wide. The little plus symbol was bright blue.
She stared at it wishing it away with all of her might, and then squeezing her eyes closed her mind went numb with the news. She was pregnant with Michael's baby.
How could this be happening? Well she knew how it had happened, but why was this happening? Hadn't she been through enough? She would have to tell her mother and when she did…Oh God!
Sara knew what Grace's reaction would be. She also knew what her solution would be. Grace was pro choice all the way. She could remember her mother's activities this past year, her involvement heavy in The Right to choose campaign, a local women's group. They had also preached safe sex, her mother shoving pamphlets and condoms at her on more then one occasion.
Sara knew her mother would be furious with her for being so careless. And the fact that the baby was Michael's would seal the deal. Grace would want the pregnancy terminated. Sara shook her head. She couldn't let her do it. She couldn't do it.
While Sara knew she wasn't emotionally ready to have a child, she couldn't kill the only part of Michael she had left. She would think of something, she had to. Until then she would hide her pregnancy from Aldo and Grace; from everyone.
She would hide it until it was too late to abort if she had to. And then when the baby was born she would figure something out. She would find some way to keep it.
She quickly gathered the test box and wrappers and shoved them in the bag. And then taking one last look at the little blue plus on the stick she shoved it into the bag also. She would hide this until morning and then take it to school with her and dispose of it there. She couldn't take the chance that Grace would somehow find it.
She shoved the bag under her mattress and smoothed the blankets back into place. That done she sat down at her desk and looked at her school assignments, knowing full well she wouldn't get anything done that night. And as she flipped open her Language arts book, her hand moved absently to her flat belly, touching the new life that grew there.
(One month later)
Sara held a hand over her mouth and ran from the table. She had tried so hard not to let the smell of the eggs bother her, but she couldn't do it. Her morning sickness was rearing its ugly head again and this time she had an audience.
Barely making it to the bathroom she lost all of what she had managed to force down. She pushed her hair away from her face and sat back on the floor feeling her stomach lurch again, before finally settling down. She took a deep breath and then feeling eyes upon her she looked up to see her mother's concerned face.
"Sara, are you okay? I noticed you hardly touched your dinner last night and now this. Are you coming down with something?"
Sara nodded. "Um, yeah, I think so. A lot of kids have been out with a stomach bug this week."
Grace smiled sympathetically and moved towards her. She reached to place a hand on Sara's forehead, but pulled back as her daughter flinched away from her touch.
"Well, I hope you're feeling better soon, but if not you have my permission to stay home tomorrow."
With that she left the bathroom.
Sara let out her breath. How long did morning sickness last? She knew she couldn't keep claiming illness was the cause of her mad dashes from the table.
She put her face in her hands as the overwhelming feelings hit her again as they seemed to do so often these days. She felt so alone at times like this. It was times like this that he let herself wonder about him. Was Michael happy? Was he doing okay so far away from everyone and everything he had ever known?
She sighed deeply and pushing her thoughts of him away, she reached to flush her breakfast down the toilet. She would have to force some food down later she knew, if not for her own sake then for that of the baby. But right now she just wanted to lay down.
She washed up quickly and then made her way to her room, where she sank down onto the bed and curled up into a little ball holding her pillow tight.
Sara awoke to the phone ringing and raised her head disoriented. The room was dark and at first she didn't know where she was.
The phone was picked up somewhere in the house and she laid her head back to stare up at the ceiling.
Her eyes were drifting closed again when the knock sounded on the door jolting her back to awareness.
She looked up to see her mother standing in her now open doorway. And the stricken look on her mother's face shot alarm through her.
Was it Michael? Had something happened to him? She was about to voice these questions when Grace spoke.
"There's been some horrible…" Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath before continuing.
"Sara its David Apolskis. He was shot this afternoon. I'm afraid he's…He's dead Sara."
Sara stared at her mother and then burst into tears. They were tears of relief, but thinking differently her mother moved into the room to offer comfort. Sara let herself be held and as her mother stroked her hair, she gave into all of the feelings that overwhelmed her and cried softly against Grace's warm embrace.