Emma woke up in the morning feeling nauseous. Hoping the feeling would pass, Emma kept her eyes tightly shut. The feeling subsided slightly and Emma decided she could open her eyes. The moment she did, the feeling returned, only worse, Emma quickly jumped out of bed and ran out of her room and down the hall to the bathroom. When she was done she quickly brushed her teeth and looked in the mirror. Taking in a shaky breath, Emma opened the bathroom door to find her mother standing on the other side of it.
"Mom!" Emma said surprised. "You startled me." Emma breath, placing her hand on her chest, hoping her heart rate would slow down soon.
"I'm sorry sweetie, I didn't mean to scare you. I heard you getting sick in there, and I know that you are an adult now and I didn't know how you felt about your mother coming in and helping you through it." Her mother said, looking at Emma with worry. "Emma are you okay? You never get sick."
"Um yeah. I'm… I'm okay." Emma stumbled, trying to move past her mother.
"Emma, wait, what's going on?" Mary Margret called after her, as Emma was making her way back to her bedroom.
"I don't really wanna talk about this right now." Emma said, as she made it to her bedroom door.
"Hey, what's going on?" Emma heard her father's deep groggy voice call from the other end of the hallway. Turning around she saw her father making his way toward them, in his pajama bottoms and a shirt that Emma had given him when she was a little girl.
"I... I…" Emma lost her voice and her vision soon became cloudy with tears. Closing her eyes, she felt the tears rush down her face.
"Oh Emma! Sweetie, what is the matter?" her mother asked, wiping the tears off of her cheeks.
"I'm ... I'm pregnant." Emma cried out.
"You're..you're what?" Emma looked at the shock painted on her mother's face and her heart broke.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Emma cried, placing her head on her mother's shoulder. She felt her mother, wrap her arms around her, and hold her. Emma let all of her tears she had been holding in, come out. She felt that her father's hand on the back of her head, and he pulled both of them in for a hug.
After a few moments, Emma felt her parents pull away slightly. Emma wiped her remaining tears away and looked at both of her parents, feeling ashamed. Her mother was the first one to break the silence. "Emma, please tell us what happened."
Shaking her head in agreement, they made their way over to the family room, and they all sat down. Emma sat down in her father's big chair, and felt like a little kid again. When she was little, whenever she was able to sit in her father's chair was when something really special was happening. If it was her birthday she would be able to sit in it.
She remembers one time she woke up to a thunderstorm and her parents were sitting in the family room. She ran out to the middle of the room, scared because of the store. Her father picked her up and together they sat in the chair, rocking slightly, hearing one of her dad's stories about when he was a kid and the many adventures he would go on. She fell asleep in his arms that night.
Now, sitting in the chair, she felt unworthy. That she had done something wrong and shouldn't be able to sit there.
Emma took a couple of deep breaths before finally speaking. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen." she began
"Emma, please, you need to stop apologizing. This isn't some terrible thing. True you are a little young and still in college, but so what?" Her mother said.
"This isn't how I pictured my life going." Emma confessed, looking down at her hands, picking at a hangnail.
"Well how did you picture your life going, before all of this happened?" She heard her father ask.
"Well… I was planning on finishing college, and getting a job as a detective, and at some points meet a nice get married and have a family. I wanted the fairy tale that you guys are. Now I am single, halfway through my senior year of college and pregnant." Emma said, looking back up at her parents.
"Emma, your father and I are no fairy tale." Her mother confessed.
"Of course you are! You two were made for each other. You did what most people want to do. You are living the dream that I want." Emma argued.
"Emma, sweetie, you may think that your parents are perfect, or close to it and I guess many kids who grew up the way you did would do. Emma, when your father and I met, we both were in high school, and we knew from the moment that we met that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together." Her mother started.
"Growing up Catholic I was said down as a boy and was given the talk and was told to wait till marriage. I agreed but when I met your mother, we didn't want to." Her father finished.
"Emma sweetie, when we got married, I was 4 months pregnant with you." her mother confessed.
"You were?" Emma asked, slightly shocked.
"Yes, why do you think we don't see your grandparents on your father's side much? Honey when they found out they wanted nothing to do with me, and practically disowned your father, but when you were born they came back around." Her mother said smiling.
"And we wouldn't change anything." Her father finished.
"Really? You don't wish I came a bit later?" She asked.
"Nope, you came at just the right time." Her mother gushed.
"But what about me and my plan. Neal and I are not talking, and I still need to finish school. I still don't have a place of my own. I don't have anything, I am not ready at all for this." Emma breathed out. "I'm scared."
"Emma, of course you are scared, parenthood is a scary thing, but just know that you are not alone. You have your father and I, and your friends, do your friends know? I'm pretty sure your friend Ruby would babysit for you just about every day." her mother joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Emma chuckled slightly. "Yeah, they know, and Regina would to believe it or not."
"Regina? Really?"
"Yeah, she is a sucker for babies. She comes undone the second a baby enters the coffee shop." Emma laughed, remembering a time a couple of years ago, when a toddler crawled over to their group and pulled on Regina's pant leg. They all held their breath wondering what her reaction would be. None of them expected her to gasp and pick up the little boy and begin playing with him, with the biggest smile, any of them have seen on her face.
"Emma." Her father's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "You mentioned that you and Neal are no longer talking, but does he know?"
Emma shook her head. "No, I haven't told him yet. I think I am going to wait a bit. I have a doctor's appointment today just to see where I am at and where the baby is at." Emma said, placing her hand on her stomach, a strange warm feeling filling her.
"Oh Emma, I know this is all unexpected and early, but please tell me you are happy." Her mother said, unable to hide her own excitement.
"I guess I am still processing it. I was focused on Neal and then having to tell people that I just haven't let it all sink in." Emma said.
"Well, it's a good thing that we are going to the mall today, we are going to have to buy you some maternity clothes" Her mother joked. "Oh! We now have a baby to shop for!" Her mother squealed.
"Okay, but before we do any of that, let me get ready for my appointment." Emma said standing up from the chair. Before she left the family room Emma noticed a pleading look on her mother's face. "You can come to my appointment if you want."
"Oh, really!" Her mother cried.
"Yes, I won't deny being able to see your grandchild for the first time." she said, feeling a bit odd.
"Oh Emma! Our first grand baby!" Her mother gushed, pulling her in for a hug and then looking over at her father.
Her dad stood up and hugged Emma. "Congratulations kiddo."
"Did you want to come to the appointment with mom and I?" Emma asked, feeling like it was going to be a bit awkward with her dad there.
"I think I am going to sit this one out, but if you get pictures, I want to see them." Her father smiled.
A couple of hours later Emma and Mary Margret were sitting in the doctor's office. Emma was sitting on the exam table, while her mother sat across the room in one of the chairs, both lost in their own thoughts to speak. Soon they heard a knock on the door and the doctor came in.
"Good Morning, how is everyone today?" the doctor asked.
"Good, a bit nervous, if I'm being honest." Emma confessed.
"Well there is nothing to be nervous about. I am Doctor Darling, and you must be Emma." Doctor Darling said, reaching her hand out to shake hands with Emma.
"Yep, that would be me."
"Alright, well tell me what's been going on."
"Well, about a month ago I took a pregnancy test and it was positive, so I guess I am here to make sure everything is looking alright." Emma said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Alright, that is not a problem, can I ask why you waited a month to see a doctor." Doctor Darling asked.
"Well, the father and I broke up right before I found out and when my period was a couple days late, so I took a test and found out. It's taken me awhile to process everything, and I knew I was coming home for the holiday's so might as well make an appointment for when I come home." Emma said.
"Alright, that shouldn't be a problem, let me just ask you a couple of questions. When was your last period?"
"Today is December 21st, so November 5th was the last day of my period." Emma claimed.
"Alright, so that should put you at about roughly 6 weeks along." She said smiling.
Emma couldn't help but smile when she heard her mom squeal quietly.
"Emma, in the past six weeks, have you drank any alcohol, or have done any drugs or smoke any cigarettes?"
"Nope, none of that, never really saw the appeal of it." Emma said proudly. Even though she had no idea what she was doing, she felt like she was doing something right.
"Alright and what about coffee? Been drinking any coffee?"
"I have. I have been drinking a cup a day." Emma said, the feeling of being proud slowly washing away.
"Okay, so drinking coffee isn't a bad thing, just minimize it to 8 ounces of coffee a day or none at all. I also don't want you to eat any fish, be careful when eating meat, make sure it's cooked all the way through. Make sure all your fruits and vegetables are washed before eating them. I don't want you to eat unpasteurized milk, cheese or fruit…" The doctor continued to list off the dos and don't of what she can and can't eat. Emma began to panic slightly and began thinking that she can't do this. "And don't worry, you are going to be leaving with a list of everything, so you don't have to remember it all right now."
Emma relaxed slightly, nodding her head smiling. Her mind was still swirling about the baby and if she had done anything wrong yet. The next thing she knew, she was laying on her back, and the doctor had a machine next to her, moving something around. She couldn't make out what was going on, all she could see was blue, black and gray colors moving around the screen. Then suddenly she saw it. Her baby. A little white speck in the middle of the screen. Emma felt tears running down her face. She tuned out the entire world and only focused on her baby. Nothing else mattered at that moment. She knew everything was going to be okay.
Emma heard her mother and the doctor talking, and soon the lights came back on and the image of her baby disappeared. Emma felt a little sad not seeing it anymore, but when she sat back up and placed her hand on her stomach and smiled.
When they got back home, Emma had about ten pamphlets in her hands as well as an envelope in her hand from her ultrasound. When she got out of the car, she got excited to show her dad the pictures. She felt proud of her little baby.
"Hey Dad! We got pictures." Emma called when she got into her house. When she received no response she looked at her mother in confusion.
"He may have been called into work." Her mother said softly.
"Oh, okay." Emma said slightly saddened, but then remembered she promised a few people a phone call. "Hey mom. I have to make a phone call, so I am going to go up to my room for a little before we go to the mall, okay?"
"Yeah! Take your time!" Her mother called after her.
When Emma made it up to her room she closed her door and pulled out her phone. She opened up her messenger, entered the group chat and hit the video call. She soon saw August's face pop up on her screen first.
"Hey Emma!" He called out.
"Hey August! I'm back from my appointment and wanted to talk with you guys." Not a second after she said that, Ruby's face popped up on the screen.
"Emma! August! How are you guys?" Ruby's excited voice echoed through the phone. Emma noticed some sand behind Ruby.
"Ruby, are you already in Florida?" Emma asked.
"I sure am! I landed this morning about an hour ago. It's so warm here, and the guys are so much hotter!" Ruby said with a smug smile.
"She hasn't been on the phone for 10 minutes, and she is already talking about boys." August joked.
Regina's face suddenly appeared on the screen. "Hello guys!" She said with a smile, they were all stunned to see Regina smile that big.
"Wow Regina, for someone who hates snow, you really love Skiing." Ruby said, laughing slightly.
"It's a love and hate relationship. It's cold and bright, but man do I love skiing!" Regina laughed.
Suddenly they heard a loud deep laugh through the phone. Regina's face suddenly became embarrassed, but she tried to hide it. "Sorry, I'm in a lodge and it's a bit loud in here."
"Regina, are you there with someone?" Ruby asked, very intrigued.
"What? No… I…um… I" Regina stuttered.
"She is stuttering! Oh, my gosh! You are there with someone! Tell us who it is! Do we know him!" Ruby rushed all at once. Emma was pretty sure Ruby forgot how to breath.
"Emma, you had your appointment this morning, right? How did it go?" Regina asked, switching the subject off of her, clearly not comfortable answering Ruby's questions.
"Nice change of direction." Emma joked, causing Regina to glare at her. "Yes, I did have my appointment today, and I have something to show you guys."
Emma switched her phone camera so it was no longer showing her face, instead it was showing her bedspread. She lifted one of the ultrasound pictures, and saw her friends faces all become soft.
"Oh Emma!" Regina goo'd, tears clearly forming in her eyes.
"Do you know how far along you are?" August asked, his face matching Regina's.
"I believe my doctor said 6 weeks along." Emma said, smiling.
"A summer baby!" Ruby cried out, her face plastered with smiles.
"I know yesterday you mentioned something about not knowing what you are going to do, what about now. Now that you have seen the baby, have you figured it out yet?" Regina asked.
"Today, was so magical." Emma confessed, switching her camera back to her face. "I don't think it truly sunk in that I was pregnant. I was more focused on Neal and school and worried about disappointing people. Today, when I saw it, I felt something. I don't really know what, but I felt warm and happy and ..I don't know how to explain it." Emma confessed, her own eyes filling up with tears.
"Emma, what do you want?" August asked.
"I want this baby to have the best life possible, but I also don't want to abandon it." Emma said, placing her hand protectively on her stomach.
"Are you going to keep it?" Ruby asked.
"I don't know yet. If I can get a better job and a place of my own before the baby gets here, then maybe, if not, I might think about an open adoption. I can't just walk away from this." Emma confessed.