Me:Lissa would you please?
Lissa: My pleasure! She doesn't own VA
Chapter Ten: What are you going to do about it
"Come on Rose, just one more store please?" Lissa desperately wants to continue shopping, but the sun is starting to drop below the horizon making the hair on my arms stand up.
"Fine, one more store but we need to be quick."
Jumping up and down she leads me to a small little boutique in the corner followed by several guardians. "Oh, Rose, look at how precious these are!" She holds up a tiny pair of knitted yellow socks, with little pom poms hanging on the end of delicate strings.
"They're so tiny." whispering I take them from her almost reverently "I can't believe I'm going to have a person small enough to fit in these." Staring at them in wonder, pondering the thought that this little human growing inside me is going to be so small and helpless, completely dependent on me, it scares me shitless.
"Rose, are you okay?" somewhere off in the distance I hear her voice. "Rose!" she sounds frantic but I'm caught up in a daze "ROSE HATHAWAY" she yells my name loud enough that the whole mall surely hears it and it snaps me out of it.
"Sorry, Lissa I guess I just kind of freaked out a little for a second."
"It's going to be okay, you know, you're Rose Hathaway, you can do anything. You can do this." wrapping her arms around me she pulls me close hugging me tight. "Come on, let's hurry here and head back.."
In the end I bought the little shoes, I hold them in hands admiring them as we drive toward campus. We barely made it to the van before the sun completely vanished. I couldn't wait to get back. Alberta and Dr.O finally gave me an appropriate work out route and I'm itching to try it.
The past days of just running and stretching have gotten monotonous and boring. Hopefully they've added a little bit of spice to it.
Lissa pulls me from my thoughts "Have you told your mom yet?"
"No, I don't really care if she knows."
"Really? There's not even a small part of you that wants to talk to her about it?" Lissa's mom had always been so sweet, doting almost. I'm sure it's hard for her to understand.
"No, honestly Olena has been amazing and helped me figure out a lot. I don't need her and she doesn't deserve me."
Lissa, lets the topic drop not that she has much of a choice considering we're pulling into the gates of campus.
"Are you heading back to your dorm?" Lis asks, swinging the last of her bags over her shoulder.
"Just to drop off the things I've bought then I'm heading to the gym, but I'll see you at lunch okay?" arms not quite as full as Lissa's but still full I head to my dorm to change and drop things off. I know I'm going to be so tired having skipped a good amount of sleep to go shopping but it being so early by academy standards means that the gym will be all mine and I don't have to deal with prying eyes. Dropping the bags on my bed without much care to put them away right now I throw on work out clothes and head toward the gym, finding it just as empty as I thought. Pulling out the workout plan from Alberta I realize like a third of it is pregnancy yoga…. That's not a work out that's just more advanced stretching. Annoyed beyond reason I start into the various poses, I won't ever admit it to Alberta but after a while I fall into a rhythm and start to enjoy the way it feels to stretch muscles that have been stiff for a while. It's quiet and that gives me some time to think in peace and let my mind wander. The soft echo of each move is swallowed through the gym, I can hear a soft wind patter at the roof, the gym still smells like lemon and bleach no doubt from last night scrub down. I can hear my breathing even out as I relax and let my body move in and out of each pose. My calming moment of contentment is interrupted by the loud burst of the gym doors slamming open. I won't lie I jump a little not expecting such an outburst and sure as hell not expecting the short red haired fireball that trumps through the doors. Damn I was having such a good morning.
"Is there something I can help you with Guardian Hathaway?"
She cringes a bit at the use of her title instead of mom. "I have a few things I would like to discuss with you." her voice is dark and even, man she is pissed.
Am I really the famous Rose if I don't play with fire a bit? "I'm afraid I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment."
She grabs my wrist yanking me up "This isn't a joke Rose now stop being a child."
I'm the child? She's the one waltzing in demanding I stop my workout to meet her needs. I swear this woman is delusional and I don't have the chill to deal with her. " What is it you want?" my voice is louder than I mean it to be but she's pushing the hormones.
"Do NOT talk to me that way young lady."
Okay screw this shit. Stuffing my workout plan into my bag and Slinging it over my shoulder I head towards the doors. I'm not doing this. I don't have the would think me exiting the gym would have given her a hint, but apparently she's as stubborn as me because she follows.
"We need to talk."
"Can you not take a hint? Leave me alone."
"Rosemarie Hathaway stop right this second." she bellows.
"WHAT!? What could you possibly want after the last time I saw you? What in the hell could be so Damn important you can't just leave me in peace" You have to give me points because I did try to walk away. She just wouldn't let me. The sun is coming up and people are starting to filter through the main ground were we are for the day's activities.
Of course this is the moment she decided to spit it out and make her comment. "Is it true?"
"Is what true?" I'm getting pissed off now all I wanted was a quiet workout.
Her face turns red "Is it true that my slutty little daughter is pregnant?"
Shit, first off like I said people are around and my mother just outed me in front of them. Second, she's going to call me a slut? Seriously? Third, you know what I don't need a third. "Why on earth would you care? You haven't been around since I was little. I'M SO TIRED OF HAVING THIS ARGUMENT WITH YOU. YOU LEFT ME! NOW BACK THE FUCK OFF AND LEAVE ME ALONE." I'm screaming at this point.
"You are not ready for this." her voice is loud but doesn't match mine.
"AT LEAST I DON'T PLAN ON ABANDONING MY KID, TO GO DO GOD KNOWS WHAT." She winds her hand back and slaps me hard.
Dropping my bag I get ready for a fight but I feel someone grab my arms and pull me back., struggling to drag me away. "Rosie, come on, stop it, you don't want to get hurt." It takes a few minutes for the hidden meaning in his words to drop but once they do I relax instinctively resting my hand on my stomach. Christains hands loosen. I turn letting him lead me away from the crowd. My face burns and no doubt I'll have a bruise there tomorrow. I can't believe she hit me!
"What a bitch. I can't believe she hit you." Christain pulls me into the library before sending a text to Lissa and honestly probably Dimitri.
"That's my mother for you. How bad is it?"
"It's already got a nice color to it and it's definitely swollen. Are you okay? I mean other than the whole face thing?"
Realization hits me "No my mother just outed me in front of half the senior class. No one was supposed to find out. Now everyone will know by lunch time." Groaning, I flop onto a nearby seat.
"Yeah, Jesse was one of the ones getting ready to pull out his phone and start recording. I had already sent for Belikov but I figured I better step in before things got too serious."
"Thanks Sparky, having a recording probably would make this a million times worse."
The door slams shut as the Russian God storms in followed by Lissa. "What happened?" he kneels in front of me examining my cheek.
"My mother, she thought it might be a good idea to ask me if I'm pregnant in the middle of the courtyard, as you can see it didn't go well."
"She what?" I suddenly see his eyes fill with frustration and stress.
"Everyone is already talking about it." Lissa whispers "It's all over the social pages."
Snatching her phone I scroll through the endless comments.
"What are we going to do?" My voice is so quiet I don't think that anyone hears me.
"We follow through with Abe's plan, everything will be okay, Roza."
Speaking of Abe. "Speak of the devil." muttering I point towards the door where he stands in his ridiculous scarf.
"I was hoping to find you-what happened to your face?" he stopped mid sentence kneeling down by Dimitri to examine my cheek.
Here we go "Mom happened to my face."
"She what, when did your mother get here? Why did she hit you?"
Relaying the story again feeling quite tired. "Dimitri, you better get some ice on this." Abe looks deeply unsettled.
"No, please Rose let me?" Lissa begs.
I want to say no but if there's not any evidence then maybe I'll be able to play it off as a rumor "Okay fine."
Abe who is the only one that hasn't seen Lissa heal anything before, watches in wonder at the bruise starts to fade.
"Thanks Liss. Babba, is everything ready?"
"Yes, although your mother being on campus does complicate things. Do you know how long she plans on staying?"
"You know between all the child abuse and yelling I didn't quite pick up on that." Sarcasm drips from my lips which only causes Abe to laugh.
"No matter, just be ready for the little birthday outing we have planned, tomorrow." he smiles standing up. "Oh I almost forgot the reason I came to find you, he pulls an envelope out of his suit. Let the games begin.
"Comrade I'm fine honestly please just let me go to class? It's just going to make it worse if I hide"
Stopping to look me deep in the eyes he searches them "Only if you promise no to fight."
"Are we talking, physical or verbal?" teasing him I grab my bag knowing I've won.
"Roza…."
"Fine, I promise, okay?" Placing a long not so chaste kiss on his lips I head out of his dorm and toward my class, calling a last I love you before closing the door of the library and falling into step with the waiting Lissa.
I swear it's not two seconds before someone starts shit 'Hey, Hathaway is it true?/" I just need to ignore him "Is it true you skanked around and got knocked up?" Jesse turns to his friends "I bet she doesn't even know who the baby daddy is, probably can't remember."
"Honestly Jesse you would think you could come up with something a little more original than that. It's kind of pathetic how disgustingly average you are, when you come up with some real juice let me know."
I follow Lissa to class and by some miracle I keep my promise to Dimitri and don't fight anyone. In fact the day goes fairly smoothly and I don't have to endure much harassment. When classes and dinner finally end I decide it's about time I organize the things I bought earlier and get some rest. I start by putting away the clothes I bought for myself before setting out the few pregnancy things on the dresser near the prenatals and ultrasound. Last I put the little baby clothes I bought with the onesie Dimtri gave me in my bottom drawer under a towel. Just as I finish closing the drawer a soft knock paddles against the door.
Slowly opening it I find a very tired and worn looking Dimitri. Checking behind him and to both sides I pull him in "You look rough Comrade what's wrong?"
"Guardians talk just like students."
"Actually, I didn't get a ton of crap from anyone but Jesse. What did the staff say? Is my mom still here?"
I feel his body relax as he pulls me into his arms breathing me in "Yes, she's planning on staying a week or two. I guess one of the newer guardians was injured during an off site visit and is off duty so your mother is filling in."
"That only answered one question, I asked two.'
Tensing he leads me to the bed kicking off his shoes and pulling me close "Mostly it was just crude talk and disgusting antics. Little annoying comments, although I will say once I let it slip Zmey is your father most of it stopped, but you have no idea how hard it was not to knock some sense into a few people.
"I'm sorry I've caused so much trouble."
"You're no trouble to me Roza." he whispers, pulling me closer to him. "I wish I could come home to you always."
"Me too."