Looking in the mirror, she allowed herself to smile. In the last few months she had little to smile about. Running her hands over her slightly swollen abdomen is what brought out the smile. Finding out she was pregnant was a very scary moment, but as her pregnancy progressed everyone saw how happy she was. Even without him by her side. He had disappeared four months ago, leaving only a note saying he needed time.
Although she seemed happy, she wasn't. She was living life but only just. To the outside world, she was little Abby sunshine. She never let anyone in and that's how she liked it. She didn't want anyone to know how much of a mess she was in. So close to a breakdown, but still she carried on. She was falling apart but no-one seemed to notice.
"Hey." Susan breezed into the lounge, spotting Abby by her locker. "What are you up to tonight?"
"I have a dinner with an old friend that is in town for a few days." Abby thought of the answer quickly. In truth she was going home for her usual routine of falling asleep infront of the television.
"That's nice, anywhere nice?" The voice was so friendly but she barely heard it.
"Yeah, not sure where though. Jane's organising it." She pulled on her hat before departing the room with a swift bye to all in the room. 'This lie is getting bigger and bigger.' She thought to herself as she headed out into the cold Chicago aor.
At home the answer machine blinked. She hit the play button as she removed her jacket. The first message was from a telemarketer. She deleted it before listening to the second. "Abby, are you there?" It was John's mothers voice. "When you get this call me please. It's urgent." There was something in Eleanor's voice that concerned Abby. Maybe she had news.
Abby wasn't sure if she could handle any news right now, especially not from the great Eleanor Carter. She picked up the phone and headed for the sofa. She sat for a few minutes before beginning to dial the number. She got to the second last number before hanging up.
Shaking her head, she dialled again, this time allowing it to ring. It rung only twice before being answered. "Carter residence, to whom do you wish to speak?" The polite voice on the other end asked.
"Eleanor Carter, please?" Abby's voice sounded so small, almost childlike.
"Who may I say is calling?"
"Abby Wyseneki."
"If you give me a moment I will try and locate her for you." A button was pressed on the phone a sweet classical music was played into Abby's subconcious. She began playing the conversation in her head, trying to picture what Eleanor was going to tell her.
"Abby, I am so glad you called." Eleanor's shrill voice came over the phone.
"That's okay, your message sounded important."
"It is." Eleanor paused. "John's been found."
Abby's breath hitched in her chest. "What?" She stuttered.
"He's alive. We got word from him last night and Jack has flown to Africa to bring him home. Oh Abby isn't this the best news." Abby was dumbfounded. She had no clue what to answer the woman. "They'll be arriving tomorrow at ten, so I'll call and collect you about nine is that okay." Eleanor didn't give Abby the chance to respond. "See you then, bye." And as quick as that the phone was hung up.
Abby fell backwards into the sofa. He was alive and well. She couldn't believe it. How was he going to take the news that he was going to be a father, how would Eleanor take the news. It was true that there was no love lost between Abby and the older Carters but since John's disapperance Eleanor had made a point in calling weekly to check up on her. Whether she spoke to Abby or just left a message, at least she called.
Abby lifted the phone and called an even more familiar number. "Hello." Susan's cheerful voice came over the phone.
"Susan, it's Abby, can you come over?" Abby's voice was close to breaking.
"Sure, I'll be there straight away." Susan said, sounding concerned before hanging up the phone. Abby began to cry not caring how much she was hurting.
Although she seemed happy, she wasn't. She was living life but only just. To the outside world, she was little Abby sunshine. She never let anyone in and that's how she liked it. She didn't want anyone to know how much of a mess she was in. So close to a breakdown, but still she carried on. She was falling apart but no-one seemed to notice.
"Hey." Susan breezed into the lounge, spotting Abby by her locker. "What are you up to tonight?"
"I have a dinner with an old friend that is in town for a few days." Abby thought of the answer quickly. In truth she was going home for her usual routine of falling asleep infront of the television.
"That's nice, anywhere nice?" The voice was so friendly but she barely heard it.
"Yeah, not sure where though. Jane's organising it." She pulled on her hat before departing the room with a swift bye to all in the room. 'This lie is getting bigger and bigger.' She thought to herself as she headed out into the cold Chicago aor.
At home the answer machine blinked. She hit the play button as she removed her jacket. The first message was from a telemarketer. She deleted it before listening to the second. "Abby, are you there?" It was John's mothers voice. "When you get this call me please. It's urgent." There was something in Eleanor's voice that concerned Abby. Maybe she had news.
Abby wasn't sure if she could handle any news right now, especially not from the great Eleanor Carter. She picked up the phone and headed for the sofa. She sat for a few minutes before beginning to dial the number. She got to the second last number before hanging up.
Shaking her head, she dialled again, this time allowing it to ring. It rung only twice before being answered. "Carter residence, to whom do you wish to speak?" The polite voice on the other end asked.
"Eleanor Carter, please?" Abby's voice sounded so small, almost childlike.
"Who may I say is calling?"
"Abby Wyseneki."
"If you give me a moment I will try and locate her for you." A button was pressed on the phone a sweet classical music was played into Abby's subconcious. She began playing the conversation in her head, trying to picture what Eleanor was going to tell her.
"Abby, I am so glad you called." Eleanor's shrill voice came over the phone.
"That's okay, your message sounded important."
"It is." Eleanor paused. "John's been found."
Abby's breath hitched in her chest. "What?" She stuttered.
"He's alive. We got word from him last night and Jack has flown to Africa to bring him home. Oh Abby isn't this the best news." Abby was dumbfounded. She had no clue what to answer the woman. "They'll be arriving tomorrow at ten, so I'll call and collect you about nine is that okay." Eleanor didn't give Abby the chance to respond. "See you then, bye." And as quick as that the phone was hung up.
Abby fell backwards into the sofa. He was alive and well. She couldn't believe it. How was he going to take the news that he was going to be a father, how would Eleanor take the news. It was true that there was no love lost between Abby and the older Carters but since John's disapperance Eleanor had made a point in calling weekly to check up on her. Whether she spoke to Abby or just left a message, at least she called.
Abby lifted the phone and called an even more familiar number. "Hello." Susan's cheerful voice came over the phone.
"Susan, it's Abby, can you come over?" Abby's voice was close to breaking.
"Sure, I'll be there straight away." Susan said, sounding concerned before hanging up the phone. Abby began to cry not caring how much she was hurting.