"Hey, did you get the pictures back from your last ultrasound?"
"What?" Haley looked up from wiping down the kitchen counter.
Taylor rolled her eyes.
"The last sonogram…you know from your doctor's appointment on Monday."
"Oh. You mean, that. Um, no…no I didn't."
"Nice going, little sis. How am I ever supposed to finish your baby book?"
"My what?"
Taylor showed her younger sister the project she had been working on for weeks. It was a book designed to record mementos during pregnancy. Haley flipped it open and to her surprise saw detailed journal entries as well as pictures of the nursery and photos that showed the progressive growing of her stomach over time.
"So, what do you think?"
"You…you did this?" Haley asked in shock.
"Yeah. Pretty cool, huh? No need to thank me, Haley bub."
Haley shook her head furiously, dropping the book like it was a hot potato.
"Taylor!"
"Hey! Be careful with that! Dude, I spent a lot of time putting it together for you."
"Why?"
Taylor shrugged.
"I don't know. Because I'm nice, maybe? Or because I was bored or because it's something sweet you and my little niece or nephew can look back on in a couple of years."
"You shouldn't have."
"I don't mind."
"No, I mean it, Tay. You really shouldn't have. I…I want you to stop. Please…"
"Haley, look I'm trying to be cool and supportive even with this little bug up your ass but you are making it way difficult."
"Taylor…"
"Just save it. All I asked for was ultrasound photos. You don't have them? Okay then. Just never mind."
"I don't have them because I didn't go", Haley retorted quietly.
Taylor raised her head.
"Come again?"
"You heard me."
"Yeah, sis, I heard you but I was seriously hoping I heard wrong. Why'd you miss your appointment?"
Haley shrugged as she continued wiping.
"I didn't miss it, I…I, I just didn't go, okay?"
She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Uh, no it's not okay. Did you reschedule?"
"No."
"You plan on rescheduling?"
"No."
Taylor shook her head.
"Unbelievable."
"What? Tay, don't start. I don't want to hear it right now."
"Well, it sounds like you need to hear it from someone. Haley, what the hell is your problem?"
"I don't have a problem."
"Oh yes, you do."
Haley tossed the damp rag into the sink. She took a deep breath as she defiantly crossed her arms over her huge belly.
"Taylor, I don't feel like discussing this with you right now. I don't get it. What do you want from me?"
"I want you to get your head out of your ass! You're pregnant. Do you not get that?"
"I know I'm pregnant, Taylor. Okay? Trust me. I'm the one that gets kicked and poked from the inside. And not to mention fatigue and nausea and hemorrhoids and having to pee 24/7 as well as swollen ankles. Yes, Tay, I know I'm pregnant. I see it in the mirror every damned day."
"Then why don't you start acting like it? That's your kid, dude and you act like it's nothing. Like you don't even care. I get being depressed and maybe this didn't turn out the way you wanted it but what about that little baby?"
Haley looked away.
"I made a mistake, Tay."
"What do you mean?"
"Where do I start?" she laughed bitterly. "Eight years ago or seven months ago?"
"You don't even want this baby, do you?"
"No. No, I don't! Fine! Happy now, Taylor? Well, I said it. No, I don't want this baby."
"So what are you going to do?"
Haley sighed.
"I don't know. I don't have too much of a choice, now do I?"
"What about Nathan?"
"What about him?"
"It is his kid, too", Taylor shrugged. "He has a right to know. And with everything that has happened to him…"
"What? You think a nice little replacement will make it all better for him? Taylor, we are real people and this is real life! It's not like his dog died and getting him a new puppy will make everything better. He lost his child. I don't want to hurt him anymore or his wife for that matter."
"And how is concealing the truth helping them?"
Haley rolled her eyes.
"You ungrateful, spiteful, know it all little bitch. You have no right, Taylor. You don't know what I'm feeling right now. You have no idea. I do everything for you. I've given you money and a home…how dare you repay me with your accusations and your petty judgments?"
Taylor smiled.
"I see nothing has changed. In Haley World, everything still revolves around Haley. And Little Miss Perfect can make asinine, selfish decisions that hurt and affect everyone else, but hey, who cares? It's Haley World, right? And as long as Haley is happy, as long as she can justify her idiotic behavior, then it's 'fuck everyone else', right?"
"Screw you, Taylor."
"No, screw you. Because you know I'm right. And if you're mad at the world or upset because you messed shit up with Nathan in the beginning, then that's fine. But that's all on you. But it's pretty low and pretty selfish, even for you, to not get prenatal care just because you can't figure your shit out. Now who's the bitch, Hay?"
Haley scowled as she began to storm off.
"I'm not having this discussion with you right now…"
"You should have had an abortion!"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me, Haley. You should have had an abortion. You don't want the baby anyway. A good old fashioned abortion would have solved all your problems months ago. Why did you even put yourself through this?"
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"The kid would have been better off? Better off not existing in the first place rather than having a cold, resentful witch of a mother who hates its guts all its life."
"Shut up, Taylor", Haley warned. "This is my problem."
Taylor stood and threw the book in Haley's direction before grabbing her coat and house key.
"I could only wish", she shook her head. "That's where you're wrong, little sister. It's everyone's problem."
And with that, she slammed the door with a thud.