"So I hear you outdid your mother," A voice I instantly recognized makes me look up from my homework. Of course, she would be here, it was Thanksgiving after all which means everyone will be home. Except for Walter of course.

Aunt Marilla, though she wasn't blood-related.

She had taken in my mother when she was eleven. Grandpa Walter died when mom was just a baby in a car accident, leaving Grandma Bertha to raise their daughter alone. Until she got sick, which is something mom doesn't talk about it much. She gets a sad look in her eyes when she sees a photo of her mother, and we all know she remembers watching her mother die. Being told there was no cure, that if she is lucky she would see her daughter graduate elementary school. Help was needed, which is where Aunt Marilla came in. A semi-retired nurse who lived next down the street from them with her elder brother

She was hired to help with housework in the beginning and later offered her services as a caretaker. For three years, she walked to Shirley's house. Helping my grandmother and comforting my mother when things gradually got worse. When my grandmother died, Aunt Marilla took my mother in at twelve years old at the request of my grandmother.

"Well, it's not like I was trying to," I tell her going back to my English essay. Hoping she would leave me alone, but instead, she comes and sits on my bed.

"I would certainly hope not," She replied matter of factly and looked at me. "But I thank you for your reassurance."

"So, did Mom call you in to try and get more information from me?" I ask her. At seventy-five she spent her days at her senior living community, but she was still very much enjoying life and playing bingo.

"Is there more information? You're expecting, at sixteen from what you say was a drunken shenanigans. When you shouldn't have been drinking, to begin with?" Aunt Marilla rattled off the story I told my parents. "And hid it for two months?"

"I suppose that's the most of it," I say simply. Was she not going to ask who the father was? If she wasn't I wasn't going to complain.

Aunt Marilla makes me come downstairs, keeping a firm around my shoulder like I was going to run away. Nan and Di's voice drifted from the living room, talking about their friends and projects. They were both pretty, but as twins, they look nothing alike. Nan had dad's chocolate brown hair that was fairly straight for our family, she had brown eyes and was fairly short compared to everyone. She was studying the education of information or Library sciences at Dalhousie University. Di, on the other hand, inherited our mother's vibrant red hair and grey eyes. She studies fashion design, wearing more out-there clothing choices than her twin.

They both turn to look at me when they hear the stairs creak.

"Hi," I say tiredly as I sit down in one of the empty chairs in the living room. "How was the drive?"

"The usual," Nan replied to me, "How are school and dance?" She asked me as she sat down on the couch.

"It's fine, I'm working in the shop as well as the little ones this year to make a bit of money," I tell her simply. "How's school?" I asked knowing I had to say something.

"It's good, it's school," Nan said smiling, I smile back and turn to Di.

"My teacher is a right bitch about fabric choices, but it's good. I have some good sketches for the project this year." Di said happily as she grabs her ever-present sketch pad from her bag. "This will be hell, yet so much fun to make," she said flipping it open to show me.

I curl up and twist my legs in underneath what used to be Walters hoodie. Hiding my feet and keeping them warm.

"You really need to take care of those feet," Shirley tells me, for the millionth time. He knows I hate it when he mentions them.

"Anyone who comes anywhere near with a callous file will be fought," I tell him as I twist my leg and move my foot around his face. They aren't pretty, ballet feet are never pretty but I did have my toes nails painted a bright pink.

"Ugh you're so gross," he made a face that had everyone laughed. "Though remember I know you're secrets," he told me.

"What secrets?" Di suddenly grins. She loves a good secret, or a mystery to figure out.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," I kick Shirley for good measure. "Don't you have a girlfriend to torture? I thought I heard an invitation since she's not going home for thanksgiving?"

"She is," Shirley nodded as he checked his phone.

"Wait Shirley has a girlfriend!" Di exclaimed so loudly that I grimaced at the sounds.

"I've had one all summer, not my fault you don't pay attention to things." Shirley shrugged.

"Wait that little pixie of a thing!"

"Her name is Arwyn, though she generally goes by Wynnie," Shirley said blushing slightly.

"My god, little brother was hooking up all summer and we thought she friend-zoned you!" Di said raising a hand too high five him.

Shirley went red and slightly uncomfortable. "I am not high-fiving you, because of that."

"Still can't even say it," Teased him. "Although remember no glove-no love."

"As if anyone would be stupid enough to do such a thing," Shirley said as he looked at me. I glare at him. Wanting to protest that I wasn't that stupid, that we did use protection. That we tried, and it obviously failed.

"What about you two?" I ask changing the subject. "Anyone special?"

"Nan had a date with Jerry, Faith's stepbrother," Di said for her sister who blushed.

"It wasn't a date," Nan replied quietly. "He just rescued me from a date gone wrong."

"And proceeded to spend the rest of the night with you, bought you ice cream and walked down the boardwalk with you?" Di told gave her twin a look. "If that is not a date, tell me what is?"

"Di dated a girl," Nan said trying to get back at her sister.

"You make it sound sordid," Di gave her twin a look. "So what I dated a chick? She was pretty and nice."

"I didn't realize you were gay," I said out loud.

"I'm not," Di said clarifying. "I just don't see the point in denying myself a chance at love based on sex or gender. "How about you dear little sister anyone we should know about?"

I shrugged. "Ballet takes up most of my life," I tell them and I hear Shirley snort.

"Oh our baby sister has turned this house upside down," he said with a grin.

The twins look at me with questions in their eyes. "I'm sure you'll hear about it later," I say as I pick up my phone trying to play it off like it was nothing major. It seems to work, if I was truly looked worried they would pick up on it.

Then again I was saved by Joy coming through the front door with her husband and two step-sons.

"Little twins!" Di shrieked as she got up to greet the boys. Joy smiled at me as she takes off her shoes.

"Auntie Di!" The boys exclaimed. I look around the room to see that Nan was analyzing me with her curious gaze. I took further into myself and hide my face in my phone. The only person who would be missing today would be Walter.

Joy comes to set down beside me as she greets Nan and Di. Asking them about school and life in general. I fade away into the background ignoring the conversations around me until Joy nudges me and smiles.

I shrug at her and go back to my phone. Browsing random apps, until I hit messenger I sigh as I see the old message as I scroll down. I'm tempted for a moment to try again, but then I don't. I can't be rejected again.

I see Joy studying my face and I give a hesitant smile. Joy goes into the kitchen to where the other adults are cooking. Matt gives a look that tells me that Joy had told him. He smiles sympathetically at me settles down the twins and tells them to go say hello to my parents.

It was near dinner time when Jem finally showed up, with his girlfriend Faith West both lived together in Halifax. Jem working his way through medical school. While Faith is working through midwifery training. I was worried that she would be able to see through me. Notice all the small details everyone else would have missed.

I get up to hug Jem as he approached. He attempted to muse my hair and I duck away. He should know better than to mess with my hair, after all, we have almost the same hair with the exception he was possibly a touch lighter than mine. Jem was tall with curly red hair, more like moms than anyone else's in the family colour-wise. Copper stubble outlined his jawline in a way that made him seem older than twenty-five at times.

"Spider," Jem grinned at me. "Growing up are we?" He said unsure if I had been this tall at Easter when he had come home. I had been.

"Oh hush Jem, she's the same as last time," Faith scold him and then smiles at me and steps forward for a hug. "It's nice to see you again Rilla."

Faith was pretty with light golden brown hair and light golden eyes. She came up to Jem's shoulder and had the most delightful laugh I have ever heard. A laugh that I see Jem smile at whenever he hears it. They had met in high school, though Jem was a year older.

"You too," I reply as we hug. "How was the drive?"

"Oh it was fine, Jerry and Una drove in with us, we dropped them off at my parent's place. They'll be by later with Mom and John," Faith explained. "You must see Carl around the school?"

"Yeah, once in a while," I tell her. "Different grades though, so no classes together."

"Right! He's a year ahead of you in school," Faith remembers.

The Merediths were a blended family. Faith and Carl were siblings, their father left years before and their mother Rosemary was a single parent. Then one day a New Reverend came to town, his wife had passed away and he had two children. Jerry and Una, both had dark brown hair and striking blue eyes. Rosemary had offered to watch the children for him and as children they became inseparable. They had lived a few streets over from us, and we had run into the West's fairly often. Soon the Merediths joined the neighbourhood patrol of crazy kids. It came rather as a shock with the Reverend and Rosemary announced that they were going to be married. Joining the families giving up family another parental figure in their life.

"Rilla, you are not wearing that to dinner," I have Aunt Marilla say from the doorway of the kitchen.

I look down at my oversized hoodie and leggings, I was but I knew Aunt Marilla would not agree with my choices. "I was planning on changing later," I tell her.

"Yes, but we have company now," She said with her hands on her hips. "Let's go find you something nice to wear shall we?"

"What about the twins?" I object.

"They are not wearing leggings or hoodies," she tells me. I wanted to complain that it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet, but the big dinner was to be tonight. As Dad was on call Sunday and Monday. The house was full of people, it reminded me of when I was young when the majority of us were home. It was always loud and noisy. I look over their skinny jeans and nice sweaters and sigh. I follow Aunt Marilla up the stairs into my room as I watch her go through my closet. Which has more leotards than anything else in it, uniforms my life is about uniforms it seems.

Aunt Marilla flipped through my closet and choose a dress that was dark green with yellow flowers on it.

"Wear this," she said passing it to me before leaving me to change. I sigh as I did through my underwear drawer for a different style of bra and changed into the dress. Luckily the back had a panel of shirred elastic. Otherwise, there was a good chance it would never fit.

I wasn't even sure at this point how I was going to survive dinner. The smell of turkey cooking was already turning my sensitive stomach.

"Your father got you an appointment for Wednesday." I hear my mother say. "It's at 2:45 pm. Once you finish the third period, we'll head out."

I nod my head slowly as I sit down on my bed. "You aren't going to tell them are you?"

"Teen pregnancy is generally not a Thanksgiving dinner conversation," Mom tells me, her voice tense like she still doesn't want to talk about it at all. "Tell them if you wish to tonight, but it's your news to tell." With that, she leaves my room.

I sigh as I fluff up my hair and try to put on a fake him but it only makes me look sadder. Resting bitch face it is for today, I tell myself sarcastically.

I find myself back downstairs hiding away on my phone. In my own little corner away from the commotion of others playing video games. Away from the trays of treats that called out to me but I kept reframing from having. I load the Facebook app, I find myself more and more curious about Facebook. I wouldn't call it stalking, but there was only one person I ever crept.

There, connected to Walter's on my timeline was Ken. Grinning like a Cheshire Cat, in a group photo where some girl had her arms around him kissing his cheek.

Bile rose into my throat and tears burned behind my eyes.

"Excuse me," I gasp as I push myself out of the chair back racing for the nearest washroom which was at the back of the house.

Di follows me without a word as she hands me a glass of water. "Are you not feeling well?" She asked.

I sigh and sit down on the side of the tub taking a moment to collect myself before Jem popped his head in.

"You don't seem to have a fever," he said feeling my forehead.

"I'm fine," I brush him off trying to stand up and get away from their crowding. My quick movements made my head spin as my stomach still churned as I stumbled. Jem's hand shot out to steady me. I sat down on the edge of the tub, my shoulders slumped forward, my arm wrapping around my stomach.

"You're not fine," Faith spoke in a quiet voice as she steadied me.

"Please," I say weakly. "It was the smell of the turkey, nothing more. Smells get to me lately." I try to explain. Faith watches me and takes a step back and nods her head, Faiths known me for ages. I can feel her gaze she takes in my appearance. She's worked in the maternity ward, she sees pregnant women every day. My arm wrapped around my midsection almost protectively.

"Rilla," Faith says calmly as she gripped Jem's forearm. "Are you pregnant?"

My answer is to only cry for the second time this weekend.

My siblings beyond Shirley are stunned. Beyond stunned as they quietly all sat at the dinner table for dinner a little while later. Each wanting to ask something, know something. They don't as mom gives them a look of 'now is not the time'.

"Oh heavens sake it's not the end of the world," Aunt Marilla says breaking the silence. "Rilla is pregnant, now can we all just say it out loud and let the girl have a relatively normal Thanksgiving dinner ?" Aunt Marilla said out loud.

"She's doesn't even eat turkey," Shirley said. "How is her Thanksgiving dinner normal?"

"Oh hush you," she shakes her head at him.

I spent some time crying before I heard footsteps come up to my door. It was Nan who surprised me enough.

"How are you doing?" She asked as she sat on my bed.

"As well I can be at the moment," I told her wiping my nose on the pillow. "I'm an idiot I suppose," I say shrugging.

"Your not an idiot," said shakes her head. "A touch naive, spoiled and clearly mom and dad relaxed with you."

"I'm not naive, I knew exactly what I was doing," I say crossing my arms. "I just thought—I had been assured that we had been safe about it."

"If it was in his wallet, it's never safe," Nan told me looking around my small room. "So we going to lose our room?"

"I don't know, that's up to mom and dad I suppose?" I tell her honestly. "They found out on Wednesday so it not there has been much discussion about it?"

"So it's still fresh," Nan said. "How far along are you?" She asks me.

"Ten weeks? According to dad anyway when he asked when it happened?" I say quietly. "It was back in August, it was a stupid silly mistake."

"You were at the lighthouse party this summer weren't you?" Nan asked cautiously. I look up suddenly. "I had some friends there this summer. They kept talking about this purple-haired girl getting so drunk and making out with this dark-haired fellow. Enough to disappear with him for the night."

She reached out to touch my faded purple hair that was almost all the way washed out. My heart was racing thinking she was going to say his name out loud to tell mom and dad just what happened that night.

"They don't have photos do they?" I ask hesitantly.

Nan shook her head. "I don't think so."

I sigh and nod my head. The last thing I needed was photographers suddenly popping up with Ken and me together.

If you enjoy this, please let me know! I love to hear your thoughts about what's going on, and what going on with Ken haha!

Tina.