Chapter three
Kono sat on the bed staring at the sonogram picture she and Adam had got a few days ago. It was her mum's birthday tomorrow and she hadn't got her anything yet. She couldn't decide if her mum would love to see a sonogram of her grandbaby or not. Kono knew her mum had always wanted grandchildren but she wasn't sure her mum wanted it so soon. Kono worried every day that if she ever had more children in the future, her parents would treat them differently to this baby. She groaned in frustration and ran to the bathroom, spewing up once again.
Nani woke the next morning and joined Ke'ano in the kitchen smiling as she hugged him and he wished her happy birthday.
"Happy Birthday darling"
"Thank you, ahh you got me two bunches of flowers?"
"Ahm, no I got you one, Kono and Adam got you the other" Ke'ano informed.
"Oh, are they up?"
"I found this left out for you, she's left a note saying they will be back later something about a job interview for Adam"
"Oh, that's good"
"I'm a little annoyed that she' not here for your birthday but I suppose she has a lot on her mind"
"Yeah" Nani smiled.
Nani went over to the flowers and smelt them, smiling as the scent wafted through her nose. She looked down at the box of masaladas, a tradition that Kono always brought them on her mother's birthday, plus an envelope. Nani opened it and found a note wrapped around a sonogram picture of her grandchild.
"Oh" Nani chocked as she actually looked at the photo.
"Is that a sonogram?" Ke'ano asked as he welled up also.
"Yeah…it's our grandbaby"
"What does the note say?"
Nani opened the note and read it aloud.
To mum,
Happy Birthday! I wasn't sure if you would want to see the sonogram but I thought if you have it you can choose if you want to keep it. I hope that you like it; I didn't really know what to get you this year. I know a grandchild is probably not what you want right now but hopefully you will fall in love when he or she gets here. I hope you have a good birthday, sorry I'm not here this morning but Adam got an interview and I wanted to support him. I will see you later.
Love you always
Kono xx
Nani wiped tears both from the picture and the note. She loved the picture but was upset that Kono thought she didn't love the baby. She realised Kono was dealing with a lot on her own and Nani hated herself for making Kono deal with it alone.
"She thinks we don't love the baby" Nani sighed.
"I think we need to talk to her" Ke'ano said.
"We really do"
Adam and Kono returned home an hour later. Adam looked positive but Kono looked a little off colour.
"Kono are you okay?" Ke'ano asked from the couch.
"Yeah…morning sickness" Kono mumbled quietly.
"I'll make you a ginger tea" Adam said quickly.
"How was the interview?" Ke'ano asked.
"Good, hopefully I get it"
"What was it for?"
"A paid internship at a law firm"
"Would you start when you finish school?" Ke'ano frowned.
"Erm possibly, or I will leave school" Adam informed.
"Oh"
Nani walked out of the bathroom and found Adam and Kono had returned home.
"Happy birthday mum" Kono mumbled softly.
Nani smiled a genuine smile and picked up the sonogram.
"I love it"
"Good" Kono smiled.
The atmosphere was awkward but at least there was some conversation.
"Were heading to auntie Mele and Uncle Kam's in an hour so be ready" Nani instructed.
Kono paled and felt sick. She hadn't faced the rest of her family, aside from Chin who clearly hated her. She had sent him a text the night before saying she loved him and was sorry but he hadn't replied.
"Do I have to go" Kono asked.
"Yes Kono" Nani said firmly but her eyes showed sympathy.
"Do they know?"
"Yes"
"Okay"
"Is there anything I can do while you're out?" Adam asked politely.
"You'll come with us" Nani stated.
"Oh I'm sure you don't want me there"
"You'll be there Adam; you're part of the family now"
Adam paled much like Kono, nervous to meet the family.
They arrived at Kono's aunt and uncles a while later, both Kono and Adam hovering behind her parents. Kono felt sicker as the door opened and her aunt and uncle looked at her immediately. She swallowed hard and followed her parents inside, her body shaking. Adam placed an arm round her waist to try and comfort her.
"Happy Birthday sister!" Mele cried happily.
"Thank you!"
"Can I get you a drink?" Kam asked as he and Ke'ano went to the kitchen.
Mele looked to Kono, the disappointment visible in her eyes too. Kono averted her gaze and shuffled on her feet. She didn't know how to deal with her family or anyone for that matter. Her parents may be letting her stay but she still didn't think they were happy about it and just because they let her stay didn't mean the rest of the family wanted her about. She felt tears sting her eyes at the awkward silence.
"I'm Adam" Adam offered hoping to break the silence.
Mele looked to Adam but gave him a small smile.
"Hi, I'm Mele"
"It's nice to meet you"
"How are you Kono?" Mele asked.
Kono peered through wet lashes.
"Okay" She muttered in embarrassment.
"Are you guys coming outside?" Kam asked as everyone followed.
Kono and Adam remained behind and Kono grabbed some water. They sat on the couch away from the adults. Kono felt embarrassed and didn't know what to say to anyone.
"You okay sweetheart?" Adam asked.
"I'm fine"
"I'm here for you"
"I know"
Chin's sisters Leia and Kyla came downstairs and saw Kono and Adam on the couch, no TV on just silence. They both saw the tears in Kono's eyes as she looked up at them. They were both disappointed and shocked but they adored Kono and didn't plan to be too harsh on her.
"Hey cuz"
"Hiya"
"Is this Adam?"
"Yeah"
"I'm Leia"
"Hi"
"I'm Kyla"
"You not sitting outside with the others?"
"Were fine here" Kono mumbled sadly.
"You can come sit with us outside?" Kyla suggested.
"It's okay, it's better this way"
"Sweetheart avoiding the family isn't the answer"
"I don't want to cause trouble" Kono sighed.
"Cuz…"
"It's fine" Kono stated firmly.
"No come sit with us" Leia persuaded.
Kono and Adam relented and joined the others but the tension was clear. After a while Kono began to feel sick, really sick. She hated that morning sickness lasted all day and she quickly jumped from her seat and mumbled something about the bathroom before rushing off. Kono ran upstairs and into the bathroom, just making it to the toilet in time as she vomited.
"Erghh" Kono moaned as she continued to be sick.
Chin heard someone rush up the stairs and the sudden sound of retching. He knew Nani and Ke'ano were coming round but wasn't sure Kono would show her face. He wandered to the bathroom to see who it was and felt awful seeing Kono spewing her guts, her skin pale and sticky.
"Cuz…"
Kono's head shot round and her eyes went wide as she heard Chin. It was the last person she expected to see and she wished she had closed the bathroom door.
"I'm fine" Kono muttered before turning back to the toilet.
"Do you need anything?" Chin asked but his tone was cold.
"No…thanks" Kono muttered not looking at him.
Chin turned around and left closing the door behind him. He felt bad but he was still angry and instead headed downstairs to greet his aunt and uncle. Kono just wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet. She cleaned up and went to the bathroom door. She locked it and slid down it sobbing uncontrollably at her situation, at the hate in everyone's eyes, the disappointment and anger. She didn't know what to do anymore, didn't know who to turn to. She knew she was to blame, knew she had messed up but she wished someone would be there for her and Adam.
Adam sat uncomfortably outside and wandered where Kono was. The tension had grown even more since Chin arrived at the table and Adam just wanted the ground to swallow him up.
"I might just go check on Kono" Adam muttered.
"She's sick" Chin informed coldly.
Adam stood quickly along with Kyla.
"Why didn't you say?" Kyla yelled at Chin.
"She's pregnant of course she's being sick" Chin sighed although part of him felt bad.
Adam and Kyla headed upstairs to the bathroom and knocked on the door hearing Kono crying.
"Babe open the door" Adam begged.
"Cuz come on"
Kono sighed but unlocked the door. Adam rushed in and held Kono in his arms, rocking her gently as she cried it out.
"Cuz what's wrong?" Kyla asked softly as she knelt down to Kono.
"I'm sorry" Kono sobbed
"Why cuz?"
"I messed up, everything's my fault and everyone hates me. It's so tense and awkward and mum and dad don't love the baby and it's my fault that my baby's grandparents won't love it and I have no money to look after a baby" Kono cried hysterically.
"Baby please stop crying" Adam begged.
"I'm so sorry…I just want to leave…I don't want to be here anymore!" Kono sobbed.
Kyla felt awful and wiped Kono's cheeks of tears.
"Cuz why would you leave?"
"Because no one want's me here" Kono sobbed. "I don't want to keep making everyone angry…if I go everyone will be okay again because I won't be here"
"Baby girl no one hates you…"
"Chin does! I text him that I loved him and I was sorry but he didn't reply"
Kyla sighed and stormed downstairs angrily. She headed to the garden and stared at her family.
"I know she messed up but seriously the girls upstairs crying hysterically thinking everyone hates her and blaming herself for everything! She wants to leave to make everyone happy, she think's no one wants her and that you hate her" Kyla said directing the last bit to Chin.
Nani felt terrible seeing her niece tell her what her baby girl was going through.
"She's also been suffering with sever morning sickness and hasn't seeked any help because she doesn't know who to talk to" Kyla added.
Nani stood up but Kyla made her sit back down.
"Let me talk to her, she doesn't want to ruin your birthday"
"Can you tell her to come down, will talk" Nani whispered sadly.
"Yeah"
Kyla managed to bring Kono and Adam down to the living room where everyone sat. Kono was scared but she wanted to talk. Nani grabbed Kono's hadn gently and tugged her down next to her with Adam on the other side of Kono.
"Ipo" Nani sighed.
"I'm sorry" Kono sobbed.
"You need to stop apologising cuz, you messed up but you're trying to do the right thing, you could have given up but you're not, stop feeling guilty" Kyla said backing Kono up.
"We need to talk darling"
"I don't want to make you mad"
"You won't, I'm sorry I've been a rubbish mum lately"
"You haven't"
"I should have been there for you"
"Darling no one hates you" Ke'ano added.
Kono glanced at Chin then looked down.
Ipo I love my grandbaby, so does your dad" Nani said.
"Really?"
"Yes, I'm sorry if I've made you feel otherwise"
"I'm just scared that you won't love this baby as much as any other children I have in the future"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because we don't talk much…I didn't expect you to be around much"
"Why would you think that?!"
"Because you're angry at me"
"Baby I'm disappointed but I will be there for this baby"
"I hate that I disappointed you" Kono sobbed.
Nani sighed and hugged Kono close for the first time in a while. Kono took the moment and crawled into Nani's lap hugging her close and crying.
"I've never stopped loving you keikei and I will always love you. I may be disappointed in your actions but we all make mistakes"
"Do you hate me?"
"No!"
"…"
"We all love you"
Kono looked at Chin sadly and had to try choked back a sob as she thought of how she had messed up everything with him.
"Chin I'm sorry" Kono cried.
Chin's eyes welled up and he shook his head feeling guilty as hell. He moved and grabbed Kono and pulled her from Nani to his own lap and held her close, just sitting with her and being there.
"I love you cuz" He whispered softly.