CHAPTER FIVE

December 12th

16 weeks

"I don't know what you expected when you told me to put this stupid thing on, but I told you that it wasn't gonna fit over my belly," Cat said, struggling to get out of a sweater.

"I thought it would fit," Tori said. "It looked big enough!"

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No!"

"Are you gonna help me get out of this thing or just watch me fail at life altogether?"

Tori walked over to her and helped her pull it up and over her head before throwing it in a chair as Sikowitz walked into the classroom.

"What are you doing in here?" Sikowitz asked.

"I was having wardrobe issues," Cat muttered, pulling her shirt down and making her bump more prominent.

"Well get out, I have things to do."

"Wait. I needed to ask you something."

"What?"

"Is there something else I can do instead of being in the play this semester? I don't think it's a good idea to have a pregnant teenager in a play that's covering abstinence."

"We don't have anybody pregnant in the play."

Cat looked at him for a few seconds before placing her hand on her stomach. "Me. I'm pregnant."

"I thought you were just getting fat," he said, making Tori snort and cover her mouth.

"Well I'm not. But I don't think it's a good idea to be in the play, so could I do something behind the scenes?"

"You can do lighting."

"I electrocuted Jade the last time I did lighting."

"You can do props."

"I can't lift anything heavy."

"You can do wardrobe and makeup."

"I'm cool with that, I'm good at that stuff."

"Great, now get out."

Cat giggled as she picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. As she and Tori walked out of the room, she let out a small groan, resting her hand on her back.

"What? Are you okay?" Tori asked.

"Yeah, my back just hurts," Cat said. "I didn't think this would start happening until I was bigger."

"Well, you're big for you. You've never weighed this much or had to carry so much weight before, so it's taking a toll on your teeny tiny body."

"Yeah, but still. I just wish I wasn't in pain all the time."

"Well, you wouldn't be if -"

"If I wasn't pregnant, I know. Stop reminding me. Can't you just be my friend?"

"I am your friend."

"You don't act like it. You're always telling me I could do more things if I wasn't pregnant. I already know that, you can stop telling me."

"I'm sorry - but, you can't say it's not true."

"I'm not saying it isn't true!" Cat whined. "Being pregnant sucks, it's not fun. I know I messed up, okay? I know that. I didn't mean to get pregnant. You know what I wanted for my senior year? I just wanted to be a normal teenager. I don't get to be a normal teenager anymore. I don't get to participate in the last plays I'll ever get to participate in, I don't get to go to prom, I don't get to go to the end-of-the-year homecoming, I don't get to march with the band and play my flute at the homecoming. You know what I get to do instead of shouting 'go big blue'?"

"What?"

"I get to spend the time I should be having the time of my life and laughing and having fun with my friends, in a hospital, in a delivery room, crying and sweating and pushing a human being out of my vagina - that's what I get to fucking do," she said as her voice cracked.

"Cat... don't cry," Tori said, pulling her into a hug. "Don't cry, it's gonna be okay."

"No it's not! Everyone just tells me how bad I messed up, no one really cares about me or the baby."

"We care about both of you."

"You do not. You don't care about her, all you guys do is tell me I could be doing what I want if I wasn't pregnant. That's not caring about her, that's wishing she never happened."

Tori pulled away from the hug. "Caterina Valentine, just because we're telling you that you should have waited to have a baby does not mean that we don't care about her or love her. That little girl is going to be part of all of our lives, and we all love her already. We would never wish her not existing, we just wish you weren't going through this right now. We all know that it's not easy for you. We just want you to be a happy, comfortable teenager. We miss our Cat."

"Well, 'your Cat' is this Cat, and this Cat is having a baby whether you like it or not."

"None of us 'like' it, but we're going to help you get through it. We're here for you no matter what, Cat. When you have that baby, we'll be at the hospital waiting for her arrival and we'll be there to visit and give her lots of hugs and kisses and cuddles and love and presents. We're going to be here for you and for her."

"You will?"

"Absolutely."

"You have no idea how much that means to me, Tori..."

"I have a little bit of an idea," she said with a smile. "Now, let's go get that baby some food, she's probably starving."

"She is, and so is her momma."

"Stop laughing at me and help me up!" Cat whined.

Jade grabbed Cat's hand, helping her stand up from the ground. "It was funny."

"No it wasn't, what if the baby got hurt?" Tori asked.

"The baby's fine."

"How do you know that, are you inside of her vagina?"

"No, and neither is the baby."

"She's in my uterus," Cat said. "But you don't know if she's okay or not, what if I just gave her shaken baby syndrome or something?" she asked, running her hand over her stomach.

"She's fine, stop stressing," Jade said as they started walking down the hall to the exit.

"Probably, but we don't know for absolute sure."

"So, how's the job search going?" Tori asked.

"Ugh," Cat sighed. "Everywhere I go, they see my stomach and cut the interview short. I'm never gonna get a job at this point."

"I can always ask my dad if you'd be qualified to do the dispatching position at the police station."

"You have to be eighteen to work in law enforcement," Jade said. "And typically have a high school diploma, which she doesn't have yet."

"Well... maybe my mom can arrange something - are you allergic to any flowers?"

"Just dandelions," Cat said.

"Those are weeds," Jade rolled her eyes.

"Well then she'll be safe," Tori said. "I'll ask my mom about job opportunities, I'm sure she'd give you the job over someone else."

"Unless someone else is more qualified than an undergrad pregnant teenager."

"She loves Cat. She knows her situation, she'll do whatever she can to help. I'll talk to her when I get home today."

"Thank you," Cat said. "Seriously. I mean, even if there's nothing she can help me with, I appreciate the effort."

"If that doesn't work, I can ask my mom if there's anything at the hospital," Jade said.

"And what the heck am I supposed to do at a hospital? I'm too young to handle anything there."

"Candy striper."

"No hospital uses - hey, that's not a bad idea... Well, what if I'm able to do both? I can work after school at one, and work weekends at the other. Two jobs, double the money, better preparation for the baby."

"I've honestly never heard you say anything smarter."

Cat's brows furrowed. "I'm smart..."

"Yeah. Getting pregnant at sixteen is smart."

"Stop saying that!" she whined. "I hate it when you do that, stop making me feel bad!"

"You wouldn't -"

"Be in this situation if I wasn't pregnant, I know!"

"Jade, give her a break," Tori said. "Let's just go to my house, okay? We'll talk to my mom."

"Okay..."

"She's supposed to be making enchiladas tonight. Maybe you can stay for dinner."

"I'm all in for free food!"

"Thank you for letting me stay for dinner, Mrs. Vega," Cat said as she sat on the couch next to Tori.

"Anytime, Cat. We prefer you over Trina any day," Holly said.

"I'm right here!" Trina exclaimed, turning off the kitchen faucet.

"Mom, are you guys still looking for someone to fill in Shirley's place at the flower shop?" Tori asked.

"Yep," Holly said. "We'll be looking for a while, hardly anybody wants to work as a florist."

"Well, it's funny you mention that," she said. "Cat's having a baby."

"Yes... it's very noticeable."

"And she needs a job to start saving up for it."

"Uh huh... What's your question?"

"Would you be able to pull some strings and let her have the job?"

Holly smiled. "It's my shop, I can hire anybody I want."

"Then, if she wanted to work there, she'd have the job?"

"Absolutely, I just need a list of floral allergies to make sure she doesn't handle them."

"I'm only allergic to dandelions," Cat said.

"Those are weeds."

"We already went over that," Tori said. "So... she basically has the job?"

"Sure. I can always give you a trial run," Holly said. Come by tomorrow after school, I can give you the run down. You can start Monday."

Cat smiled. "Really?"

"Really."

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Vega, I swear I'll do my best," she said, hugging the woman.

"I know you will, kiddo. We'll talk maternity leave and all that later, let's see how you do with your first week, okay? Make sure it's alright with your mom first. If she thinks you should start a different day then we'll talk."

"Okay. She won't mind. But I'll talk to her," Cat said.

"Let me know. If you ladies will excuse me, I'm gonna go rewash the dishes Trina just messed up," Holly said as she got up from the couch.