Part Four: The Pregnancy
"How long until you know you're pregnant?" Victoria asked when Becky was back in school three days later.
"Hard to say; Professor Tubing pointed out that it could be days." she said as she was walking with the friends that knew what she was talking about.
"If you feel anything, anything at all, let me know." Tobey stood by her side.
"Naturally, you guys are the first to know if anything went wrong. Another reason why I needed to tell all of you, with me sharing classes with most of you. I can let you know that's something wrong."
"Good plan." said Scoops.
"But let's hope that doesn't come to pass." Violet pointed out.
"I agree." said Becky.
"Becky!" TJ's voice shouted out, and she turned to see him coming and carrying a piece of moldy bread, "Check out Johnson's and my science project! We're bound to get an A!"
When she looked at it, the bread was really moldy and disgusting-looking. Then, a horrible smell filled her nostrils and nearly caused her to choke. However, it seemed no one was bothered by the smell and she suddenly felt nauseous. She made a dash for the nearest girls' bathroom.
"Do you think…?" Violet gestured.
"I bet it is!" Tobey went to the door and knocked, "Becky? Are you alright?"
But that was only answered by a gagging noise.
"Let us handle this." Victoria pushed him; aside with Violet and Eileen, she followed right behind her.
The girls found her leaning against a stall.
"Mom wasn't kidding…" she panted.
"Oh, Becky…" Violet leaned on her shoulders, "Should we take you to the nurse?"
"That would probably be a good idea…"
The three of them grabbed hold of her as they took her out and Tobey asked with worry,
"Are you hurt?"
"Dizzy, but not hurt." she replied.
"Sorry, sis. I guess this thing's a health hazard."
"You're darn right it is. Keep that thing away from her!" said Tobey.
"Oh, Tobes… it just means that the baby's on the way. I could smell it more than the rest of you."
"Is that a sign of pregnancy?" Scoops asked, "Having a high sense of smell?"
"And nausea."
"One thing's for sure, you need to lie down." Tobey held her hand.
"Next stop, nurse's office." said Victoria, moving them along.
In mere minutes, she laid on the clean white cot of the nurse's office. The Principal's office was next door and he was surprised to see Becky Botsford in the nurse's workplace.
"Never thought I would see you here, Miss Botsford. You're usually so healthy that you never missed a class or assignment, as you are in the top of your class."
She nervously chuckled, "First time for everything…"
"It is unusual," agreed the nurse, "never had I had to treat Becky Botsford. What could it be that's caused you to feel sick?"
"I threw up this morning in the bathroom."
"Nausea? Did you eat something wrong?"
"No, but she smelled something wrong…" Tobey whispered.
"Is there anything else?" the nurse asked.
"Now that I think about it… I did have a hard time waking up this morning and I didn't have the energy to do anything."
"Hmm…" the nurse went deep into thought, "The way you're describing things… it's almost as if… but that can't be right, can it?"
"What?" Becky questioned.
"Oh, it's nothing, a smart student like you would never…"
"Would never what, nurse?" said the Principal.
"As if you are experiencing a pregnancy."
"What?!" the friends pretending to be shocked.
"You're right. Miss Botsford would never consider such a thing." the Principal motioned, "A practical young lady, it's not like her, and you, Mr. McCallister, I understand from the student body that you are Rebecca's steady. You are also a smart young man. Such nonsense is unheard for you two."
"You're right, it is." said Becky.
"I rest my case."
"But I really am pregnant."
"Excuse me? I don't think I heard that right, but you said you are pregnant?"
"You heard right," said Tobey.
Both the Principal and Nurse looked back between the two.
"I'm carrying a baby for someone else." she explained.
They both gave out sighs of relief.
"Miss Botsford, please don't ever do that again. Now, you're not the first teenager to be pregnant in high school, mind you. But you are a brilliant student and have a bright future ahead of you. It would have been surprising that you didn't think things through and have a child in the middle of your prime."
"Believe me, sir; I know I should wait until I'm in a more stable environment to raise my child."
The nurse began to question, "As relieving it is that you're not having your own baby, but aren't you young to be a surrogate, too? I think the rule is you have to be twenty-one to be one."
Uh-oh… She saw Tobey giving her a nervous expression.
She quickly said, "I was, um, an exception." She knew that wasn't a lie.
"That's a pretty big exception, if you ask me. I think I better look into this." he said.
"No!" all of them said.
The adults gave the students confused looks, and Becky knew then she had to act.
"Well, I'm feeling much better now, so I better get to class." she headed for the door.
"Me, too!" Tobey followed right behind her.
"So do I!" said Victoria.
"Us, too!" both Violet and Scoops said and were out the door before the principal could say,
"Wait! We need to discuss this more!" but the door slammed by then.
"That was close!" said Victoria, "Too close!"
"Who knew our principal was that snoopy?" said Scoops.
"Great, now I have to avoid him for the whole nine months!"
"Maybe your mom can talk to him?" Violet suggested.
"At this point, I think that's the best option. My mom does have a way of talking to people without revealing too much information."
"It's our best shot…" said Tobey.
"Don't you mean my best shot?"
"Becky, ever since you made the choice and had the procedure, there's no such thing as me; only us."
"Tobey's right," Violet touched her shoulder, "we're all in this together."
"How lucky I am to have such wonderful friends and a sweeter boyfriend." she moved them into a group hug.
After dinner that night, Becky told Sally the predicament she had with the principal now. Her mother agreed that she would speak to him first thing in the morning. She went upstairs then to dial the speed number for Doc's cell; ever since the decision was made; they made sure that phone numbers were exchanged so she can update them on how the pregnancy was going.
Doc picked the call right away, "Hello?"
"Is Beatrice with you?" she asked.
"She is," he motioned for his wife to come over, "why? Did you need to talk to her?"
"Actually, it's for both of you, so put it on speaker."
In doing so, he said, "Okay, it's on."
"I just wanted to say… Congratulations! Your new baby's on the way!"
"Really?!" they both said in excitement.
"Yup, I experienced the first sign of pregnancy today."
"You did?!" they said again.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Nauseous, but okay, but it'll be worth it in the end."
"Word Girl, you are the best." said Beatrice.
"You don't have to keep saying that. It's a done deal: I'm officially pregnant and you two are going to be parents."
"We sure are…" Doc wiped a tear, "Now get plenty of rest and take it easy. Please let us know if anything else happens; we don't want to miss anything."
"You got it. See you soon."
"Bye!" the couple said and hung up. They faced toward each other and went into a tight embrace.
"It's really happening…" she said.
"You bet it is…"
"Ack! There's so much to do! We have to make a nursery, buy baby clothes, toys!"
"Easy, easy, we have plenty of time and I have a surprise for you…"
"What?"
He put his hands on her eyes and shouted out, "Okay, guys, bring it in!"
"You got it, Boss!" said the henchman as he and Charley carried in a cheese-like crib.
"And open!" he removed his hands.
She gasped in surprise, "Oh! It's so precious!"
"I didn't want to show it to you until we knew for sure, but thanks to Becky's conformation, we can enjoy this moment… and check out the mobile."
She did check and was touched to see redundant matches of pens; one was a ballpoint pen, the other was a fountain pen, and the last one was a gel pen, "Oh, Steve…"
"Hard to say who he'll take after…"
"Yeah… Wait… did you say 'he'?"
"Sure, it's bound to be a boy."
"Well, what if it's a girl?"
"Sweetie, trust me, it's going to be a boy."
"You won't be happy if it's a girl?!"
"No! Of course I'll be happy with a girl. I'm just saying that Steven Jr. is-"
"Steven Jr.?! You know if it is a boy, we are not naming him Steven Jr.!"
"Well, why not?! It's a good name!"
They continued on with their quarrel.
For the next couple of days that followed, Becky was exhausted and threw up in the bathroom. Sally knocked on the door.
"Becky! I got some more ginger ale for you!"
"Thanks!" she managed to say before gagging again.
Finally, she was able to rest on the couch drinking.
Her mother wrapped her arm around her shoulder, "You are being so good about this…"
"Now, I know why Doc was amazed I took the job. Thank you for trying to talk me out of it."
"As any mother should, but you are turning eighteen soon and graduating, so it's time to make your own choices in life. And since you were so set to do this, I couldn't refuse your decision."
"Good point. I now have to live up to the choices I make in life. This is the example, but I am still happy to do it."
"What you are doing is a wonderful thing; it's a good reason for you to be pregnant in the first place."
"Hmm… Say, I'm getting kind of hungry; do we have any cheddar?"
"Cheddar? I think so…" she went to the refrigerator and scouted out the block of cheddar cheese. She turned back to her daughter and asked, "How many pieces do you want?"
"Actually, could you bring the whole thing?"
"Uh… Sure?" She reluctantly gave it to her.
When it was placed in front of her, Becky lifted the whole thing up and starting chewing and eventually swallowed it all in one gulp.
"I'm still hungry for more."
"Oh, dear. I better go to the store then, because if this is what I think it is, then it's likely I'll need to buy the whole cheese aisle!" Sally grabbed her purse.
"You think its cravings?"
"Must be if you had swallowed that whole block of cheese, then it is likely that you'll want more and more. I'll be gone a while, so why don't you call one of your friends or Tobey to come over to keep you company? With Bob being with TJ and your dad out on a Botsford men outing, it would be a good idea should anything happen to you."
"At this point, I don't want to argue with you, not when another life's at stake. So, okay… I'll call someone over."
Sally gave a smile and kissed her head, knowing who she'll call the minute she'll walk out that door.
When her mom had gone, Becky dialed on the phone. It rung on the other line until there was a click and she said, "Tobey, get over here." In a second, the other line hung up and she could hear the sound of big metal feet in the distance getting closer.