Sara grimaced as they pulled up outside of the hospital. She was showing majorly now, it had come about quite suddenly.
Desert palms has never been so terrifying.
She forced herself to smile as Catherine turned off the ignition.
"You ready?"
"Yes." No.
"God help you if you ever commit murder, Sar, because you're a horrible liar." Catherine smiled. "It's not that bad. It's intimidating, but it's actually pretty cool when it comes down to it."
Sara smiled. "I suppose."
They got out of the car and walked up to the hospital, and with every step the fear in Sara's heart increased. She thought she might die before she even got to the door.
By the time they had gotten inside, Sara had worked herself up considerably. Automatically she wanted to run away, being way out of her comfort zone. She thought she might cry.
I damned well won't. I haven't cried in front of anyone since kindergarten.
But then she did, and it shocked her as much as anyone. And then Catherine took her hand and shushed her, like the mother she should have had. Everything was okay.
When the nurse finally came in, after half an hour of Sara freezing her ass off up on that chair with her belly exposed, she spread freezing cold jelly on her tummy. Now that Catherine could see Sara without the baggy clothes she'd taken to wearing, it was fairly obvious she was really pregnant.
Then there was the heartbeat, and the baby. It was the cutest black and white blob in the whole wide world, thought Sara.
My black and white blob.
For the second time that day, she was crying infront of a stranger. But this time she was laughing like she hadn't in years.
Maybe now everything can be okay.
She was still a little worried about becoming her parents, but there was a louder voice now.
I could never hurt my blob.
"Do you want to know the sex?" The nurse asked.
"Yeah, please."
"It's a girl, congratulations!" the nurse said.
"Can you tell how far along she is?" Catherine asked. Sara would have but she was still choking on her happy tears. Somehow she was relieved it was a girl.
"Sure, honey. She's 6 and a half months."
"6 and a half months?!" Catherine and Sara were practically in unison.
"Oh hang on, she's moving. Oh. Sara Sidle, you're having twins! Two little girls."
By the end of that half hour appointment, Sara was beaming, tears streaming down her face, carrying a picture of Blobs.
That's when tragedy struck.
A pregnant lady with a pushchair and 5 children saw Sara and Catherine, who were both wondering how on earth they'd cope with twins, and erupted into a volcano of self-righteousness.
"You disgust me! No sweetie, don't look, they're just filthy dykes. I hope you're putting that child up for adoption, because people like you can never bring up a child like a normal family!"
Catherine turned to react, but Sara stopped her. "This one's mine, Darling."
Sara smiled a saccharine smile at the woman. "I think we're a lesser threat to society than you, aren't we sweetie? And just so you know, this woman over here, as well as being the most supportive partner in the whole world, has raised a child to 11, and she's the best kid in the whole world. Unlike yours" She gestured to two under 10 year old kids fighting "But then, if you were less concerned about fighting evil like two women in love, then maybe you'd have remembered to be a mother first and a bigot second. Or at least you'd have remembered to use protection and hey! Then we wouldn't be here talking, would we? Maybe my parents shouldn't have been parents, because they were pretty awful, but you know what? I'm different. I can give my children a safe environment. My little girls-" she rubbed her belly "-will grow up knowing that they are loved no matter what. No matter who they love, or how they live, I will love them. How about yours? If one of your children grows up to be a lesbian, how will you react? Will you be there for her, or will you break her heart?"
The woman looked shell shocked for a moment, and Sara made the mistake of thinking it was over. She turned to walk away.
"I would kill her."
And that was too much. As she turned, Sara couldn't even see.
"You'd kill her would you? Hey, Cath, did you catch that? Call child services, because those children are no longer in a safe environment. You, ma'am, are not a very good parent. I however will be, no matter what. I am not my parents!"
Catherine didn't call child services, and the woman was backing away. But that was no use to Sara, who had bottled up all those emotions for all these years. It was full to capacity, and about to burst.
She collapsed, memories engulfed her.
Mommy, make it stop!
You're hurting me!
Daddy, you're hurting me!
'Daddy' doesn't have enough clients. What did you do, Sara? Did you scare them off, you little shit?
Laura, get me the rubber hose. Now, bitch!
Daddy! Please!
Sara? It's mommy. Are you okay?
Why don't you save me, mommy?
Because he'd hurt me too, Sara. He just drinks too much. He'll change.
You don't care about me at all.
Do you expect me too? I never even wanted you! You're just a kid that gets in the way!
Mommy!
What's going on in here, Laura? A little rendezvous without the man of the house? I've been thinking. I think Sara's old enough to pay for the food in her belly and the roof over her head. What do you think Laura?
Whatever you want, dear. I'll be in the front room.
Daddy, no! Get off of me!
You'll do what I say.
I won't! I won't!
You- fucking will!
Argh!
Mommy, my arm hurts.
What happened?
Daddy threw me at the wall because I didn't want to.
You should probably go to the hospital. You shouldn't have been climbing on the roof, should you?
No, mummy. I shouldn't have been climbing on the roof.
Hey, do you think they'll give you pain medication?
Catherine had managed to carry Sara to the car, after a nurse said she'd be fine. She was clearly somewhere else right now.
"Daddy! No!" She screamed from the back seat, where Catherine had sat her up and strapped her in. Her voice still sounded like her, but higher. Younger.
"Sara. You've been so strong for so long. Oh, Sara."