Chapter 1

Present day

"MOMMMYYYY!" A young boy howled while clinging to Astrid's leg. "I love you!"

"And I love you too Damian but Mommy has to go to class now," Astrid said as she tried to pry the four-year-old off her leg. The boy had such a tight grip on her pant leg that she was worried she'd have to rip it to be able to get out the door.

"Damian you don't want mommy to be late for class now do you?" A voice spoke from the kitchen. A black-haired woman came into view and raised an eyebrow at the scene. "Mommy is going to get her diploma so you guys can have a better life,"

"But I love mommy," The child murmured as he kept clinging.

"And mommy loves you too but if you want to live in a bigger house later on with your own room then mommy needs to go to school." The lady bent down to take the child in her arms. "Do you understand you little gremlin?"

"Yes Auntie Heather," The boy sulked but had let go of Astrid's leg.

"Thank you, Heather," Astrid sighed. "You don't know how much I appreciate you babysitting. You're like, the best neighbour one could ask for."

"It's no problem. You know I adore kids." Heather stated with a far-off smile. Astrid, who knew Heather's situation, said nothing. "You're a good mother, Astrid, even when times are tough. At least you're out there trying to earn your GED to make a better life for you and your son. I can respect that."

"I'll be back before 11. Whatever Damian says, he's had enough sugar for today. We stopped for some ice cream after I picked him up from preschool."

"So basically don't let his puppy dog eyes fool me. Gotcha girl." Heather laughed as Astrid grabbed her coat and left.

Astrid drove her beat-up dark green Toyota Corolla to the local Rec Center where her Night school classes were being held. Normally she'd be going to the local high school but three months ago most of the school became unusable due to a freak chemical spill and classes had to be relocated until the problem was solved. She still wondered what in Odin's name even happened as the news was very vague. The Rec Center parking lot was already crowded by the time Astrid got there but luckily a spot opened up near the front.

'Finally some good luck,' Astrid thought as she got out of her car.

Classes were mundane as ever and Astrid's eyelids were drooping as the teacher droned on about something or another in her Physics class which, happily enough, was the last one for the night.

"And so the heat flow… blah blah blah…. Adiabatic… blah blah blah," Astrid was zoning out as she listened to the lecture. She wondered when her mind stopped working. She knew she knew this five years ago. She had been in AP physics for Thor's sake before she had to drop out. Maybe it was the stress of her day job, the bills that had been piling up, or her brain just conveniently going ERROR 404 when she needed it most.

Class ended shortly after, and Astrid looked at the clock on the wall-Five past ten. If she hurried home she'd be able to get a full six hours sleep before she had to be up and about again. Getting Damian's school things ready, getting herself ready for work, and maybe being able to do some of the school assignments if her son wasn't fussy.

"Miss Hofferson a word," Astrid stopped mid-step at being called by the teacher. She turned around to see Mr. Alvin raking his hand through his somewhat groomed beard while looking at her.

"Yes?" Astrid asked confused.

"Is everything alright Ms Hofferson? You haven't been participating much in class."

"I'm just tired," Astrid answered unsure of where this was going.

"Ah, I remember you're a single mother right?" Alvin muttered. "The little tyke keeping you quite busy heh,"

"He does keep me on my toes," Astrid answered.

"Yes well, your grade has slipped from a B to a C recently which is concerning to me." He uttered.

"I can get it up. I'm fine," She uttered not wanting to divulge much more of her personal life.

"Yes yes, but ya know with little tykes it can be quite hard." Alvin continued. "That's why I was thinking of some extra credit."

"Extra credit?" she frowned when she asked this. Everyone knew Mr Alvin was never lenient with his students.

"Ya know," Alvin grinned as he said this. "You grease my wheels I grease yours,"

"..." Astrid was stunned in silence at the sheer audacity she had just heard. "EXCUSE ME?! I hope you're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting!"

"Miss Hofferson you're a smart little lady. I'm sure you get what I mean. You do me a couple of 'favours' and ya pass. No need to bother studying. More time with that kid of yours. Win-Win in my book,"

"You are disgusting!" Astrid expressed as her eyes narrowed. "Not only are you my teacher and old enough to be my father but you are married too!" She pointed at the wedding ring on the hand that had been stroking the beard while backing out of the room.

"Why don't ya take a bit to think about it little lady," Mr. Alvin grinned. "Don't forget ya need my class to get that diploma,"

Astrid bolted out of there and headed towards her parked car. She'd passed some other people coming out of night courses but ignored their presence as she got into her car, breathing heavily. 'The nerve of that slug-licking-hedgehog-bearded-leacher!' Her mind screamed as she started her car, put it in reverse, and was dead set on making it home and taking a cold shower.

She put the car in reverse and without looking backed out of her spot but stopped when she heard a thump. Her eyes widened when she saw a short man stare at her incredulously before shouting "HEY YOU JUST RAN OVER MY COUSIN!"

'Well crap…' Astrid's mind supplied as she dashed out of her car to see if the stranger was alright.

Four years ago

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T DO THE PROCEDURE?!" Astrid's mother screeched. Her daughter cringed as her mother had been sitting right next to her.

"Mrs. Hofferson, your daughter is already 24 weeks along. I'm sorry but an abortion at this stage isn't possible unless it's for medical complications." The doctor sitting across from them advised.

"Well, we ain't taking care of that slut's baby!" Another woman sitting next to her parents venomously chimed up. Astrid groaned. Why, for the love of Thor, did her parents and her boyfriend's parents insist on coming into the doctor's office together with their offspring? She looked over at the others, her boyfriend sat subdued, his parents angry with the most vocal being his mother.

"Oye lady! It takes two to tango!" Her own mother shot back. "Your son is just equally as responsible!"

"Hah! Your daughter just tried to babytrap my boy! It's for our money isn't it?!"

"I didn't even know I was pregnant until two weeks ago!" Astrid tried to defend herself. "And we always used protection!"

"I call bullshit! A woman knows within two weeks if she's pregnant!" The other retorted. "I should slap that scheming face of yours 'till it's black and blue."

"I will have to interject here," The doctor interrupted. "Miss Hofferson is quite right on certain aspects. It is very possible for a woman not to know she's pregnant until well over the 20-week mark. This is something we call a cryptic pregnancy. It's quite common. Also, condoms aren't a hundred percent effective."

"Then she should have been on the pill!" The other woman growled while shooting Astrid a very dirty look.

"Birth control made me depressed so I stopped taking it but your son and I were always careful." Astrid tried to explain.

"Well if this baby is going to be born we are going to do this the right way." Her father spoke up as his brows furrowed. "The two will just have to get married."

"Not without a paternity test!" Her boyfriend's mother screeched now. "I don't trust your daughter to not have been fooling around. I still don't believe the baby is my son's!"

"We can do a prenatal paternity test," The doctor interjected again, already tired of these bickering people invading his office.

"And if your boy is the father then he's marrying Astrid. No ifs or buts." Astrid's father stated. "We will arrange for the wedding ceremony and once these two are married we'll support them financially for a certain amount of time."

"Yes it's better to have the wedding before the baby is born," Her mother stated. "Heaven knows what the rest of the town is going to think if that child is born out of wedlock. We have our reputations to think about too,"

"It's always your reputation!" Astrid uttered disdainfully.

"I will not have a bastard grandchild!" Her mother declared. "This is a small town. Do you think the news hasn't spread yet?! I will not have a skank for a daughter!"

"MOM!" Astrid was appalled by what her own mother had called her.