Ethereal Love

Your're Pregnant... Aren't You

When they got to Nini's mother's house, Carol was stood on the doorstep, dressed in a nightgown and slippers, arms crossed over her chest as she watched them furiously. Nini sighed loudly as she slowly got out of the car and trudged up the drive towards her.

"Hey, mom." She greeted weakly. Carol glared at her.

"Nina Isabel Salazar-Roberts, what on Earth do you think you're playing at?" she growled. Nini opened her mouth to reply, but her mom spoke again before she could. "And you, Richard! I thought you were smarter than this!"

Ricky grimaced, looking down at the ground as he followed behind Nini like a frightened puppy.

"Mom, please, don't blame Ricky, it's my fault. I asked him to bring me here." Nini defended him. Carol switched her glare back to her daughter.

"And would you care to explain why?" she pushed. Nini sighed, nudging the gravel on the ground with her toe.

"I think maybe we should go inside... you need to sit down to hear this."

"Oh, Nini, what have  you done?" a look of horror settled on Carol's face and as she caught her daughter's guilty, frightened gaze she knew exactly what was wrong without being told. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" she whispered, afraid to say it aloud, as if somehow saying it loud made it more likely to be true.

Nini teared up, but nodded and held eye contact. Carol couldn't fight the look of surprise as she looked between the young couple, but she didn't look especially angry, for which Nini was grateful.

"Yeah, mom. I'm pregnant." Nini confirmed, shuddering. Carol stepped forward to wrap her arms around Nini and pull her close.

"It's going to be okay, baby." She murmured, which only served to make Nini promptly burst into tears.

"But what if it's not, mom?" she wailed, burying her head in her shoulder. "How can you say it's gonna be alright? There are so many things that could go wrong and even if they don't, I'm screwed because then I'll have a baby and I don't know what to do with a baby!"

"Shh, Nini, it's okay, calm down."

"Nini, come on. Your mom's right. You're going to be fine." Ricky cut in, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"I'm so scared, mommy." Nini choked out, and Carol's eyes watered as she stared down at her daughter. She hated seeing her like this; her usually happy, carefree little girl reduced to a sobbing wreck.

"Don't be, sweetie. We'll work this out. Come on inside, we have a lot to discuss and it's getting chilly out. Oh, and you'll need to call your momma D and tell her you're here and safe. She was so worried about you, Honey-  she was going to call the police and everything."

"I know, I'm sorry. I tried to text her but we had no service. I just... I couldn't tell her, not right away... but I had to get out of there because I knew she wouldn't let me leave without an explanation and I didn't want to lie to her. I know it was stupid and unfair to do what I did but I just... I needed you, mom." She sighed. Carol nodded, leading the two teenagers into the house and gesturing for them to take a seat on the small couch in the lounge room.

"I'll go make us all some hot cocoa. Cocoa always helps." She smiled and left the room. Ricky looked around awkwardly, but then he felt Nini's small hand on his knee and he turned to face her. She smiled and kissed him, pulling away after only a couple of seconds to lean her head on his shoulder and close her eyes.

"I'm exhausted, Ricky."

"It was a long drive."

"Yeah. But I feel kind of... drained. Physically and mentally. But I don't want to go to sleep, because if I do I might have nightmares." She looked torn, so he rubbed her back soothingly and pulled her closer to him to kiss the top of her head.