If Snowflakes Could Jangle

Chapter 3

SIX WEEKS LATER

I woke to the smell of eggs being fried downstairs and before my eyes could adjust to the surroundings I was in, I felt the rush of nausea shooting up my stomach followed by a sudden urge to pee. I had made it to the bathroom in time for my stomach contents to empty.

"Ember, darling." I heard my mother call from downstairs.

"I made you some breakfast."

The smell growing closer made the feeling more intense and as my mother knocked on the door, I unloaded more from my guts.

"Oh sweetheart."

She burst through the door and came by my side, pushing my hair behind my ear.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know mom." I heaved.

"I think I might have eaten something dodgy."

She placed the palm of her hand on my forehead and then nodded.

"Mmm, it does feel like you've got a bit of a fever."

And then she reached for the hairbrush and started to brush my red hair.

"Let's get you cleaned up and back to bed" she insisted.

After a quick shower and soup to eat, mom stuck a thermometer in my mouth and tucked the edges of the duvet cover under the mattress tightly.

"Would you like a hot water bottle?"

"No thank you mom. I'll just lay here for a bit."

"Okay" she answered, eventually realizing that she had already done enough for me.

"Well, I'm off to the shop. I'll bring you back some chocolate" she smiled and softly kissed my cheek.

I knew she meant well but I was glad to be away from her. For the next few hours, I closed my eyes and made the most of the quiet.

***

It didn't feel like a long time before I opened them again to the sound of my mom returning from her shopping trip. I rubbed my eyes and then adjusted them to the light before stretching across to the cabinet beside my bed to retrieve my phone. Unlocking it, I checked the time.

'12.45'

I groaned and then pushed the covers off myself, slowly sitting up to make sure I wasn't still queasy and then standing.

"Hey, hey, hey! Where do you think you're going?" mom asked as she bumped into me on the way to my bedroom.

She was carrying a pharmacy bag in one hand and a sandwich in the other.

"I'm getting out of bed to sit in the living room because it's nearly one in the afternoon."

I grabbed the sandwich from her and tightened the straps from my dressing gown.

"Ember May Ambroson, come back her right now."

I stopped dead in my tracks, fearful of what she would do if I didn't. Mom never called me by my full name unless she was annoyed at me so I turned to face her.

"I bought you this."

She handed me the pharmacy bag. I opened it, looked inside and pulled out the rectangular shaped box.

'Pregnancy Test'

I held it further away from me. I don't know but I thought that that would help me deal with the repulsion I felt when I thought that my mother would think of me in that way.