Sister, Sister¹

Hidden Pregnancy

Ivy puts some noodles on two plates and sets them in front of the twins before getting plates of chicken and mashed potatoes ready for her and Jackson, "Jackson Avery! Get your butt down here for dinner!"

Christopher laughs, "Yeah daddy! Dinner!"

As Jackson joins them in the dining room, Alexus giggles, "Daddy!"

"Yes, I'm here," he kisses the top of the twins heads before giving Ivy a kiss and sitting down to eat.

"I swear, you take longer to get ready than I do. Who are you submitting for the grant?" Ivy asks, sitting down.

"I don't know yet. They are all pretty good choices, who are you submitting?" He questions, picking up some food that Christopher spilled.

She thinks, "Probably Wilson or Edwards. I mean, Blake has so much more she needs to learn before that grant. Edwards is already at the top of her game and that grant would push her over and Wilson just needs to be in a place where her personal life isn't getting in the way of her professional."

Jackson laughs, "Of course you've thought this all out."

"Duh. Now, eat your chicken or it'll go cold."

○○○○

Looking through her tablet, Ivy says, "So, you are 14. Um...are your parents here? Who brought you?"

"I took the bus. Is this gonna take long? I have to get back for my history test," the young girl tells her.

"Well, it just kind of sounds like a cold."

She coughs, "I-I know, but it's just-m-my stomach just hurts when I cough...or sneeze...or move sometimes."

Ivy nods, "Okay. Let's take a look. Can you lean back? Can you lift up your shirt for me?"

Unzipping her hoodie, the girl tells Ivy, "Also, I-I'm pregnant."

"Okay, you buried the lead there. Un, page O.B.," Ivy says to the nurse.

○○○○

Ivy asks, "How long have you been feeling pain?"

"Since, like, six am," she tells her.

"Whos your doctor?"

"You?"

Stopping, Ivy questions, "Have you been getting any prenatal care at all?"

Sinking into the bed, she spots someone and immediately moves to cover her stomach, "Oh, my God! That's my mom. What is she doing here? You called her?!"

Ivy shakes her head, "No. No, I didn't, but-"

"She can't know. She doesn't know I'm pregnant. You can't tell her. Please!" Jenny pleads.

"I won't. I promise I won't," Ivy pulls the curtain shut, "Jenny, um, I can help you talk to your mom."

She argues, "No, you can't. She'll freak."

Ivy reasons, "You're six months pregnant. She's gonna find out soon. Why not tell her so that she can help you?"

Jenny explains, "Because this is not what we do. That's what she says any time I forget to do the dishes or get a B. This is not what we do, Jenny. I'm not supposed to even have a boyfriend, so this would-" She coughs, "Ow."