Baby Pogue // JJ Maybank

23. the meeting

Avie wore a loose fitting, white t-shirt with jeans as she looked in her mirror hanging on the back of her bedroom door.

She turned to the side and ran her hand down her shirt to see her bump fit the curves of the fabric. She smiled sadly as she thought of what she looked like. It was starting to get to her. If she didn't wear loose clothes or sweatshirts, her bump was obvious at this point. It was embarrassing to her.

She let her belly go which hid underneath her t-shirt and slipped on flip flops as she grabbed her backpack off the floor.

"Avery, you ready? Bus will be here soon!" Amelia called from behind her door after knocking gently.

Avie pulled the door opened, "Yeah." She breathed out.

Amelia smiled, "You look beautiful."

"Thanks, Mom." Avie walked out to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of prenatal vitamins from the cabinet and took her daily amount, "That family is coming here later for a meeting."

"Oh," Amelia seemed off, "okay, sweetheart. Will JJ be here, too?"

Avie shook her head and took a gulp of water.

Her mother sighed, "I hope it goes well." She didn't agree with her daughter because she could tell her heart was not fully in it the way it was when she originally agreed to keep the baby.

Avie nodded and looked down before pushing her hair out of her face.

"First day of senior year, kid?" Ashton shoved his sister as he walked out of his room in nothing but sweatpants.

Avie looked him up and down with a weird look on her face, "Yup.."

"Nice." Ashton dragged out his word, "Hid the bump?" He nodded towards her stomach.

Avie looked down then back to him, "I have to. I can't walk around with everyone knowing. That's embarrassing."

Ashton chuckled, "What's embarrassing is you even being pregnant in the first place."

"Ash, be nice." Amelia scolded her son.

Avie rolled her eyes and grabbed a bagel from a bag that sat on the counter.

"Not eatin' with your big bro this morning?" Ashton teased his sister.

"Don't have time. I'm eating on the bus." Avie put the bagel in a baggie and made her way to the door.

"Suit yourself. See you later, kid!" Ashton stretched his arms up and yawned.

Avie giggled, "Don't be home later, I have that family coming!"

"Oh, right." Ashton furrowed his eyebrows. He would rather Avie put the kid up for adoption to protect her future but he could tell in his sister's eyes that's not what she wanted. It made him feel sorry for her. He saw how she looked at those ultrasound photos.

"Yeah, so please, I'm begging you to stay out."

"Daylon will be here, Avery." Amelia butted in.

Avie threw her head back, "Shit, are you kidding me? He's going to ruin it."

"He'll stay in his room." Amelia told her and Ashton laughed.

"No he won't! He'll make sure it goes as bad as possible!" Avie looked at Amelia with wide eyes.

"Actually, that may help push the family to take the kid away from ours." Ashton laughed again.

Avie sighed, "I need to go; I can hear the bus down the street."