Is this living while we're young?

Chapter nine

Chapter 9

"Holy shit!" Kelsie scretched falling off my bed and landing on her butt. "Is it that bad?" I giggled. The short blue dress flowed around my knees, twisting back and forth as I spun. "No, it's not that. Just, it makes you look super pregnant." She explained. I sighed and turned my gaze downwards. My belly was indeed quite large. At 29 weeks, should I expect anything less. It's late December now, the 21st. Kelsie and I are picking out dresses for the Daycare's christmas fundraiser. I have yet to tell Harry about my current state, but I still talk to him. We don't skype every night like we used to, just phone calls every once and a while. With the new Take Me Home album out, their busy getting ready for next years tour. And it's not like we're dating or anything, still just good friends. "I still think I like the red one better." Kelsie commented. I nodded. "I like the red one too, but it fits a bit too tight in...areas.." She nodded her head. "Say no more. I got it. But this one is pretty too. It's simple, very you." "Okay okay, so I have my dress, now it's your turn." She sighed and rolled herself up off the floor and sulked to her room, I followed closely behind.

Christmas lights twinkled along the ceeling of the convention center ballroom, tabled spread across the floor dimly lit with candles, the small dance floor crowded with smiling couples and laughing children, on the stage was a jazz band playing blue christmas. Waiters in white button up shirts and black slacks busstled about the room carrying trays of food and drinks to awaiting guests. The christmas tree in the center of the room, 8 feet tall, and covered with homeade ornaments and colorful lights, the topper a bright star shining down, the festive skirt under the tree covered with donated presents for homeless children. Yes, this was certianly the best fundraiser I'd ever put together. Kelsie was on the dance floor with her date, dancing the night away and enjoying her time. I however, stood against the back wall, next to the kitchen entrance. Watching the beautiful night play out before me. I had gone unnoticed until a little girl named Lilly approached me. "Can you come dance with me Mrs.Tatum?" She asked sweetly extending her hand to me. I giggled and bent down to look her in her gorgous brown eyes. "I'd love to Lilly." Her smile widened as I took her hand and we walked to the dance floor. We held hands and twirled around the floor, her giggles were adorable and shrill, as she tried to sway to the beat of the slow song. The song neared it's end and Michelle, my hostest for the evening came on stage. "Good evening everyone, And welcome everyone to Amber Care's Christmas Galla. This is our second year holding this event, and we hope for many more to come. I hope you are all enjoying yourselves, and having a good time. And I am sorry to intterrupt the festivities but, I think I speak for all of us when I say. Our amazing founder Tatum Mori, should come up here and say a few words, and tell us all about this little event." She and everyone else in the room started clapping, and Lilly nudged me forward. Laughing, I made my way up the steps of the stage and Hugged Michelle, then taking the microphone. "Well Hi guys! Thank you all so much for coming. So as Michelle said, this is our second christmas galla, and hopefully not our last." I paused as a few claps sounded. "Now as most of you know, this event is held for the local homeless shelter on 6th street. Last summer the caretaker of that shelter, Michelle, came to me and asked if I could offer free daycare services for the childern at her shelter. Because the parents couldn't afford any place else. After a few months of planning, we had come up with a plan for my people to pick the children up to take them to school, from school, and then back home. And that is still going on today. But, when christmas rolled around, one of the homeless children was asking who santa was. I felt compelled to share the christmas story with her, and she became so excited for the 25th. Seeing her excitment, and how she told the other children about the wonders of christmas. I then called Michelle and asked her if there was a way we could et one present for each child at the shelter. She of course, one upped me and said why not ask for donations, so the kids can have the christmas of a lifetime. Which is how we came up ith this little idea, that after talking to city council turned into this larger then life event. Your money and present donations are what keeps those children smiling on christmas. And me personally, am very thankful for your donations and contributions." The crowd clapped and cheered. "Thank you. Now please, sit back, relax, dance, eat, enjoy the rest of your evening." I bowed and put the mircophone back on the stand and walked off, the erruption of clapping and cheering filling my ears.

While standing at the drink table a woman in a green dress holding a note pad approached me. "Hello, Miss.Mori. My name Is Katherine, and I work for the FortWorth Magizine. I was wondering if you could answer a few of my questions and possibly take a few pictures." I smiled and nodded. "That sounds fine. But for pictures could we stick to chest up, my belly isn't very appealing to business." She nodded in understanding. "I understand, not to worry, we might just use an older photo. So, what do you plan to do starting next year? Are you still going to run the care center, even with a newborn?" I laughed. "Considering it's a daycare, it shouldn't matter if I add my own child to the mix." "Of course. Now what about the park program? Are you still trying to save the firemans park?" "The fireman's park is the only park on my side of town, if it were destroyed, I would have to drive the children 5 miles across town just to play after school. If I can get 100 more signatures I can have the situation re-evaluated." "That's good news. Now a more personal question, if I may." "Sure." I smiled brightly. "What about the baby's father? Ypu haven't released that information to anyone, not even family. Why is it such a secret?" I sighed and chuckled. "Me having a baby isn't effecting my business, and frankly, it's none of my family's business. But the baby's father has asked me kindly to leave him out of the press, he is however planning on helping me take care of the baby in the future." "Are you and the father a couple?" "Not now at the moment. And not to be rude, but how is my personal gossip relevant to this fundraiser?" Katherine looked down at her notepad. "I think I have enough for the artical. Thank you for your time." "No problem, thank you for asking the questions." She turned away and walked towards the door. "Really?" I asked myself aloud. "Really what?" Kelsie asked walking up to me. "This girl named Katherine, she works with some magazine, she asked some questions,but they were all about me having a kid, only like 2 about the care center. It's annoying." Kelsie gave me this look, it was a cross between, You've got to be kidding me, and, Oh Shit! "What?" "You didn't tell her anything right? Because if you did there's a chance Harry will see the article and then have to read all about you being pregnant and not knowing if it's his kid, and if it is his kid he may freak out. I mean seriously girl do you ever use that amazing brain of yours!" She shouted at me. I facepalmed myself. "Shit, shit, shit. He's somewhere in europe, what are the chances of him reading FortWorth Mag, like one in a billion." "Yeah and what were the chances of you getting pregnant the first time you and Harry had sex?" I glarred at her, damn her for being right. "Shit." "Your screwed." "thanks." I rolled my eyes. "I have to figure this out." "Just deny it. If Harry does find out, just lie to him. Or maybe do the adult thing and fucking tell him." "I can't do that now! it'd be better for him to come to show next year and see a baby!" I fought back. "Whatever, just figure out your next move. You know he's going to skype you on christmas, so I'm saying you have until then to figure all this out." "Thanks for the help." She sighed and walked off. Great, 3 days. Three fucking days to figure out what to tell Harry.

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