Ronnie

15

September 26th, 1986.

“Listen, Kirk, I know this isn't what you want to hear right now, but you needed to know,” Cliff said with his head down.
Kirk paced around the room, “How could you do this to me!?” He asked Cliff with tears in his eyes.
“Cassie,” he fell to his knees and took her hand.
“Please, please, tell me he's lying.”
She looked at Cliff, he couldn't face her.
“I-I, I'm sorry.”
Kirk wiped the tears from his wet eyes. He took something out of his back pocket. “No, Cassie. I'm sorry.”
Kirk pointed a gun at Cliff's head and pulled the trigger.

Suddenly, Cassie shot up from the bed. With her head sweating profusely and stomach twisting, she ran for the bathroom.
She fell to her knees and began to vomit in the toilet. The nausea seemed to last forever.
She pushed herself against the wall to catch her breath. Her wet head fell onto her knees as she pulled her legs closer to her, gasping for air.
Slowly, she pulled her drenched clothes from her sweaty body, while almost not having enough energy to stand up.
Her torso draped over the side of the bathtub as she turned on the water and pulled herself into the tub.
Cassie sat in the same position in the tub, knees pulled close and head down, while the shower head burst burning hot water onto her skull.
Cassie sat in her bathtub until the water turned cold, and she began to shiver.
She wrapped herself in a towel and stared at her image in the mirror. Her breasts were a bit swollen, which wasn't unusual when her cycle was about to begin.
She chalked the sickness up to be her horrible dream making her nervous.
She put on one of Cliff's shirts he left and a pair of loose denim shorts. She turned on the television and went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.
While getting the coffee ready, Cassie noticed something. Today was September, 26th. Her period was supposed to start days ago.
Panic started to set, nausea rose back up, and she threw up in her trash can.
Her mind began to spin, she could barely see straight. She held on to walls and furniture as she made her way to the couch.

When Cassie opened her eyes, she noticed how her settings had greatly differed.
The once bright, sunlit house she woke up in was now dim with the sun beginning to set.
“Fuck!” She hopped up and ran to the closest clock. 6:55
She had just about an hour to get ready and drive to work.
Cassie was in her car by 7:20, after she applied a bit of makeup and put her hair up, since she didn't have time to fix it nicely.
She sped to the Tadich Grill.
“Damn, Cas you look like shit.”
Cassie looked up to Melissa with a vexed attitude. “Thanks.”
Melissa chuckled, “Seriously though, are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I think I ate something bad, and it's messed with my stomach,” Cassie replied in a monotone voice, making sure not to make eye contact.
“If you say so.”
Cassie went on with her night waiting tables.
“Here are those drinks for you. Can I go ahead and take your order or do you need some more time?”
A wave of sickness washed over Cassie's body. Her breathing got heavy, and her head began to sweat.
“I'm so sorry, I'll be right back,” she pushed out in between breaths.
The guests at her table glanced strangely at one another.
She pushed the bathroom door open and slammed a stall door shut. Her hands grasped the sides of the stall as she gained her breath back. Her knees hit the repugnant tile floor and her head fell too close to the toilet seat as her breakfast fell into the commode.
The bathroom door swung open and the stall she was occupying started to shake.
“Are you okay!? Unlock the door, Cas.”
Cassie slid the metal lock open and Melissa stepped in.
Tears puddled in Cassie's eyes and flooded her flush cheeks.
“You're fine Cassie. Don't cry, it's okay,” Melissa rubbed Cassie's back, attempting to calm her distraught friend.
Melissa allowed Cassie a few minutes to let the tears out and relax.
She bent down to Cassie's level, “It's okay, Cas. What's wrong?” she whispered.
“I… might be pregnant.”
Melissa fell on her butt and let out a huff. “Shit.”
“Shit,” Cassie repeated.
“Have you missed your period?”
“Yeah, I'm about a week late.”
“Have you taken a test?”
“No.
I don't think I want to.”
Melissa slightly chuckled, “You know you have to.”
“I know,” Cassie whispered. “I just don't know what I'll do if I am.”
Melissa pushed herself to her feet and rubbed Cassie's back once more. “I'll be right back.”
A few minutes later, their manager was staring at Cassie sitting in the bathroom floor.
“Are you sure you can't keep working?” the manager asked while smacking her gum.
“I can if-”
“No. Seriously Jenny, look at her, she looks fucking terrible. No offense Cas,” Melissa spat out, shortly looking at her.
Their boss rolled her eyes, “Fine, but this is the last time. You've been out too much. Melissa, get back on the floor.”
“Cassie needs someone to take care of her. She has no one, her boyfriend is out of town.”
“Whatever. I have better things to do than argue with you two,” she blurted out and left the bathroom.
Melissa drove Cassie's car to the closest Walgreens to purchase a pregnancy test.
“Okay Cassie, I'll be right outside the door. Tell me if you need anything.”
Cassie nodded in agreement. She took her time opening the box and sliding the test out of its packaging. She slid off her clothes and relieved herself onto the piece of plastic that would decide her future.
She stood in front of her mirror and stared at her body. It didn't seem like she was looking at herself in the same perspective. Everything felt different.
For the first time in a long time, she was genuinely terrified.
The test made its way into her palm, and even quicker, her body made its way to the ground.
Melissa stormed into the bathroom to pickup Cassie's collapsed body.
“Cassie! Hey, talk to me please.” She brushed the hair out of Cassie's face.
Melissa wasn't strong enough to carefully put Cassie in her room while she was limp, so she sat her up right against the bathtub.
As she caught her breath, she noticed the test on the floor. She kicked at it, pulling it closer to herself.
She let out a short chuckle and shook her head as she let the test fall out of her hand.