A New Way of Living

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Author's Note: I do not own West Side Story or any elements of it.

ONE WEEK LATER

Vivienne sat in the visitor centre, wringing her hands together and tapping her foot. She watched her own knee shake. 

She almost hadn't come. The nerves had overtaken her so badly that she had to sit on the bus for so long that the driver had to ask her to leave when they had reached Rikers.

Of course she was nervous. How could she not be? She wasn't sure what was more torturous, the task of actually having to get the words out, or not knowing what Riff's reaction would be when she told him what she'd come here to say. 

That she was pregnant with his baby. 

Just over two months along, according to the doctor. How she had been so blind to not notice made her angry with herself. She knew her body better than anyone. It was the ghost that had been with her for her whole life. Each scar, each dimple...and now it had betrayed her. 

She was pregnant.

The fact that the words even swirled around in her own head made her want to scream, just to get the shock out of her system.

She'd spent the last week sitting with it. She'd locked herself away, unable to face the Jets or the girls. How could she see anyone without spilling it out? And she didn't want anyone to know. At least, not yet before she'd even told Riff.

She had moved between her bed, her kitchen table, her couch, rotating through the motions all the while thinking about the thing supposedly now growing inside her. This other thing that had come at the worst time. 

Riff came out to meet her, his face spreading into a smile that warmed her. It was so unfair, that she needed him now more than ever, to tell her everything was going to be okay. And he felt so far away from her, despite being in arm's reach.

"When you said you'd be back soon, I didn't think you'd mean this soon," he quipped, sitting down in his chair. "What's up, baby?"

"Nothing," she quickly replied. "Just...missed you, is all."

"You don't gotta worry about comin' here so much," he added, reaching up and pressing the tips of his fingers against the fire between them. "...It's a long journey. Plus, this ain't a place you should be."

"I don't mind." She tried to search for something to say, anything to keep stalling for time. "...I think Ice was gonna write you. I think he's desperate for some Jet related advice."

"He's got it handled just fine," Riff shrugged. "...But I wouldn't mind hearin' from him. Gets lonely in here."

"I'll let him know."

Riff watched her, sensing that something was amiss.

"Hey," he breathed. "You alright? You look like you're somewhere else."

She forced a smile and nodded, perhaps too manically. 

"I'm fine just...hate seeing you in here."

"Well, I don't exactly wanna join the lifers club," he replied, glancing over his shoulder. "I can't wait to get back out again and for everythin' to get back to normal."

"Normal," she repeated.

"Yeah. Just everythin' back the way it was."

Vivienne bit down on her lip. Her knee started shaking again.

"Yeah. I mean, things might be a little different, Riff," she said, slowly. Carefully. "...After all, twelve months is a long time. Things are bound to change."