The Family LIES

July 15 1997

My birthday was last week and I'm 16 now. 16 and soon-to-be a mom. This  birthday was the worst day in all of my life.

My doctor is Dr Blake itself and he agreed to come and check up on me. He is a trusted friend and have promised not to tell anyone about my family's little secret.

I have gained some weight and I'm now entering my second trimester. Months go by faster and before I know it, I will have a sweet little creature on my arms.

Last week, before my birthday, I heard the news that Raina came back from the university. I hoped that Rose and Albuerto would be there too. But they weren't. Raina never came back to my house after I insulted her. But on my birthday, she came.

That was the loneliest birthday I ever had. I wasn't allowed to eat cake. My parents didn't wish me nor brought me a gift. Until the last year, my birthday was a grand event in the family. All my parent's friends would come. I would invite all my classmates and we would celebrate in the Manor. I received a lot of gifts during that time. I would share it with Lily. Even my cake was elegant and tasty. I never liked elegance but now I miss it.

I feel like a helpless girl captivated in a room. I had no cake to eat nor I received any gifts. The only person who came to see me was Dr Blake. He gave me medicines as a gift. My morning sickness have stopped. But he says that I'm still weak and needs to take care of my health.

Anyway after that Lily came back from school. She brought me a pair of earrings. I loved it. I love her.

During the night time, a car approached my house. It was the police chief's car. I could see it all from my room but I dared not step out of the room. Lily was with me but she decided to go downstairs to know why the cop arrived.

The police didn't come for official purpose, he came with his children. His youngest child was so young and was clinging on to his sister, Raina. They came to see me and celebrate my birthday. My parents were against it. My baby bump was clearly visible and anyone could see that I wasn't suffering from flu but from pregnancy.

But the police was adamant. He too was a close friend of my father and he said that something was amiss with the whole situation. Finally my father had to confide in him. My mother asked him to never say about that to anyone, which he agreed.

As for Raina, she decided to leave her brother with her father and decided to come and see me. She asked Lily to take her to me. Soon she was in my room. She was astonished to see me with a baby bump, but she soon got over it. She sat on my bed near to me. For a few minutes, neither of us talked, but then I asked the question that I was dying to ask. "How are the others?" At first she didn't understand who the others meant, but soon she realized whom I was referring to.

"I don't see both of them much. Whenever I see Rosette, she is with Patrick. They do go out to parties and all. As for Albuerto, he is really popular and last month he got selected to the soccer team." I was happy to hear that. I was so happy.

"So when are you going back?" My question made Raina really uncomfortable. But still she decided to answer it. "I am not going back Lily." I looked at her questioningly. She looked at me and Lily back and forth before resuming, "I have decided to drop out of college." It really made me feel bad. She got a great opportunity to study in one of the best universities and she decided to throw it out.

"Why?" Lily asked that question. "Well Dad can't take care of my brother. He is just a four year old and Dad have to be at the police station all day and even night. So it's pretty difficult to look after him. And...." I knew that there was something else bothering her, but she didn't say that. Instead she asked about me. The weirdest thing was she never asked me who the father was!

In the middle of our conversation, Lily was called downstairs by Edna and so she had to go leaving both of us alone. When Raina decided to go downstairs, I held her hand. "I'm sorry for what I said." She smiled and held my hands. "It's ok. You were angry then."

Before leaving she planted a kiss on my forehead and said, "I am going to come and see you everyday." I nodded and she left. I thought that she was just saying that to make me feel calm and loved, but she wasn't.

From the next day onwards, she started coming here everyday. Just like Lily, she too started bringing me things from the market without anyone noticing. She even brought me  a tin of grinded tea leaves that she brought when she was in the university. During the evening time, she mixes it on my green tea and it is really tasty. Right now, I feel like I'm not alone anymore. I still feel pathetic for saying things like that to Raina and Lily. They are the only good things in my life right now. And the baby. I am not sure if I should abandon it when it is born. I want to take care of it.

My parents have asked the school to give me a transfer certificate. I'm no longer in school. After the birth, I'm planning on taking the baby and going away to some where else where both myself and Albuerto could take care of the baby.

I know that I did a terrible mistake. I hurt my parents and my loved ones very much. But I believe that mistakes shouldn't be neglected, it should be rectified. So I'm going to take care of my baby and have the family I always wanted.