Eating For Two

Chapter 3.

Dinner time came and went, but Lucy couldn't bring herself to eat. She lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as her mother's angry footsteps echoed through the house. The events of the day replayed themselves in her mind like a broken record, each memory sending another wave of guilt and despair crashing over her. *Why won't she listen to me?* Lucy thought miserably.

Zoe knocked on the door, her voice soft but firm. "Lucy, honey, you need to eat something." Lucy rolled over, facing away from the door. "I'm not hungry," she muttered, her voice thick with emotion. Zoe sighed, the sigh heavy with worry. "Please, Lucy. We need to talk about this." But Lucy just shook her head, burrowing deeper into her pillow. She couldn't handle another lecture, not right now. "Just leave me alone," she whispered. After a moment of hesitation, Zoe's footsteps retreated down the hallway. Lucy closed her eyes and let sleep claim her, hoping that tomorrow would bring answers - or at least some relief from the turmoil that had taken over her life.

Lucy woke up to the sound of her mother's voice, her tone sharp and unyielding. Groggily, she sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Zoe stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and her face set in a stern expression. "We're not ignoring this any longer! Just because you've been expelled doesn't mean you get to laze around all day," she said, her words clipped. Lucy felt a twinge of anger - it wasn't like she wanted this. "you're coming to the station with me," Zoe continued, "You can't be trusted anymore. If I have to treat you like a little girl, I will."

Lucy opened her mouth to protest, but the words died on her lips. Instead of arguing, she simply nodded. "Okay," she mumbled, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She knew it was pointless to try and explain - her mother wouldn't listen until she was ready.

Lucy trudged to her closet, pulling out a baggy hoodie and a pair of leggings. She didn't want to face anyone today, not even her own reflection. But as she slipped on the clothes, she couldn't help but glance at herself in the mirror. Her stomach was definitely bigger. Panic flared in her chest, and she quickly turned away, pulling the hoodie down as far as it would go. She couldn't think about that right now. She followed Zoe to the car in silence, her thoughts swirling like a storm inside her head. As they drove through the quiet streets, Lucy stared out the window, lost in thought. She couldn't shake the feeling that her life was spiraling out of control, and she didn't know how to make it stop.

Once they arrived at the police station, Zoe led Lucy straight to her office. The room was big, filled with stacks of papers and files. Lucy sat down on the couch, feeling like a child being scolded. She watched as Zoe moved behind her desk, firing up her computer and beginning to sort through the mountain of work waiting for her. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately, Lucy," Zoe said without looking up, "But this isn't the daughter I know. This...this reckless behaviour has to stop." Lucy flinched at her mother's words, feeling like she was being stabbed in the heart.

She wanted to tell Zoe everything - about the changes in her body, the strange cravings, the emotions she couldn't control, the nausea - but she didn't know where to start. So she just sat there, feeling small and insignificant under her mother's disapproving gaze. Zoe sighed heavily, rubbing at her temples. "Look, I have a lot of work to do. Just...stay out of trouble, okay?" Lucy nodded mutely, hugging her knees to her chest. She knew she had messed up, but she couldn't help feeling like her mother was punishing her for something that wasn't entirely her fault.

Lucy couldn't take it anymore. She felt that familiar feeling of bile rising up her throat. "I need to use the bathroom," she mumbled, getting up from the couch. Zoe barely looked up from her work, giving her a distracted wave of approval. "Make it quick," she said. Lucy hurried down the hall, her heart pounding in her chest. She pushed open the door to the ladies' restroom and rushed into the first cubicle, slamming it shut behind her.

Once inside, she leaned over the toilet and retched, her stomach heaving violently. It was happening again - the morning sickness that had been plaguing her for weeks now. She had hoped it would go away, but it only seemed to be getting worse. *This isn't fair*, Lucy thought miserably, tears streaming down her face. *Why me? Why now?* She knew she couldn't keep hiding this forever, but she wasn't ready to face the truth just yet. So she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself, and wiped away her tears. She splashed some cold water on her face and took a few moments to compose herself.

As Lucy stumbled out of the cubicle, her face pale and her eyes red-rimmed, she found herself face-to-face with Angela. Angela looked at her expectantly, a frown etched across her face. "Lucy, are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

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