The C Word

Chapter Twenty-Four

Livy Marie softly knocked on Shailly's slightly opened door before entering. Shailly was desperately sobbing as she was laid out on her bed; still dressed in the gown that she wore to the Ball.

"What's wrong, Shai?" Livy Marie asked gently.

Still crying, Shailly choked out, "Go away!"

Ignoring her, Livy Marie walked closer to the bed and asked, "Are you upset that I'm leaving? Or are you upset about the fight that I'm about to have with the folks? I'm sure you heard me and mama arguing."

"You really are a bitch!" Shailly hissed as she sat up to face Livy Marie.

"Excuse me?" Livy Marie questioned taken aback.

"You always think everything is about you! Well, it's not! I'm so sick of you!" Her younger sister screamed with so much anger as mascara covered tears ran down her face.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Why the fuck are you attacking me? I didn't do shit to you!"

"You did a lot! You strolled back in here not trying to lift a finger to help out cause you bougie as fuck. Then you practically ignore Mandi for doing the same ass shit that you're about to do. But the worse part was you parading around town with Judd; looking like a damn fool!"

"You know what? Fuck everything else, let's talk about Judd. Mama told me about your little crush on Judd and how they shut that shit down. You've been hating all summer cause I got the guy that you wanted. Well too bad, grow up!"

"Fuck you, bitch! I didn't have a crush on Judd. We were together. As in a relationship and he was my first. I loved him and he loved me!" Shailly yelled.

"You jealous little bitch! How dare you make up lies about my man!" Livy Marie challenged her.

"He ain't your man. He's marrying Belle or are you still delusional?"

"I've never been delusional but I know everything will be fine once we talk about our future together. He promised me things and I know he wouldn't turn his back on me."

"You're bat shit crazy!"

"And you're just mad cause I had him and you didn't!"

"I had him before you did and he made me promises as well," Shailly informed her.

"Whatever. You're full of shit. Judd is mine!"

"Why? Cause you're​ older? Cause you're college educated? Why do you get to have everything, huh? You get everything else, I should be able to get Judd!" Shailly shouted at her.

Stepping back, Livy Marie was shocked to hear her little sister speaking to her so hatefully but was also stunned by her words.

"I don't know what you're talking about Shailly but you need to get over your little crush. No matter what, Judd will be with me in the end," Livy Marie explained as she lifted up her shirt to show Shailly the tattoo.

Shailly just stared at the tattoo with deep sadness before opening the drawer on her night stand and pulling out a small picture. She held it up and said, "I was carrying his child last year."

It was as if someone started squeezing the air out of Livy Marie. She felt hot and she could barely stand. She turned around and leaned over on Shailly's vanity to compose herself from seeing the ultrasound picture.

"We planned to keep the baby and to get married but after rumors came out about us, Judd got scared. Mama made such a fuss that I was freshly 18 and that he was 21 years old. Judd became afraid that they would think we started sleeping around when I was underage. To keep him protected, I got an abortion. No one knew outside of Judd," Shailly sadly explained.