Forced (1st book in The Forced Series)

Nineteen

Check out Three Days Grace, Human Race. It kinda goes with the whole book but this chapter more so.
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Nineteen

Hazel knew that her new symptoms could just mean that she wasn't eating well, however, she was weary of something else. So, as soon as she left the house, she went to an hospital.

For the better part of the morning, she sat waiting impatiently. There was nothing to do with her old Motorola phone besides play one boring game so she devoted her attention to making a pattern on her cast with a black pen.

When she was finally called, Hazel went into the room with a big Two printed on it. Soon after, a tall, lanky woman came into the room. She smiled at Hazel then settled down to business.

After the standard questions, and Hazel's responses, she asked the one question that Hazel didn't expect.

"When last did you have sex, Ms. Steel?"

Hazel blanched,"W-what would t-th-that have to do with this? I have diabetes and I just wanted to get my levels checked out." she explained calmly.

The doctor nodded doubtfully, but checked her sugar levels nonetheless. Not a minute later, the doctor said,"It's a tad high but this wouldn't cause l
all of the symptoms you just told me of. So back to my original question, is there a chance that you might be pregnant?"

The last word off the lady's lips swirled a thunderstorm in Hazel's already fuzzy head.

"W-what?" she stuttered.
"Take this, and I assume you know what to do."

Obediently, Hazel took the stick from the doctor and went into the bathroom. After mustering pee, that refused to come willingly, she wrapped the stick in a thick wad of tissue then went back out.

The minutes ticked by as Hazel gazed wide eyed, and perpetually frightened, at the stick that could define her life.

"Well..." the lady said, peering over at the pregnancy test.

"Well?" Hazel muttered, not having the strength to look at it properly.

"Ms. Steel-"

"Mrs." Hazel corrected.

"Well extend my congratulations to your husband. You are indeed pregnant."
.
The world seemed to pause around Hazel. Her eyes remained bulbs as she stared at nothing. All her fears and insecurities blocked her mind from forming any straight thoughts, while, as a copping mechanism, her nails digged into her palm.

Oblivious to Hazel's distress, the doctor stacked pamphlets on pregnancy and handed them to Hazel, writing out a prescription for vitamins and making an appointment to go see a specialist.

Hazel nodded at the lady then ambled to the elevator. It was getting crowded so she pressed herself into a corner. Once she got to the ground floor, she found an alley where she sank to the ground, allowing herself to cry some tears.

Her strength to walk didn't return to her until half an hour afterwards.

Brushing off her rear, she walked away to the park. Once there, she sat at the swings, gazing absentmindedly at the grass.

The sun was still pelting hot, increasing her dizziness so she sat still on the swings.

Before Flin Frank, Hazel had dreamt of having children. Of having a nice place to call home, with a loving good natured husband and possibly three golden children. That was before Violet hated her, and before she realized that humans were self serving. That nothing would ever please them. Before she tasted what persons had to do to feel human. The betrayals that came after, that too from her family and the man she loved, just reinforced her back bone to learn that people could, and would, never change. She had stopped expecting things out of life that day, five years prior. For Hazel, it was too late to expect anything.

Sucking in a deep breath, she got up from the swings, finding a small cafe. The waiter asked for her order but Hazel shook her head,"Just a bottle of water please."

Her shaking fingers dug out the pamphlets from the bag, eyes glazing over the pictures of happy parents with cute babies. But all of the families looked domesticated, nothing like the toned Van Steel. She couldn't imagine him being happy.

He'd probably call her a whore, or worse yet, throw her out.

Her hands clasped at her mouth to hold back sobs. The waitress came back over, her brows raised in concerned curiosity.

"Are you okay?"

Hazel nodded, taking the water but not opening it. Her stomach was in knots again. The prospect of putting something down there wasn't appealing.

After hours of staring at the pamphlets, and finally ordering the cafe special, Hazel left for the apartment.

It was late evening when she got back, cooked then retired to bed. It wasn't until much later that Van got home, smelling of alcohol and perfume. Her stomach rolled, however, he had the decency to wash it off.

In the middle of the night, when she hadn't yet fallen asleep, Hazel slipped out of bed, emptied her stomach then sat down at the windows staring down at the streets.

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