The Blooming Flower (on hold)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Allison thought she was seeing things. No, it had to be negative. She was just anticipating the worst, but when she looked at Todd, he looked as though he might faint. Then, she looked again and still saw that blue plus sign, which seemed to have become a brighter blue, almost blinding as if to emphasize the taunting truth.

"Well," said Doctor Lono. "It's official. Allison, you are pregnant."

"No," said Allison. "There has to be a mistake. Those things aren't always one hundred percent accurate, right?"

"Not all of them are, but this particular brand is," said Doctor Lono.

"Well, maybe I didn't do it right," said Allison, desperate to find a fault in the results of her pregnancy test."

"Well, did you wait three minutes?" Doctor Lono asked.

"Yes," said Allison.

"Well, then it's correct," said Doctor Lono.

Allison couldn't believe what was happening. She was going to be a mother. But how?

"No!" she cried. "It can't be! I'm on birth control, and I've been getting my period regularly!"

"Well, sometimes pregnant women have bleeding that can be mistaken for their period," said Doctor Lono. "It's called implantation bleeding."

Allison couldn't believe this. How could she be pregnant and not know it?

"I can transfer you over to the hospital," said Doctor Lono. "You need to have an ultrasound to determine how far along you are."

Allison was still trying to register it all. She was in denial. No way could she be pregnant. She and Todd always had safe sex and were extremely careful in making sure nothing happened.. They weren't ready to have a baby. They were still babies themselves.

"I'll be right back," said Doctor Lono. "I'm going to call the hospital to transfer you for an ultrasound."

"No!" Allison thought. "I don't need to have an ultrasound because I'm not pregnant!"

"This can't be happening," said Todd in disbelief. "I'm not ready to be a father!"

"And I'm ready to be a mother?!" Allison exclaimed. "I'm only eighteen!"

Allison began to feel dizzy and short of breath. She was going to be a mother. No, she couldn't be! She just couldn't! There had to be a mistake. After all, she was on birth control.

The doctor came back in. "Okay, it's all set. You have an appointment at Saint Maria's for an ultrasound."

Allison and Todd were still in shock of the news that they were going to be parents.

"Okay," said Allison. "Let's go."

Todd got up slowly,  shock still plastered on his face as Allison slowly slid down from the examining table, feeling like she would faint. They walked out of the examining room and down the hall.

"Good luck," said Doctor Lono.

As Allison and Todd walked slowly down the hall towards the elevator, Allison's heart pounded wildly. How was she going to take care of a baby? She was going to college in the fall and so was Todd! They didn't have the time or the knowledge! Neither of them knew the first thing about taking care of a child!

She began to come to the realization that there was no mistake. She had the symptoms and she took a very accurate pregnancy test. She couldn't fool herself into thinking there was a mistake. They were going to the hospital to get the ultrasound, and they were going to figure out what to do about the baby.