Learning to Live, Again

Chapter Twenty-four

Addaline

She sat in the waiting room at Grady Malone Hospital; it was a three hours drive from her house, but if she wanted to be secretive about this, then she wasn't allowed to let the long drive bother her. Her heart beat fast in her chest as she waited for the doctor to call her in. She'd made an appointment and this place was so small that she wouldn't have to worry about sitting here for an hour or more after her initial appointment.

"Ms. Livingston, good to see you."

She stood up, a shy smile on her face. "Hello Dr. Belle. It's good to see you." She wrung her hands in front of her, appearing nervous. Lucky for Addaline, she looked young enough to pass for seventeen, even if it was just barely. This clinic specialized in young, unwed teen mothers, and as far as Dr. Belle knew, that's what she was. She had her blonde hair pulled into two pigtails, and the only make up she wore was a little bit of concealer to hide some of her wrinkles.

"How's the baby?"

Addaline shrugged, laughing a little. "You tell me; it's my first one."

Dr. Belle put a hand on the small of her back, nodding. "Yes, of course." They walked into his small office, and he led her to the table. "Now, lay back and let's take a look at the little one."

Addaline leaned back and closed her eyes. "Remember, this is going to be cold," he warned her as he spread the gel on her belly. It really wasn't that cold, but Addaline didn't tell him other wise; there was no point.

He set the monitor on her stomach and began moving it around on her stomach. The 3-D image showed up on the screen, and Addaline could feel the air get caught in her chest. 

Dr. Belle laughed a little, a picture of surprise on his face. "Well, well, well, would you looky there? First time mom and you're having twins. Congratulations Miss." Addaline could see the two little super skinny, alien-like babies suspended in her uterus. She couldn't believe it. Her second pregnancy and she was having twins again? What were the odds!

"What are they?" 

"Pardon?"

She cleared her throat, and took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Sorry; I mean, what sex are they?"

Dr. Belle looked at the image again. "Well, you can't tell yet. You look about 12 weeks along, so you have about another 4 weeks before I can tell you the sex of them."

Addaline sighed. "Three months? Already? It's not too late is it?"

Dr. Belle raised an eyebrow. "Too late for what, ma'am?"

"To abort them. I mean, isn't the limit  24 weeks or something?"

The doctor stood up and began putting away the equipment. His face was turning red, and Addaline could tell he was trying to restrain himself. "I'm sorry, but we are pro-life here. If you want to be an accomplice to murder, then please find a different clinic." 

Addaline stood up and wiped the gel off her stomach. "Can you recommend me to one?"

He shook his head angry. "No; I cannot. Now, if you would be so kind as to leave, I have other appointments." 

She pulled her shirt down. "Of course, doctor. I'm sorry for upsetting you. I just- I don't know how I'm going to afford to raise these babies. My mother kicked me out of her house, I don't know any of my family, and the father beats me."

"You should have thought of that before you had sex. Good day."

Dr. Belle walked away without another glance, and all Addaline could do was mutter, "What an ass," to herself as she walked out. 

She walked to the car and slid into the driver's seat. "Twins, again," she sighed. Resting her head on the steering wheel, she thought about the different places she could go to try to find someone to abort the fetuses inside her.

Just as she was about to leave the parking lot, her phone rang. She answered it without looking at the caller. "Addaline? Where are you? No wait, don't answer. At the prenatal clinic you've been going to behind my back." It was Corbin, and Addaline could feel her stomach dropping in horror. How did he know?

"I can't believe you would do this to me."

"We're having twins," Addaline blurted out, unable to stop herself.

"What? We haven't had sex since before the girls were born."

Corbin began to say more, his voice becoming louder and angrier, but Addaline cut him off. "No; really. They're ours. I promise. Remember that night 12 weeks ago when you were so extremely tired, but I wanted to have sex?"

He was silent for so long Addaline feared he had hung up, and just as she started to ask if he was there, Corbin's voice came through the line. "I faintly remember that."

Addaline nodded, her voice desperate. "Well, we started to have sex, remember?"

"Yes," he drew out the word slowly.

"I don't know how awake you actually were, but you forgot a condom, and you were so tired. You reached your climax and then rolled off me passed out."

She could hear Corbin taking slow breaths. "I don't fully remember that, but I was so tired that I will give you the benefit of the doubt. That could have happened. I'm not entirely falling for this though. Expect a paternity test when the baby's born."

Addaline nodded. "I promise they're yours."

"They?"

Addaline laughed a little, tears in her eyes. "Yea; we're having twins again."

Corbin blew out air. "Wow; twins again. That's nuts." They both were silent for a few minutes, each thinking their own thoughts before Corbin spoke up again. "So, how are they? Did you see the gender? How far along are you?"

Leaning back in the seat, Addaline smiled. Corbin was still wrapped around her little finger. He was too stupid and insecure to actually entertain the thought that she might of slept with someone else. "They're great. They're about 12 weeks along, and we can check the gender in another four weeks."

They talked for a few more minutes, but Corbin had to get to work soon, so they said goodbye.

Addaline sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. There was a small (molecular-sized) chance that the twins were Corbin's. Her heart beat dangerously fast in her chest as she thought of who the most likely candidate for the father of her children was. 

All she could do was hope that her new children were Corbin's, and pray that he wasn't smart enough to do a paternity test on the girls.

~~~~~

Happy Holidays Readers!

I'm not a Christmas fan, but Merry Christmas to those of you that are. Happy Hanukkah for my Jewish readers. Umm... I apologize, but I don't really know any other religious holidays this month, so I guess I'll just say Happy Holidays to everyone else! (:

Here is that chapter that I have been promising you all for about a month or more now, I think. It's not all that good, but I hope you all like it anyway. Please, feel free to comment and leave your thoughts and feedback. 

I hope you guys don't mind that it's in Addie's POV, and I promise to get back to Caleb. I just remembered I've left him at gunpoint for about a month or more now. haha Talk about a cliff hanger. (; 

Anyway, I hope you all have/had a wonderful day.

Blessed Be!

Jax Nicoles