Dementophobia • tyler joseph •

thirty-five // the world keeps spinning on

December 14th, 2015

--Courtney's P.O.V--

"Mon amour, stop shaking, it's going to be fine," Pierre assured me, turning the steering wheel to the left, making the car turn into the hospital parking lot. "It's just an appointment to make sure everything is as it should be."

I leaned my head against the headrest on the passenger's side, releasing a sigh. "I know, I'm just so not ready for this. I'm not ready for all the check-ups and needles." I cringed at the thought.

Pierre parked the car before reaching over to squeeze my leg in support. "Listen to me, mon amour. I know that this situation is stressful and not the best, but we will get through it."

A throat cleared from the backseat. "It would be quite easier if you hadn't done it with a foreigner, Courtney," Ginger said, tapping away on her phone.

"Hey, I am just like forty-five minutes from the New York border!" Pierre protested, glancing back at my little sister.

"You are still a Canadian which means you are foreign. Plus, you speak fluent French."

"Speaking french does not automatically make you foreign!"

I chuckled at my little sister and boyfriend's arguing. It would almost be normal if we weren't sitting in a hospital parking lot.

Ginger was the only member of my family that knew I was going to have a baby. Her room was right next to the bathroom and she had heard me throwing up a few times. Eventually, she confronted me on the subject. I didn't tell her anything at first, but one day when she was leaving for a school I blurted it out.

I was at the top of my stairs about to come down when Ginger yelled up them.

"I'm leaving for school! Remember that I have drama practice after school today and mom said that you and Pierre need to pick me up!"

My mom and my siblings met Pierre the day after he flew in from Montreal. We told them that he was just visiting me for awhile because he couldn't deal with his family issues. Almost immediately, my mom offered to let him stay at our house as long as he slept in the guest room. He gladly accepted the offer and that same night we discussed how we were going to break the news to each person in my family. For Ginger, I said that I would just drop it in conversation.

That's exactly what I did.

"Okay—I'm pregnant—Have a good day at school, Ginger!"

Ginger was already halfway out the door when she registered my words. She slowly backed up and shut the door. I played stupid as I descended down the stairs.

"Did you forget something?"

"What did you just say, Courtney?"

"I said I was pregnant and have a good day at school."

And almost on cue, Pierre stepped out of the kitchen with a mug of coffee in his hand and no shirt on. "Surprise!"

The memory from a week and a half ago still made me smile. However, I was jolted out of my thoughts as Pierre pulled my door open, grinning at me. "Is mommy going to get out of the car anytime soon?"

I shrugged. "It depends if daddy will quit mocking me or not."

Ginger jumped in. "Do not say that word!"

A laugh erupted from Pierre's chest and I rolled my eyes, climbing out of the car. The car beeped as Pierre locked it and we started towards the entrance of the hospital. The baggy black Role Model sweatshirt that belonged to Pierre almost went down to my knees, but it was doing its purpose. I wasn't far enough along to start showing, but I liked being careful.