Fitting in

Chapter 14

   Brett stared at the little two year old running around her house and cringed, the child was covered in her breakfast and could barely walk yet alone run. She bumped into everything as she bobbled around the house, and would not shut her mouth. In the two hours since Brett’s sister, Barbie, and her child had arrived the, the kid had latched herself onto Brett. She would play with Brett’s hair as snot dripped down her nose, and would occasionally sneeze into the mass of gold and brown.

            Was this some sort of punishment for what she had wanted to do with Simon last night? Was someone implying that this would be her future?

            Disgusted, Brett wiped the kids nose once more, and decided there would have to be something on television to keep her from running around. She turned on the tube, and the first show that appeared was 16 and pregnant.

            Was this some sort of cruel joke?

            Brett watched the screen in fear as a teen argued with her boyfriend, begging him to do something to help her with the child. He wouldn’t even acknowledge her, and neither would the girl’s friends. Gulping Brett changed the channel to Dora, and the little tike was immediately intrigued. Walking into the kitchen Brett leaned on the counter and asked for a cup of orange juice.

            “You look pale dear, what is it?” Her mother asked taping the glass to the counter carefully. Brett glanced in the direction of the television room and her mother laughed.

            “Don’t know how to handle a two year old? Kimmie is actually a lot better than most. You would scream and scratch every time we tried to give you a bath, so we just never did. You were filthy for three week before we couldn’t bear the stench anymore.” She laughed noting to how dirty Kimmie was standing before the television giggling at Dora.

            “I can’t fathom why anyone would actually want to have a kid.” Brett said smiling at her mom, before telling her she was heading out to take a walk.

            Brett walked a few steps outside before she noticed another couple toting a crying toddler around. And then there was another trying to console a child who had hurt himself. Brett’s breathing began to pick up, and she didn’t want to see another baby again. When a runner with curly hair appeared out of nowhere, Brett screamed thinking he was Simon. The man looked at her funny as he ran by and she apologized telling him she thought he was someone else.

            What was she thinking last night? Was this really what she wanted her life to be reduced too, just another pregnant teen?

            Shaking, Brett walked back into the house, and wanted to call up Simon and tell her it was all a mistake.

            Barbie came down the stairs tired and slow. She was sporting another baby bump, and Brett ran to the kitchen, grabbed her phone, and hightailed it upstairs. Punching Simon’s number into the number pad, she waited impatiently for him to pick up. He didn’t.

            It was already starting! Like in the show where the boyfriend ignores his girlfriend and the baby, Simon was doing the same thing to her. She paced longer and called the phone again. He didn’t pick up. Brett looked down, and stared at her tummy. What if she was already pregnant just because she wanted sex? What would her parents say? She dialed one more time steeling herself for no answer. When she heard the phone click, she felt sick and relieved at the same time.

            “Hello?”

            “Yes, Hello? This is Brett.”

            “Oh, hey Brett!” he said cheerfully into the phone.