Broken Hearts

Chapter Four

Gabriella's POV

  My mom stood there with anger in her eyes. I looked down. I couldn't meet her horrified stare.

  "What!?"

  My eyes filled with tears as I slowly lifted my head up and my eyes met hers. Pure anger stung her eyes.

  She paced the room, shaking her head. "I knew that Bolton kid was bad news."

  I looked at her as tears dropped from my eyelids. "Don't talk about him like that!"

  She stopped. "Why didn't you use protection?"

  "I... I don't know... I guess we weren't thinking... But it was an accident, Mom, I swear!"

  She didn't meet my eyes. She walked out of the kitchen. My lips trembled and I put my head on the table, beginning to sob. What were we thinking? I'd been wondering that since I took the pregnancy test.

  Fifteen minutes later, my mom came out with a suitcase. She threw it down. "This is yours. I want you out of my house. I will not be helping you with that baby. You put this on yourself."

Tears still ran down my cheeks. "Mom, you know it was an accident. And ill have no one to help me. I just want Troy back!" I fell onto my knees and started to sob again. My mom just watched me. She shook her head and walked out of the room. I sniffled and stood up. I could hear my mom on the phone. Our phone was pretty loud, so you could usually tell who was on the other end. It didn't take me long to figure out it was Mrs. Bolton.

"Hello?" I heard Mrs. Bolton say.

"Lucille? Gabriella is pregnant."

  "What? That's... Wow."

  "Horrible, I know."

  "Oh, yes. What are you going to do?"

  "Kick her out of the house. I've just... I've had enough."

  "Smart, smart."

  Mrs Bolton isn't a very good actress. But it was enough to convince my mom. I jerked my head away and held back more tears. At least I tried. But they kept falling from my eyes. I ran out the door, carrying the suitcase.

  Five minutes later my phone rang. "Hello?"

  "Hey, Gabriella."

  "Mrs. Bolton?" I choked back tears.

  "Listen, I'm going to provide you a home. I know you're going though an awful time right now. I am too. I figured we need each other's company. And I can help you with the baby. It is my grandchild, after all." Her voice was quivery but so was mine.

  "Really? You don't have to do that for me. I'm sure I'll find somewhere to stay..." I was sure she could hear the doubt in my voice.

  "No. You need me. And I need you. You can head over here."

  "I can't thank you enough. But I don't understand why you're doing all this for me. Aren't you mad?"

  She didn't directly answer my question. Instead she said, "How old do you think I am, Gabriella? And how old... umm..." I could hear hear holding back tears, "How old do you think Jack was? Before he... you know."

  "I-I don't feel comfortable with asking that question. I'm sorry, Mrs. Bolton."

  "Gabriella, I'm thirty-five. And Jack was two years older than me. I've been in your situation. I understand you, Gabby. My mom did the same thing to me as yours did to you. But I had no one to help me through it. I don't want that to happen to you. And besides, I want to meet my grandchild."

  I smiled a little. It was the first smile that had come to my face since Troy died. It was barely even there, but it was still there. "Thank you," was all I could say.

  "You're welcome. You can come on over hear now. Good-bye, sweetheart."

  "Good-bye," I said and then hung up. I made my way to the Boltons' .... Mrs. Bolton's house. When I got there, I knocked on the door and as soon as Lucille opened the door I started to cry. She did too. We hugged each other as we cried. We cried for losing our mothers, we cried for the death of Troy, and she cried for the death of Jack. I cried because I didn't know if I'd be able to raise a child, but at least I'd have a little help. As dark as the future would be, staying with Mrs. Bolton would make it a little brighter.