Love Journey

1. The Flashback

Troy Stevens
Our lives weren't as complicated as it is now, I go back to my room and crawl into bed staring at the ceiling. The rain beats down on the roof above me and my thoughts drift to my mother Lord please bring her back to me, I mentally beat myself up. I know this life wasn't at all in my mother's plan. Her plan was to live long and work with her husband as her son came back home from his 3 years of studying. I wish I could turn back time and fix all our problems. I stay up waiting and praying​ she would come back quickly.
18 years ago

Stacey Greene (Stevens)
I sit on the plane waiting to step out of the plane to greet my family, I can't face them, I can't tell them what I did. I stare at my stomach, still flat concealing what's beneath growing every moment of everyday. My thoughts shift between the discerning scowl of my father and that angelic smile which stole my heart, Jason Stevens. When I left Barbados on a track scholarship I was so pumped, ready to make my country proud and go all the way. I was clocking great times, until I pulled my hamstring and became very acquainted with the physical therapist's assistant. Jason Stevens. A flirtatious blue eyed guy, whose hands I didn't mind massaging my injury among other things.
I collect my bag and quickly leave the airport, there they are. My family. My father approaches my arms out stretched, my mother and sister quickly following,
"There's my baby girl!" he shouts, "I missed you",
"I missed you too daddy" I say muffled by his arm,
"Looka my beautiful girl child" my mother says joining our hug, this welcome didn't help with the news I had to tell them. My mother and father let go eventually giving my older sister, Ava a chance to hug me, my sister is my best friend, but with school and her working we hardly speak anymore. "I got so much shit to tell you" she says giving me a little nudge as we make our way to the car, I smile thinking I have so much to tell her also.
The drive home I sit thinking of all the ways to tell them, I wanted to tell them when we got home, I wanted to tell them when they asked about school I even wanted to tell Ava when she told me about the manager at her office trying to get to know her, but here I am at the table eating rice and  curry chicken surrounded by my family and they still didn't know.
"Stace you alright?" my sister ask noticing I wasn't eating,
"I'm fine" I smile lying,
"You sure baby? You aren't eating" my mother says, Of course she would notice that Bajan mothers and grandmothers always trying to fatten you up.
"Yea and you very quiet" my father chomps out, his mouth full of food, I sigh, This is the perfect time to tell them all eyes are on me, I breath deeply preparing myself for what was to come. I pray my father doesn't kill me,
"Well I have some news"
"What? What?" they ask in unison excitedly,
"You made the Olympic cut?" my father's deeper tone erupts,
"No" I say and their excitement deflates, I hold my stomach taking a deep breath "I'm-"
"You dumb bitch!" my sister shouts,
"AVA!" my parents reply to her outburst
"She's so stupid, SHE'S PREGNANT!" she guesses correctly, and my head lowers as I hear my parents gasp, Ava storms off leaving the three of us, her reaction is expected since she didn’t want me to go away in the first place. Silence enters the room, I can't look up at my parents. This isn't how I planned telling them, I didn't technically tell them but now they knew. I finally look up at my father, his face unreadable,
"Do you even know who the father is?" he asks continuing his meal,
"Of course I do" I reply disgustingly at him for thinking I would sleep around,
"Well who is he?"
"He's the physical therapist's assistant" I confess, my mother still didn't speak, my father chuckles,
"I knew sending you away was a bad choice" he shakes his head slowly, "You'll get an abortion and get back to running" he demands staring at me,
"No, she won't" my mother finally says, and we turn our eyes to her,
"What do you mean she won't?" my father asks anger growing in his voice, my father hates to be opposed, and my mother would usually agree with him,
"She won't" she says staring at him forcefully, she takes my hand in her hand, the tears glisten in my eyes, "You're going to raise that baby of yours and I'll help you" her smile broadens tears forming in her eyes. My mother always ha a soft spot for teen pregnancy since her mother gave birth to her at 16 and she was her close friend before she died of a heart attack.
There wasn't much talk about the matter after that night, but with every passing month my stomach grows. My sister ignores me, my father hates me and the only people in this world who speak to me are my mother, Jason and my baby. Jason comes to Barbados to meet my parents near to the due date. I am 19 years old, 9 months pregnant, and my 21 year old boyfriend and my father are screaming at the top of their lungs about who is ruining my life. I hate all this arguing just because of my mistake. I leave the house looking for some peace and quiet but instead, my water breaks as I make my way down the stairs into the garage.
November 21st. The day when all the hatred in my family dies. I would never believe 5 pounds 8 ounces would change everything. My son lays in my arms after 3 hours of labour. The best 3 hours of my life, I look at his puffy little eyes, and his beautiful face, my little angel. My little Troy Stevens.