The Eighteen Year Fallout

Chapter 8

After Alexa's embarrassing breakdown on the bleachers that day Taylor never left her side for the next two months. Alexa knew she wasn't used to seeing this vulnerable side of her and that it scared her – not that she’d admit this. She appreciated everything she was doing for her though and thanked God that she had such an amazing best friend.

Two months had passed since his disappearance and there was still no sign of Carson, which was worrying for his family especially at Christmas. Christmas has passed by in a blur. Alexa had spent the day having her stomach felt by her grandparents who had stayed over the festive period. She was now almost six months pregnant and starting to heavily show, which was scary. It had really sunk in that she was pregnant when her clothes began to feel a little tighter against her skin. Even in saying this, she was happier than she had been in a long time. 

It was almost spring break, and Alexa was looking forward to the time off from the hell that was school. Being pregnant was tiresome and brought a lot of unwelcome attention. Although everyone had moved on from the news of her pregnancy to the school's "player" who just happened to disappear after the revelation at school, it was complete strangers on the street that made her feel like a common crack house whore. Elderly woman would tut at her and shake their heads as she walked home from school or it would be a gang of teenage boys shouting obscenities at her at the mall. She held my head high and acted like she didn't care. But she did. It hurt but she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her upset.

To make matters even worse  her parents had sat her down one night after school and announced that she had to get a job to support herself and her unborn baby. She tried to object, explaining that she had too much schoolwork and her pregnancy was slowing her down but they took none of it. Alexa was given the ultimatum; get a job or leave the house. It shocked her to be honest. She'd thought she'd finally won them round but she obviously hadn't. Alexa didn't want a job but she didn't have anywhere else to go either, so she obliged to their wishes and got herself a weekend job in a local hairdressers. It wasn't an especially hard job, but her pregnancy made her tired and irritable which weren't the best traits an employer was looking for in an employee. Nevertheless, she had a job and her parents were satisfied. For now anyways.

It was the third Saturday of the month but this Saturday was a very special day. Today was her ultra-scan appointment. She was going to see her baby growing inside her and she had mixed emotions about it. Of course, Alexa was extremely excited to see the baby she hadn't met yet but loved so much, but a part of her was scared. Scared that by seeing her baby on the monitor it would become even more real. She knew part of her was living in a fantasy land at the moment., not really thinking about her life once the baby was born. For now the baby was just something that was going to happen in the near future. This scan made it scarily real.

"Will you stop tapping your foot" an irritated Taylor snapped, glaring at her.

"Sorry mom" Alexa laughed sarcastically, noticing her own mom stifle a laugh.

Alexa, her mom and Taylor were sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, which smelt heavily of disinfectant, waiting for her scan. Her mom had insisted they arrived early so here they were, ten minutes early for the highly anticipated appointment. Patience was not a virtue either she or Taylor had received so between Taylor pacing the waiting room and Alexa tapping her feet it was obvious that if they didn't get called soon they were going to go mad.

Another ten minutes passed before a tall woman, who looked like she was in her twenties, popped her head around the door and called Alexa's name. She jumped up, happy that she was finally being seen, and shuffled into the room, her mom and Taylor following eagerly behind her.

Alexa lay up on the bed as instructed by the woman and pulled her t-shirt up to reveal her ever growing bump. As the woman set up the equipment, took this time to study her. At a closer look, Alexa realised that she was probably mid-thirties rather than twenties as she'd previously thought. She had long, curly auburn hair that tumbled down her shoulders. She wore a pair of thick lens glasses and she noticed her eyes were unmistakably two different colours – an unusual trait but strangely fascinating.

"Okay Alexa, do you want to wait for the dad or would you like to start?" she asked kindly, not realising the mistake in her words.

Alexa's face turned crimson at her question. Carson. Why did she have to bring him up on a day that was meant to be happy?

She shook my head as her mom muttered something about the father not being interested. She smiled awkwardly as the doctor started to scan my bump, attempting to stop the tears that were starting to fill her eyes. After a few moments she told them to look at the monitor where the outline of a tiny body was visible. Her baby.

The woman who Alexa could now see from her name tag was called Dawn, pointed out the arms and legs. Alexa could hear the heartbeat clearly and it was evident on the screen. Her eyes began to well up again at the sight. In a matter of months, she would be a mom. A single-mom, but a mom nonetheless.

***

"Wasn't that beautiful?" Taylor gushed as they sat in the car.

Alexa couldn't help but laugh. Usually Taylor was one of those people who wasn't into showing their emotions but recently she'd been really emotional when it came to her pregnancy. It was cute she cared so much.

"It was" she smiled back as she put her hand on my belly, "say hello to Aunt TayTay"

Taylor grinned rubbing her best friends belly affectionately. Damn, that girl loved that bump. Her hands spent more time rubbing Alexa's bump than doing anything else. As weird as that sounded it made Alexa feel safe,

Before Taylor could respond Alexa's mobile phone beeped and she rummaged around in her bag until she found it. Scanning her eyes over the message, she let out a loud groan.

"I'm needed at work" she sighed, tapping a quick reply to the message, "can you drop me off please mom?"

Her mom agreed and a couple of minutes later they were parked outside Cut Cuts, the salon she worked at. Giving her mom a quick kiss and hugging Taylor goodbye she hopped out of the car onto the pavement and into the salon. She was met with the sound of her boss Sinead, shouting – not an uncommon occurrence she’d come to realise in her short time working here. She followed the sound into the back of the salon that was behind a curtain, separating it from the main salon.

When Sinead saw her she ran towards her exclaiming, "Thank goodness you're here. Tia rang in sick this morning so Jane is covering for her. I need you to make the tea for customers though"

Sinead barely stopped for a breath as Alexa nodded, pulling her jacket off and hanging it up. She turned around to speak to Sinead again but she was gone.  Alexa laughed to herself before heading towards the tiny kitchen. Sinead was so highly-strung she hadn't even asked about the scan, something she'd being going on about all week. It touched Alexa, just how many people supported her. She sat down at the table, resting her legs until she was needed. It seemed she wasn't going to have long.

"Can we have a tea for the customer" she heard Jane's voice as she popped her head through the curtain.

Alexa nodded as Jane continued in a whisper, "He's gorgeous. Would it be unprofessional to ask him out?"

Alexa burst into laughter and shook her head. This conversation occurred at least twice a day whenever someone would catch Jane's eye. Jane sent her a wink before retreating back out into the main salon, leaving Alexa alone again.

She sighed and headed towards the kettle and filled it with water. A few moments later the tea was made, and she headed out into the main salon. Jane didn't notice her sidling up beside her as she was deep in conversation with her customer. Alexa noticed her voice was lower as she attempted to sound 'sexy'.  She looked at the guy sitting in the chair as she held the  steaming hot cup out to Jane, who ignored the gesture. Most of his head was covered by the portable hairdryer but his eyes were visible.

Alexa knew those eyes. Those were the eyes that had haunted her for the last few months.She gasped and he looked up, seeing her reflection in the mirror. His face was unreadable.

"Hi Lexie..."

His voice sent shivers down her spine. Even after everything that had happened he could have this effect on her. She don't know whether it was the shock or the unreadable expression on his face that made her drop the cup of boiling tea but she did and it went tumbling to the ground, the cup smashing into a million tiny pieces. A bit like her heart that day in her bedroom.

Carson Michaels was back and she didn't know how the hell to feel.