The Story of Udonia

Chapter Twenty Six: People Must Know

I must say that I was feeling excited around Christmas. I was imagining a little baby getting presents next year. Ashton and I stopped arguing and studied in as much as we could. The test results from Dr. Fisher came back saying that I was definitely pregnant. I found an OBGYN, but I was nervous to go. I was afraid people would see me and spread rumors. So I replied on the internet for some answers and I called Dr. Fisher a few times with some questions. She didn't have many answers since she was just a normal doctor.
I kept reading up in how many things can go wrong. There was ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, and birth defects, just to name a few. I would need to take a test like every weak to see if my baby could possibly be at risk of anything. I hadn't taken any tests yet because I couldn't go to the OBGYN. I hadn't told anyone yet. Only Ashton, Dr. Fisher, and I knew.
I wanted to tell more people. I wanted to tell them that there was a tiny person growing inside me. I was nervous about having a baby this young. Ashton didn't seem afraid anymore either and I think it was  because of my lack of fear. We were slowly becoming ready for this. And the next step was telling people.
Family first. I called Monica and she brought Jasmine over lunch.
We discussed their progress on Jack.
"I Googled him. He is a big lawyer in NYC. He is the young hot thing that everyone is talking about. He is getting married in a week. I figure we will go and see what we can do after New Year." Monica explained.
"Okay. I'm sorry again that I didn't want to go with you. I actually have another good excuse for you."
"Oh, no. I understand. You are going to be ruling the kingdom. You need to be ready to do that and you need to focus on this threat on the royals. How is Hannah by they way?" She asked which only prolonged the conversation before I could tell them.
I took a sip of water. "I, uh, talked to her people the other day. She was coronated a week ago and is doing fine. She's taking her parent's deaths better than I did when our died. She is stronger than me. She is good."
Monica nodded her head and chewed the salad in her mouth. "Good." She responds after she smiled.
"Well, there is actually something good that I need to tell you both."
They looked at me with their full attention. I suddenly felt nervous. I took another sip of water.
"I, um, I'm pregnant." I said it!
They looked at me with blank expressions for a moment.
Then Monica smiled. "If this is your idea of a joke," She laughed and then went to a straight face, "then it's not funny."
"It's a joke." I said with a frown at her reaction.
"Monica!" Jasmine protested and stood up. "That was rude." She walked over to me. "This is great news. Another member to the family." She smiled and hugged me around my neck.
Jasmine pulled away and sat back down. "So...tell us everything." She beamed.
I took a deep breath and told them about my experience thus far. Monica's expression stayed blank the whole time.
After I finished speaking, she took a sip of her water. "You just can't be pregnant...not yet." She argued.
"Why not?" I asked. "Are you really that disappointed in me?"
Jasmine frowned at Monica and furrowed her brow. She shook her head as if they knew something.
Monica looked at me. "I'm not disappointed with you." She sighed. "I just want the best for you and the best is marriage when you are older and then babies. I guess you can take a different path. And I need to have a talk with Ashton." She stood up.
"What? Right now?" I asked.
"Yeah. I need to give him a big sister talk. Where is he?" She walked to the hallway.
"In the office." I responded and she left me and Jasmine.
She shrugged and we followed Monica down the hall. We waited outside the door to the office. Monica came walking out a little while later and I couldn't read her mood.
"Let's go." She said to Jasmine.
Ashton came out of the office and grabbed my hand.
Jasmine smiled at us. "Congratulations you two." She turned around and followed Monica out.
We walked to our bedroom. "What did she say?" I asked as we walked into our bedroom.
"Something like, 'You better stay with her through everything and cater to her every need. She is going to need your undying support to get through this. And if you leave her, then I will make you rue the day.'" He chuckled. 
I shrugged and smiled.
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Ashton wanted to tell his father and sister alone like I did with Monica and Jasmine.
We decided to go there for the day. Ashton had the genius idea of telling them after dinner so we wouldn't have to only talk about pregnancy stuff with them while there. He said it was 'all he could handle for one day.' I argued with the fact that he wasn't the one feeling nauseous all day everyday.
Lying to them over the phone is easier than hiding it from them all day. Ashley at one point during the day said something in a conversation like, 'I can see you two getting married and having lots of babies.' I changed the subject.
After dinner, Ashton took those two into the living room and I excused myself to the bathroom. I stood out of the room and allowed him to tell the both of them.
He started with, "Dad, Ashley, there is something I've got to tell you. I was trying to think if there is some way I should do this, but instead I'm just going to blurt it out."
"What is it, son?" Mr. Covington asked.
Ashton took a deep breath. "Claire is pregnant." He exhaled.
Ashley was first to reply. "Oh my gosh!" She sounded excited.
Mr. Covington was yet to respond.
I took this moment of silence to walk in. I turned the corner and saw Ashley hugging Ashton. She had a huge grin on her face. When she saw me she pushed him away.
"Claire! I'm so happy for you!" She ran towards me with her arms out for a hug.
I wrapped my arms around her neck and her arms went around my back. She let me go and stepped back.
"How far along are you?" She asked.
I smiled. "About three weeks now."
"Not long than. And you're sure?" She asked.
"Yeah. With the things I've been feeling." I laughed. "We got a blood test from a doctor. I am defiantly pregnant." I glanced over at Ashton and his father having a staring contest.
Ashley noticed where I was looking. She turned and walked over to her father.
"Dad, Claire is pregnant and Ashton and her are happy." She said. "Tell ten what you're thinking, please."
He stood up from the chair he was in. "I'm not sure what I'm thinking. At first I was happy that I would be able to meet my grandchild before I pass, but then I remembered how young the both of you are and that you're not even married.
"Dad, Claire and I were concerned about all this two, but then we talked about it. This child was created by love and it will he loved no matter what. And we will work on the married thing after the baby is born." He explained.
I was shocked by this. We hadn't talked about marriage. I raised an eyebrow at him and he just smiled.
"Then I'm happy for you both." Mr. Covington moved to me for a hug.
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Ashley told Stephen and now all who was left was Lacey and Abi.
Abi had been busy lately with school stuff, but Christmas was four days away, so she was on break.
I called her and asked her to come over. I asked Lacey to join Abi and I for dinner. We had a girls night. We watched bad chick flicks, ate pizza and popcorn, and drank various kinds of soda. We put on face masks too. It was a good night.
Abi yawned. "I should probably drive home now." She frowned.
"Okay, but first can you get me something?" I asked while laying in my bed.
"Sure, what?" She asked.
"It's in the top right drawer of my dresser." I pointed.
Abi opened the drawer and pulled out a baby doll. She lowered her eyebrows.
"What is this for?" She asked with confusion.
"Oh, I just need to practice before I have the real thing in about eight months." I smirked.
Abi's jaw dropped and she looked at me. Lacey raised an eyebrow and looked at me.
"Well that would explain why you and Ashton have been acting so weird lately." She said.
"What?!" Abi smiled. "You're pregnant?! How?!" She asked and then laughed. "Well I know how, but how?"
I laughed. "I out really must know, we used a condom, but they break sometimes." I shrugged.
Abi dropped the baby doll on the ground. She came over to the bed.
"I mean, wow."
Lacey smiled. "I need more details."
"Okay." I explained the story.
Now that I told everyone close to me, the next step was telling the world. We decided to wait until after New Years to drop that bomb.