On the Court #Wattys2015

CH 13: A Visit

"You look lovely," Kelsey complimented her daughter, putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

Toni gave her mom a small smile, stepping into the house. Her mother invited her over for and impromptu lunch. Pesto and cheese toast was always Toni's favorites and she wanted to spend time with her mom.

They made themselves comfortable at the table while Kelsey had the bread in the toaster oven. "I have another appointment today," Toni stated, her voice hollow compared to how she used to be. "That's great! I was wondering when you'd be going again. Will you know the gender?"

"Yes."

"Which do you want? A boy or a girl?"

Toni thought but in her mind, she knew it didn't matter. Either way it'd be loved by her and neglected by it's 'father'.

"Either one sounds fine."

"What about Kyle? Does he want a boy?"

"Kyle doesn't even want kids," Toni mumbled. Kelsey frowned, noticing the change in Toni's posture.

"Has he told you this?" "Yes, more than once." And not just verbally. Toni shuddered at the thought of Kyle being aggressive with her. Even now that she was four months pregnant he still hit her. She's never told anyone because Kyle made it known that if she did there'd be major consequences.

She'd yell that she couldn't magically reverse her pregnancy and when she was still in her first trimester he'd threaten to make her miscarry.

Toni didn't know how her parents couldn't see Kyle for who he really was and just figured that he was good at hiding that part of himself.

"He'll change his mind once he sees the baby." "I hope so."

While they were eating her father came home from work for his lunch break. He saw the two in the kitchen and greeted them with a curt nod. "Don't you have an appointment, Antonia?"

"Yes, in a couple hours." "You should go now since the specialist is pretty far away."

She just nodded, keeping her word content low with him. She's still not speaking with him after all these months.

Toni waved by at her mother and made her way out of the house. She got in the car she only got a few weeks ago and drove off. She was still new to the road since she got her license and every little movement made her nervous.

She didn't bother calling Kyle about her appointment because he was the one who set it up. He also made it very clear that he didn't want a girl. Toni felt trapped in her infested bubble with Kyle. She cried often and spent numerous nights with an icepack pressed to some parts of her body.

An hour later she was at the office and they did a routine checkup before asking her to wait for her doctor.

 "Hello Mrs. Anderson, how are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Now," she said, reading over her chart, "we're here for a checkup and... possibility of the sex?" "Yes, ma'am." "Alright, if you could just lie down."

Toni got herself situated before lifting up her sweater. "It's mid-August, why are you wearing such winter clothing," Dr. Sully joked.

 "No reason."

She put the cold gel against Toni's tummy and then spread it with the wand. There were a few moments of silence before a heart beat was heard. It was the third time she's heard it and it still amazed her.

"You see that right there?" The doctor asked.

 "What?" 

She pointed at the screen, "right there."