✔Vengeful Valentine

Two: Everly

People changed. Life still went on.

I slid the gun in my purse and slipped on my denim jacket. I liked having the weapon on hand so I would be ready for anything the night might bring. Lacing up my pastel pink converse, I made sure to conceal the knife attached to the holster on my ankle. Better safe than sorry.

Adam wouldn't be there for another ten minutes or so. I paced around my living room, shivering as I checked the thermostat. How could it be so cold when the heat was set at seventy-seven degrees? It was Valentine's day. I should've been more excited for the date Adam planned for us, but I couldn't stop worrying over how he'd react to the news I needed to tell him. It was my fault for being so careless with the birth control pills.

I knew having a baby would change our lives so much, and I wasn't even sure if I would be a good mother. Like, what if I dropped the baby on its head? Or, what if I forgot to feed him? (A weird instinct told me he was a boy) I knew diddly squat about taking care of babies.

Telling Adam was my first priority. Telling my family came next. By golly, I feared how my big brother would react. Just thinking about it gave me a migraine. I considered being funny and buying him a cake that read: Congrats! You're an uncle! Who could be upset when they had cake?

While waiting for Adam to arrive, I Facetimed my best friend, Layla. Talking to her would help calm my nerves. She was the only person who knew about the pregnancy. She'd been so supportive and even offered to drive me to a clinic for an abortion if I felt like I couldn't handle being a mother so young. Terminating never even crossed my mind. I already loved my unborn baby so much, despite how much it scared me to imagine giving birth.

"Hey girl." Layla's pretty face popped up on the screen. The shimmery pink eyeshadow and black eyeliner looked so cool on her. Her curly light brown hair blew in the wind from wherever she stood outside. "Aren't you supposed to be going on a date with Adam tonight?"

"Yeah, he's not here yet." I gripped my iPhone tightly. "I'm scared to tell him. What if he doesn't want kids? What if he wants nothing to do with our baby and breaks up with me? We've never talked about it before. I don't know how I'd raise a baby by myself..."

"Whether or not Adam wants to be a part of your baby's life doesn't mean you'll be alone. I'll always be there for you. And you have your family too. I know they'll help out as much as they can," Layla replied. "But I'm sure he'll be happy to be a dad. He loves you so much."

"You're right. Thanks for letting me ramble. It helped a lot," I told her.

"No problem. What are friends for?" Layla grinned. "Did Adam ever tell you where he was taking you?"

"The aquarium. He has a friend who works there that let him borrow the key." My phone buzzed with a text. "He's almost here. I'll text you later tonight to tell you how it went."

"Have fun!" She beamed.

"I will."

I ended the video call and flipped the porch light on before stepping outside, shivering against the bitter winter wind. I still had my festive Christmas wreath out and my snowman stickers on the screen door despite it being February. I shook an old Folgers coffee canister full of cat food, alerting the strays I fed on our block that dinner was ready. Two orange tabbies poked their heads out and meowed from the makeshift beds I made them with plastic tubs under my porch.

After feeding the stays, I gave them some warm water in the Cool Whip bowl. A new striped gray cat made his appearance known by hissing at me. He stayed away from my two regulars, Cleo and Ollie, who gobbled up their food. I pet both of them before getting back inside before I froze to death out there. Icicles would start forming in my hair and lashes if I dawdled.