Shattered But Not Broken

Chapter 14

Hi again, I have so so many parts of this story that I just have to type up and publish but I wanted to say thanks again for over 270 reads. I love all of you. Please remember to vote and comment because I love to hear what you guys have to say. Thanks again.

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My eyes fluttered open and I found myself laying on the couch. I smelled the fresh coffees aroma lurk in the air. I shifted my body and saw Richie next to me. I propped myself up and looked at him.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning," I responded back. I looked over at the table and saw Miss. Adler sipping coffee and eating some food. She was reading the L.A. Gazette. I looked back at Richie. "You could've gotten up and got some food."

He smiled. "Yeah, but I didn't want to wake you by moving."

That's when I realized my legs were practically on top of him. I shrugged. "Sorry."

"No, you're fine. But now I can get some food," he laughed.

"Me too," I said, agreeing that I was hungry too. When I arose from the couch, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. "Ugh," I said, probably a bit too loud.

"What's wrong?" Miss. Adler asked, turning to me.

I held my stomach. "Oh, just a little stomach ache, that's all."

She put down the newspaper. "Do you need some medicine?"

"Yes please," I sighed.

She walked over to the small medicine cabinet and got out a little white bottle. She came back over to me with a glass of water and a pill.

When I finished the pill down, I set the glass of water on the table. That's when Cheryl came out of nowhere and rubbed my stomach.

I realized that I was wearing a crop top from the day before so my stomach was exposed and shivers ran up my body when she unexpectedly touched me there.

"So," she started with a smile gleaming on her face. "When's the baby due?"

My face went into shock and I looked up at Miss. Adler who had her jaw dropped and I looked at Richie who had a confused look on his face. I squinted my eyes while looking back down at Cheryl. "Excuse me?" I exclaimed.

"I asked, when is the baby due?" Cheryl repeated.

"Cheryl... I'm not pregnant... why would you think that?"

She looked at her mom but was talking about me. "Didn't we already discuss this at court? Because you and Richie were kissing each other and that's how you get pregnant." She looked back at me. "My friend Julie told me that. And she knows everything."

I looked up to see Richie running his hand through his hair and sighed. "Cheryl, how many times have I told you not to get in my business, no matter what?"

I looked at Miss. Adler who was giggling. "Honey," she said walking over to Cheryl. "That's not how it works."

"Than how does it?" she said cutting her mom off.

Miss. Adler sighed. "You'll learn sweetheart, you'll learn."

"Now?" she questioned further.

"No."

"Why not? Babies are cute and I want to be an auntie," she whined.

Richie looked at me. "She wasn't cute when she was a baby," he whispered.

I couldn't help but laugh a little and then I stopped when I realized that that was a rude thing to say. But it was pretty clever.

"Hey. I heard that!" Cheryl wined when she heard what Richie just said about her. "Who are you to judge?"

Richie put his hand on his hip. "Who am I to judge?! You weren't even alive when I was a baby so how would you know?" he snapped back at her.

"Because you act like one," Cheryl smirked.

Miss. Adler jumped in. "Hey. Can you two stop fighting?! It gets on my nerves," she sighed. "And to answer your question Cheryl, you are too young to know and we are about to eat breakfast."

That was the end of that conversation and I was glad it was over.