The Industry

Ximena

1993

This can't be happening, I can't believe what I'm seeing. Two lines are all it took for my whole life to come crashing down. I peed on a pregnancy test and the results were positive. I'm terrified, I'm only 17 I'm not mentally or financially prepared for a child. My parents are going to be so disappointed in me. I was supposed to save myself for marriage and be the perfect child they think I am. My parents are extremely religious Catholics. I know in their eyes, I won't be their perfect little girl anymore. The first person that I felt needed to know immediately was my boyfriend Feliz Armstrong. He answered on the first ring. I told him to meet me at the park down the street from my house and he was suspicious about meeting up in the cold winter evening.

Feliz is older than me and my parents forbid me to be around him. Usually, I would wait until my parents were asleep or away in order for me to go visit him without them knowing. I love Feliz, he is one of the most caring and amazing men I know. He's the only person I can truly be myself around. I don't know how he's going to react, what if he wants nothing to do with me when he finds out, what if he wants me to get rid of the fetus, there are so many things running through my head.

~

I bundled up in a pair of snow pants paired with my bubble jacket, snow boots, gloves and mittens. It must have been about 1 degrees outside. (33 degrees Fahrenheit) I walked down my residential neighbourhood to meet Feliz at the park. It only took me less than ten minutes to walk over to the park. I saw Feliz's car parked next to the curb across from the park. As I was getting closer to him my nerves kicked in.

He turned towards me as he heard me approaching. His face held a look of concern. His golden brown skin was so vibrant in this cold winter.

"Mena what's going on, I'm worried about you."

I sat down beside him and grabbed a hold of his glove covered hand.

"Remember when we talked about looking for an apartment when I finish high school," I asked him, so I could stall from letting him know what I'm getting at.

A look of confusion was on his face, "Yes, I remember but I didn't think you were serious about possibly living with me. I know you well enough Ximena to know that you don't want to go against your parent's wishes. I love you and you know I want you to do what's best for you. I don't understand why we couldn't talk about this over the phone, is this an urgent matter?"

I let out a sigh, "No, that's not exactly why I asked you to meet me here. It's something else I uh have some news to share with you that I couldn't tell you over the phone. I'm not a 100 percent sure if this is real or not but you're going to be a dad. I'm pregnant."

He looked shocked and it seemed like his eyes were starting to get teary eyed.

"Mena I'm so sorry I should've been more careful with you. I can't believe I've put you through this. Your parents already don't like me and now they're going to hate me."

"Feliz it's not your fault. It takes two people to make a baby. And I took part in that. My parents only dislike you because you are older than me and you're not a practicing Catholic. Don't change yourself to make them like you, all that matters is that I love you for you."

I snuggled closer to him and we both sat in silence for what felt like forever.

"The choice is yours, do you want to keep the baby, go through adoption or the lather. Whatever you decide to do I'll be completely fine with it."

He thinks I can make the life changing decision. Even though I know my parents won't approve, I want to do what is right. And keeping the baby feels like the right thing. It's going to be a huge adjustment but I think I can handle it.

"I want us to keep the baby."

In the month of January is when my whole world got turned upside down.

A/N: Do you want another chapter on Valeria's moms' background story? If so leave a comment.