Hiding Place || Tori Kelly

By The Grace Of God

12:45 PM

Tori looked at herself in the mirror as she turned on her straighter. She was about to tackle her hair, but was not prepared at all. Alexa and Julissa sat on the edge of the tub behind Tori, keeping her company as she got ready for her party. "You were right, Lex. It feels real. Now that we know the gender and the bean moves more and more, all of this is becoming real," Tori said, making a conscious effort not to spoil the gender reveal. Alexa squealed as Tori shook out her messy bun and sectioned her very thick hair.

"I told you. Did you cry? I did with Julissa. With Ocean I was sad that he wasn't a girl, but I eventually got over it," Alexa asked, watching Julissa crawl from the tub to the shower. Tori looked at Alexa through the mirror and nodded.

"I did. Bean was so cute. I just want to meet them already," Tori said. Alexa could see how hard Tori was trying not to say the gender and decided not change the subject for the sake of Tori's brain.

"Are you loving the bump or are you already in the uncomfortable stage?" Alexa asked, pulling her baby girl back to her and setting her in front of the open door to have her crawl back towards the shower, while keeping her out of the recently used shower.

"It's been uncomfortable," she groaned through a smile. "It's getting hard to sing and breath. Or really do anything. I usually sleep in my stomach, but since I've popped, I can barely sleep on my side," Tori said, finishing the bottom half of one section. Alexa went to reply when Carlos texted her that he needed the keys to get Oceans backpack from the car.

"I'll be right back," Alexa said, grabbing her child and jogging towards the bedroom. Tori stared at her bump in her reflection. This was it. She was gonna be a momma. As she thought about how drastic her life was about to change, her own momma came into her bathroom and grabbed the vanity chair.

"Sit. Let me help you," Laura basically demanded, shutting the door and grabbing the comb from the sink. Tori placed her straightener down and took down another section of her hair.

"I've got it," Tori said. Laura shook her head and pushed her daughters hands away.

"Victoria, sit," she said. Tori slightly rolled her eyes and did as she was told. "I talked to Noah. He told me what you said at the house the other day," Laura started as she cleaned up Tori's sections to get a better straighten.

"I'm gonna kill him," she mumbled, making a mental note to shoot her brother on sight. Laura turned Tori away from the mirror, and started to finish her hair.

"He was worried about you. Why aren't you sleeping?" Laura softly asked. A knot formed in Tori's throat. She had never thought that she'd have to talk to her mom about her miscarriage or really any of her past. She definitely didn't think she'd tell her on the day of her gender reveal party. But, the weight of the miscarriage was overbearing to the point where sleep was boxed out by fear.

"I can't stop thinking about Timmy," Tori replied, shutting her eyes hard in order to keep her tears in. She had never said his name out loud and it felt so good to finally be able too.

"Who is Timmy?" Laura inquired, unfamiliar with the name. Tori dropped her mother, duct under the sink and pulled the picture of her old ultrasound from underneath the sink where it was taped.

"This is Timmy," Tori said handing over the picture, bearing her soul to her mother. Laura took the aged square of paper into her hands, gently. The date in the corner read August 11, 2013, placing concern in Laura.

"Tori, this was five years go. You- you've been pregnant before? André wasn't your first? Tori, what happened?" Laura asked, more confused than ever. Tori took a deep breath and collected all of her repressed thoughts to form the story of her hidden life.