Help Me, I'm Drowning

#2 - The Pond

Camila shuffled uncomfortably in the chair. She had never been to the gynaecologist before, and the multiple diagrams of her reproductive system was starting to freak her out. It made her incredibly aware of the fact that a baby was inside her. A living thing.

As she stared experimentally at the 3D model of the uterus on the desk, Camila had an absent thought about how the fuck she was going to push something that big out of her vagina.

There was a rattling on the doorknob and Camila bunched up the bottom of her hospital dress, snapping her legs together in a hurry. She wasn't wearing any underwear under this.

To her surprise, none other than Luke entered, worried brown eyes and dishevelled hair. "Did I miss it?" he burst out breathlessly. "I'm sorry, I tried to get here on time but—"

"What are you doing here?" Camila asked in astonishment. Luke had said that he wanted nothing to do with the baby. Of course, she didn't blame him. It wasn't like she'd wanted this to happen either.

"Your doctor's appointment," Luke reminded her. He shuffled his feet, a blush filling his cheek. "I-I didn't want you to go alone."

Camila couldn't help but be reminded of the younger, scrawnier Luke when they first met. She missed him.

"But your parents," Camila added. "I know they put pressure on you. Don't feel obligated to do this."

"I'm not," he assured her. Luke set down his rucksack on the ground and took a seat on the vacant chair. "I told them my test results last night," he clarified. "My dad wasn't happy. I've never been enough for him."

Camila frowned. "Hey, it's okay." She reached out a hand and squeezed his comfortingly.

"I figured, if he already hates me," Luke reasoned. "What harm could this do?"

Camila could sense his underlying uncertainty. He came to the doctor's appointment to help me make a decision; whether he wanted to be involved as the father.

Luke looked up at her. "I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday."

Camila tried for a smile. "Me too."

Luke let out a humourless laugh. "God, Cammy, we're so messed up."

Camila wrinkled her nose. "Don't call me that." She'd told him ages ago that she hated being nicknamed 'Cammy'. "Makes me sound like a Care Bear."

His laughs — real, this time — were interrupted  by Dr Bennett entering the room.

"Hi," she greeted Luke. "Is this the father?" she directed to Camila.

Camila nodded. "Luke, this is Dr Bennett," she introduced.

As they shook hands, Dr Bennett insisted on them calling her Tara instead. "Now," she started. "The procedure is simple. We'll do a simple scan, talk about everything that's been going on with you, and how to handle the symptoms."

She paused. "Now, I understand that this baby wasn't entirely intentional?"

Luke flinched. "Uh, yeah. Not really."

Camila couldn't help sharing a sheepish smile with him.

"Well, that's not a problem," Tara assured them. "We'll have someone from social services come in to discuss the options with you." She counted them off on one hand. "Off the top of my head; abortion, adoption, or raising it yourself. All of them are viable and equally valid choices, Camila."