The Way We Were

The Way We Start

Rose Jones was many things but speechless was not one of them. She was now. She had a choice to make; go with her instinct or be the mother she didn't have?

"Go to the hospital. Make sure you get there quickly then call me and tell me what they said." She went against her instinct.

"Okay, Momma." Her youngest daughter's terrified voice came through the line before she hung up. "Bye."

"Bye, honey." Rose turned off the cordless phone and returned to work. She would worry over her decision until her daughter called her back but she couldn't be the mother hers was.

Superstar Christina Barnes was a great singer, a fabulous performer and a perfect lady but motherhood had never been her number one priority. Rose had wanted to be better so she might have smothered her three children with love to the best of her ability.

She only hoped it worked out in the end...

W.W.W.

Rose picked up her ringing cell phone without checking the screen. "Hello?"

"Momma?" It was her twelve year old.

"Hi, baby. Did you go to the hospital like I told you?" Rose immediately straightened up and focused.

"Yes."

"And what did they say?"

"I'm pregnant."

Rose almost dropped the phone. "What?!"

"I'm pregnant." Came the whispered words again.

"How?! What?! What?! How?!"

"I don't know." Marcy sounded confused.

"How could this happen, Marcy?! We had the sex talk!"

"I know but I only had sex. I didn't do anything to get pregnant."

Rose blinked. "Honey, sex is how you get pregnant."

It was quiet for the longest time before, "It is?"

Rose couldn't believe she didn't know! Then again when she, Judy Fabray and Jeannette Chang told their children about sex, they never once said a thing about babies. Rose sighed. "I want you to pack your things. Is the movie over?"

"Yeah. The wrap party is tonight."

"I want you to pack your things. You're coming home instead of going to school."

"I am?"

"Yes. Now tell me exactly what the doctors said."

W.W.W.

Mal Chang sat on the staircase in the Jones residence, waiting for his one true love. His siblings had told him Marcy was coming home today and he'd cut basketball practice to wait.

He tapped his feet against the floor in rhythm to the song in his head. Melodies were floating around in his mind and he knew he would probably practice his oboe for a while to exhaust it.

The front door opened and he looked up, brightening considerably. "Marcy!"

Marcy dropped her bags on the ground and leapt into his arms. "Mal!"

He twirled her around and breathed in her fresh scent. He'd missed her so much! "You're back!"

A throat clearing made him put her down. "Where do you want this, kid?"

Mal turned to the cab driver. "We can take it upstairs."

"Nah, you're just kids. Where do you want it?"