The Baby Pact

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Man, it feels good to be home," I say excitedly, wiggling my toes as they poke out from underneath the blanket.

"Now you heard Dr. Williams, bed rest for an entire week. So you may can go to school next week, but until then Rose will catch you up on your school work. Of course you're okay to get up to pee or eat, but try to stay in bed as much as you can, okay kiddo?" Lauri asks me and I nod.

"Okay," I say with a smile and she ruffles my hair before leaving the room. Her heels clack as she heads off to work, her business attire very formal as she's representing a new client soon.

I sigh, knowing well I'll be bored since everyone has made plans for today apparently.

My bruises have made themselves more prominent, but I know they'll disappear hopefully within the week. I'm just worried about the cut on my forehead that will more than likely leave an ugly scar.

The house is eerily silent and I can feel boredom creeping onto my fast. I look over at the clock and groan aloud when I see it's barely after ten in the morning.

I turn on the tv, deciding with a Disney movie on Netflix. Frozen it is...

Before I can even get halfway through the song about letting shit go, my phone buzzes alive on the dresser beside me.

I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion and grab it, my eyes widening at the amount of unread messages I have.

I have texts from each of the girls from the support group, Alyssa and Donna. All containing the same messages, asking if I was okay and to text them as soon as I got home.

I smile at the concern from all of my friends, texting them back to let them know I'm safe and extremely bored.

Before I put down my phone, I scroll through my contacts, not really thinking through what I was about to do just now.

Dominic...

I click on his contact and begin typing.

Hey Dominic,
           I don't like how things ended last night between us. Can we please talk again? As parents, not as teenagers...just text me when you get released from the hospital, hope everything's okay! -Christine

I reread it more then ten times, not really sure if I even wanted to talk to him. But one thought overrules all of my doubts...

For my children.

I hit send and let out a shaky breath. I set my phone back down on the dresser, trying to focus back onto my movie.

It's going to be a long day...

•••

Five in the afternoon rolls around and I've peed more times than I can count.

I've watched Frozen twice now, and watched Hercules in between that. I've now settled with Stranger Things, deciding to take a break from the movies.

I have snacks strewn all about the bed, an empty fruit bowl by my head, and other assortments scattered atop of my belly.

The house is still as empty as ever, and I've been stuck in bed all day. This week is going to suck.

I jump, startled when the door is thrown wide open and Landon's face appears behind the door.

"You're thirty-one week's today, it's picture time," he announced before I could even mutter a hello.

"Well nice to see you too," I say, standing up slowly from the bed. I pose, my hands wrapped around the bottom of my belly as Landon takes a side view photo of me.