Disastrous

Twenty Nine

After the inevitable conversation with Niall, I needed a little bit of space just to clear my head and think some things through. Niall had to work tonight anyways, so while he was showering I fed Rory quickly and then bundled him up snuggly for a walk. Arabella said she would meet me at the café down the street, the one I just so happened to have met Niall in nearly 8 months ago when I told him I was pregnant.

My head was a reeling mess, even as I walked down the busy New York streets pushing Rory's stroller. The wind was cold, a clear sign that the warm weather was soon to be gone. I couldn't say that I would miss it though, this summer had been quite the mess and I'd much rather forget about it completely.

Once inside the café, I took a seat out front and pulled Rory from the stroller. Ordering myself a tea, I rocked my baby slowly in my arms and just stared at him. Looking at him had to be one of my most favourite things to do. I loved when he would stare back at me, like he knew that I was studying him closely. His dark hair was getting longer, peeking out from the little hat I had on him.

I especially loved it when he would flex his long fingers, or curl them around one of my own fingers. His eyes were Niall's shade of blue, for now at least, though if they were going to change I wasn't sure how long it would take for them to switch colours.

"I love you, peanut."

He cooed up at me, making the little gurgling noises he was known to make. It was like he wasn't quite sure what to do with his tongue.

"Shay?"

I looked up from my seat and smiled as Arabella stood over us. She looked worried and I realized why when she reached out and stroked under my eye, collecting a tear. I hadn't even realized I was crying.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

She sat down across from me, pulling her purse into her lap. I admired her long blond hair, plaited in a long braid hanging over her shoulder.

"Let's talk."

I nodded, popping a soother into Rory's mouth as he began to fuss. Arabella offered to hold him and I instantly handed him over. If there was one thing Arabella adored, it was my son.

"Did you guys talk?" She asks me while her attention lays on Rory. She strokes his puffy cheek gently and I smile as he snuggles tighter in her arms.

"Yes. It was a hard conversation to have..." I sighed, pushing my hair back and rubbing my temples.

We both sipped on our warm drinks, staying in a comfortable silence in the nearly empty shop for a bit.

"That Chelsea woman at the hospital you fought with, Niall got her pregnant when he was 18."

She gasped so loudly that Rory began to cry in her arms. She mumbled a 'shoot' before rocking her arms slowly up and down to calm him, adjusting the soother in his mouth.

"Niall says that he isn't positive if it was even his. You know that Jesse tool I told you about? The baby might have been his. He doesn't really know."

"So where is this child now?"

I swallowed my own saliva roughly and wearily glanced up to meet my friends eyes. She was staring at me for an answer as I fiddled with my mug, anxious all over again.

"Niall went with her to get an abortion."

Arabella's bright blue eyes widened, and I could have sworn they nearly popped out of her skull.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" She whispered yelled across the table, though her voice went undetected to a sleeping Rory.

"No I'm not. He says that he wasn't ready and he was just a kid, but I'm still upset over the whole thing and I can't believe Rory's christening was ruined because of this secret."