LA Baby ♡ Manhattan Dreams Sequel

19. Speed Bumps

Riley doesn't come home before I fall asleep but when I wake up the next morning, the first morning in a while that I don't feel the urge to run into the bathroom, I find her sitting at our breakfast nook table eating a bowl of cereal. "Morning" I murmur, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. They hurt like hell from crying all night and I have no idea when I finally fell asleep but it was late. Which says a lot about how late Riley was out last night.

"Hey" she replies as I head for the fridge and grab the gallon of milk. I wasn't really hungry yet but I something to drink would be nice. So, I pour myself a glass and hesitantly go to join my best friend. "You look like you're feeling better today" she notes, putting down her spoon to look at me. I shrug.

"Morning sickness is kinda complicated. It'll probably hit during rehearsal." Her eyes narrow.

"You're going to that? Yesterday you said-."

"I know. I know" I cut her off, leaning back in my chair. "I just don't know when the right time is to quit o-or if I really need to. I mean it is October. That's only another month and a half before opening night-."

"Honey" she sighs, "what are you talking about? Yesterday you said you were going to give it all up-."

"And then you left!" I exclaim. "So, I spent the entire night wrestling with my thoughts and wondering if you were right. And you know what, I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing. Before yesterday my entire life was decided for me in the form of a blossoming career and now, I-I'm either going to be the damaged girl who gave up her baby or I'm going to be a mother either way, I'm not ever going to be the person I used to be. And I needed you yesterday. I needed to talk and instead you screamed at me and demanded that I tell Josh and ask him to give up his entire life to what?"

Riley pushes her food away and sighs, looking at me intently. "What I said yesterday" she begins, biting into her bottom lip. "It wasn't fair. It's just that we went through this already with Smackle and we were both shocked to see how easily she gave up everything she'd worked for and then without hesitation you wanted to do the same thing. It took me by surprise and then I got angry with my uncle for being on the opposite coast having no idea and I took my frustration out on you and said things I shouldn't have."

I nod in understanding, standing up to get some food now. I open the cabinet for a Pop-Tart, obviously not the healthiest thing to eat but I needed something sweet. "I'm going to tell him" I assure her, opening the foil and plopping the pastry into the toaster. I lean against the counter to look at my best friend. "I'm just trying to get my head screwed on before I do. I don't want to just blurt out that we're pregnant with no answers to the obvious questions he's going to ask. Like dancing" I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. "What the hell am I actually going to do?"

"Well, you have a point in that the play's run is sooner rather than later. But it's stressful and strenuous and honestly, probably not the best for a developing baby."

I nod. That's what I had thought yesterday before she went off on me. "But even if you quit, that doesn't nullify your position at the academy. I mean, if you were giving up the baby then I'm sure you could perhaps take a gap year or something. I don't know" she shrugs. "But if you're keeping it-."

"There's no way I can stay" I reply as my pastry pops out of the toaster. I put them on a plate and move back to the table. "I could maybe come back but not for a few years and by then-." I sigh, cutting myself off as I break off a piece of my Pop Tart and plop it into my mouth.

"I guess what you have to ask yourself is what can you live without? This baby or dancing?"

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