Take Me to the Water

PART 11 // Leah

I walked inside of the house, expecting to see Uncle Calvin sitting in his usual chair in front of the television, but instead, I saw Leah.

"Hey baby sis," she said with a smile.

She was sitting at the kitchen table reading a magazine and she looked even more radiant than she did when she left for school three years ago.

Her hair was longer and her skin was glowing. She had on a beautiful dress and for a moment I thought she was my mother. She even looked happy to see me.

"Leah?" I was confused.

"Yes Eve!" She chuckled as she stood up.

I ran into her arms and we hugged tightly, and for the first time ever, everything went black and I could see inside of her.

I saw her happy at college. I saw her traveling the country. She had lots of friends and she was really loved, but then I saw something that I knew she didn't want me to see. I saw something growing inside of her and I could feel its heart beat. Leah was pregnant.

I let her go and stepped back, looking at her stomach. I was speechless. I looked up to her and she looked back at me, frightened.

"Eve, don't say anything," she said as the back door shut. "He doesn't know."

We both looked up and there was Uncle Calvin. He had just come inside from the back of the house. He was bringing Leah's old things in from the garage and I knew then that she must be staying for awhile.

"Hi Uncle Calvin," I said dryly, trying not to appear odd.

"Eve," he said back just as dry.

I couldn't tell if he was mad or just being his usual, unpleasant self. He went back outside and Leah grabbed my hand.

"Let's talk," she said seriously.

I nodded my head and we went upstairs.

*******

Leah hadn't been in my room since the talk we had about what Uncle Calvin did to us. As a matter of fact, Leah hadn't been home since she graduated. She'd call occasionally to see how I was doing but that was it, so I really didn't know much about her or her life.

She laid out on my bed and told me to come and lay next to her. I was hesitant, but she told me it was okay and that she wanted to catch up with me. Leah had never wanted to talk to me, so I knew something had to be heavy on her mind, and I knew it had to do with the baby she was carrying. I joined her on my bed and we both looked up at the ceiling.

"How much do you know, Eve," she said blankly.

"I just know that you're pregnant," I responded just as blank.

"That's it?"

I nodded my head yes. I knew that there must have been something more to the story, but I didn't press it, and I didn't have to. Leah told me everything.

"I messed up, Eve. I got pregnant by a guy I was seeing and I knew that if the school found out they would kick me out—so I left. I called Uncle Calvin and told him that I needed a break and asked him to come and get me, and he did, no questions asked."

"What about the guy?"

Leah looked over to me then back to the ceiling.

"He didn't want the baby. He told me to abort it, but I would never do that. This baby is something special. I can feel it."

I could tell Leah was hurt. I put my hand on her hand and she smiled and placed my hand onto her stomach. I had never been around a pregnant person before and I didn't know what I was supposed to feel, but I could feel that Leah was right. As soon as I placed my hand on her stomach that warm feeling came over me and my hand tingled. I knew that whatever she was carrying was powerful, and I smiled.