Pregnant and Homeless✔

Chapter 40

"You've really never been on a boat before?" Valdo looked at me, surprised.

I shook my head and held his arms tight, "No. You've seen where I came from." They weren't a lot of things to do in Alton. The most exciting thing was the annual carnival, and that was about it.

He laughed, "Sorry for laughing, but you have so many things in life to experience."

"Well, it's a good thing I married you then, ain't it?" I looked at him and smiled.

He chuckled. "You've got that right." he held my hand as the boat started to move. I took my eyes from his beautiful face and looked at the waterfalls ahead of us. It was truly breathtaking. The water absorbed the blueness from the sky. The sound of the water plunging down the mountain was calming.

I bent my head and looked on the water below us. The water was green, in contrast to the falls and it didn't look too deep.

"How deep do you think this is?" I asked curiously.

"It's over a hundred feet that's for sure."

"Has anyone ever tried swimming in it?" It was a stupid question, but it still managed to leave my mouth.

Valdo laughed, "Swimming? I doubt it, and if they have, then they need to get their heads checked out. The current in the water is strong, and they can die very easily. But then again there have been people who've intentionally dive in just to kill themselves."

I looked at the Falls sad, knowing that there must have been at least a thousand persons who've taken their last breath here.

Depression is hard, and it was something I had to deal with when I left Alton. A pregnant eighteen-year-old, all alone with only a few coins in her pocket.

I remembered my very first time out of Alton. I spent it at a neighbouring town's train station. I couldn't help myself from crying, knowing I was completely alone. When persons came up to me and asked if I was okay, I would lie to them and tell them I missed my train.

But life got harder the farther I moved away from the small town. I realised I had to come up with ways to earn money because food just doesn't come so easy. I tried looking for jobs, but owners were hesitant to offer employment without identification. Either they didn't believe I was eighteen or they thought I was an illegal immigrant.

They were days I went without food and some, where I just couldn't be bothered with life. I even tried to kill myself a few times by walking in front of moving cars. I even tried to jump off a bridge, but I just couldn't do.

Eventually, life got a little better, and I tried to cope, but the crazy thoughts didn't leave my head, at least not until I met Valdo.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

I looked at the Falls and sighed. "Life is hard. Many persons ridicule persons who commit suicide, but they just don't understand what goes through a person's head,"

He turned me to him and looked at me with concern, "Have you ever...?" he didn't need to say more, I understood his question.

"I've tried a few times," I answered honestly. It was nothing to be ashamed of. I went through a hard time, and I got over it. It made me stronger.

"Do you still feel that way?" his face held a small frown.

I looked at him and smile, "No. I'm happy now, but I get anxious sometimes."

"What's making you anxious?"

I lifted my hands and gestured around us, "This, you." I smiled up at him, "I'm afraid that this happiness that I'm feeling might only be temporary and that something might happen."