Jess sat in the front part of her Mum's office. The school was on break and her Mum was on a duty, but she had decided that it was easier to sit and wait for her to come back then to sit listening to jibes about her being a slag. Janeece was sat behind her desk going on about being pregnant and how it would all be worth it when she had a baby in her arms. "You have to look at the Mum right...that's what I read...if your Mum is skinny then you should lose all that baby weight...so I reckon looking at your Mum you should be fine..."
Jess nodded. "Yeah..." She heard the bell ring for the end of break and Janeece tottered off to finish the pile of photo copying Grantley had given her. Jess sat back in the chair. She felt more nervous sitting there than when she had been waiting to tell her Mum that she was pregnant.
"Jess? You waiting for me?" Karen smiled at her daughter. She hadn't been expecting to see her.
"Yeah...are you free?" Jess bit the side of her lip. She could tell from her Mum's expression that she was hoping that she was here to talk about the babies Dad.
"Course. Come on." Karen waited for Jess to stand up and then followed her through to the office. "Are you ok?" Karen grabbed two glasses of water and then sat them down on the table in front of the sofa.
Jess sat on the sofa and took a drink from one of the glasses. She took another deep breath. "I've been thinking...and well..." She stopped and put her head in her hands.
"Come here sweetheart." Karen pulled Jess into a hug and started gently rocking her like she had when she had been a baby. "You can tell me."
Jess stayed there, she had been trying not to cry, but as soon as her Mum had pulled her into a hug she had started. She waited for them to calm down before pulling back. She realised too late that the hair covering her face had moved and Karen had seen it.
"What's this? Who did this to you Jess?" Karen moved her daughters hair away from her face so she could see the cut more clearly.
"It's not important..." Jess shook her head.
"Jess...someone has done this to you...and whoever that is needs to be punished..." Karen sat there feeling helpless, someone had obviously hit Jess and there was nothing she could do about it. What sort of mother was she if she couldn't protect her own child.
"Mum please." Jess looked at her.
Karen nodded. "Ok..."
Jess took another deep breath. "I...well I phoned a clinic...and they can fit me in this afternoon...but I..." She broke off, she could see Karen looking at her confused. "I can't pay for it Mum." She finished what she had been trying to say. She hated herself for saying it, she couldn't believe what she was doing, but it was all she could do...
"You mean...for an abortion?" Karen stumbled over the word, she sat there unsure of what to think or say. "I don't understand Jess...you seemed so sure...you wanted this."
Jess felt herself crying again. "I know...I just...I can't do this...you don't understand." She couldn't manage any more words. She was choking through the tears.
"Then tell me Jess...please." Karen realised that there was a tear rolling down her cheek. "Is this because of the babies Dad?"
Jess looked at her and nodded. "He wont ever stop Mum...I can't do it anymore...and I can't put my baby through it...I don't want to do it but..." She tried to wipe away the tears but her attempts were in vain as they were no where near stopping.
"Tell me Jess...tell me who it is...I can sort this..."
Jess laughed. "I don't think you can..." She looked towards her Mum. "I don't know what else to do Mum...he...he said that he'll have it taken away unless I go back to him...and I can't do that...and I can't lose my baby..."
Karen looked at Jess. This had obviously happened since they had been in school, and she knew that Jess hadn't left. Which meant that the father must be in the school. "It's someone here isn't it?"
Jess nodded. She was too tired to think of any more excuses. "Yeah."
Karen looked at her. "Just...just think about it Jess. If you come back later and it's what you really want to do then I'll pay for it...but I don't want you to do something that you're going to regret forever."
"Ok..." Jess nodded at her and lent forward to kiss her cheek. "I'm sorry..."
