Expecting Freshman (Editing)

Chapter 20

  14 days. Fourteen days was all I had left until I had to start taking care of another human being and not just myself. It was finally starting to become real, I was starting to begin to actually feel like a mother. And that scared me to death. What if I do something stupid? What if I forget to feed her? I was thinking stupid things, I mean...wasn't I?

   That's why I was still tucked in my bed at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, I was thinking. I was scared. I was scared now more then ever, I was scared so much that I in fact had goosebumps all over my arms. Even covered up to my neck with blankets, I was cold. That's why I didn't answer my door when there a was a knock on it, I simply called for them to come in.

  I looked and saw Karson come in my room, taking a seat at the side of bed, looking me in the eyes. "Abby, you haven't gotten out of bed yet."

  "Oh, I know. And I have once or twice, to pee," I rebutted.

  "What's wrong?"

  "I'm scared."

  "Of?"

  "In fourteen days, I will be giving birth to a little girl. I will have to care for her, more so them myself, I will have to feed her, change her, keep her healthy; I'm scared I won't be able to."

  "Abby, you have helped me with Tanner more then my mom has," he laughed, running a hand through my matted hair. "Come on and get up, I have an idea."

  "I really don't feel like--"

  "Don't tell me no, Abby," he smiled at me and helped me up. I followed him through the house and into a room that I didn't even know was here; it was a baby boy's room. We walked over to the crib, and there lay a sleeping Tanner.

  "Okay, your son is sleeping...what's that supposed to do?"

  "I want you to take care of him today, if you can handle my son; you'll be able to handle your daughter."

  "Karson, I don't know. I--"

  "Pretend it's your own daughter, please? I won't be able to handle knowing that your too scared to do things, so if you can survive the rest of the day with no problems, you can survive life with your daughter."

  "But Karson, what if I do something wrong? What if--?"

  "Like I said, you have helped me more then my mom. You have told me when he needs to be burped, changed, a nap, you taught me how to give him a bath; you even told me last month when you thought he was getting a cold, and you were right and I was able to help him before he actually started to get sick. You are a wizard with babies, and you know it. So, maybe if I say all that plus have you watch him, you won't be scared when little Anabelle gets here."

  I smiled, I knew Karson cared and that I was good with babies, I was just worried that it would change with my daughter. "Okay, okay. But since he is still sleeping can I eat? I haven't even eaten yet; and little Anabelle is hungry."

  Karson frowned, "that's not right, Abby. I do not want you having another day like this, it's not healthy for you or for the baby."

  I nodded, turning around and walking down the steps into the kitchen slowly and carefully, after all how can you walk downstairs without being able to see your feet? I turned my attention to the fridge, and snooped through the food. I saw pizza, and remembered that it was left overs from last night so I got in the box and got out three slices of cold peperoni pizza. I took a seat at the table and started eating when my aunt walked in the front door.

  "I'm home on my lunch break!" she called.

  "I'm in the kitchen!" I called to her, and smiled when she joined me at the table. "How was your day?"

  "Good, where's Karson?" she asked, stealing a slice of peperoni from one of the two slices of pizza left on my plate. I knew she didn't like talking about work, it bored her; I understood completely.

  "He's upstairs with Tanner." I ate the last bite of the pizza and looked at my aunt. "Aunt Lacey, I miss my mom."

  "Where did that come from Abby?"

  "I was thinking about Anabelle, then I thought about how mom won't be able to meet her. And how mom won't be able to comfort her when she needs it, or comfort me."

  "Abby, your mom will always be there for you and Anabelle. I remember every thing about her, she was the best sister you can ever ask for."

  "Her smile would light up a room, and her laugh was so contagious," I smiled at my aunt through the tears.

  My aunt smiled and came oer and hugged me close, as close as she could with my belly. "Why don,t we go visit her?"

  I pulled away, "wh...what?"

  "Tomorrow, why don't Karson, Tanner, you, and myself go see your Mom?"

  "I...I have never been to her grave."

  "Then let's go, maybe it help bring some closure to you."

  I nodded at her and smiled, "okay, we'll go tomorrow."