Gnik Nus

Chapter 21

1965. It was a big year. It was the year of Help! and Rubber Soul. It was the year of the famed Shea Stadium concert. It was the year the boys' drug use and experimentation accelerated. It was the year Ringo got married and had his first child. And now it was going to be the year Kylie and I had our babies. Who knew if we'd be here for the whole year? Any moment could be our last together. That's why we had to make it count.

Brian came to us with an announcement on the second day of the year after the boys' Christmas Show. It was going to change everything... for the better.
"Everyone, I have some news," he clasped his hands together as he stood at the head of the table.
"No, really?" Adam gasped sarcastically.
Brian had gathered us all in the dining room. Usually, if there wasn't a meal to be had, this meant that he had something important to tell us.
"I know we are all cramped here," Brian continued, ignoring Adam, "Which is why I have decided we should move."
"Move?" we all echoed.
"Yes, you heard me correctly. There are nine – soon to be eleven – of us living in a two-bedroom apartment. You cannot surely tell me you are comfortable living like this."
Murmurs of agreement sounded from around the table.
"I have already purchased the house. We will be moving in two weeks."
It was quick, but we were all grateful to be moving into a larger house.

The third of January marked Kylie's aging up day – you know the drill. She was turning seventeen. I thought back to my seventeenth birthday. I had three friends over to my house for a sleepover. We ate pizza and ice cream. We had a Twilight marathon of the first four movies in preparation for the fifth. I could not even imagine being pregnant back then. Kylie was certainly bitter about the fact that she was pregnant on her seventeenth birthday.
"It's not fair!" she whined, "I'm not going to be able to drink or party or have a good time on my birthday unlike you."
"Yeah, and look how my birthday turned out," I retorted, referring to the out-of-control party in which Ben and I ended up in Brian's bed.
"But at least you had fun."
"You don't need to drink to have fun."
I'll admit it; I was a bit of a grandma in my old life. I didn't go to parties or drink much or go out often. I much preferred to sit at home and watch movies or play games with my family. Clearly, Kylie was the opposite.

Across the room, Adam was listening to our conversation whilst reading the newspaper.
"Cheer up, Kyles," he interjected, "You still have me."
He slightly lowered the newspaper and flashed us an enthusiastic grin.
"I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does," I grimaced as I stood up to go and have a shower. Someone was still in the bathroom so I just waited outside the door for them to finish. I was taken aback when Ben yanked the door open. He looked equally as taken aback. He stepped out of the room and wordlessly held his arm out as if telling me to go in. Some interaction – this was progress.

I ended up throwing up whilst I was in the bathroom. Then, after my shower, I spent a little time examining myself in the mirror. I was shocked to see that, when I looked at myself side-on, there was a larger than expected bump to my abdomen. Doing some quick calculations in my head, I determined that I was now 16 or 17 weeks pregnant. I was in my second trimester! It was true, I had been too emotionally occupied to keep track. I knew now that I needed to keep track and become more excited about my pregnancy. I spent a considerable amount of time caressing my bump before dressing and leaving the bathroom.
"What's the matter, Soph?" Peter asked as I stepped into the dining room where everyone else was eating breakfast.
"I, uh, I have a bump," I responded in a tone mixed with surprise and gloom, furrowing my eyebrows.
Jenny pushed her chair out and came rushing over.
"What do you expect when you're pregnant?" she joked as she placed her hand on my tummy.
"It just seems so real now."
"Wow, you're quite large," she commented as she continued to feel around, "You've got to be over four months now!"
"Eh, I noticed your bump weeks ago," Kylie interjected with a nonchalant wave of her spoon. How could she notice when I didn't?
"How big is yours?" Jenny asked her.
"A little smaller than hers," Kylie shrugged.
"You're in your second trimester, girls! You know what that means?"
"What?" Kylie and I queried at the same time.
"No more nausea!"
"I've been fine the past few weeks anyway," Kylie commented.
Lucky her. My nausea had only just begun to subside. Even though I only vomited a handful of times, I had often felt nauseous. Today happened to be the first time I had vomited in a few weeks.
"Isn't her little bump just adorable?" Jenny continued to coo. At that point, Ben decided to leave the room. The others looked at me to see my reaction. I tried to hold back how hurt that small action made me, but it obviously showed on my face for Jenny rubbed my back whilst flashing me a sympathetic smile.