Spotlight #the2017Awards

Chapter 24

"Drop everything now meet me in the pouring rain, Kiss me on the sidewalk
Take away the pain" - Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift

*Flashback 4 of 5*

Before today few things made me nervous , few things made me cry and few things shook me to the core. Abortion was legal in New Mexico , no parental consent or mandatory waiting period necessary.

I had told mum and dad about my pregnancy - I was four weeks along but still only a teenager. I could remember my fathers screaming voice as I told him: " YOU STUPID GIRL! You can't get rid of it! you need to own up to your mistakes , your not getting a free pass now Marley." I remembered my sobbing and me almost drowning in my tears.

The memory was softened by my mothers kinder words of "adoption is always an option and you don't need to do this alone" but of course a massive fight ensued between the two, filling me with guilt. But here I was sitting in the reception area of the clinic making my choice.

"Marley Gate?"

I stood up a bit too quickly making me feel lightheaded but I pushed through it. "Dr Carlson will see you now" the nurse ushered me into his office , they all knew what I was here for.

"Miss Gate, we will begin the procedure in a few minutes okay?" I nodded as he began to write some things down. "You have one last chance to opt out Miss Gate okay? Now you 100% sure?"
"I am positive"
"Let's begin"

----

Coming home from it all I was met with my parents waiting for me in the kitchen. "Did you do it?" Asked dad before I could even set my keys down and I didn't speak but the silence was telling enough. "You bloody idiot! I told you had to deal with your actions and what do you do? You take the easy way out just like usual Marley , you look for the easiest escape because you always look for the shortcut-"
"Shut the fuck up! You don't know what your talking about! I wasn't not going to keep a child that I wasn't ready for and also Jesse cheated on me but hey you wouldn't care because Jesse was Marley's golden boy boyfriend and what did I do wrong to drive him into my best friends arms!? Well your answer might be get knocked up but he doesn't even know! So FUCK YOU"

I stood there panting and shaking as my father Chester Gate stood there in utter shock but a look of disgust plastered on his face. "Chester..." My mum started but he held up a hand to silence her "well since my wife won't support me and my eldest daughter doesn't respect my rules, what need is there for me then?"
"Chester be reasonable"
"No Grace we have been unhappy for awhile now and this -" he gestured to me "is the last straw...We should get a divorce"

Mums expression my own of shock and rage.

"Well then Chester you can leave then because I certainly won't leave Marley and Clarion with you"
"Marley is no daughter of mine" I stood there still paralysed , one mistake changed everything and that broke the family.

Two days later he was gone.

A week later mum started working later

A fortnight lister she bought a place in the city in case she had to work late.

A month later dad had permanently moved to Los Angeles and mum got her new boyfriend Bryan.

Two months mum stopped coming home practically altogether but a divorce never went through maybe because they didn't want to put themselves out or seeing each other in court was too much of each other's presence.

Either way they both turned their backs on Clarion and I but it was my fault.

----
Wow this chapter was hard.

Next chapter will focus on Jesse and Iris in New York and how the competition is coming to a close.