Unwed 💍

Chapter Two: The Great Pretender

A melancholy breeze drifted over her face from the half opened window beside the bed. Despite being awake, Izzy laid still, lost in the images that replayed under her closed eyelids. She was afraid that if she moved, they'd fall from her grasp, and she'd find it was all just a dream.

She'd barely slept the night before, her mind so consumed with all of the plans she and Donny had made together. He was coming at ten o'clock that morning so they could tell her parents their decision. Her whole life was on the verge of changing completely.

Releasing an elated little squeal, she opened her eyes and hugged her pillow tightly, kicking her legs up in the air. In just a day's time she'd gone from a girl to a woman.

Soon she'd be Mrs. Barrett—Mrs. Donald Barrett. She'd whispered the name to herself so many times the night before, it felt like it had always been hers. The sound of it was tantalizing to her ears.

It was Saturday, still early enough that only her mother would be downstairs, banging about in the kitchen. She turned on her back with a happy smile, but it was quickly knocked off of her face by a little kick in her stomach.

She glanced over to make sure Maria was still asleep in her bed across the room, then pulled up her nightgown to stare at her bare belly under the quilt. To her horror, she could see it rise slightly with the small movements from the inside. She snapped the gown down, her heart shifting to a quickened pace. She was so excited about getting married, she'd almost forgotten the looming baby issue. There was no way her parents wouldn't find that out, especially when she happened to have a baby a few months after they were married. The thought put a little damper on her bright mood.

Her stomach turned, and a wave of nausea forced her out of the bed, washing away what was left of her happy state. Her feet skidded across the wooden floor as she staggered down the hallway towards the bathroom, her hands spread on either side of the wall for balance. Her traitorous stomach was forcing bile up into her throat, and it burned horribly. Reaching the small bathroom just in time, she flung the door closed and locked it, throwing herself at the toilet. Her insides felt like they were turning upside down as she gagged into the open hole. After a few minutes, she stood weakly on wobbling legs, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the sink.

She looked horrid. Her hair curlers skewed, eyes red, her skin pale and drab. Hot tears sprang up and rolled down her cheeks. She was going to be an ugly, elephant-legged bride on her wedding day, and to top it off, she'd be spewing chunks on her wedding night. This baby was going to ruin everything.

An overly anxious string of knocks forced her to pull herself together.

"Izzy!" Maria's obnoxious whine called from behind the door, " Hurry up and get out, I have to pee!"

Izzy bent and splashed water on her face, ignoring Maria's muffled pleas. She had to pull herself together. She couldn't change it. Donny would be there soon, they'd work it out. Everything would be alright.

She took her time brushing her teeth as Maria screamed and banged on the door. The little monster deserved to suffer for the scare she'd given her the day before. With a deep breath, she opened it and strolled out nonchalantly. Her sister's squawking followed her down the hall.

"I'm telling Mama on you!" Maria spat as she slammed the door behind her.

She went back to her room, pulled her hair out of the curlers, and slipped on a plain yellow dress before venturing down the stairs to face her parents. She stopped for a second, her heart fluttering anxiously as she spied them seated at the kitchen table along with her older brother Ricky, and younger brother Sam.