Heartland

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen: Results.

I got up to the loft after my scene in the house. I laid face down on the bed crying into my pillow. I laid there crying and crying. Then I wondered,
"When will the next flight to Texas be?"

Jack came into the loft, he sat on the bed.
"I'm not upset with ether of you. It scares me, the fact that you might not be able to care for this child mentally or emotionally. I want you to take this in the morning," he said as he sat a bag next to me. I sat up and wiped my eyes. In the bag was a box of pregnancy tests and Plan B.
"I'll take a test in the morning. I don't want an abortion. When I was pregnant with Maisie I pretended that abortion wasn't even a word. I'm going to feel that way about this baby. I will never give up my child," I replied.
"It's getting late. I'll send Maisie and Ty in here. You get some sleep," he suggested. I hugged him and handed him the Plan B. "Keep it. Just incase," he said. I nodded and put it under the mattress. I put the pregnancy tests in my bedside table. Jack left. I got changed and then laid in bed and fell asleep.

I woke up around four am and had to pee really bad. I grabbed a pregnancy test and ran for the house. I ran into the bathroom and relieved myself. As I did, I took the test. I finished going to the bathroom, put the test on the counter, and washed my hands. I sat on the floor and pulled out my phone. I browsed through my social medias until the time was up. Seven minutes had gone by. I still sat on the floor not wanting to look. I didn't want to know. If I was pregnant I didn't know what I was going to do. I grabbed the test and took a deep breath, looking down at a little pink plus sign.
"I'm pregnant," I said to no one but myself. I put the test in my pocket and went to the kitchen where I saw Amy's school bag I emptied it and filled it with food. I put the bag on my back and ran to the barn. I snuck into the loft, and took a few different shirts, two pairs of jeans, some socks, underwear, shampoo, soap, hair accessories, hair brush, my other tests, my phone charger, and $200 in cash. The last thing I grabbed was the Plan B that Jack gave me. Just in case. I ran downstairs where I saddled Sky. I put some treats, a ziplock bag of feed, and a brush in the bag. I stuffed a spare blanket into my backpack as well. I took another blanket and folded it for me to sit on. I'd have to gallop for awhile to get away. I needed the extra protection for my baby. I mounted Sky and then galloped away from the ranch.

The sun was up when I stopped riding Sky and started walking her along the dirt back road. I looked at my phone. It was about eight. I had been riding for almost four hours. I had came to a small town called Saint Clet, it was smaller then Hudson. A main road went through town and the other roads just wrapped around houses. There was a small public park. I tied Sky to a swing set, where I gave her some grain. I pulled out my phone, I had about 20 missed calls and about 40 texts. I turned my phone off. An adult woman was riding a horse towards me.
"I've never seen a runaway with a horse," she said as she dismounted.
"Is it that obvious?" I asked.
"Yes. Now what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I'm pregnant," I replied.
"You couldn't face your family?" She asked.
"They're not my family. They don't care about me," I replied.
"How old are you?" she asked.
"I just turned seventeen," I replied.
"Why don't you come to my farm? You can eat and rest before going on to wherever you go," she offered.
"Thank you," I accepted.

Laura was the nice woman who helped me. She was a single woman with kids in college and a dead husband. She just had the one horse, Casper. She settled Sky in and then gave me warm soup.
"Where are you from?" she asked.
"Originally Texas. After my parents died I moved to Heartland ranch in Hudson," I replied.
"Hudson's quite a ways away," she said.
"I've been riding since four this morning," I replied.
"Do you have anyone there you love?" She asked.
"My daughter Maisie," I replied smiling.
"How old is she?" Laura asked.
"She just turned four," I replied. She sighed.
"So you had her when you were thirteen year old?" She asked. I nodded. "So you ran away because you're pregnant, but you have another child at home?"
"Yeah," I replied.
"Look Tara, I know how rough it is, I was 18 when I had my first child and my family was so incredibly mad at me. But that man and that child's father eventually became my husband and he and I had a long life together. I don't know what your situation is like at home, but your daughter is there, and I think you should be with her," she said. I knew she was right. I was just so ashamed.

Laura convinced me to call home. I pulled out my phone and called Jack.
"Tara where are you?" he asked.
"Im in a little town called Saint Clet," I replied.
"That's a three hour drive," he said.
"I left at four this morning," I replied. The line was silent. "Jack I'm pregnant. I couldn't face you guys."
"Tara you have to stop running. I'm on my way now, It'll just be me. I'll bring a trailer for Sky. It's okay that you're pregnant, you'll get through it," he said.

Laura let me sleep in her son's bed. I slept for three hours until she came in the room with Jack. She left the room and left Jack and I to talk.
"So you're going to have another baby. That's exciting," he said.
"What should I name him or her?" I asked.
"I can't say that. That's for Ty and you to decide." He replied.
"If it's a boy I like Bryce. If it's a girl I like Bria." I said, ignoring what he said.
"I like the name Bria, it's unique like Maisie," Jack said.
"Will you take me home?" I asked.
"It's nice to hear you call it home. Yes, let's get you home to your daughter," he replied. I said goodbye to Laura as Jack got Sky trailered.
"Thank you so much Laura," I said. She handed me a piece of paper with her number on it, her email, and her address.
"Send me pictures of your baby," she said.
"I want you to be his or her godparent. You saved us both," I said.
"I would love to be this child's godparent," she replied as we hugged.

I put Laura's information into my phone so I wouldn't forget. I sent her a text saying,
"I'll send you belly shots when I start showing! BTW this is Tara! I hope I have a girl! If I do her name will be Bria Alexandria Cohan. If I have a boy I want to name him Bryce Jack Cohan. Thanks for all your help! I appreciate it!"

We drove the three hours home. It was dark out when Jack parked in front of the house.
"You really scared us today. You know that?" He asked.
"Yeah Jack. I'm sorry," I replied.
"So you're pregnant. What are you going to say to Ty and everyone else?" He asked.
"I don't know maybe surprise, I'm pregnant. I won't be here long enough for anyone to care," I replied.
"Tara you can't leave. We need you here," Jack said.
"No one likes me here. Lou hates me, Peter never acknowledges I'm in the room, Amy is probably pissed I'm pregnant with her ex's baby, and Ty, I wonder what he's thinking," I said. We both got out of the truck and went inside. Everyone sat at the dinner table eating Lou's chile.
"My favorite," I exclaimed as I sat down and got a bowl.
"Tara, did anything happen today?" Lou asked.
"Oh you know, the usual. Nothing big," I replied.
"Do you have something you want to tell us?" she asked.
"Nope," I replied. Five minutes went by. Lou asked,
"Tara are you pregnant?"
"That's not really something to discuss at the family table," Jack said. I put some more chile in my bowl and then left the house. I put my chile on the hay bail outside Sky's stall and then I went to the trailer, got Sky, and my backpack, out, and led her to the barn. I settled her in her stall. Ty came into the barn.
"You know you have to tell them sometime," he said. I left Sky's stall. I opened my backpack and grabbed the Plan B.
"Ty, Jack gave me this before I knew I was pregnant," I said as I handed it to him.
"Do you want to use it?" he asked.
"It's an option. Like everyone's saying, I didn't raise Maisie. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into," I said.
"But you do, Tara. I'm here with you," he urged.
"I know you are but I'm just so unsure," I admitted.
"We just need to talk about it some more. We should ask Jack what he thinks," Ty suggested.