A Collection of Stories

Anonymous II

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Melanie with a baby carriage. Oh how wrong was I when I sang that as a child. I didn’t purposely get pregnant, I really didn’t want to have a baby at nineteen years old, but I am anyways. Carter and I were never typical friends, we acted more like what we are now, lovers. We had told my family we were pregnant at the same time Nick and Elyse told everyone they were pregnant. They were not happy about it, mainly because Carter and I were having a baby out of wedlock. I told them Carter would never leave, but they didn’t believe me because I was their little sister.

Elyse eventually figured out I was Anonymous girl. She was constantly trying to talk me into calling Good Morning America. A few months ago they came out with a small story on my pseudonym and wanted to know who I was. I always said no, I was done with that part of my life. I told her that I’m trying to find a home and a job and a school in western Massachusetts. Carter supported me on my choices no matter what, mainly because he knew I would support him on any decisions he needed to make.

We’re still living in our apartment while I reached the first month of our second trimester. Our baby was making me insanely sick and hardly allowed me to sleep. Carter tried to help, but he had to work all the time and I was always home alone. I finally fell asleep around noon since the baby finally stopped kicking. Carter came in our bedroom and climbed in our bed, wrapping an arm around my waist. He pressed his lips to my neck as he splayed his fingers over my stomach.

“Mel, wake up.” He whispered against my skin. I moaned and turned toward him, burying my face in his neck.

“No, the baby just stopped kicking.” I whispered, wrapping my arms around him. Carter tipped my chin up and kissed my lips lightly. “Carter,” I moaned, holding my stomach.

“I know, sweetie, I know. But we are seeing the doctor in an hour. You can tell her about the baby before we find out the gender.” He murmured. I sighed and opened my eyes, a pout forming on my lips. Carter chuckled and pecked my lips before helping me out of bed. “You look amazing, by the way.” He murmured, smiling at me. I smiled back as I rested my head on his shoulder. He rubbed my stomach slowly, getting a kick out of the baby. I groaned and held my stomach as the baby kicked again. Carter pressed his hands on the sides of my stomach as he knelt in front of me. He just talked to the baby, making it calm down quickly.

I smiled as I pulled Carter to his feet, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Let’s go,” I whispered. We left the apartment building and walked down to the subway station, taking the red train to the local hospital. We were taken in by the doctor and started the visit right away. She squeezed the blue gel on my stomach and turned on the ultrasound, pressing the little probe on the top of my stomach. The doctor looked at Carter and me, a slight smile on her lips.

“Are you ready to find out the gender?” She asked and I nodded, gripping Carter’s hand in mine. She found our baby quickly, a round head, ten fingers and ten toes. The doctor’s hand slips and revealed two more heads, freaking me out. She noticed and probed over my stomach, revealing three heads, thirty fingers and thirty toes.

“Triplets,” I squeaked, looking at the doctor. “You said we were only having one baby!”

“Ms. Strong, please calm down. Sometimes the heart monitor does not pick up every heartbeat. You are having triplets; we will have to follow a different procedure for their birth. Are you willing to do this she asked, looking me in the eye. I nodded slowly, squeezing Carter’s hand for comfort. “Good, are you read to find out the genders?” I nodded, chewing on my lip as she went over to the first baby.

“Boy,” She went over to the second baby. “Boy,” She went over to the last baby. “Girl, congratulations,” she said, handing me a paper towel to wipe the gel off my stomach. I looked at Carter with a grin on my lip as I rested my hands over my stomach. Carter leaned in and kissed me, his hands stroking my stomach lightly.