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"I CANNOT BE RUSHED. WOULD YOU TELL A ROSE TO BLOOM FASTER?"
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mackenzie grabbed a book, a stupid little book maddie bought so mackenzie could read to her babies. she was 5 months along. though the girls thought she was 4 and a half months along. "shit. this is shit." mackenzie said, throwing the book on her desk. "how about i tell you a good story."
mackenzie got more comfortable in her bed, fixing the pillow behind her. she lifted her shirt, and grabbed her body butter used to help stretch marks.
she rubbed the butter on as she spoke, "there was once a princess. like a legit princess. she and a soldier fell in love. well more like her heart was in her, ya know. wait, no you, never mind. anyway, their affair ended when her father, the king, brought her to an arena where the soldier was in. he told her, behind the two doors, is his future. one door, was a beautiful woman, where he'd marry and live the rest of his life with. the other door, had a tiger to rip him up to death. but the author never said which the princess chose. i still don't know." mackenzie finished the story. it was her favorite since second grade.
"mackenzie! dinner." maddie yelled, opening her door.
"i'm huge. shit." kenzie said, as she struggled to get up. her feet hated the cold floor, so maddie helped her out with her slippers that maddie warmed up for her.
"here, let me help." maddie helped her sister, then they went downstairs.
melissa and greg finally found out the only foods mackenzie would eat. her pb and j, mac n cheese with jalapeños and bacon, and eggplant lasagna. those were just for this week. "hmmm, my mac n cheese!" mackenzie smiled, then sat down.
halfway through dinner melissa spoke, "so mackenzie. we were hoping you'd join us in church this sunday."
"i don't think they'd want an unmarried pregnant 16 year old at church." mackenzie said, placing her fork down.
"any child is a blessing in our family. father clemings believes any child is a blessing, we do too." greg said, then mackenzie agreed.
saturday came along and mackenzie didn't have work. her parents and maddie went baby shopping, like crazy people. melissa bought so much, since when maddie and mackenzie were born they didn't have as much good things. they bought two or more of everything. bottles, cribs, everything.
"hey kenzie. what's up?" annie asked, as mackenzie joined emily and annie. they were showing too. of course mackenzie was larger but they were clearly pregnant. but then she saw johnny walk to the table with two drinks.
"hey kenzie." johnny said, greeting her as he sat by emily.
"john." mackenzie said back, then mackenzie dropped her backpack, making an envelope fall out, to annie's chair. "shit." she murmured.
"what is it?" annie asked, picking it up.
"nothing." mackenzie took it away, but johnny saw his name.
"why does it have my name?" johnny asked.
"oh, just um people involved in this, thing." mackenzie said, then stuffed it into her bag. "anyway? i'm gonna get my drink." mackenzie said, then struggled again to get up. johnny got up to help. "no, i'm fine." mackenzie said, then got up.
she didn't like to lie, especially that johnny didn't know the babies were his. when mackenzie turned back, annie was reading the envelope, then looked at kenzie. "what is it?" emily asked.
"dang, kenzie this is a good essay about us." annie lied, then put the envelope back in kenzie's backpack. annie went up to kenzie, as if she was looking at the bakery treats. "how?"
"i don't wanna talk about it, please annie. don't tell her or him." mackenzie asked, then got her iced tea.
"i won't. it's not my business. but one day, she'll finally realize that her baby looks like your babies." mackenzie nodded, then annie ordered a bagel as kenzie went to sit back down.
"so kenzie, johnny is going to join us with schooling too. since he's in senior year, it's easy." emily said, holding his hand. kenzie looked at him, and he smiled.
"yeah, um, i guess." kenzie said, then rubbed her belly. "i should get started."
around 2 pm, they took a break. "so kenzie, have you been reading to the twins?" emily asked, as annie was eating her second yogurt.
mackenzie sighed, and sat up, "i guess. maddie bought a stupid book about red riding hood-"
"aw that's what johnny reads." emily interrupted, then apologized.
"anyway, i just tell them some of my favorite stories. it's better since the baby or babies find it more natural coming from your heart than a stack of paper." mackenzie said, then annie spoke.
"wait i have to talk to a fetus?" annie asked, as she laid back and held her stomach.
"yes. the baby needs to recognize their parents' voice." johnny said, then annie looked at kenzie.
"maybe you should talk to kenzies." annie murmured, then kenzie kicked her ankle. emily didn't quite catch it but johnny heard it, not well enough but looked at kenzie.
kenzie mouthed, "nothing." then ate her mac n cheese.
