Together, We Rise

Chapter Thirteen: So It Begins

Chapter Thirteen

Melody

I reached for another tissue and wiped my tears away. I had no idea why I was crying, but I couldn't even stop it. It was very confusing and annoying.

My bedroom door opened and Luke walked in. "Your family told me you've been in your room crying. Are you okay, Mel?"

I reached for the remote and turned off the TV. "The dog died," I said quietly.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "The dog died? What dog?"

I pointed to the TV. "In that movie! The dog got hit by a car!"

Luke walked over to me and sat down. "So you're crying because a dog died in a movie? Why?"

"I don't know!" I exclaimed. "It just reminded me of Chewy. What if Chewy is going to die?"

Luke pulled me up from my seat on the bed and wiped a few of my tears away. "Hey," he said softly. "It never bothered you before. Chewy is fine, Mel. What's the real problem?"

I looked down at the ground and sniffed. "What if I won't make a good mom? What if adoption is the best option?"

"Melody, don't say that," Luke told me. "Of course you'll make a great mom. You're sweet and kind and helpful."

"What if..." I began, ready tot tell Luke the other thing I've been thinking about. I shook my head, knowing he'd be against it.

"What?" Luke asked.

"What if abortion is the right thing?"

Luke shook his head. "Melody, don't say that. You already decided against it."

"I'm seventeen, Luke!" I exclaimed. "Seventeen! I still have high school to complete but now I can't because you got me pregnant!"

"Melody," Luke snapped. "Stop acting like this. It's not you."

"Not me?" I asked. "Being pregnant isn't me! What are people going to think of me when they find out? I won't be at school and people are going to find eventually!"

"I thought you don't care about what people think," Luke said.

"Well, now I do," I said before going on my bed and climbing underneath my blankets.

Luke sighed. "What are you doing?"

"Going to bed," I told him.

"It's two o'clock," Luke pointed out.

"Well, I'm tired," I muttered. "Just go away and let me sleep."

Luke shook his head and walked out of my room, closing the door loudly behind him. I just closed my eyes and tried falling asleep, but someone else walked into my room.

"I heard you yelling," Matt said as he sat on the edge of my bed. "And Luke left the hotel room quite angrily. What happened?"

"He got me pregnant, that's what happened," I muttered.

"Oh, I see what's happening," Matt said. "You, my dear sister, are experiencing pregancy mood swings. One minute you're happy, then you're sad and questioning what to do about the pregnancy. It's normal."

I wiped away the tears I still had. "What?"

"Mood swings, Mel," Matt repeated. "That's what you're going through right now. Aunt Celia told me about them and how you'll be going through it soon. And I'm guessing you got mad at Luke."

"Yeah," I said quietly. "Matt, what if I should put the baby through adoption........? Or abortion.........?

"I thought you already ruled that out," Matt said.

I shrugged. "I don't know anymore, Matt. I'm just........I'm so confused."

Matt sighed. "Melody, everything will be fine. We're all going to help you get through this."

"Not Aunt Celia," I muttered.

"She's just shocked," Matt told me. "I was when I found out. She'll come around. Trust me."