Loose Ends

Chapter 31: Mommy To Be

Adrian and Ben walked out of the doctor's office silently, each lost in their own thoughts. Her doctor said she was progressing through her second trimester right on schedule and her baby was developing normally. As Adrian ran a hand over her baby bump, her thoughts remained centered on Amy. I know my pregnancy's not like Amy's 'cuz Ben's been by my side the whole time but what happens after I have my baby. I mean, how hard was it to come back to school? What's it actually like taking care of a baby? Even if I asked her to tell me about it would she or does she still secretly hate me?

"Adrian." She snapped out of it and turned to find a very worried Ben staring at her.

"Huh?"

"I asked you if everything's okay." She nodded, not sure why he looked so alarmed.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You've been staring at the ground rubbing your stomach ever since we left the doctor's office. Are you sure everything's okay? You're not in pain or anything are you?" alarm still evident in his voice. Adrian gave him a smile.

"I'm fine, Ben. I was just lost in thought thinking about what it's gonna be like once our baby actually gets here, with school and everything." He nodded in understanding, his nervousness evaporating. It was replaced by mild tension at her next words.

"I still wanna talk to Amy though." They had reached Ben's car and he opened the door for her, shutting it once she was situated and then walking over the driver's side. He backed out of the parking stall and pulled out onto the street before speaking again.

"What do you wanna talk to Amy about?" Adrian rolled her eyes and gave Ben a 'did you really just ask me that' look. He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road. "Adrian, if you're worried about what it's like to be a teenage mother you can always talk to your mom. You told me she had you when she was sixteen, right?" Adrian nodded and then was quiet for several moments before all her questions started tumbling out in a ramble.

"It's not the same though, Ben! I mean, my grandparents kept her shut away because they were ashamed of her; they only helped her take care of me when they had to, and she had a job that took her away a lot for long periods of time. I wanna know what it's like to get up every morning and take care of your baby and then leave him or her at daycare to go to school. What's it like trying to do your homework while taking care of a baby? I know you'll be there helping me but you won't be around all the time. Sure my dad will be around to help me when he gets off work but there's gonna be times I'll be home alone with him or her. What then!? And how do two people who don't live together take care of a baby together? You've got a job but I don't. I'm gonna have to get one andthen what will my days be like?" she started to tear up as her questions and worries overwhelmed her. "I need to talk to her but I can't!" Ben's heart went out to her. Adrian told him about the lecture her mother gave her and knew Adrian wasn't allowed to contact Amy in any way. He had an idea to help her but he'd need some help. All he could do for now was try to console her. He reached over and took her hand in his.

"I don't have answers to those questions, Adrian. All I know is we'll figure it out together and do our best." He gave her a smile, which she returned. He dropped her back off at her house before returning to work. Once he was clocked back in he went in search of Ricky. Ben found him flattening boxes by the loading dock.

"Need any help?" Ricky looked up at the sound of Ben's voice.

"Sure." Ben grabbed a box cuter and started helping him. After he'd cut and flattened two boxes he looked around to make sure Bunny wasn't within ear shot.

"I need your help."

"With?"

"Getting Amy and Adrian together so they can talk." Ricky arched an eyebrow in surprise that Ben had actually just asked him to get the mother of his son together for a gab session with his ex-girlfriend. At Ricky's skeptical look Ben quickly explained the problem. "It's like this. Adrian's getting really worried about what it's like to be a teen mom while working and going to school because her situation isn't like her mother's. She wants to talk to Amy about it but her mom forbid her to contact Amy in anyway. I won't tell you why exactly but given their history I'm sure you can work that out for yourself." Ricky didn't say anything, correctly assuming that Adrian's parents found out what types of things she'd said to Amy in the past. "Anyway, do you think you could talk Amy into meeting you at your apartment Saturday morning? Adrian and I can come over early and be there when she arrives and then they can talk while we're at work and we'll be downstairs in case things get too heated." Ricky shook his head, immediately refusing to go along with the scheme, and Ben's heart sank. He opened his mouth to continue pleading his case but Ricky cut him off.

"I'm not gonna trick Amy into coming over to my apartment or lie to her just to help you out. I'll talk to Amy and ask her if she's willing to talk to Adrian. That's the best I can do." Ben nodded, deciding to take what he could get. They finished their shifts and clocked out.

"Text me when you have her answer," Ben said on his way out the door. Ricky nodded and headed upstairs to his apartment. I'd rather go ahead and get this over with. He sat on the couch and speed dialed Amy's cell. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, Ricky. What's up?" she said cheerfully, making him smile. The smile slowly vanished as he took a deep breath.

"I wanna run something by you." He heard a car door slam and hoped what he asked her next wouldn't upset her too much to be able to drive safely.

"Oh?"

"So Ben came up to me at work this afternoon and asked me for a favor."

"Alright..."

"Adrian wants to talk to you about what it's like to be a working, teen mom still in high school but her mom forbid her to contact you." Amy was surprised at this little piece of information but didn't respond to it, instead focusing on why Ricky would be telling her that.

"And you're telling me this because…"

"Ben wants to know if you'd be willing to talk to Adrian Saturday morning."

"Okay. It's been a long time coming anyway. Hopefully talking about motherhood will take some of the awkwardness out of it. But we can't talk at my house and I'd really rather not talk at hers either. I'm willing to meet her at the park near the youth center though. Did Ben say what time?"

"No, he just said the morning. I'll text him and ask and then text you back."

"Okay."

"Talk to you in a bit, Amy." He ended the call and sent Ben a text: She'll do it the prk near the youth cntr. What time?

Ben had obviously been waiting by his phone because he responded immediately: K. Let me call Adrian & ask

Ricky started fixing his dinner while he waited for Ben's response. Ben quickly called Adrian.

"Hey, Ben. What's up?"

"Okay, so I wanted to find a way for you to talk to Amy and I did."

"Ben…"

"Hear me out," he said, and continued in a bit of a rush so Adrian wouldn't interrupt him. "I talked to Ricky about it and he said he'd ask Amy if she would talk to you, and she said she would. She'll meet you Saturday morning at that park near the youth center but she wants to know what time you wanna meet." Adrian was momentarily surprised at the news but her hormones quickly caused her to cry at Ben's sweet gesture of trying to help her.

"Well the sooner the better so I'd say about 9:00 at the earliest? 11:00 at the latest?"

"Okay. Let me text Ricky with those times and I'll text you back with the time Amy picks."

"Okay. And Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." He ended the call and sent a text to Ricky. He had just sat down at the table to eat his dinner when his phone buzzed. He quickly read Ben's message: She said 9 the earliest, 11 latest

Ricky sent a text to Amy to see which time worked best for her. She sent him back a reply several minutes later: 9's ok

He sent a text back to Ben: Amy said 9's ok

Ben quickly sent a text to Adrian: Amy said 9

She sent him a reply: Ok. See her 9 Adrian dropped her phone onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. It was gonna be a long couple of days but she was relieved that she was finally going to talk to Amy. Part of her was nervous, wondering what from their past relationship as frienemies Amy would bring up, but as long as Adrian got to ask her questions about motherhood she was willing to take anything Amy wanted to dish out.