Taga Long

Quick Stop

Things went by okay after Josh and I made up. Him and Caleb still weren't talking, but they were trying to at least be partialy civil. It was more along the lines of you-stay-out-of-my-way-I'll-stay-out-of-your-way. Which would have to do for right now.

Surprisingly, it was almost Thanksgiving break, time was going by so fast. The air at school was stiff with anticipation as we neared the end of the week. I had to admitt, even I was a little excited. The thought of not having to wake at six in the morning was something I could live with.

"Tab, don't forget to stop by the store for me after school." Dad came and reminded me. He was still home because he didn't have to go in until later.

I was standing in the bathroom mirrior doing my best to straighten my hair. His image was reflected back at me. "Alright, I won't." I noticed that he had paused, a certain look on his face. I turned to face him. "What is it?"

He shook his head, a silen, small smile on his face. "Nothing, you just looked exactly like your mother for a moment there." He said quietly.

My face softend, I could already feel the threat of tears, I knew exactly what today was. Exactly four months ago today, my mother had died. Ihad been so preoccupied in my own world, that I had forgotten about the real world. The world where my father was a widow raising his two children, with a late night, early morning shift at the state hospital.

I sniffed. "Oh, dad!" Like a little girl, I ran towards my father and wrapped my arms around his waist. He burried his face in my hair and cried softly.

"I miss her." I sniffed.

He rubbed my back in small soothing circles. "I know baby, I know." He took my face in his hands and kissed my forehead. "But she's not gone, she's here," he pointed to my head. "And in here." And then to my heart.

I nodded, wiping at my tears. "I just wish she was here." I pointed at the spot in front of me. His face saddend and he hugged me closer to him.

"I love you Tabitha." He said gently.

"I love you too dad."

After our short lived moment, I finished getting ready for school, and then left with a hallow feeling inside.

On top of my mother's death being just four months ago, I was now also ten weeks into my pregnany. It was strange, I had seen my doctor so.etime last week and she had given me all these brochures and "things to know..." sheets. From what I had been reading, my baby, which I could now call a "fetus" was developing quickly now, with just thirty weeks to go. My timeto tell my family was running short. I knew this for sure because, all though it wasn't too prominent, my stomach area was firmer. There was no bump, but you knew something was there. For the life of me, I didn't know how, and if I would tell my family that it was Caleb's baby.

I had to make a quick stop by the gas station because I was all but running on fumes. Getting out my wallet, I realized another thing: babies were going to take money. Translation: I needed to find a job. My father had enough on his plate already, so I didn't need to be adding on to it. I could only i.agine how he was going to react when he found out that I was still pregnant. Would he see it as a miracle, or a punishment?

I heaved a sigh as I wrapped the scarf around my neck tighter and got out to pump the gas. I took fancy in lingereing inside the warm quick mart, fishing out a few things that seemed appealing at the moment. When I was done, I took it upto the register.

"Will that be...all?" I looked up from my wallet to see why the cashier had paused to only find a guy who looked to be in his early twenties starring back at me. He had tanned skin with a thick head of curly black hair and bright eyes. His look did not fit his scene, he looked way out of place.