The Story of Tonight

Chapter Twenty Seven

Vanessa rubbed at her slightly swollen belly as she laid on the couch reading Sunday afternoon. She'd covered up with a blanket and was finally taking some time to relax. She had to admit it was nice to have Lia out of the house occasionally. The kid could be a bit high strung.

Her daughter wasn't due back until the late afternoon but around noon, the door unlocked and the teenager huffed as she walked in.

"You're home early," she commented as she pushed herself up to sit.

"Yeah you can blame Lin for that," she commented, going straight for the fridge.

Vanessa marked her page. "How's that?"

"He took my phone," she reported as she untwisted a Gatorade.

Vanessa had already gotten a text from Lin so she knew the situation. "And why did he do that?"

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled.

"You had a boy over?" She prompted, resting her chin on her arm over the couch back. Lia narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"Good news travels fast I guess," she retorted. "He told you?"

Lia was annoyed. She'd only had to deal with one parent her whole life and now she had two plotting against her?

"He can't ground me, Mom," she complained as Vanessa got up to go talk a little closer. "It's not like he has actual legal custody of me."

"We haven't been through the courts, no," she agreed. "But you know you were in the wrong. He has every right to punish you."

"He shouldn't," she disagreed.

"You just don't like it," Vanessa pointed out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. "I would've done the same thing. Were you up late?"

She knew her daughter got extra cranky when she was tired. Lia nodded, looking a little pathetic. She leaned into her mother and let her stroke her hair.

"Why don't you go take a nap, then you can start on homework," she suggested. "I'll tuck you in."

Vanessa followed her to her bedroom, which she'd just put fresh sheets in. She pulled the covers back and Lia climbed in. After closing the blinds Vanessa kissed her forehead and left her to rest.

—-

The next week, Vanessa sat uncomfortably on an exam table in a paper gown. Lin was by her side this time, which made it slightly better. With Lia she'd done it all by herself. She could do it all by herself but it was nice to have support this time.

"You nervous?" Lin asked, noticing she was twitching her feet around. She shook her head.

"It's just uncomfortable," she said. "Getting probed and everything."

"Does it hurt?"

"Nah," she said. "It's not any bigger than, well, you know," she chuckled.

Lin blushed and gave her a kiss on the head as there was a knock on the door. Vanessa told the doctor to come in.

She greeted the couple and began by asking Vanessa how she was feeling. Vanessa told her about the sickness but that overall she'd felt fine. After a few more routine health questions she asked Vanessa to lay down and put her feet in the stirrups.

Lin stayed by the head of the bed to give her some privacy. He continued to hold her hand as the doctor got ready.

"Okay, take a nice deep breath," she instructed her, "and let it out slowly."