Chapter 5 Decisions

Vanessa and Greg lay sprawled on the bed. Their bodies were almost liquid with released sensuality. Finally, Vanessa understood what the fuss was all about. She had heard sex stories but she and Jacqueline had never tried it. Jacqueline's reason was she had a strict Catholic upbringing and had promised her mother she would get married as a virgin while hers was she hadn't met someone she liked as much as she liked Greg to try it with. Greg lay thinking. Leonard suddenly came to his mind. Leonard had asked him to take care of his sister and he had made love to her. He had taken advantage of her in this moment of grief. How could he not resist her? Why did she make him feel this way? He hadn't meant to kiss her, to make love to her. And she was a virgin. In as much as he felt attracted to Vanessa she was off-limits. He had made a mistake and wouldn't let it happen again. And the best way to do that was to never see her in person again.

Greg bounded out of bed and grabbed his shirt. Vanessa sat up.

"Are you leaving?" She asked.

"Yeah...umm....I have some work to review tonight," Greg said without looking at her and hurriedly got into his clothes.

Vanessa watched him dress. She had thought he would spend the night with her. She tugged at the rumpled spread, pulled it up and covered herself.

Greg all dressed up, took a few notes from his wallet and put them under a book on the nightstand. He turned to Vanessa and she saw guilt written all over his face. She realised he regretted what had transpired between them.

"I will see you tomorrow," Greg said and hurried out of the room and house.

Vanessa watched him leave. She felt pain in her heart. She had thought he loved her. He had made love to her and left her alone. Her brother's death and Greg's rejection were too much for her to handle. She took the notes he had kept and counted them. It was one thousand dollars. She felt used by him. He had paid her for sex like she was a call girl. She decided never to have anything to do with him.

The next day Greg didn't call Vanessa as he promised and never did. Vanessa felt sick a few weeks later. She passed it off as stress because she and Jacqueline had recently both gotten jobs as attendants at Levy Children's Park. They collected admission fees and issued tickets. And when Vanessa didn't show up to work on Thursday Jacqueline visited her after she got off work. Vanessa was hunched up in bed.

"Why don't you go to the hospital?" Jacqueline asked munching an apple she had taken from the fridge.

"I'm not sick. I just feel tired," Vanessa replied.

Jacqueline plopped her legs on Vanessa's bed. She stared at her manicured nails. She remembered her date.

"I have an appointment this weekend," she said.

"School?" Vanessa asked.

"A date," Jacqueline replied.

"With Nathan?" Vanessa asked.

"No.." Jacqueline frowned. "We weren't dating,"

Vanessa chuckled. "Yeah but you had an "ap-point-ment" with him last week," she emphasized the word appointment.

Jacqueline rolled her eyes. She fished a bubble gum from her purse, tore it open and plopped it into her mouth. She began to chew noisily.

"Stop that!" Vanessa moaned. She was disgusted by the sounds she made.

"Girl you look terrible. You should see a doctor,"

"Nah...I'm good," Vanessa replied.

"Let's go for a walk. The air would do you good,"

"No"

"Come on girl get your lazy ass up," Jacqueline said smacking Vanessa's butt.

Vanessa groaned and rolled off the bed. She took off her oversized t-shirt and grabbed her towel.

"Vee you have put on some weight you know," Jacqueline said eyeing her all over.

"Of course not," Vanessa replied then she paused for a second like she remembered something. She walked to her mirror and took a good look at herself. She had gained weight a little. She took off her bra and stared at the mirror. Does her breast look a little fuller or was she overreacting? She cupped her breasts and turned to her side. Her abdomen looked a little bit swollen. Was this...hold on...it had to be her period. This was PMS. She grabbed her phone and checked her period tracker. It was three weeks, five days late. She paused in fear. Greg. No, it can't be. Jacqueline watched her every movement quietly. Something was wrong. Vanessa turned to her and she could see she had turned pale.

"What's wrong Vee?" Jacqueline asked worried.

Vanessa didn't speak. She sat down trembling. Jacqueline grabbed her hands.

"What's wrong? Talk to me," Jacqueline persuaded her.

"We have to go to the hospital," Vanessa whispered.

Jacqueline stared at her. What had happened? Why was she afraid? Vanessa stood up and got into the bathroom. She showered quickly, put on a loose-fitting dress and powered her face.

They got a cab that dropped them off at the hospital. Vanessa had a test done and the result came in. She was pregnant. She was shocked. She hadn't thought a one-time sex could lead to a pregnancy. She listened absentmindedly as the doctor explained to her the options she had and that she needed her parent's guidance. Vanessa strode out of the office to meet a curious Jacqueline who dying to know what was going on.

"Let's go to the park," Vanessa said with her hands wrapped around her belly.

They walked to the park and Vanessa sat on a swing. Jacqueline stood staring at her waiting.

"I'm pregnant!" Vanessa announced.

"What?" Jacqueline asked jaw-dropped. "How?"

She sat down beside Vanessa.

"I thought I wouldn't get pregnant.....I mean...it was once and..." Vanessa stuttered.

Jacqueline stared at her like she had just fallen from the sky. Vanessa had sex. She had opened her legs for someone without informing her and had gotten pregnant.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"Who got you pregnant?" Jacqueline asked.

Vanessa hesitated.

"You weren't raped were you?"

Vanessa shook her head and mumbled "Greg!"

"OMG!" Jacqueline yelled with her eyes wide open causing people to stare at them.

"Shush!" Vanessa said.

Jacqueline couldn't believe what she had just heard. Sex with Mr Gorgeous. Vanessa had slept with Greg like how a couple sleeps with each other and she was pregnant for him? She was going to have his child. Vanessa had made her proud. As long as she was pregnant for Mr Gorgeous she had done a good job. The next thing was marriage and she would gladly be her maid of honour.

"This is good news," Jacqueline shrieked.

It was Vanessa's turn to stare at Jacqueline like she had gone nuts. How was this good news? Her brother had just died, her mom was in the hospital and the only way she could ease her parent's pain was by getting pregnant at seventeen. This is terrible. She made messed up big time.

"Listen Vee you just have to call Greg and tell him about his baby," she said smiling.

"You think that is easy?"

"Why not?" Jacqueline scowled. "It was very easy for him to put his "Glory" into you," she emphasized the words very and glory.

Vanessa sighed. Jacqueline didn't understand and she didn't want to explain. Greg hadn't called her because he regretted what had happened and she had gotten the message. She couldn't call to tell him she was having his baby. How would she sound to him? What would be his reply?

"Oh God!" She groaned.

Jacqueline took her hand and took a deep breath.

"You can't have a child alone. He has to know so he can fulfil his responsibilities as a father,"

"Okay, I would call him,"

"Tonight," Jacqueline said firmly. "Then call me to tell me his reply tomorrow okay?

Vanessa nodded.

They walked home holding each other hands.

The next day Jacqueline waited anxiously for Vanessa's call but it never came.