"Well Melissa, good to see you. I'm Dr. Swenson," she greeted the young girl sitting on the examination table.
"Hi," she said meekly. She felt uncomfortable seeing an OB. She knew it was necessary, but she felt as if she was being scrutinized by everyone she came in contact with.
"So, how are you doing?" Dr. Swenson asked as she prepped Melissa for an ultrasound. "Everything okay at home or at school?"
"Well my mom finally started talking to me. .she was mad for a long time. Now she's just mad at the father."
"Oh yeah? And how do you feel towards the father?"
"I hate him. I hate him for what he's done to me. . .I know that it's my fault too. . .but he kinda pressured me into it," she admitted.
"So I take it he ran out on you?" Melissa nodded. "Well from my point of view if the father runs out, then that means he's the weak one, not you. He didn't want to take the responsibility, but you're here, which shows your strength." Dr. Swenson's words soaked into Melissa's brain. She did have a point, and that made her feel a little better.
"Yeah. . .I guess you're right," she said. The monitor flipped on and the small exam room was filled with the "whooshing" of the ultrasound waves. Dr. Swenson carefully watched the screen while slowly moving the instrument across Melissa's stomach.
"And there's the baby," she said. Melissa stared incredously at the screen. For the first time she felt a small amount of joy that she was carrying another human being inside of her.
"Whoa," she said. "That's my baby?"
"Yes, that's it," said Dr. Swenson. "There's a nice strong heartbeat. Everything looks normal and well."
"So tiny," she said, trying to imagine a baby fitting perfectly into her palm. Dr. Swenson could tell that she was distressed, she had seen it in almost all the young mothers she had treated.
"Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"
Melissa sighed. "No. I can't have an abortion," she said. "But I can't keep the baby either."
"Well you have a while to think about it. Don't rush, it's a very important decision."
'That's easy for you to say,'she thought to herself.
"So the rumors are all true?" Stever asked Dan.
"Yeah. . .it's kinda hard for me to believe, but. .yeah. She's pregnant." Stever shook his head.
"Man. .and she's fifteen?"
"Yeah."
"Well you got it all now: fame, fortune, an older woman, and a baby on the way," he teased. Dan laughed and softly pushed Stever's shoulder.
"Hey shut the hell up, she's only a few months older than me, and she might not even keep the baby."
"You mean. . ." he trailed off.
"No! God no, she doesn't believe in that. She'd rather take the responsibility for her mistake."
"So then she's going to give it up?"
"Probably. She can't take care of it, her parents are mad enough as it is."
"Yeah. I think that if I were in that situation I would want to put it up for adoption too," said Stever. "I mean, think about all the people that can't have children."
"And all the kids having them. . ." Dan thought outloud.
"Damn, we live in a crazy, fucked up world."
Tori knew Melissa from school, she had Gyn and English with her, but they never really talked much. ONce they met up at Stever's party they started talking, and became instant friends. Tori had known some people back in the States who were in the same situation as Melissa, so she knew how she was probably feeling about the whole thing. A few months passed, and Melissa was starting to show a bit. The girls decided to go to the mall to buy Melissa some maternity clothes.
"Oh god, I can't believe I'm doing this," Melissa said.
"Don't worry, it's okay," Tori assured her. "It's a store for pregnant women, and you're pregnant, therefore go in and shop." Tori practically had to shove her into the store, and Melissa groaned all the way. Almost as soon as the walked in they were met with stares. The shopping mothers-to-be were confused as to why two very young teenagers, who appeared to be no more than a size 5, were shopping in a maternity clothing store, and the store clerks showed looks of disgust.
"Tori, they're staring at us," she muttered. "Can we please just go?"
"Big deal. Come on Mel," she said. She grabbed Melissa's hand and pulled her to a rack of skirts and pants. A clerk approached the girls, and addressed them in a rather rude tone.
"Excuse me young ladies," she said, emphasizing the word young,"I believe that this is not the store for you. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Tori decided to turn on the charm, there was no way she was going to let her best friend be discriminated against because she was a pregnant teenager.
"Actually ma'am, we are in the correct store. My good friend her," she gestured to Melissa," happens to be expecting a small bundle of joy." The clerk continued to stare at the two with a disapproving look, making Melissa very uncomfortable, Tori just kept smiling. The woman kept staring at Tori very harshly.
"Either you and your friend are playing some sort of sick practical joke, or your friend is the most irresponsible teenager with the lowest morals I have ever seen," she stated firmly.
"Excuse me ma'am, but that is no way to speak to a young girl, no matter what her condition is," said one of the other shoppers. The other women in the store nodded in agreement.
"I will speak to this child the way I see fit," the clerk stated. "If you do not approve, then I suggest you leave."
"Your loss lady," the woman said. "Your superior is going to hear about this from me." She left her purchases and walked out of the store, several other women following close behind.
"Listen ma'am," Melissa read her name tag. "Rose, I'm not one for pranks. I just came in to buy maternity wear. I may have made a foolish decision in the past, but I'm taking the responsibility for that action now. Your job isn't to judge my personal life, it's to sell clothes. So far you're not doing such a good job today."
"Not only am I disgusted by your irresponsibility, but your disrespect and rude behavior I also find offensive." Melissa stared in shock that this woman who didn't even know her was making such a harsh judgement. She turned her back on Rose and walked out. Tori started after her, then turned and shouted as she ran,"Screw you Rose!" Melissa found a bench close by and sat down. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. God that woman pissed me off."
"I know, she really pissed me off too." Tori glanced at her pager and realized that it was almost two. "I'm kinda hungry now, you wanna get some food? We can go to some other place for clothes later."
Melissa smiled. "Yeah. The little one has been grouchy for an hour. How about some chinese?"
"Yum. . .Lemon Chicken and egg rolls," Tori fantisezed about the meal ahead. "Come on, I may not be pregnant, but if I don't get chinese food there'll be hell to pay."
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*.Welcome.to.Happyland.*