[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Chapter Forty Five

"This is magnificent Shelby. I love the attention to detail and the fine brush strokes."

My instructor for abstract art, Katrina, had her head tilted and she was nodding enthusiastically.

I knew from the first moment I had entered her class that she would get me. She didn't want to be called Ms. VanDyke. She wouldn't even answer if you did call her that. It was just Katrina.

"I'd like to keep this one for awhile," she said, tapping the edge of the canvas.

"Really?"

I had poured my heart and soul out into the large canvas. I had decided to stay after school to finish it. I was wearing my large white smock; large splotches of red and purple covered my protruding belly. Inside, my little one was kicking her heart out.

I had eight weeks to go before D-day: delivery day. There was only one month left of school.

For the first time in my life, I was extremely disappointed to see it end.

"Yeah. I'm doing an exhibit this weekend at the art museum and want to show a couple of my colleagues your work."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

Katrina laughed. "Yes, really."

I studied the painting. To the untrained eye, it wouldn't have looked like anything. But to me, the painting signified the dawn of new life and all the feelings and emotions that came with it.

"That's awesome."

"If you want, stop by the gallery."

Katrina handed me a simple card with an address. Then she walked back to her own work that she had been creating up front.

I stood up and headed to the sink to wash my brushes. I couldn't wait to tell Mason.

I hadn't seen him since the doctor's visit. He had sent roses to school on Valentine's Day. Apple had gone on and on about what a sweet gesture it was. Taurus looked like he had swallowed his sneaker. Of course, the next day she had a new bracelet dangling off her wrist.

Taurus was a fast thinker.

Dad had finally calmed down about letting me drive. I knew I was running late today. I had told him I was going to stay after, but it was almost five. I left my brushes to dry, took off my smock, and grabbed my bag.

"See you tomorrow!" I called to Katrina. She waved.

I walked out into the parking lot and got into the car. Mom kept our SUV during the day to drive the twins around. Dad had bought himself a classic car, explaining to mom that he wanted to pick up a hobby. I didn't know how much of a hobby it was. The car didn't need one thing done to it.

I pulled out of the school's parking lot and took off towards home. The radio was on low. My stomach growled. I was starved. Hopefully they hadn't started dinner without me...

The car in front of me slowed down. So did I. The car in back of me didn't. My seatbelt tightened and held me fast as I was tossed forward. Right before the airbag deployed, I saw another car sliding right towards the driver's side.

Then there was blackness.

-------------------------------

"Jesus Christ that's my fucking daughter!"

My eyes opened to a bright light. I winced.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she just bumped her head."

"What about the baby?"

"Everything's fine. She has a pretty deep cut on her leg where the door jammed in. It's miraculous. By the looks of that car she should be in a lot worse shape."

Mom and dad's faces swam above me. Mom took my hand.

"Shel?"

"What happened?" I asked. Dad's face was tense. His hand was bunching up the bottom of his t-shirt.

"You were in a car accident," mom explained.

I vaguely remembered the car bumping me from behind. I began to panic.

"Is the baby okay?" I asked.

"You're fine. Everything's okay," mom assured me.

Dad took my other hand. He held it so tightly I was almost afraid my fingers would break.

"What about the car?"

"Don't worry about the car," dad said.

"It wasn't my fault," I said quickly.

"We know," dad assured me.

He leaned over and kissed my forehead.

He started to cry.

---------------------------------

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I have a couple stitches in my leg, but I'm fine."

"I'm having a heart attack here."

"My car was totaled."

"Cars can be replaced."

Mason was peering at me through the screen of my laptop. I had called him, but he wanted to see for himself that I was alive.

"You're not going to school tomorrow are you?"

"Of course I am. Of course, dad has to drive me."

"I knew I should have come down there for Spring Break."

"No, your mom needs some time with you."

Mason was currently in LA on Spring Break. He looked nice and tan. Of course, he browned easily. It made him look even more handsome.

"Well, will you call me if you need anything?"

I smiled. It wasn't as if he was going to be able to do anything from three thousand miles away, but it was the thought that counted.

"Will do."

"Okay, well get some sleep. Love you Shel."

"Love you too Mason."

He smiled. "Love you too, baby girl."

I laughed and touched my stomach. "She kicked."

Mason laughed. "I'll take that as a love you."

I blew a kiss and disconnected.

"Shel?"

I glanced over to the doorway. Ally was standing there holding a bowl.

"Dad and I made you a bowl of ice cream."

I smiled. "Thanks Al."

She walked in and I took the bowl. She placed her hands on my stomach.

"I can't wait until she gets here," Ally said. "I can babysit."

While I had been talking privately with mom and dad about the logistics of me moving to Kentucky, I hadn't told Ally and Joe yet. I let my bite of ice cream slide down my throat.

"Al, what would you think if I moved to Kentucky? To live with Mason?"

She looked up at me. "I wouldn't like it. I'd miss you. Why can't Mason move here?"

"Where would he live?"

"Here."

"Don't you think it's kind of crowded here?"

"That's okay. That just means you'd have a lot of help. Maybe dad can build another bathroom."

I smiled. Dad had tried to plea bargain with the idea of building another bathroom.

"Plus you need to finish school."

"I can go to school in Kentucky."

"No, you should finish at art school. That way you can meet people and sell paintings after you graduate. You can be famous."

Her eyes were widening and she looked so earnest.

"Yes, but Mason has a job back home."

"Mason can find a job down here. He could play football down here. We have better football."

I laughed. "Ally--"

"Just think about it okay?"

I smiled. I was getting tired and I wanted to finish my ice cream. I nodded.

"Okay."

She kissed my stomach and then kissed my cheek. I pulled her into a one-armed hug.

"Night Al."

"Night Shel."

She walked out and I dug my spoon into my melting ice cream. As I took another bite I leaned against my pillow.

Mom and dad had finally relented last week that if I wanted to move that they would support me. Of course, they had then gone on to ask me some questions...

Even though we wouldn't have a house payment, how would we afford all the utilities on Mason's small diner salary? And diapers? And formula?

And how did I feel about going to school with Vanna and all the other girls that I already knew I didn't like?

And how would I get to the doctor's in the middle of the winter if there was a blizzard?

I swallowed another bite of ice cream and sighed. They had valid points. I had no answers.

The only thing I did know was that Mason and I had to be together after the baby was born.

But at the moment, I was beginning to feel less than one hundred percent sold on moving to Kentucky. I just didn't know what the right answer was.

It was a big decision that I kept wavering on.

And time was running out.