Forever or Never

I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

“Cherri?” a distant voice asked.

I blinked and opened my eyes slightly.

“Hi, Shin,” I murmured, “What’s up?”

“Oh my god,” he hugged my shoulders tightly.

“Ugh… What happened?” I asked then remembered what had happened at the concert, “The baby? What happened? Please tell me it’s not gone!”

“Don’t worry,” he brushed my hair out of my face, “You just sent too much blood to it and it had to get rid of it somehow.”

I nodded and folded my arms across my stomach.

“So there’s nothing wrong?” I asked.

“No, they said it doesn’t happen that much, but it’s not dangerous or anything,” Shin said.

I smiled and stared at my stomach.

“Uhmm…” I looked up and saw Kiro leaning on the door frame.

My hands flew to my side and I began to panic. Did he know?

“I’ll let you two talk,” Shin said and stood up.

He walked past Kiro and nodded at him before closing the door.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kiro asked as he sat in the chair next to my bed.

“What?” I asked.

“The baby?” he rolled his eyes, “You know, that organism that is growing inside of you?”

I gulped and got a terrified look on my face.

“Don’t tell me you were scared?” Kiro whined.

I looked down at my feet.

“Cherri, I don’t want you to be afraid to tell me things,” Kiro said.

“I thought you’d try to kill Shin or something,” I murmured.

Kiro chuckled, “I almost did attempt it. Until you started talking in your sleep and you kept repeating Shin’s name.”

I smiled slightly and blushed.

“I’m not mad,” Kiro said, “Well, I am mad that you’re only fifteen and you’re already going to be a mom, but I know you’re responsible enough to make the right choices.”

I swallowed hard and looked at the white ceiling.

“I’m keeping it,” I murmured.

“And that’s your decision,” Kiro said, “Just realize you’re responsible for yourself and the baby.”

I nodded and put a hand over my stomach.

“Instead of going back to school next month,” Kiro said after a minute of silence, “I’ll get you tutors. I don’t want you to change your mind just because you hear rumors at school about you having a baby.”

I nodded, “I guess I have to go back to Germany now?”

Kiro smiled, “Of course not! I want to see how my little sister is getting along!”

I smiled and hugged my brother, “You are the best brother anyone in the whole flippin’ universe could ever wish for.”

Kiro hugged me back and kissed the top of my head, “And you are the best little sister in the whole universe.”

********
Five whole months had passed since Kiro and I had that special ‘Brother-Sister’ moment. I must say, I looked like I had stuffed a beach ball under my shirt.

“I can’t feel it!” Strify whined as he pressed his hand on my stomach.

We all laughed as he pouted.

“Wait! It kicked!” he squealed.

“Out of my way!” Kiro pushed Strify aside and put his hand on my stomach.

I laughed. Every time the baby would kick, Kiro always had to feel it.

“Kiro, you are so weird,” Elsa giggled.

That’s right, Elsa, Savanah and Devon had come back to Germany with us.

“I don’t care!” Kiro laughed and moved to sit next to Strify and Yu on the couch.

“So…” Yu smirked at me.

Kiro, Shin and Strify were all giving me these really big smiles.

“What’s your guys damage?” I laughed, “To much plastic surgery make you face like that?”

“Nope!” Strify laughed.

“It’s just that, your birthday is in two months!” Kiro squealed.

“And the baby is due in two months,” Shin smiled warmly when he said ‘baby’.

“Don’t remind me!” I whined, “I don’t like the idea of possibly being in the hospital on my Sweet Sixteen.”

“Hey, think of it this way,” Strify said, “Most girls get a car on their sixteenth, but you are lucky. You get a baby.”

“Sure,” I rolled my eyes with a smile.

“Are you excited to figure out what it is?” Savanah asked.

“Ja!” I giggled and rubbed my stomach.

“Have you two thought of any names yet?” Shenae asked.

Shin and I looked at each other and shrugged.

“Not really,” I said, “we want to wait until it’s born to name it.”

“You should name it Otomatopia,” Aburn said randomly.

“Naw,” I laughed, “When you have a kid you can name it that.”

“I plan to,” she giggled, “and it’s middle name will be something like ‘Bam’ or ‘Kapowie’.”

“I feel so sorry for your child,” Yu said, shaking his head. “It’s gonna’ get beat up on the playground.”

“Heck no!” Aburn shook her head, “My kid will be doing the beat downs.”

“Aburn is a strong supporter of violence,” I rolled my eyes.

“It is the answer to everything,” she said matter-of-factly.

“I thought talking was the answer to everything?” Yu asked.

“Nope. It’s violence,” Aburn said, “The government is trying to hide that fact though.”

“Hippie,” I said in a sing-song voice.

“Teenage Mother,” Aburn mocked.

I glared at her and threw a pillow at her head.

“Hey! No pillow fights!” Kiro said.

“Oh, no,” Yu smiled, “go ahead and have a pillow fight.”

Shin glared at Yu and threw a drum stick at his face.

“Ow!” Yu screamed and held his face, “Are you two making a habit out of injuring me with a drumstick?”

“Yes, it’s quite fun,” I nodded.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it!” I said and attempted to stand up.

It didn’t work out too well. I tried to get up again. And my butt stayed planted on the couch.

Everyone was laughing at me by then. Shin smiled and grabbed my hand then helped me get up. I gave him a quick kiss – this earned a wolf whistle from Yu – and made my way to the front door. I turn the door knob and opened the door to see-

“Toby!” I squealed and gave my long missed friend a giant hug.

“Hey, Cherri!” he chuckled and pulled back. His eyes got wide as he noticed my stomach. “I see you’ve been busy.”

I giggled and folded my arms across my bulging stomach.

“What happened to you?” I asked, “I haven’t seen you since Kiro had us all come back to Germany.”

“Nothing,” he shook his head and looked at the ground, “I had to go to my aunt’s house over in the states.”

“Why what happened?” I asked.

“Well, you know how they own that huge farm?” he asked. I nodded. “Well, during the dry season there were a lot of lightning storms and all that stuff. The tree next to the house got struck by lightning and it caught on fire. The house, being so old and dry, caught fire too and burned to the ground- with my aunt, uncle and two cousins in it.”

“Oh my god!” I engulfed him a hug, “I am so sorry!”

“It’s okay,” he said, “I’m over the mourning.”

“Toby!” a voice squealed.

I moved out of the way so that Aburn could hug Toby.

“We missed you so much!” Aburn said.

We all walked back to the living room and sat down. The rest of the day we all just hung out around Kiro and I’s living room until the others had to leave.

“Kiro! Can Shin stay over tonight?” I begged.

“And why would I say yes to that?” Kiro rolled his eyes.

“Please?” I begged.

“Cherri,” Shin laughed, “I’ve stayed over here for the last week.”

“Come on!” I whined, “We have to go to the hospital at like nine in the morning anyways! It would be easier if you stay over!”

“Fine, he can stay,” Kiro yawned, “I’m going to bed.”

“Guten Nacht,” I smiled.

“Guten Nacht, Cherri. Shin,” Kiro waved to us then walked off to his room.

“I’m tired,” I said and pulled Shin up to my room.

I got ready for bed and curled up under the covers. Shin took his shoes off and layed down next to me.

“Guten nacht, Leibe,” he said and gave me kiss.

I smiled, “Guten nacht, Pop tart.”

I slowly fell asleep with Shin’s arms around my giant stomach.

***

When I woke up, it was seven in the morning and the spot on my bed next to me was empty.

I groaned and got up and walked into the living room.

“Guten morgen, Cherri,” Shin said. He was sitting on the couch watching SpongeBob- of course.

“Hallo, Pop Tart,” I said, “Where’s Kiro-Hero?”

“He had to take Shenae to some place in Hamburg,” he said.

I nodded and sat down next to him.

“Are you excited about today?” Shin asked with a smile on his lips.

“Yup,” I nodded, “can’t wait.”

“Well, then go get ready so we can get to the hospital,” he said.

I nodded and went back up to my room. I pulled a T-Shirt over my head and pulled on a pair of jeans then trudged back to Shin.

We watched SpongeBob until we had to leave for the hospital. Today was the day we would find out if it was a boy or a girl.

We got to the hospital and sat in the waiting room until it was my turn to go back. A nurse around her early thirty’s led us into a room and had me lay down on a table-chair thing.

She did all the stuff she was supposed to then told us to wait for the doctor and walked out.

“I’m nervous,” I said.

“Explain,” Shin said and grabbed my hand.

“I guess,” I giggled nervously, “I want it to be a girl. I’m nervous that I’ll be a boy cause I really don’t think I could take care of a boy.”

“Why not?” Shin asked.

“Because I’m not a boy,” I said, “It’s be easier for me to take care of a girl because I am a girl.”

“Well, just remember I am here and I can help you,” he said and kissed my hand just as the doctor walked in.

“Hello, Ms. Cherlin,” he smiled.

“Cherri,” Shin and I corrected him at the same time. He chuckled.

“Cherri, are you nervous?” he asked.

“Kind of,” I smiled.

“Well you shouldn’t be,” he said with a smile, “now lift your shirt up just enough for me to see your stomach.”

I did as he said and he started doing all the crap for the ultrasound. I just laid there holding Shin’s hand until the doctor spoke up.

“Now,” before I show you the ultrasound,” he smiled widely,” I just want to tell you that we have been hearing fluctuating heartbeats during your last visits.”

“What?” I gave him a puzzled look.

“Take a look,” the doctor turned the monitor screen towards me.

“TWINS?!”