Let Your Heart Win

It wasn’t her alarm that woke her on Monday morning but an unsettling feeling churning in her stomach as a warmth swept over her body. Realising that she was going to be sick, Cali bolted from her bed, earning a bark for Boscoe, and ran to the bathroom.

As she sat slumped against the toilet bowl, her stomach emptied of its contents, Boscoe trotted up to her, pushing his tiny head into her hand.

“Something’s not quite right little dude. Looks like I’m going to the doctor’s today.” She muttered scratching him gently behind his ear. “But first a shower.”

After calling the doctor’s office to arrange an appointment, Cali phoned the school to let them know that she wouldn’t be in. She then proceeded to get dressed before taking a slow walk to the doctor’s office.

The wait to see the doctor seemed to take forever, Cali watching as people came and went as she flicked through an out of date magazine without interest. When her name was called she made her way through the corridor to the examination room where the doctor sat waiting behind her desk.

“Good morning Miss Hetfield, what can I do for you today?” she asked with a welcoming smile.

“Um, well, I’ve had some sickness over the past couple of days which I’m guessing is partly the reason for my lack of energy.” She explained, the doctor making notes.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“Well um, nothing major, no.” she replied with a shake of her head.

“What about appetite? Any headaches? Dizzy spells? Stuff like that.” She replied. Cali thought for a moment before she replied.

“Actually, yeah, all of those things. Although the headaches haven’t really been anything out of the ordinary and after all I’m a teacher, headaches come as part of the job.” She replied with a slight chuckle.

“But you’ve had dizzy spells?”

“Yeah, one or two times over the past week and as for my appetite, that’s the weird thing. Despite all the nausea I’ve been eating like a horse.” She replied.

“Okay, have you been under any stress lately?” the doctor asked. Cali chuckled and nodded slightly.

“Just a little but yeah.” She replied.

“Okay and what about your menstruation cycle? When was your last period?” she asked.

“My period? What’s that got to do with anything? It was….wait do you? You think I’m….don’t you?” Cali stammered feeling her heart rate quicken as she did the math in her head.

“It’s a possibility Cali and a simple and quick blood test can give us the answer to.” she explained.

“Shit!” she muttered. “If we do the test now when will I get the result?”

“A couple of hours max.” she replied.

“Okay, lets do it.” She replied holding out her arm on the table in front of her.

****

It was like he had his head under water. He could hear noises, make out voices and the odd words, but Brian couldn’t seem to break through the surface. He was surrounded by darkness, images from his memory flashing though his mind.

With every inch of his being he tried to muster enough energy to open his eyes, to move any part of his body, to ask someone what had happened and why his chest, head, leg and arm hurt. Find out why he kept on seeing images of a small truck coming hurtling towards himself and his car.

Suddenly, he realised, after a few failed attempts, that he could see light and a white ceiling, the noise of the machines and unfortunately her voice becoming clearer as if he’d resurfaced through the water. Slowly he moved his eyes, finding her face, completely oblivious to the fact that he had opened her eyes as she talked to someone on her cell phone.

“Don’t mind me.” he said quietly, his voice weak and hoarse, watching as Michelle turned to face him, startled, her eyes widened and frightened.

“Brian! Oh my God, you’re awake…” she began, dropping her cell onto her lap as she leaned forward to take hold of his bandaged hand.

“Save it Michelle! It’s true what they say about people in a coma. I’ve heard you. I know that you’ve been sat there talking to another guy on the phone.” Brian retorted groggily.
Michelle just stared at him for a moment, her mouth hanging open unattractively. “I don’t –“ she began quietly.

“Forget about it. It was over anyway. I don’t love you anymore. It’s Cali I love, and she loves me. Where is she anyway?” he asked.

“Cali? I haven’t seen Cali here at all.” She retorted. “Maybe she doesn’t love you after all!” she added angrily, standing up from her chair and storming past Matt who was entering the room.

“Dude you’re awake! But what’s wrong with Mich?” he asked with a smile, his face also holding a slight hint of confusion.

“We’re over. I don’t love her anymore and she’s been fucking some other dude anyway, and I’m in love with Cali. We’re going to be together.” Brian replied.

“Cali? Really? Are you sure dude cos it’s not as if she’s been around the past four weeks.” Matt replied.

“What? Michelle said that but I thought that was just her being a bitch. Why hasn’t she been here with me? She said she loved Me.” he replied quietly, disappointment covering his face.

“I don’t know dude, maybe you should ask her.” Matt replied.

“I just can’t believe that she hasn’t been around. We were going to be together properly, we love each other.” Brian said wishing that he could raise his hand comfortably to wipe the tears that were gathering away.

“What do you mean properly dude?” Matt quizzed.

Brian sighed deeply before answering. “We’ve been seeing each other secretly for a couple of months. And yesterday, or whenever it was, we admitted that we love each other and we were going to be together.” he replied. “Help me sit up man, and find my phone, I need to talk to her.” he added trying to push himself up.

*****

Cali was curled up on the sofa, Boscoe with her, staring blankly at the TV screen. It was slowly sinking in, she was pregnant. Pregnant with a child whose father was in a coma, with his girlfriend sat at his side. Right at that point Cali was almost sure that he life couldn’t get much worse, that is until she had to tell her father her news.

A knock on the door drew her attention away from her grim thoughts. With Boscoe yapping excitedly around her feet, she made her way to the front door.

“Why is your cell off?” Rachel demanded as she and Johnny walked through the open door.

“I don’t fancy talking to anyone.” She muttered turning and heading back towards the sofa, Boscoe hot on her heals.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Rachel demanded again with a softer tone sitting down next to her. Cali ran a hand through her hair and down her face, letting out a slow sigh.

“I might as well tell you, you’re going to find out sooner or later. I’m pregnant.” She stated quietly.

“Shit.” Johnny muttered.

“But how?” Rachel exclaimed, earning a ‘are you serious?’ look from both Johnny and Cali. “I mean I know how…but its Brian’s right?” she replied.

“Of course it’s Brian’s. I’m not a slut Rach!” she retorted.

“I know, sorry Cali it’s just a bit of a shock.” She replied.

“It’s a shock for you? How do you think I feel?” Cali replied as there was another knock at the door and Johnny’s phone began to ring within his pocket.

Cali stood up with a shrug of her shoulders and made her way over towards the door.

“You fucking whore!” Michelle screamed as soon as the door was open, lunging at Cali with her arms waving around angrily trying to make contact with her.

There was a scream from Rachel as the two women stumbled backwards into the room, Michelle continuously slapping Cali who couldn’t manage to bring her hands up to defend herself properly.

“How long you fucking slut? How long have you been fucking my boyfriend?” Michelle yelled as Cali stumbled backwards again, this time loosing her balance and finding herself on the floor. Michelle was quick to use Cali’s new position to her advantage, quickly slapping her across the face as she also kicked her, catching her in at the top of her thigh.

“Johnny! Get off the fucking phone and help!” Rachel screamed as she tried to take hold of Michelle to hold her back while all Cali could do was instinctively bring her hands up to her guard her stomach.

“Michelle that’s enough! Stop!” Johnny yelled with his phone still in his hands as he made his way over to the battling girls. “Michelle! Stop! She’s pregnant!”

Michelle’s actions stopped immediately, her hand and foot suddenly still, in mid swing as she stared at Johnny. “She’s what?” she yelled.

“Pregnant.” He replied quietly. “Now I think you’ve done enough damage; leave.”

“How did she even find out?” Rachel asked as they watched her slam the door behind her.

“Brian’s awake.” Johnny muttered gesturing towards his cell phone. “That was him, I think he heard everything.”

“So he knows?” Cali asked quietly, her voice shaky as tears edged their way slowly down her cheeks.

“Looks like it.” Johnny replied quietly. Cali nodded, clamping her hand over her mouth and running quickly to the bathroom.