Give up Forever to Touch You

Lying in bed, with her hand on her oversized stomach as she listened to the streets of LA come alive with the sun peering through the crack in her drapes, Andie thought about the friends she had left back in Huntington Beach. In the three weeks that had past since she left without a trace not a day had gone by without a call or a message from both Rhian and Brian. Both of them worried about where she was and how she and Abi were; both of them pleading with her to answer her just the once or to go back home.

She had never expected her life to turn out this way. But then does anyone expect or plan to end up living in a tiny one bedroom apartment in down town LA, heavily pregnant by a married man, with no friends or family to support them. No, life certainly wasn’t like it is in the movies.

She reached over to her night stand and picked up her cell phone, turning it on to check the time. It had just gone seven thirty in the morning. She lay in bed for a little while longer until Abi’s pressure on her bladder left her with no choice but to move.

“So little madam, do you plan on gracing me with your presence in this world today?” she asked her large stomach as she waddled slowly into the small living area of her apartment. As if in response Abigail kicked her once, bringing a smile to her tired face.

As she sat down at the small kitchen table to eat her breakfast of Cherrios her cell phone began to ring by her side. She picked it up with a sigh, glancing at the screen to see who was calling her first today.

“It’s daddy.” She said quietly looking solemnly down at her bump as the phone continued to ring. It had been the same routine every day since the day she’d left Huntington. Brian and Rhian would call her at least once everyday, and would usually send her a message as well. Each time she ignored them, deleted their messages.

“Aunty Rhian will be calling soon.” Andie said quietly running her hand over her stomach as she stood from the table. As she did so a sharp pain stretched over her stomach causing her to wince. She gripped her stomach for a moment as she waited for the feeling to pass before she placed the bowl in the sink and made her way over to the small sofa and turned on her TV and started flicking aimlessly through the channels.

This was basically her life now. She didn’t know anyone in LA and being nine months pregnant she didn’t really have the energy to go out to make friends. So she was left spending her days alone in the apartment, hoping that today would be the day when Abigail would finally decide to make her appearance so that she would have someone to talk to and look after.

*****

Andie gasped as yet again a painful twinge shot through her stomach. They had been coming more frequently since the first one that morning and they were beginning to get more painful too.

“Oh shit!” she muttered as she felt her legs becoming wet, looking down to see a wet stain appear on her jeans.

“You finally want to come and join me hey?” she asked Abi as she pushed herself off the sofa. She picked up her cell phone and dialled 911 as she made her way into her bedroom for her hospital bag.

Less than an hour later she was being helped into a hospital bed having changed into a hospital gown.

“Okay Miss Jennings, just try and make yourself as comfortable as possible and the doctor will be along shortly to examine you. Is there anyone I can call for you?” the nurse asked as she helped Andie get comfortable.

“No, it’s just me.” she replied simply with a polite smile.

“Okay, let me know if there’s anything else I can get you.” she said before leaving the room.
Within moments of her leaving a tall female doctor walked into the room holding her chart.

“Okay then Andrea, how are you feeling?” she asked glancing up from the chart with a smile.

“Oh just grand, thanks.” She replied with sarcasm as she breathed her way though another contraction.

“Sorry, stupid question. Other than the contractions are you suffering from any discomfort?” she replied with an apologetic smile.

“No, I’m fine other than the contractions.” She muttered rubbing her stomach.

“Okay, then lets see how dilated you are.” The doctor said as she sat on the small stool at the foot of the bed.

“Well, I would say that you don’t have that much longer to wait at all. You’re about nine centimetres already.” She said with a smile.

“Thank fuck for that.” Andie muttered.

“I shall be back in a few minutes, is there anyone I can contact for you? The father?” she asked.

“No, there’s no one, it’s just me.” Andie repeated, noticing the look the doctor gave her before leaving the room.

***

Tears of sadness and joy trickled down Andie’s cheeks at the same time as the nurse placed Abigail in her arms for the first time. She was perfect. Apart from her nose which was most defiantly Brian’s, everything about her was Andie.

“Now are you sure there isn’t anyone I can call for you?” the nurse asked quietly as Andie continued to look down at her beautiful daughter.

“No, there’s no one. It’s just me and her now.” she said with a small smile, not moving her gaze off the tiny baby.

“Okay, if you’re sure. I’ll leave the two of you in peace for a little while.” She replied before leaving the room.

“It’s just you and me now baby girl.” She said quietly as she cradled Abigail in her arms.

“It’s not going to be easy but you won’t go without. I will love you enough for me and your daddy. I’m sorry that I’m not letting him be in your life at the moment, and I’ll explain all about that when you’re older, but I know he does love you. Don’t ever think that he’s not around because he doesn’t love you, because he does. He loves you a lot.

It’s my fault he’s not here, but I promise you that I’ll make it up to you. I don’t know how, but I will.” She continued with tears falling silently down her cheeks. She brought her hand up to wipe her tears away and then gently ran her finger over her daughters’ cheek.
She watched her sleep in silence for a long while until her cell phone ringing broke through the quiet room causing Abi to stir in her arms.

“I was beginning to think that your Aunty Rhi had forgotten about us.” She murmured quietly as she glanced at the caller ID on the screen.

***

Jimmy reached over and placed his hand on top of Rhian’s as she placed her cell phone back onto the table.

“She’s okay.” he said, repeating his words to her after every failed attempt to get in touch with Andie.

“I just wish she’d answer my calls, or at least send me a message telling me that she’s alright. Abigail was due a week ago, anything could have happened to her, she could be anywhere. I’m supposed to be her best friend Jim, she should be able to turn to me whenever she needs someone.” She began fighting back tears.

“I know babe, but you’ve got to stay optimistic, she-“ he paused as her cell phone began to ring. Rhian quickly grabbed it and gasped when she saw the screen.

“It’s from Andie. It’s a picture of Abigail.” She said, a smile quickly spreading across her face as she held up her phone for Jimmy to look.

“Oh my god, she’s every bit Andie.” She exclaimed as she continued to stare at the screen. “Apart from the nose, that’s Brian.”

“Do you think she’s sent him a picture too?” Jimmy asked quietly.

“I don’t know; she may have.” Rhian replied looking up into Jimmy’s blue eyes.

“He deserves to know, to see this if she hasn’t. He’s not been the same these past couple of weeks.” Jimmy said cautiously.

“I know. And it’s up to me again isn’t it?” she said running her hand through her hair.

“I’ll do it if you like, just make out that I’ve stolen your phone to show him.” Jimmy offered.

“No it’s okay, I’ll do it, but you can come with me if that’s alright?” she replied.

“Of course babe, come on.” He said standing up from the table and reaching out to take her hand.

A short while later they were both stood on Brian’s doorstep, Rhian nervously biting her short nails as they waited for someone to answer the door.

“Hey Bri, um, can we come in?” she asked as Brian opened the door.

“Yeah of course, what brings you two here? I haven’t seen you for a while.” He said stepping back to let them in.

“Um, well I thought I should come and show you this.” Rhian said taking out her cell phone and holding it up to that Brian could see the picture of Abigail.

“Oh my God. Is that…Abigail?” he asked watching her nod as he took the cell off her to get a better look.

“She sent it to me about twenty minutes ago.” Rhian explained as his eyes remained fixed to the screen.

“Oh my God, she’s so tiny and beautiful. Did Andie say anything? Do you know where she is or anything?” he asked lifting his eyes briefly.

“I’m sorry Bri, but that’s all she sent, just the picture, no message or anything with it. I still have no idea where she is.” Rhian apologised.

“She’s got my nose.” He whispered with a smile. “Can you forward me this picture, I need it?”

“Of course.” Rhian replied taking her phone back. “She’ll get in touch soon Brian, I know she will.”

Brian looked up at her reassuring words and smiled. “Just promise me that you’ll let me know when she does.”

Rhian looked at him for a moment before she nodded. “Of course I will.”