Smoke on the Water

Three days have passed since the family meeting and needless to say, Natasha has not had a goodnight’s rest since then. The ultimatum her mother had presented her with was gnawing away at her stomach. She hadn’t had a decent conversation with either one of her parents ever since the meeting. All three of them tried to stay clear of each other while Natasha decided her baby’s fate.

During these three days, she completely stayed clear from her phone, the internet, or any other source of communication. She didn’t talk to Brody, Amy or anyone for that fact. Brody had tried to call several times, on her mobile and home phone, but Natasha would just let it ring until Brody finally gave up and left a message on the voice mail instead.

While morning sickness became a steadier battle, Natasha pondered thoroughly on what she should do with this baby. She made it a point to sit down and physically write down the pros and cons of each option. On one hand, if she didn’t get an abortion, she would live with the love of her life and this beautiful baby of theirs. On the other hand, they would forever be miserable trying to make ends meet all the while trying to get a degree. If she went along with her mother’s solution and got an abortion, Natasha would be able to speak freely with her mother and have a healthy relationship with her parents. They would help her out financially while she and Brody went to Temple University together. The biggest con with the latter option was what Brody would think. God, she felt terrified of that. She felt as though if she did get an abortion, he would most likely never speak to her again. And why would he, she murdered his child. This child was as much his as it was hers.

During these three days, Natasha thoroughly reviewed both sides of the ultimatum and when the three days was up; she knew what she was going to tell her mother.

She walked downstairs into the library where, sure enough, her mother was working hard on the computer, making final payments on the mortgage, electricity, water, heating and whatever else needed to be paid. She was dressed casually in jeans and a short sleeved sweater with the gold and diamond cross around her neck.

“Mom, can I talk to you?” Natasha asked quietly.

Meredith looked up at her daughter and took the Fendi eyewear off the bridge of her nose. “Have you made a decision?”

“Yes,” Natasha took a deep breath before she continued. Her fingers were shaking as her limbs hanged down aside her body. “I’m going to have an abortion.”

Meredith did not say anything for a moment, but then quickly composed herself and gave a reassuring smile to her daughter. She stood up from the Mahogany desk and walked around to her daughter to give her a hug.

“I knew you’d make the right decision,” she said while smiling at her daughter.

Natasha couldn’t say anything, but just smiled a small but defined smile and nodded at her mother.

“You are making the right decision, Natasha,” she assured again. “You don’t need a baby. Not at your age. You have to go to university, get a good degree, build a career for yourself and then you can start having a family. You and Brody are just too young to handle it all. You know that right?”

Natasha nodded.

Meredith took a victorious breath. “I’ll make an appointment with the clinic,” she said as she walked once more around the polished table. “Natasha, I’m very proud of you,” she added before Natasha smiled and walked out of the library. Only five minutes late, Meredith was walking out of the library up to Natasha room to tell her she had made an appointment to the Robinson Family Clinic tomorrow morning at eight for an in-clinic, anesthesia induced abortion.

After she made her decision to her mother known, she knew she had to tell someone. The right and sensible option would be to call and tell Brody about what she had decided, but Natasha was not into being smart and sensible. She thought about who would listen without judging her. She immediately decided upon Natasha.

“Hey Amy,” Natasha said into her Blackberry.

“Hi Natasha, where have you been?” Amy sounded worried. “I haven’t talked to you since last week since you found out…” her words trailed off.

“I’ve been… well,” Natasha started but before she said anything more, she felt the tears come up against the back of her throat again and as much as she tried, Natasha couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. “I just really need you hear right now,” she sobbed into the telephone.

Amy became more panicked by the second. “Natasha, are you hurt? I’m coming right now.”

Natasha shook her head, “No, I’m not hurt. I just need someone to talk to right now.”

Amy hung up the phone after promising to be there in fifteen minutes. True to her word, fifteen minutes later, the security gates were ringing with Amy’s black Chrysler coming into full view from the house.

“Natasha!” Amy greeted as she gave her friend a hug when she walked into the front door. By the time, she got there; Natasha had visibly calmed down, applied some make-up and even managed to fix her mess of blond hair.

“Amy!” Natasha returned her hug. Hearing the commotion in the living room, Mrs. Hutchinson walked out of the library to see her daughter and best friend embracing.

“Oh hello, Amy,” Meredith said.

“Hello, Mrs. Hutchinson.”

Natasha looked at her mom, “Mom, when is dinner going to be served?”

“Come down at seven. We are having a barbeque today,” her mother replied.
“Okay. We’ll be down,” Natasha assured. “Come on, Amy. I have so much to tell you,” she said as she grabbed her friend and walked her upstairs to her spacious bedroom.

Once they were in Natasha’s room, they closed the door and Amy eagerly took a seat on the bed, waiting for Natasha to spill each and every detail about her week.

“What’s happened? Did you tell Brody? How did he react what did he say? Did you tell your parents? God, they must’ve been pissed!” Amy’s mind raced a million miles an hour until she saw Natasha’s facial features droop down with every single question. “Natasha, what’s going on? What did Brody say?”

Natasha took a deep breath, “Well, I told him…”

“…And?”

“He was over the moon excited,” Natasha answered with sadness in her voice. “God, if you could have seen his face. The way he smiled…,” her words trailed off. “You’d think he’d one a billion dollars, his smile was so big.”

“So what’s the problem, Natasha.”

“So the next morning, I did what you and the girls told me to do and we organized a family meeting with both sets of parents and we told them.”

Amy braced herself, “What did they say?”

“They went ballistic even before I told them I was pregnant. Brody said that I was moving to Philly with him, and my parents didn’t know that so then my mom started insulting his mom than his mom called be names that should not be repeated and then I’m pretty sure my dad threatened Mrs. Baxter, and then I shut them up and told them I was pregnant.”

“What did they say?”

“Nobody said anything, for a while. Then my mom said that if I didn’t get an abortion, she’s going to cut me off and never speak to me ever again.”

Amy gasped, “You’re kidding.”

“Nope,” Natasha replied. “She said either ‘you get an abortion, or your dead to me’ and gave me three days to make my decision.”

Amy thought about what she had just said. “What did Brody say to that?”

“He begged me not to get one and told me how much he swears he’ll work to provide for this baby and how much he loves it and how many sacrifices he’s willing to make and…,” Natasha stopped to keep herself from crying.

Her friend looked at her in her eyes, “So what did you decide?”

On that question, Natasha’s tears returned and they cascaded against her already red face.

“Natasha?” Amy persisted.

Natasha turned to look away from her and put her face in her hands. “I decided to go through with the abortion.”

Amy didn’t say anything for the first couple of moments until, “Are you sure?”

Natasha wiped some tears away and blew her nose with a nearby Kleenex sitting on her desk. “Yes, I’ve thought about it and…. Brody and I can’t take care of a child. We’re barely adults, ourselves. Both of us still have to go to university and get degrees. A baby is not in our future yet.”

Amy thought about what her best friend was saying. Instead of completely disagreeing with what Natasha was saying, which was what Natasha was expecting, Amy stood up, went over to her friend and gave her the most comforting hug she could.

“Do you think I’m doing the right thing,” Natasha asked as she struggled to compose herself.

“Oh honey. You are the only one that knows the answer to that. I agree with you that you and Brody are a bit too young, but if you and Brody think that you can do it, then who is stopping you. Sure it will be hard but you guys can do it. And there’s always….”

“But that’s the thing though,” Natasha interrupted. “I don’t think we can do it. I want to go to university and be able to go to classes. I don’t want to carry around a baby for eight more months! And think of all the supplies we have to buy for the baby. It’s too much!”

Amy nodded her head. “If you genuinely feel that way, Natasha, then you are doing the right thing.” Natasha said nothing at this.

“When’s the abortion scheduled?”

“Tomorrow morning, at eight.”