Smoke on the Water

After a long and through debrief from the doctor, Meredith was finally allowed to take her recovering daughter home from the clinic that night. The abortion went without any problems and as the doctor put it, it was “quick and simple”. Natasha’s lower abdomen did hurt a little bit when doing swift movement movements or jerks but the Dr. Robinson assured her that it would all pass in time and that Natasha should be able to resume all her normal, regular activities by the end of the week. The doctor also prescribed Natasha some painkillers to take twice a day to keep her absolutely pain free.

Meredith and Natasha both thanked Dr. Robinson for all her services and discharged Natasha from the clinic. Natasha’s mind was still a bit foggy after the procedure and no feelings of sadness or happiness plagued her mind. With her mother’s help, she slowly got into the awaiting car and waited until her mother turned on the engine and gently drove home.

When they got home, Natasha’s father was eagerly waiting for them on the living room couch, watching the latest baseball match. On the sight of their arrival, he quickly turned off the television and walked over to the both of them.

“How are you, baby?” Daniel asked his daughter softly.

“I’m okay, I guess. I’m very tired,” Natasha yawned in response. “What are you doing home so early?” she inquired. Her father was almost never home before nine – ten o’clock. What was he doing home at the mere hour of seven PM?

“After my meetings ended, I quickly went home. I didn’t know when you’d be back but I wanted to be here when you two got home,” he replied.

Natasha smiled weakly at her father. Despite his strong, rigid soul, he always had a soft spot in his heart for his daughter. “Thank you, daddy.”

“What did the doctor say?” Daniel asked his wife.

“The doctor said that everything went fine without any problems of any kind, thank the Lord,” she answered. “She gave her some pain killers so she’ll remain pain free. And Natasha,” Meredith looked at her daughter. “Remember to not take those before driving because they will make you very tired.”

“Okay, Mama.”

“Is there anything else we need to do?” Daniel asked.

“No, not really. Just make sure that she gets a lot of rest and she should be able to resume regular activities by the end of the week.”

“Well, that’s good.”

After bidding her parents a good night, Natasha wearily went up the grand staircase to her bedroom to get ready for bed. After undressing, showering, and dressing into pajamas, she quickly plopped down onto the bed and fell into a deep slumber deciding to call Amy tomorrow.

It was only 5 AM when Natasha awoke the next morning. Her head was spinning like crazy as she tried to analyze all that has happened in the last twenty-four hours. She had the abortion, she did not tell Brody. She didn’t know when or how she was going to tell him but she knew that she had to. The instant feeling of shame and fear hit her gut like a two ton car. Natasha felt so scared. How would he react? Was that nightmare at the clinic a glimpse into the future? God, she sure hoped not. No, that was not Brody. Brody would never do that.

Despite it being only five in the morning, Natasha made the decision to call Amy now. She must be up by now if they have that long road up to New Hampshire today.

“Hello?” Amy answered.

“Hi Amy, are you busy?” she asked wearily. Natasha was surprised by how her own voice sounded so weak. It was as if she hadn’t slept in over three days. No, she was just emotionally drained.

“No, not at all? How did the procedure go? Are you okay?” Amy asked with a voice of concern.

Natasha cleared her voice and replied, “Yes I’m fine. The procedure went very well and I’m feeling okay. Not too much pain anywhere.”

“Oh well that’s good,” Amy answered.

A few moments of silence passed between them. “So, are you getting ready for your big trip to New Hampshire?” Natasha asked.

Amy growled over the phone. “We’re not going this year. My idiot brother broke his leg last night.”

“How did he do that?” Natasha gasped.

“He was jumping up and down on the couch and Mom told him to stop and he didn’t and of course, he fell off and broke his ankle,” Amy answered, clearly annoyed that the annual trip was being cancelled.

“Oh I’m sorry to hear that,” Natasha replied.

“Yeah…,” Amy sighed. “So what are you going to do today?”

Natasha pondered for a moment. “I think I’ll just hang out here for the day. I still have to take it easy before I can do regular activities by the end of the week. What about you?”

“I have some errands to run. I have to go to the post office, and then I have to go the high school to request another transcript of my grades, go shopping for a business suit for my college interviews, and a whole bunch of other crap I have to do,” she rambled on.

“Yikes! Have fun with that,” Natasha smirked.

“Yeah, thanks,” Amy replied sarcastically. The girls eventually bid their goodbyes to each other and let themselves go on their respectful days.

After doing a few stretches in her room and then getting a glass of cool milk from the fridge downstairs, Natasha decided that it would be best to shower now. Showers always made everything better, always shed some light on difficult decisions for her .

As Natasha got ready to step into her welcoming shower, she stood undressed in her floor-length mirror. She looked at her legs, still chubby as always. Natasha looked at her lower belly where the only four week old fetus once laid, cocooned in the warmth of her womb. Finally, she looked at her face. Her blonde hair was disheveled and she had dark circles around her eyes. She looked almost ten years older. The wiser you become, the wiser you look, she concluded to herself.

She thought about all that has happened this summer. She graduated high school with a multitude of beautiful, wonderful friendships she had made, including one very important friendship; her boyfriend. For the first time in her life, Natasha had allowed her boyfriend to become intimate with her, to become one. That one night of intimacy proved to be long lasting, since she got pregnant. She remembered the ultimatum her mother had offered to her; an ultimatum in which she took her mother’s side. She took matters into her own hand and made the decision to have an abortion.

This summer, so much has happened in the eighteen year olds life, and what Natasha didn’t know yet, was that summer wasn’t over just quite yet.


Brody walked nonchalantly up 34th Street away from the deli where his father had sent him to go grocery shopping. He gripped tight the four paper bag in both hands and proceeded up the busy street. Over the past couple of days, he was on the edge of his seat. He had not spoken to Natasha since the day of the family meeting. How long ago was that? Who even knew? Natasha had not tried to call him, not even once, and nor did Brody. She made it very clear to him that she needed to sort her thoughts out alone and Brody respected her privacy. He hoped that if he gave her that needed space, she might come to the right conclusion, and Brody and Natasha will have that baby, go to Philadelphia, work hard and support that baby until the world ends.

The July afternoon was almost unbearable in New York City. It is bad enough that it is pushing ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit, but the added pollution, plus the noise of the city, gave the impression of ‘being in a donkey’s ass’ as Natasha so eloquently put it, one similar day.

Brody felt relieved when he saw the familiar Water Ice kiosk up the sidewalk and quickly sped up to get a well-deserved refreshment.

“One cherry Gelati please,” he told the man at the counter. Once he paid for his treat, he quickly began to indulge his sweet treat.

“Brody?” Brody heard a female’s voice behind him.

He swiftly turned around. “Amy?” he recognized her. She had shopping bags from Macy’s, J. Crew, and Banana Republic. “How have you been?” he smiled at her.

“I’ve been well,” she whispered at him as she looked at him with worrisome eyes. “How about you?” she asked concerned.

Brody stood a little confused by what she meant but thought not much of it. “I’ve been well. Hey listen, have you talked to Natasha lately?”

“Yes I have. I just talked to her this morning. She’s still a little bit sore from the abortion but they took good care of her…,” Natasha stopped when Brody’s eyes froze.

“What do you mean abortion?” Brody asked aghast.

Amy thought for a split second, and then everything fell into place. “Oh my, Gosh. She didn’t tell you, did she?” she put the bags down and covered her mouth with her mouth.

“Tell me what? What’s going on? What abortion?” Brody screamed, panicking.

“Brody,” she breathed. “She had an abortion.”

Brody kept still, trying desperately to understand the words coming out of Amy’s mouth.

“When did she have the abortion?” he finally asked her.

“Yesterday morning,” Amy answered.

Brody’s jaw clenched up and his teeth grinded against each other. He dropped the water ice on the ground, took the grocery bags in his fists and sped off running up the street and to his house. He was heartbroken, hopeless, and furious.