Fate's Cruel Hand

The abortion clinics waiting room is an intimidating place, despite the efforts to make the women from all walks of life feel at ease. Having a termination isn't a decision any woman makes easily and they all have their own reasons why.
Kelly sucks in a deep breath as she tries to occupy her mind with a magazine. A young couple sit across from her and she wonders if they are in the same position as she is, simply not ready to be a parent. Like any clinic, the walls are decorated with posters offering support groups and counselling services run by volunteers. Feeling completely alone, Kelly sends a message to Marilyn, telling her where she is and if after the procedure could she collect her.

*****

"Excuse me" Jeremy apologises and gets up from the conference table, fumbling with his ringing cell-phone.
It's unusual for Marilyn to be calling him. Especially when she's supposed to be having coffee with Kelly.

"Jeremy, don't say anything, just shut up and listen" Marilyn barks down the phone.

"What's up?" He asks.

"Have you spoken to Kelly this morning?"

"Sure. Before she left to meet you. What's going on?" Jeremy's tone is assertive.

"Oh shit" Marilyn mumbles."She hasn't told you, has she?"

"Told me what?" Jeremy snaps. He hasn't got time to play question and answer games.

"She's pregnant"

Jeremy almost drops his phone in
shock.

"What?" He asks, surprised."She
would tell me"

"I'm sorry, Jeremy, but she doesn't want this baby. She's booked in for a termination in twenty minutes. I shouldn't be telling you this, but you have a right to know" Marilyn answers, apologetic and sounding upset.

"Which clinic?"

Maybe it's divine intervention or fate, but Jeremy can't seem to get through the traffic. Frustrated, he honks the horn with a closed fist and swears. He's all over the place, confused and angry.
"Fuck!" He slams his fist into the steering wheel, his eyes rapidly scanning for a break in the traffic."Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!"
He tries ringing Kelly, but her phone is switched off and he can't help but worry that she is already having the procedure done.

****
"Kelly Hunter" A nurse calls out her name and hesitantly, she stands up and takes a deep breath.

This is it. There's no going back now. She had already spoken to the same nurse shortly after she arrived, asked medical questions and the like, and also made aware that she can change her mind anytime she wants to.

Slowly and nervously, Kelly makes her way to the beaded curtain, biting hard on her bottom lip.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" The nurse asks.

"I'm fine. Just a little nervous."

"Do you need a few minutes?" She asks and Kelly shakes her head. She needs to do this.

"KELLY!" A voice from behind her makes her head snap round.

Jeremy is breathless, panting as he crashes through the doors.
Her stomach drops. He wasn't supposed to know and the only person who could have told him was Marilyn.

"Baby, please don't do this" he says, catching his breath."Talk to me"

He grabs her upper arms in desperation, the other people in the waiting area looking on.

"Jeremy, i-"

"I think you two need to have a talk" the nurse says politely. She leads them to a small room off the waiting area and closes the door gently behind her.

"Jeremy, I'm sorry" Kelly says, wrapping her arms around herself."I've made my decision"

"Don't do this. We can leave right now and we can go home. I'll give up acting and I'll take care of you. Both of you" Jeremy rasps, tears flowing down his cheeks as he tries to reach out and hold Kelly."We can make this work."

Kelly tries to wipe her tears away and pulls away from Jeremy. She can see the hurt in his eyes and it's killing her.

"Baby, please...I love you" He is doing everything he can to hold back his tears and failing miserably.

"I love you too" Kelly says, biting her lip."But I don't want this baby. You were never supposed to find out. I'm sorry"

She turns and looks back as Jeremy grabs her wrist.

"Don't do this. Please"

Kelly shakes her head as his hands cup her cheeks. She can't look into his eyes, she refuses to.

"I'm sorry" She says and leaves the room to find the nurse, but she turns."Go home. I really do love you"

Jeremy is about to follow as two burly security guards block his path. Frantically, he tries to push past them and is held until Kelly is gone.

"Kelly!" Jeremy yells to her as she walks away, tears and snot running down his face."Don't fucking do this!!"

Jeremy rubs his face and falls into the plastic chair, crying into his hands. He had never really thought about having kids, but now there was that chance and it was being taken away from him. Shakily, he gets up and enters the waiting area, sadly looking around at the few people. Swallowing hard he goes back to his car, stumbling. As he hits the air he feels the contents of his stomach rise in his throat, gagging he leans over and vomits into the gutter, wiping his mouth and nose on his sleeve. He feels totally betrayed, heartbroken. He's a mess. Kelly is pregnant with his baby and he can't stop her.