First Time for Everything.

“A little girl, a little girl, Alex is having a little girl!” Amanda said in a singsong voice as we walked out of the doctor’s room. We walked back into the waiting room and Ethan was sitting there. The two people sitting on either side of him were probably his parents.

I did my best not to make eye contact .The last thing I needed was to be stopped and asked about anything. I followed Mom and Amanda out of the door without so much a second glance from Ethan.

I climbed into the backseat while Amanda and Mom got up front. The car was silent for a minute or so until Amanda spoke up.

“Was that Ethan sitting in the waiting room?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I muttered under my breath.

“Well, I can say at least my granddaughter will be good looking,” Mom spoke up, chuckling a little.
“Not to say Matthew isn't gorgeous Amanda, his dad is just ugly as sin.”
Amanda laughed, “I know,” she said between giggles, “I can't believe I slept with him. I was sober too! At least Alex picked a good one,”

I laughed along with my mom and sister. It seemed like it had been forever since we had laughed together. Being pregnant stressed you and everyone around you out to the max.

“So Alex,” Amanda started, turning around in her seat to look at me, “have you thought of any baby names yet?” She had a grin on her face.

“Nope,” I told her. It was the truth; baby names were the farthest thing from my mind at the moment.

“I like Kellyn,” Amanda said.

“Peyton sounds better,” Mom chirped in, she had her eyes fixated on the road.

“I like Zoey to be honest,” I muttered.

“Zoey is nice,” Mom agreed, “but it has a weird sound to it. I mean, Zoey sounds like something an Army wife would name her kid.”

“Wasn't grandma an Army wife?” Amanda asked.

“Yep,” Mom nodded, “My dad served in Vietnam. It really sucks you guys didn't get to meet him. He died the day I found out I was pregnant with Amanda.”

“You never told me that!” Amanda exclaimed.

“I never saw a reason to,” Mom shrugged, “I figured he gave me you, seeing he couldn’t be around anymore.”

“Wow,” I muttered to myself.

“And you, Alex, you were born on my grandmother’s birthday. That’s why your middle name is Elise.”

“Neat-o,” I said.

“And little Abigail Grace, she was born on my mother’s death day. Mom died a couple of months before your father and I got married.”

“Jeez mom, you have a shit history with death. Who did I get my middle name from?” Amanda asked, fiddling with the radio dials.

“No one,” Mom chuckled, “I just liked the name Dawn.”

“Do you ever wish you had boys instead?” I piped up from the backseat.

“Well, I'll put it you like this,” Mom said, looking at me in the rearview mirror, “boys are easier to potty train, I know because I potty trained your cousin Bryce,” she chuckled.
“But no, I don’t wish I had boys. Your dad did, but he’s got Matthew to spoil, I’m happy with my three girls.”



We arrived home sooner than I thought. I went into the study room and grabbed two thumbtacks. My ultrasound was going on my wall.

I put my hand on my belly, hoping to feel some sort of movement. Once again, I was met with disappointment I had earlier that morning.

Someone knocked on my door.
“Come in!” I yelled.

Mom walked in, shutting the door behind her. She came over and sat on the bed and waited for me to finish tacking up my ultrasound. I came over and sat down on the bed beside her.

“Now Alex, I know you don't want to, but you have to go to school tomorrow sweetheart.”

I sighed, I didn't feel like having this conversation with my mom.

“Why though?” I asked, “I don't feel like dealing with anyone,”

“Because Alex, you have a 4.0 GPA and by you missing those two weeks of school, I'm sure it’s gone down significantly. I love you honey, I really do, but your dad and I both agree that you need to stay in school,”

“I’ve turned in all of my makeup work Mom. I don't feel like getting harassed by people, or having people spread rumors about me.”

“Then tell the teachers Alex.”

I rolled my eyes, “Mom, do you really think the teachers give a shit if you're getting bullied or not?”
Once the words were out of my mouth, I knew I shouldn't have said them.

Mom’s eyes widened, then she closed them. She exhaled and said softly “I will let that one pass, Alexandria, but if you ever dare curse me again in my own house, the repercussions will be less than pleasant. You will go to school tomorrow, and you will maintain that 4.0 GPA. No exceptions,”

“Oh my god mom,” I laughed as the words came out of my mouth, “so what? You want me to get notes in my lockers calling me a skank and a slut?! You want people to tell me that my baby deserves to die? Yeah, I get it. I was the perfect kid up until I got drunk and fucked Ethan Ryler, even I will admit that, but I don’t see how any parent would want their child to go through that,”

“I never said anything like that Alex, I just want-” Mom began, but I cut her off.

“Then act like it, stop acting like I’m going to turn around and be the perfect daughter again. I’ll be a mother soon too, it’s time to let me make my own mistakes.”

With those words, my mother stood up and walked out of my room.