Mark didn’t say a word as she climbed awkwardly into the van, not even offering her a hand. Nor did he say anything on the short drive over to Maggie’s place. She wanted to be the one who told Maggie. She opened her mouth to say so when he barked. ‘I’ll do the talking.’
Silently fuming, Vanessa slid out of the van and began dragging her feet toward the front door. Mark strode along in front of her. She didn’t want to be here, doing this, anything but this but she, they, had no choice. Vanessa reached past Mark to ring the doorbell, but he pushed her arm away and knocked on the door aggressively.
Knock, knock, knock.
Maggie opened the door. Her eyes widened and her face broke out into a huge grin. ‘My two favorite people!’ She proclaimed, wedging herself awkwardly between them and throwing her arms around them.
Vanessa didn’t think she could possibly feel any lower than she did. She was wrong.
‘Come in, guys.’ She moved aside to let them pass, Vanessa’s rounded belly touching Maggie’s taunt one. ‘So, are you guys here to discuss my eighteenth birthday party? What do you have planned? I promise I’ll act surprised.’
Shit! Maggie’s birthday was next weekend. Happy birthday to you.
Mark cleared his throat, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. ‘Not exactly. We’ve… we’ve come to tell you something.’ His face was pale, sallow. ‘We… uh… sorry Mags, Vanessa and I. We slept together.’
There. It was out now. He’d told her.
‘We’re… I’m so very sorry,’ Vanessa added.
Maggie’s eyes swung from one to the other before a flush of rage raced up her neck to settle on her cheeks. ‘You’re sorry? You’re sorry?’ she screamed. She took a swing at Mark, who grabbed her hand easily in his. He held it down to her side.
Despite this, Vanessa knew what was coming but did nothing to stop it. She deserved it. The slap from Maggie’s other hand caught her across her left eye. Maggie drew back again, ready to deliver another slap when Mark yelled, ‘Stop! She’s pregnant!’
Maggie slapped her anyway. Vanessa hadn’t been expecting that one and her head rocked backward, neck cracking. Panting, Maggie stopped attacking her.
‘Shit, Maggie,’ Mark said, staring at his now former girlfriend.
‘You’re really pregnant?’ she asked tearfully.
Vanessa wiped her hand across her lips, tasting metallic blood on her tongue. ‘Yeah. We didn’t mean for this to happen, Maggie. You have to believe me.’
‘It was an accident,’ Mark added unhelpfully.
‘Oh right. So your cock just fell inside her, huh?’ The sarcasm was heavy in Maggie’s voice. ‘Get the fuck outta my house,’ she said through gritted teeth.
‘Fine then,’ Mark spat. ‘Just remember that I tried to do the right thing here,’ he said unfairly.
But how could Maggie be expected to react any differently? Vanessa stared forlornly at her best friend.
‘You heard me, get the fuck out,’ she snarled.
Vanessa turned to leave but felt something lodge itself in her hair, close to her scalp, pulling back hard.
‘You fucking whore!’ screamed Maggie, pulling so hard that Vanessa fell to the floor. Tears fell silently onto Vanessa’s cheeks as she stared up at her old friend. ‘How could you?’ Maggie was crying too. Noisy, angry tears.
It was like she was possessed, kicking out at Vanessa’s legs. Mark raced back into the house, grabbing her around the waist, picking Maggie up.
‘Get in the van. Now!’ he yelled as Vanessa hobbled out of the house and back to the van, hauling herself in.
A few minutes later Mark slammed the front door and ran down the path, throwing himself in the driver’s seat and locking the door as if afraid that Maggie would give chase. Maggie would never forgive either one of them, and Vanessa didn’t blame her. They had betrayed her trust in the worst possible way. Vanessa felt a sudden rush in her stomach and opened the door just in time to vomit out into the gutter.
‘At least she didn’t stab me,’ he said. Vanessa didn’t know if he was joking or not. She didn’t care enough to ask.
‘As soon as I tell my parents, they’ll insist that we get married when I turn eighteen. I can stay at school until then.’
‘You know I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for you, Vanessa, but this isn’t what I want. I don’t want to be a dad. You don’t want to be a mom either, do you?’ He stared her down, the solution in his eyes.
‘Yes, I do and it’s too late now anyway.’ She held his stare.
He hit the steering wheel. The horn giving out a short beep. ‘I’m telling my parents tonight. You should do the same,’ Vanessa said.
‘I guess I’ll call you soon.’ He was still trying to get out of it.
‘You guess? Tomorrow, Mark. After you’ve spoken to your parents tonight. Call me.’
He frowned at her and pulled out onto the road. She did love him in a way, but she didn’t want him like this. Forced into marriage because of a baby. But this is where they were at and they’d have to make the best of it.
Vanessa didn’t say anything as she hopped out of the van once Mark pulled up outside her house. She slammed the door, hearing it echo down the street. She felt sick about what they’d done to Maggie. She couldn’t get her look of betrayal out of her mind. Maybe she never would. It made her feel more nauseous, and she hung on to the hanging flower pot to keep her balance as her world tilted violently. The pot moved wildly under the grip, making her feel even worse.
Mark drove off in a hurry. Home to share the good news with his parents that they were going to be grandparents? She didn’t exactly want to tell her parents either, as she knew what they’d say: it would be best if she married him, make the best of a bad situation. Vanessa slid the key into the lock, hesitating. She knew that once she said her piece, nothing would even be the same again.
Her parents were in the kitchen when she quietly unlocked the door.
‘Ness, that you?’ her mother’s voice called out.
Gently, Vanessa rubbed her stomach. There was no way she was getting rid of this baby, no matter what anyone said. She resigned herself to marrying Mark.
‘Yeah, Mom,’ she said wearily, her feet dragging as she headed into the kitchen, ‘it’s me.’ It was a wonder that her mom hadn’t noticed her growing frame, the stretched-out school jumper that had seen better days.
‘Come on, dinner’s ready.’ Her mom bustled around the table, putting plates down on the place mats.
Slowly, Vanessa pulled out her chair but hung onto the back of it tightly as her mom sat down. Her parents looked up at her expectantly when they saw she wasn’t sitting.
‘You OK, Ness?’ asked her mom, frown lines creasing her beautiful face. Her mom was her rock. Her best friend in the world, yet Vanessa felt as though she couldn’t share this secret with her, that she’d be somehow diminished in her mom’s eyes.
‘I need to tell you both something and I need to do it while I still have the nerve.’ The wooden rail of the chair dug into her palms, and she wondered if she’d have splinters when she broke contact.