Chapter 11: Signs and Symptoms
1269 Words
The morning started like any other. Ann woke up to the soft light pouring through her bedroom window. She stretched her arms and yawned, feeling the warm comfort of her blanket. For a moment, everything was peaceful.
But then the nausea hit.
A wave of sickness rolled over her, sudden and sharp. She clutched her stomach and rushed to the bathroom, barely making it in time before she threw up.
When she finished, she leaned against the wall, breathing hard. Maybe it’s just the flu, she told herself. She rinsed her mouth, splashed cold water on her face, and tried to brush it off. But deep down, something didn’t feel right.
The rest of the morning passed slowly. Ann tried to eat breakfast, but even the smell of toast made her feel sick again. Her mom noticed and frowned.
“Are you okay, honey?” she asked.
“I think I’m coming down with something,” Ann said with a small smile.
Her mom reached out and touched her forehead. “No fever.”
“Maybe it’s just stress.”
Her mom nodded, but there was worry in her eyes. Ann pushed her plate away and stood up.
“I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
Later that afternoon, Ann sat on the couch with a cup of tea, staring blankly at the TV. Her mind was somewhere else entirely. She thought about the last few weeks. The exhaustion and strange cravings. The way her emotions had been swinging like a rollercoaster. She had blamed it all on stress from leaving her job, moving back home, and dealing with her feelings for Richard. But now… she wasn’t so sure.
The next morning, the nausea came back stronger this time. Ann barely made it to the bathroom again. Her hands trembled as she sat on the cool tile floor. She couldn’t deny it anymore. Something was wrong or something very, very big was happening. Her mind raced back to that night. That one night. The night she gave her heart and her body to Richard Knight. Panic gripped her chest. She didn’t have proof yet but she knew. Somewhere deep in her bones, she knew that she was pregnant.
The thought made her dizzy. She sat there for a long time, trying to breathe, trying to stay calm. She couldn’t jump to conclusions.She needed to be sure by taking a pregnant test.
That afternoon, after her mom went down for a nap, Ann slipped out of the house and walked to the pharmacy three blocks away. Her hands were sweaty as she grabbed a small box from the shelf.
Pregnancy Test.
She tucked it under her arm, paid quickly, and hurried home, her heart pounding.
Back in the safety of her bathroom, Ann stared at the box for a long time before opening it. Her fingers shook as she read the instructions. It seemed simple enough. But her heart felt anything but simple. Finally, she took a deep breath and did the test.
Then she waited.
Two minutes.
The longest two minutes of her life.
She sat on the edge of the bathtub, tapping her foot, staring at the little stick sitting on the counter.
Please no. Please no.
She didn’t know if she was praying or begging or just trying to hold herself together.
When the timer beeped, she forced herself to look.
Two pink lines.
Positive.
Pregnant.
Ann felt the world tilt around her. She gripped the counter to stay upright. Tears blurred her vision, but she wasn’t sure if they were tears of fear, shock, or something else entirely.
Pregnant?
She placed a hand on her stomach, still flat and small. There was a life growing inside her. A tiny heartbeat. Half her and Half Richard. The thought made her stomach twist with emotion.
She sank to the bathroom floor, hugging her knees to her chest.
“What am I going to do?” she whispered to no one.
The tears came freely now silent and heavy. She had just started putting herself back together. She had just started building a new life. And now everything had changed. The first person she thought of was her mom.
Would she be disappointed?
Would she be angry?
Or would she understand?
Ann didn't know. She wiped her face with her sleeve and stood up shakily. One thing was clear: she couldn’t hide this forever. And she couldn’t make decisions based on fear. She had a life to protect now. Not just hers anymore.
That evening, Ann sat with her mom on the porch, sipping tea, watching the stars. Her heart hammered in her chest.
“Mom,” she said softly.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“I need to tell you something.”
Her mom set down her cup and turned to face her, giving Ann her full attention.
Ann took a deep breath.
“I’m pregnant.”
The words felt huge, like a stone rolling down a hill.
She waited for anger.
Shock.
Disappointment.
But none of it came.
Her mom’s eyes widened for a moment, and then she reached out and took Ann’s hand.
“Oh, honey,” she whispered.
Tears filled Ann’s eyes again.
“I’m sorry,” she choked out. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
Her mom squeezed her hand.
“You don’t have to be sorry.”
“But I’m not ready. I don’t know what to do.”
Her mom pulled her into a hug.
“You’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out. You’re not alone.”
That night, Ann cried again but these tears were different. They were filled with fear, yes. But also love and hope.
The next few days were a blur. Ann made a doctor’s appointment. She started reading books about pregnancy. She began taking vitamins. Every little thing felt huge like she was stepping into a brand-new world she didn’t understand yet. Some days, she was excited. Other days, she was terrified. But every day, she kept moving forward for her baby and herself.
At night, when the house was quiet, Ann would lie in bed with her hands on her stomach. She talked softly, even though she knew the baby couldn’t hear her yet.
“Hi, little one,” she would whisper. “It’s me. Your mom. I don’t have everything figured out. But I promise… I’ll love you with everything I have.” And somehow, saying it out loud made it feel real.
One evening, while folding baby clothes that her mom had kept from when Ann was a baby, she laughed and cried at the same time. It was overwhelming and scary but beautiful.
One afternoon, Ann sat at her desk, staring at a blank sheet of paper. She picked up a pen and wrote:
Dear Baby,
I don’t know what our future looks like yet.
I don’t have a big fancy house or lots of money. But I have love and hope. And that’s a pretty good start.
Love,
Mom
She folded the note carefully and tucked it into a small box she labeled Memories for You.
Life wasn’t perfect. Some mornings, the nausea was brutal. Some nights, the worry kept her awake. But Ann was changing. Growing stronger and braver. Because now, she wasn’t just living for herself but for her baby.
Would Richard find out?
Would he care?
Would he even want to be part of their lives?
Ann didn’t have the answers. And for now, that was okay. Because today, her world was small. Just her, her mom, and the tiny miracle growing inside her.
- Writer
