Unapologetically Me

Chapter Twenty Eight

I watched his face for his reaction. He was smiling and gripping my hand hard. The whooshing sound of our baby's heartbeat echoed around the room and I closed my eyes.

James' mom came with us and she wiped tears from her eyes and smiled shakily at me. I wished my mom was here. I knew it was a long shot anyways even if she wasn't in jail, but I still yearned for some support from her.

My dad would have been equal parts excited and disappointed in me. I could imagine his face now though, listening to the beautiful sound of his grandchild's heartbeat.

My doctor, Dr. Payne, began the ultrasound and pointed out all of the baby's body parts. This time around, I was able to make out it's head and arms without her even having to point them out. It looked strange, but my heart fluttered knowing that this was my baby.

My baby with James. I glanced up at him and he was staring at the screen with a small smile.

After we left the doctor's office, James took me and his mom out to lunch and then she left and we went for a walk at the park near my house. He linked his fingers with mine as we walked and it felt good.

After he spent the night on Friday night, he's been stuck to me like glue. We spent the whole weekend lounging around my house and at his and when Monday rolled around, he walked with me most of my classes.

Pink Streak gave us dirty looks and people were whispering, but I paid it no attention. I knew they would talk no matter what we did, so I didn't care. I also had Dexter giving me disgusted looks and I'd just give him a sweet smile back.

I had made the appointment Monday afternoon after James pestered me about it relentlessly. It was set for Thursday afternoon. James wasn't allowed to stay with me during the week, so his mom, before the appointment, talked to me about staying with them until my mom got home. I still wasn't comfortable with it, especially because Justice, James' sister that was a grade beneath us, hated my guts.

She was good friends with Alicia and after the fight with Dexter, everything came out about how I was fooling around with him behind her back. So I refused and James wasn't very happy about it even now.

"I just don't understand why you want to be alone? You won't have to stay at my house all day. Just at night."

"And your mom wants me to stay in Justice's room with her."

"She says it for posterity's sake. You know you can stay in my room with me."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "No, because if she catches us I'll just have to come back home."

"What's going to happen? Like you get pregnant? There's nothing to catch that hasn't already happened."

"Why didn't you say that to her when she was talking to us in the office?"

He grinned. "As you know, I'm dumb, not stupid." We laughed and he pulled me closer to him and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Kelly, do you want to go out with me?" He asked as we made a second walk around the park.

I turned to him and furrowed my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"A date."

"Like, a real one?"

"No. A fake one. Yes! A real date, Kelly."

I chewed on the inside of my cheek and blushed. I wasn't an ugly girl. I knew that much, but I think this was actually the first time I had ever been asked out on a date.

"Okay. When?"

"Friday night."

"Is there anything specific I should wear?"

"Clothes would be the best option. Unless you want to skip the date entirely and get to the good part." He wiggled his eyebrows and I smacked his stomach. He chuckled and I shook my head.

"You're an ass."

"Yeah, but you still like me anyways."

"I do."

"Good. But just casual is okay. It's nothing fancy, really."

I nodded and smiled to myself. My first real date.

The next day I didn't feel too hot. The nausea had gone away for the most part, but I had woken up just feeling like complete dog sh*t.

"You okay?" Chloe asked me as she walked me to my locker after my first period class.

"Just really nauseous today."

"Do you think you should go see the nurse?"

"I'll be okay." I pushed my glasses up my nose and opened my locker. A small slip of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. I picked it up and felt my bottom lip quiver.

It was a drawing of me with my glasses and my sweat pants and shirt with a sliver of my stomach sticking out and my hair going everywhere looking tired. In the background was a drawing that resembled James with hearts in his eyes and his jaw hanging open staring at me.

'You're so beautiful. Can't wait for tonight.'

I looked up and down the hall. James was watching me with a small smile. I felt my heart nearly explode with love for this guy. Love. I walked down the hall towards him, holding the drawing to my stomach. When I got to him I looked up into his face and held up the drawing.

"I didn't even see you this morning. When did you get the time to draw this?"

"I saw you walking in this morning. I thought you looked cute, so I thought I'd let you know." He shrugged. I smiled up at him and placed my hand that wasn't holding the picture on his face and tiptoed up against him and pressed my lips to his.

He wrapped his arms around me and I heard a hoot somewhere and a few wolf whistles but I didn't care. I was feeling like such crap this morning that I didn't even put any effort into getting dressed or putting bon any make-up and he still thought I was beautiful.

He kissed me gently until a teacher came and told us to get to class. I smiled at him and he pushed some of my messy hair out of my face.

"Thank you. I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yes."

When lunchtime rolled around I was feeling a bit better, but not well enough to try to eat anything. I was tired and wanted to go home. Breing pregnant was no joke. My t*ts were sore and I felt cranky as all hell. The only thing keeping me going was looking forward to seeing James again.

He took me to home for lunch after picking up some fast food. I couldn't eat even if I wanted to, so instead we sat in my livingroom and I laid my head on his lap while he ate.

We talked about our classes and he asked me about how I was feeling. He dropped some food on my face a few times and we laughed about it and then we went back to school even if I really didn't want to.

My uncle had been calling me more frequently and i wondered if it was because it was only a week away from being my birthday. He hadn't popped by since a week before Thanksgiving, so I knew he would be coming soon. I just hoped that he didn't find anything amiss. I couldn't afford to have him find out last minute about my pregnancy.

I also had to start investing in bigger clothes. My ass was getting huge and I felt like a stuffed sausage in everything even though I couldn't eat sh*t sometimes. At the appointment I had learned I had gained a few pounds, which sucked, but it was expected. I didn't want him to catch a glimpse of my growing bump, even if it was barely noticeable right now.

After school, James went home and then brought over an overnight bag so that he could stay with me over the weekend. We were making out on the couch, with me straddling him when we heard a throat being cleared.

It scared the sh*t out of me and I screamed and jumped. James held me close and then when he saw who it was, loosened his grip on me.

Uncle Joe was standing in the entryway to the living room with his arms crossed over his chest and a stern look on his face. Standing behind him was my cousin Justin, juggling his son Deacon in his arms.

I blushed and climbed off of James and straightened myself up, glad that nothing else had been going on. "Hey, guys! I had no idea you would be coming!"

I glanced at my smirking cousin and grit my teeth. "That's the whole point of a check-in. Hi, I'm Joseph Whitmore. And you must be the boyfriend?"

"Um...yeah. James Starr. Nice to meet you." James' face was a bright pink color and Justin snorted behind his dad. I s**t him a glare and he bit his lip when his dad turned to him with a dirty look.

"Have you eaten dinner yet, Kelly?"

"No, sir. Not yet."

"Okay, why don't you get dressed and the both of you can join us for dinner."

"Okay."

James nodded and dropped his hand after my uncle ignored it. Justin shook his head. "You should have locked the front door," He snickered after I walked past him. I s**t him the bird and he guffawed and cooed at his son.

I went upstairs and quickly found some clothes only to realize that it felt uncomfortablly tight around the middle. I ended up finding a pair of high waisted jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. I grabbed a sweater and draped it over my arm in front of my stomach, trying to look normal.

James was chatting with Justin. I had no idea what they were saying. Uncle Joe was looking through the fridge and pantry, probably checking to make sure I was actually taking care of myself.

"Okay, I'm ready." He gave me a once over and nodded. No skin, nothing bad showing. No bad publicity if pictures were taken of me. James took my hand as we followed my uncle and cousin to his SUV. We climbed into the back and I got stuck next to the car seat while James claimed the seat in the very back.

"Where are we eating?" I asked. It was supposed to be James' and I date night, but I had asked to go on a later date when I was feeling better. Now I felt nervous because I didn't want to give my pregnancy away.

I just needed to not upchuck my food at all tonight and I'd be great. We got to a seafood place near the strip and it was almost an automatic reaction to gag at the strong smells.

James rubbed my back soothingly and when we got inside I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I threw up water, the only thing I had consumed at all that day. I threw up a little more acid and then washed my face in the sink and dried my face off. I fixed myself and then walked out into the restaurant.

I found them seated already at a private table near the back and was glad to see that the bathrooms were almost a straight s**t from here.

"So how have you been, Kelly?"

"Good. Got sick for a few days, but I'm better now."

"That's good to hear. Your mother is doing well as well. She is thriving in the rehab program the jail she's in has set up. She talks to your aunt almost daily."

"She calls me every other night."

"Yeah, she told me that you've been busy with dance. How's that been?" I glanced at James and smiled.

"Great. I made A team and we went and competed in Texas."

"I heard. Maybe you can give me a schedule so if I can catch one of your events I can go. Or maybe Justin and one of the girls can go."

"Sure. Just remind me to email you the schedule and I will." He smiled at me and patted my hand.

"You have done exceptionally well by yourself, Kelly. I'll admit, you had me a little worried in the beginning but I'm glad that I allowed you to stay. Your grades look good too."

I had sent him progress reports of my classes. I had an A in dance because I was still going to sit at practices even if I couldn't compete.

"Thank you. I have James to thank about my grades though. He's a huge help. Especially after dad died. He helped me catch up."

Uncle Joe eyes him and nodded with a polite smile. "Well thank you for your help with my niece."

"Kelly's smart enough on her own. I just helped her catch up. Everything else was all her."

We made small talk throughout the whole dinner. I picked at my plate and arranged the food so that it looked like I had eaten. I even took a few bites, but wasn't able to take much.

"Onto more important things, Kelly. Your mom actually asked me to talk to you about something important."

I sat up and waited. My stomach churned and I felt kind of nervous. "Okay, what is it?"

It had to be something bad. He would tell me good news over the phone. James hand went over my knee as I waited with bated breath.

"Your mom doesn't think she can come home to your home after she gets out and wanted me to talk to you about possibly downsizing. I know you've been taking care of the bills and everything, but if we put the house on the market, we can help you move into a smaller place."

I stilled. My mom wanted to sell the house?

I took a deep breath and glanced at James. Okay, that wasn't so bad. Thoughts whirred though my head and then I nodded.

"Okay, can I get a place in my name instead of Mom's?"

"You will have to, seeing as your mom will still be incarcerated."

"Okay, can you tell her something then?"

"What is it?"

"If she lays one hand on me or begins to drink again, I won't tolerate it. I won't keep her in my home."

Uncle Joe nodded in understanding. "Those conditions don't seem so harsh. Let me know when you're found a place and in the meanwhile, I'll talk to some realtors about the house. Start packing all of your mom and dad's things and let us know when you're ready to move and we will help."

I took a deep breath and nodded. This was crazy. But in a good way. It felt like a new start. I grinned at them and we all ate happily for the rest of the time. I even helped feed baby Deacon a little. Get some practice in.