SEHE; Chapter 3

Friday August 01 [11w 4d]

"Annabel?" Phoebe and I stand up and follow the ultrasound tech down a hallway to a small dressing room. "My name is Jessica. If you could remove everything but your undergarments, there is a gown for you to change into. Make sure the ties are at the back. We'll be in this room right across the hall when you're done." I switch into the gown then bring my stuff to the ultrasound room.

"Where do I put this?" Phoebe is sitting on a chair beside the exam bed.

"You can set it on the other chair. Lie down on the bed for me." I lay on my back and Jessica places a paper sheet over my legs, tucks it into my panties, then pulls the gown above my stomach. She squirts a gel onto my lower abdomen then moves a wand type thing across my belly. "I'm just going to check a few things out before I show you the monitor. Should take me about 10 minutes." I look at Phoebe as she takes my hand. She can see the monitor from where she's sitting.

"What types of things are you looking at?"

"Size of the fetus which can give us a pretty good estimate of it's gestational age. We look to see that it's developing normally. And in some cases we find surprises of twins or more. In your case, there's one baby." I let out a huge sigh of relief. One is more than enough. "I can print out a couple pictures for you if you'd like."

"Sure." The rooms falls silent, save for the clicks and taps Jessica is making with the machine. It feels like ages but Jessica finally turns the monitor so I can see it. She points to a blob that looks like a kidney bean with arms.

"This is the head here. Good size and shape. Here is the spine and the feet. Nice, healthy heartbeat. You've got a wiggler there." A warm feeling spreads across my chest. "You've got an anterior placenta; which means that your placenta is located at the front of your uterus. It's likely you won't feel many of the smaller movements because they're hidden. Delivery can sometimes be a problem, depending on how it grows. That can be discussed with your doctor later on." I watch the baby - my baby - wiggle and kick on the screen.

"Can you tell the sex yet?"

"No, that's usually done between 18 and 22 weeks. Even then it isn't an exact science. You get that information at your own risk." I smile a little.

"So how many weeks am I, anyway?"

"My best guess; I would say you're close to 12 weeks." I give Jessica a look.

"What? No way. Shouldn't I have known way before now?"

"Not always. Lots of women have a bit of bleeding around when their period is due, called implantation bleeding. Some women don't experience any symptoms, a lot of which can be mistaken for flu like symptoms. It's not entirely unheard of for women to find out when they're well into their second trimester." I look up at the ceiling, trying to take it all in. "We're all done for today, Annabel. Once I get you cleaned up you're good to go. I'll just print the pictures for you." She wipes the gel off my belly then pulls the gown back down. I sit up and take two pictures from Jessica. One is a profile shot of the body and the other is of the spine.

"How big is it?"

"About the size of a lime." I just shake my head. Amazing.

+++

Friday August 15 [13w 4d]

I'm reading in my bed when my door opens. It's my mom and she looks troubled, mad and sad all at once. Alarmed, I put my book down. "What's wrong, mum?" She closes the door and sits at the end of my bed, wringing her hands together. "Is everyone okay?"

"There was a message on the answering machine on Monday. It was from an obstetrician." I can feel my face getting hot and my chest constricting. My mom just looks at me and I have no idea what to say. The silence stretches. "How far along are you?" I cringe internally.

"Almost 14 weeks." I don't know what I expected, but my mom completely breaking down and crying in front of me was not it. The longest five minutes of my life go by before she looks at me.

"When were you planning to tell me? You're leaving in just a couple weeks." I stumble through an apology.

"I know, I'm sorry. I only found out a few weeks ago and Jordan's been getting into more trouble than usual lately. I didn't want to burden you." She sputters out a laugh and stands up.

"Annabel! You are 16 years old! Jordan's trouble definitely takes a back seat to this. I thought you would have known that." I shake my head sadly.

"I'm sorry. Seriously."

"Had you planned to tell me before you left? Or were you just going to surprise me when you came back with a baby?"

"Of course I was going to." My mom just shakes her head.

"I assume you're planning to keep it?"

"Yes." She sighs and sits back on my bed.

"Who else knows. Phoebe?" I nod.

"And Nate."

"You're kidding me." Another minute of silence goes by before my mom stands up again. "Well you can assume you're grounded for the rest of the summer. I'll have to think of some other repercussions. We can discuss those later." With that she leaves my room and slams the door behind her. I sigh and rub my eyes. Before I can decide what to do next there's a quiet knock at my door.

"Yes?" Charlie opens the door.

"May I come in?" I nod and he sits on my desk chair. "So your mother talked to you."

"You don't need to come in and smooth things over. She's pissed, I'm grounded, that's it."

"Just let her simmer down and maybe she'll be a little more reasonable."

"It isn't like I nicked something from the corner store. I'm pregnant! This isn't going away."

"I know that and your mother knows that. She just needs to calm down. It's kind of a surprise." I roll my eyes.

"Kind of a surprise. You say that like I found some money on the ground." Charlie gets up and gives the top of my head a kiss, then leaves my room. Even though it's only 9 I shut my light off and lay down, hoping to fall asleep. Please let the next 16 days go by quickly.

SEHE; Chapter 2

Wednesday July 23 [10w 2d]

"But Bell.."

"No buts. Mom said 9:30 and it's almost 10. Time for bed." My brothers groan but do as they're told. I watch as they file into their room and then shut the door behind them. After I'm sure they're going to stay there, I amble down the hall to my own room. Phoebe is on the phone with Gabe, her boyfriend.

They met almost five years ago when Gabe moved to our little town. I was away at Hogwarts and he was new, so they became friends out of need. They started dating two years ago. I stop in the hall outside my door to give her some privacy. "Yeah. Yes, I'll call you tomorrow. Love you. Bye."

I walk into my room and sit at the end of my bed. "So you want me to come with you?"

"Naw, I thought I'd ask the homeless guy that hangs out at the park." Phoebe grins.

"I hear he's friendly. I'm sure you'll have a great time." I laugh.

"Of course you're coming with me, you wanker."

"When are you going to tell Tweedle Dum?" I sigh and lean against the wall.

"I don't know. This isn't exactly something you tell someone in a letter. Especially the father. It needs to be in person, but he's on holidays the entire summer." She nods.

"Do you think it would be possible to go to him?" I shake my head.

"Unlikely. Do you remember how my mom freaked when I asked to just go to his house? There's no way she's going to let me go to America."

"I suppose so. When are you going to tell her?"

"No bloody idea. With her starting her business and how much trouble Jordy is getting into lately, I don't want to add to that. I'm the golden child, remember?" I roll my eyes. Nate was never a bad kid, but was never a great one. He got into trouble here or there but nothing huge. Jordan, on the other hand, has a steady trouble making record. And then there's me.

"You can't let Jord's trouble decide this for you."

"No, I know that. I just need to figure out a good time to tell her. She's going to shit."

"I do believe you're correct." I yawn and stretch. "Well I'll be there for you every step of the way, you know that."

"I do. And I am forever in your debt."

"That's right, Leed. You owe me." I wink.

"Bed time for me. I'm bushed." I head to the bathroom to complete my nightly routine. As I'm changing into pj's I stop and turn sideways to the mirror. I smooth my hands over my stomach while inspecting my abdomen for any changes. None so far. I'm not disgustingly skinny, but I am on the thinner side. Maybe some baby weight would do me some good.

I enter my bedroom and shut the door behind me. I flop onto my bed beside Phoebe. "Don't mind if I read, do you?" I shake my head.

"I think I could fall asleep standing up. I'll see you in the morning." I fall asleep to the sound of pages turning.

+++

Thursday July 24 [10w 3d]

"Annabel?" I stand up and the clinic nurse smiles at me. "Come on back with me, dear." Phoebe and I follow the nurse down a hallway and into a room with no windows. I hop onto the exam bed and Phoebe sits on one of the chairs. The nurse looks at her clipboard before looking at me. "Well the test was positive, but you already suspected that. Are you wanting to talk about your options?" I shake my head.

"No, I know I'm keeping it." The nurse, whose name tag says Susan, smiles at me.

"Wonderful. I can give you some information and set you up with a doctor. I can even get you set up for an ultrasound to date the pregnancy." She plucks a couple leaflets off a big wall full of papers and hands them to me. "Hang on while I get you an appointment." She leaves the room and Phoebe turns to me.

"Christ, she's bubbly." I chuckle while looking at one of the papers. Healthy Weight Gain in Pregnancy.

"Gross." The door opens and in breezes Susan.

"Okay Annabel, I have an appointment for you. It's next week August the first at 10 AM. Instructions are on the sheet here. I've also sent a referral to an OB-GYN and they'll call you. Is there anything else I can do for you, hon?"

"I guess you've got it all covered. Thank you." Susan smiles at me.

"No problem, dear. Take care of yourself." I hope off the exam bed and follow Phoebe out of the room. I stuff the papers in my bag while we make our way outside.

"What would you like to do now?"

"Nap. I'm exhausted." Phoebe laughs.

"So you don't mind if I go meet Gabe? I told him we'd hang out today."

"You go have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She laughs again then gives me a sideways hug.

"I'll call you later. Love you, Bellie."

"You too." I watch her walk down the street for a second before turning in the opposite direction toward my own house.

As I open the door I'm bombarded with the sounds of Jordan and my mom yelling at each other. I make my way quickly through the kitchen and up to my room and shut the door behind me. This happens often enough so it isn't entirely a surprise to come home to. What is a surprise is seeing Nate sitting on my bed. What he's holding is another matter altogether. It's the box my test came in.

"You aren't going to lie to me if I ask what this test said, are you?" I sigh and sit on my desk chair.

"No. It was positive." He looks down at the box.

"I wasn't snooping. Jordan came home drunk last night and has a hangover. I came in to get the Aspirin and found this on your desk. Damnit.. why didn't I throw it away?.

"I'm not mad. Can we keep this between us for now?" He nods slowly.

"Mom needs to know, Bell."

"I know. And I'll tell her. I just need to find the right time."

"I don't think there is a right time around here." There's a pause where I know he's thinking of something to say. "If Keelan hurts you I'm going to kill him." I smile in spite of myself.

"Don't worry. We haven't talked about kids but it was never off the table. It's just happening sooner than I would have liked."

"A lot sooner, Bell. You're 16 for Christ sake. What were you thinking?" I hang my head and look at my feet. I can feel tears welling behind my eyes.

"I don't know, Nate. It was a stupid decision and I wish I could take it back." I hear him sigh deeply and get off the bed. He kneels beside my chair and gives me a hug. I accept it gratefully.

"It's done now and there's no taking it back. I'm your brother and I love you and I'm here to support you. Even if it means going up against mom." A small laugh escapes me.

"That I would love to see."

"Nate! You got those pain killers yet?!" Nate stands up and grabs the bottle off my desk.

"Duty calls. We can talk more later, okay?" I nod and watch him leave my room, shutting the door behind him. Before the nap I promised myself, I tear up the box and stuff it to the bottom of my garbage can. I don't need anyone else finding out.

SEHE; Chapter 1

Wednesday July 23 [10w 2d]

I place the white stick on the side of the tub and finish peeing, acutely aware of the dye moving across the little window as I wash my hands. I stare intently at the offending stick while I wait for the seconds to tick by.

After the 3 minutes are up I grab the stick and then promptly drop to my knees. The little + stares at me accusingly, throwing a big "I told you so!" in my face.

I close my eyes and breathe through my nose, trying to slow my rapid heart. No such luck. Gripping the stick, I get up and gather all evidence from the bathroom and bring it to my bedroom, stashing it under my unmade blanket.

"Annabel!" I cringe as I hear my name from the kitchen. I'm not sure I can deal with my mom right now, but I go to her anyway. I enter the kitchen to see her sifting through papers on the table. She looks at me and gives me a small smile. "Hi honey. Charlie and I are going to the McFabel's for dinner tonight. There's leftover casserole in the fridge. Nate is out but Jordan is home, if you need help with the littles."

"Uh, sure, I guess. It would have been nice if you'd asked first. Can Phoebe come over then?" She nods.

"I know and I'm sorry. It was kind of last minute. They're a big potential client." She looks down at her watch and frowns. "I should actually be going soon. Thanks hon, you know where to find the number if you need me." I watch as my mom picks up a stack of papers, shoves them in her bag, then jogs up the stairs.

I locate the phone and dial Phoebe's number. Probably the only number I know better than my own. After 4 rings her dad picks up. "Hey Dillon, is Phoebe there?"

"Oh hi Annabel. Yep, just hang on." I hear muffled conversation and then my best friend is on the other end of the line.

"Bellie, I was just thinking about you. I had a dream last night." I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and make my way to my room.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It was pretty surreal. What's up?"

"Mom's volun-told me that I'm babysitting tonight. She has a client dinner. You're allowed to come help. Plus I have to tell you something."

"Oh, very cryptic. Okay, I'll go ask." I wait about 30 seconds before she's back at the phone. "We're good to go. Dad's going to drive me over before he heads to work, so I'll be there in about half an hour."

"Sounds good. I'll likely be up in my room, just come up." We hang up and I toss the phone on my bed, wondering what the hell I'm supposed to do. This was never part of the plan. Kids didn't even enter the equation for another 10 years, at least. I sigh deeply and flop down on my bed. Maybe if I ignore it, it'll go away. I snort and close my eyes, suddenly, intensely exhausted.

I thought I was smarter than this. I'm a Ravenclaw, for Pete's sake. I should know better. And I do. It was Keelan that asked to ignore the condom that time. Please baby, just this once. I've heard it's so much better without the rubber. Funny thing is it didn't make much of a difference for me. And now look at where it's gotten me.

I feel a tear leak out of my closed eyelid so I shut my eyes tighter. Crying never accomplishes anything and just leaves me with a headache. 20 minutes later I hear my bedroom door open. "Want me to close it?" I nod my head and sit up, looking at my best friend from the age of 4. "So what's up chicky?"

Instead of telling her, I reach under the blanket and pull out the pregnancy test then hand it to her. I watch her face go from confusion to realization. "Oh, Bell.." She sits beside me and wraps me up in a hug. I sag against her and close my eyes, shuddering out a few breaths. "How long have you known?"

"Like an hour. You're the first person I've told." She rubs my arm.

"Dumb question, Keelan's right?" I let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, definitely his. Stupid git that he is." We sit in silence for a few minutes before there's a knock at my door. It opens to reveal my mother.

"Hi Bell, hi Phoebe. Just letting you know that I'm leaving now. The boys are in the basement playing video games. Please don't let them play all evening. We should be home before bed but if not, bedtime is 9:30. See you both later." She leaves my door frame before I can respond. Typical.

I have 5 siblings, all boys. Nate is 21, Jordan is 19, I'm 17, Freddy is 10, Mark is 8 and Leon is 6. Nate, Jordan and I are from my mom's previous marriage. I was just a baby when my mom and father split up so Charlie is basically my dad. In all the ways that count anyway.

I look at Phoebe and offer up a sad smile. "Well, let's get this night over with."

SEHE; Prologue

I remember as if it were yesterday.

"Leed, Annabel!"

I walk up to the sorting hat and my future at Hogwarts.

"RAVENCLAW!"

And as "Richards, Keelan!" is also made a Ravenclaw our story truly begins.

We clumsily maneuver our way through a friendship and then a relationship, figuring out life and love along the way.

I was always told that you never find your soul mate when you're 11, but I always scoffed. They just didn't know. Keelan and I were forever.

At least, that's what I'd thought until I was almost 17 and heading into my final year at Hogwarts. I'd had it all planned out. I was to be a wandmaker apprentice with the ultimate goal of owning my own shop. I'd already secured employment with Mr Ollivander himself.

Mrs Annabel Richards, wandmaker extraordinaire.

That was the plan, anyway. Life sure has a funny way of letting you know it doesn't give a flying shit about your plans.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

Gather 'round, friends. For I have a story to tell.