This, this couldn’t be happening. It’s impossible. We were so careful. It’s just late, that’s all. It’s been six weeks. That’s not late…. It could still show up.
I took a deep breath, staring at myself in the mirror. Do you really believe that?
“Ida! You’re going to be late!”
I jerk slightly, glancing at the clock and finding to my horror that my mother was quite correct in her assessment. I bolted for the door, barely remembering my book-bag in my haste to catch the bus.
I spent the bus ride reading the assigned reading for my English class. When the bus finally pulled up to the school, a broad grin spread across my face when I saw the familiar leather jacket standing in the middle of a group of girls who had yet to get the message that Dean Winchester was mine and mine alone.
You do realize he moves a lot right? How many other girls thought that despite being short flings along his path? Shut up. He’s mine at the moment.
“Hey, Dean,” I said, giving him a short kiss.
“Hello, Ida.” Dean smirked at me, cupping my face with his hand. He took my books from me, and together we walked to our first class, leaving the group of girls sighing in disappointment. All thoughts of being late vanished from my mind as I simply enjoyed being with Dean.
****
I put my head in my heads, still holding the test stick of doom. How am I going to explain this to my parents? How am I going to tell Dean? Told you so, but no, you had to pretend everything was sunshine and rainbows.
I took a deep breath, straightening up and looking at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. It’s okay. You’ve got this. You just need to walk out there, open your mouth, and tell them. Who knows, maybe they’ll be really excited to be grandparents. Sunshine and rainbows again.
I stepped out of the bathroom, lurking in the doorway that led to the kitchen and observing my parents calmly drink their morning coffee and read the morning paper. Stepping fully into the kitchen, I licked my lips nervously. “I’m pregnant.”
Silence. “You’re what?” my mother asked, eyebrows raised as she look at me questioningly over her coffee mug.
“I’m pregnant.”
“I’m sorry, I know you did not just say what I thought you said.” My father stood, a dark look on his face.
“I did though.” My voice seemed quiet, timid, even to my ears.
“I thought you were better than this, Ida!” I flinched away from my father’s roar. Told you so. Again. “You’ve ruined your life! Do you really believe that you’ll do well in school with a child on the way? What were you thinking?”
“I’m sorry, Dad,” I whimpered.
“Sorry’s not good enough!”
I turned and bolted for my room.
“And don’t think you’re going to keep it. Once it’s born, it’s gone!”
****
Dean was gone. He wasn’t at school today, or yesterday, or the day before that. He hadn’t been there for a few weeks now.
I stared at my phone for a long time before I finally, slowly, dialed the number that would set my baby’s fate in stone.
“Hello?”
“Dean? This is Ida.”
“Oh, hey, Ida.” Dean’s voice was awkward, proving what I had suspected. He had already moved on with his life.
“Look, I know you’ve probably moved on already, but there’s something you need to know.”
“What is it?”
“I’m pregnant with your baby.” I closed my eyes, waiting for the blow up.
“Shit.” Well, that was a pretty accurate representation of my mood. “Are you going to keep it?”
“I’m going to give birth, yes, but my parents won’t let me raise it. If you don’t take it, it’ll be placed for adoption or going into foster care.”
“Hang on a second.”
I waited. Five, ten minutes, listening to the muffled voices on the other end of the phone until Dean’s voice came back. “When are you due? We’ll pick the baby up when it’s born.”
I smiled despite the soft sob of relief and grief that escaped me. “About six months. Around the beginning of June, end of May.”
“I’ll be there.”
****
This was it. The first and last time I would ever see my daughter. My father was the one who took me to the hospital on the 3rd of June. He stood there, watching me say hello and goodbye to my daughter before he let Dean into the delivery room.
“That’s your daughter now. We don’t want to have anything to do with her after this moment. We’ve already filled out the paperwork. My father pointed at the bed where my daughter was sleeping in. “Take her and never come back.” He gave the two of us one last glare before he left us alone.
“Her name’s Autumn,” I whispered. “Take care of her. Please.” I looked up from my clasped hands and stared into Dean’s green hazel eyes.
“I will. I promise.”
Lots Used
- High School by c0rreen
- Tudor Bungalow by Maxis
- Motel Room by Raven_Cat2000 (Me)
This was written for September's Short Story Challenge Theme of Late. This was inspired by a Supernatural fanfiction idea of Dean having a pre-teen/teenage daughter during the series. Timeline wise this is set in about 1996 for the show. Anything recognizable as Supernatural belongs to the creators of Supernatural.
