Chapter 86

Chapter 10 I sat nervously in the chair at the doctor's office, waiting for my name to be called. I was certain that I was feeling this way because of stress. University was a lot of pressure and the courses I was taking wasn't exactly easy. Stress was the logical reason. Grayson was holding my hand because he knew how jittery I was. I couldn't stop shaking my leg which I normally did when I was nervous or anxious. "It will be okay," Grayson said. "I know it will," I said. "Because it's..." "Don't say stress," Grayson said. "Does stress cause vomiting?" "Actually, yes, it can," I said. "Or at least that's what I read on Google... But I'm positive it's stress." Grayson sighed. He didn't believe me but I was positive it was stress. That was it. "Poppy?" my regular doctor, Dr. Shay, said as she walked into the waiting room. "Your turn." Grayson give me a quick kiss before I followed Dr. Shay to the check-up room. She gestured for me to sit down on the chair, and I did. "So, what seems to be the problem?" she asked. "Well, I've been feeling a bit weird lately," I said. "I'm pretty sure it's just because I've been feeling stressed ever since I started university, but my boyfriend, Grayson, wanted me to get checked out." "It's always best to double check," she said, grabbing her clipboard off of her desk. "So, what are these weird feelings you've been having?" "I've been extremely hungry, even though I eat a lot," I said. "And I've been feeling dizzy and nauseous from time to time and last night, I threw up even though I didn't eat anything bad." Dr. Shay nodded. "I see. And have you been feeling a bit fatigued as well?" I nodded. "And have you been a bit more sensitive to smell?" Once again, I nodded. "Poppy, have you missed a period lately?" "Well, yeah, but being stressed can cause someone to miss it," I said. "Poppy, I don't think any of this has to do with stress," she said. "You mentioned that you have a boyfriend. Have the two of you ever had intercourse?" I blinked a few times, processing what she said. "W-wait," I said. "Are you saying that I'm... That I'm pregnant? No, I can't be. I mean, yeah, we have, but only once a couple weeks ago." "One time can be all it takes," she said. "Did you start feeling the symptoms shortly after the intercourse?" I was a bit silent. It did start a few days after Grayson and I did it for the first time. We didn't even use a condom. "Yeah," I finally said. "It was about four or five days after. But pregnancy symptoms can't come that fast, right?" "Actually, they can," Dr. Shay said. "It's different for each person. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I the symptoms came about three days after conception. You can take a blood test which will determine if you're pregnant or not." "Okay," I said quietly. This couldn't happen. It was stress. It had to be stress. I couldn't be pregnant, not right now. I just started university and being pregnant could change everything. While Dr. Shay was taking the test, I couldn't stop thinking about it. If I was, how would Grayson react? Would he leave me? Tell me to abort it? Would he be happy? Would he be mad? I mentally shook my head. No, none of that would happen because I knew it was only stress. Stress, stress, stress. That was it. When Dr. Shay finished, she told me she would get back to me within twenty-four hours, possibly closer to now. When I was done, I walked out of the room and went back to Grayson. "So?" he asked. I gave him a fake smile. "Everything's okay," I said. "Nothing too bad. She just had to take a blood test and she'll get back to me later." "So you're okay?" he asked and I nodded. "Thank God. I was really worried about you. I guess we'll head home now, but we'll stop by McDonald's first, my treat." "Like always," I said with an eye roll. He took my hand in his, leading me to his car and opening the passenger door for me. We went through the drive-through of McDonald's, both of us getting a McChicken and fries. We ate it on the way back to the apartment. Since it was Sunday and we had no work for university, we decided to play some video games. It was just what I needed. I was feeling less stressed already and I was able to concentrate on the game. Before I knew it, we had been playing for three hours. Even though we could never get bored of gaming, we decided to watch a movie instead. I curled up next to Grayson on the couch, feeling more comfortable in his arms. We watched more movies before I got a phone call. I was a bit shocked to see Dr. Shay's office number on my phone. My appointment was at nine o'clock and it was a bit before three. I thought it would have taken a bit longer than six hours to get results. "Hello?" I answered, feeling a bit nervous. Please be stress, please be stress. "Hello, Poppy," Dr. Shay said. "I got the test results from your blood test. It came back positive." When she said that, I felt like my heart stopped. "So... I'm..." "Yes, you're pregnant," she said. "Do you think you can come to my office tomorrow?" "I-I have class," I said. "My last class is... it ends at two." "Okay, I have a slot opened at four-thirty," she said. "Can you make it then?" "Y-yeah," I said. "Sure." "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." When we hung up, I put my phone on the coffee table, feeling tears stinging the corner of my eyes. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't help it. "Poppy?" Grayson said, his voice filled with concern. "Was that your doctor?" I nodded. "What did she say?" I took a deep breath. "She... She said..." No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't say it. I was afraid of his reaction. I was afraid he wouldn't want to stay with me because of it. People did that all the time and I couldn't lose him. He was the only boy I would ever love. Grayson pulled me into a hug and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I cried, digging my face into his chest. He lightly rubbed my back, assuring me that it was okay. But it wasn't. I was pregnant. "Poppy, please tell me what she said," he said. "I'm worried about you." "Promise you won't leave me?" I asked in a quiet voice, trying to control my sobs. "Why on earth would I leave you?" he asked. "I would never, ever do that. You're my Flower and my whole world. No matter what, I won't leave you." He pulled away, wiping the tears from my eyes. "Can you please tell me what she said?" I looked down. "You know how I've been feeling hungry, dizzy, and nauseous?" He nodded. "That's... that's not everything. I... I missed my period. It wasn't stress, Grayson. It's our baby." Grayson didn't say anything for a while. I didn't even look at his face. I couldn't bear myself to see his reaction. "You're pregnant?" he asked. I nodded, still looking down. However, he placed his hand on my cheek, gently moving my face so I would look at him. Then, he pressed his lips on mine. When he pulled away, he said what I needed to hear. "Poppy, I would never leave you." "I'm scared, Grayson," I said, more tears coming. "I'm only eighteen and I don't know what my parents will say and I don't even know how to raise a kid." "Hey," he said softly. "Your parents won't get mad at you. You're an adult and you're in university. Just think, my cousin's getting married and she's your age." "What do you want to do?" I asked. "With the baby?" "You mean the three options?" Grayson asked. I nodded and he released a long breath. "I... want to raise it." I nodded. I didn't really know what I wanted, but it was Grayson's choice too. If he wanted to raise it, then we would. I laid down on couch, may head resting on Grayson's lap. He rubbed my back with one hand as he used his other hand to hold one of mine. "We're too young, Grayson," I said, sniffling a bit. "We're not too young," Grayson objected. "Like I said, Elliot is the same age as you and she's getting married. And when the baby is born, you'll be nineteen and I'll be twenty. Yes, it's young, but not too young." "I don't even know how to tell my parents," I said. "Do you want to call them now?" Grayson asked. "No, I'd rather do it in person," I said. "We'll figure it out later. I have to see my doctor tomorrow at four-thirty. Can you come with me?" "Yeah, of course," Grayson said. "How are you staying so calm?" I asked. Grayson let out a long sigh and hesitated before answering. "Remember when my mom left because my dad was beating me? She didn't want to deal with my getting hurt by my father so she took the easy way out. I don't want to be like my parents, Poppy. I don't want to take the easy way out. Yes, it's shocking that I got you pregnant but, in all honesty,... I kind of want a kid. I want to be the dad that mine wasn't. I didn't imagine having one at nineteen, technically twenty, but I do want one." I smiled faintly at that. I was still in shock and freaking out, but at least I knew Grayson was in this one hundred percent. And that was a reason why I loved him so much. When we argued, no matter how bad it was, I knew he wouldn't leave me. All I needed to get through this was him.