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A car door slamming closed brought Jacob back to reality. He glanced across the yard. The brightness from the Parks’ automatic spotlight gave off enough light that he could make out Elizabeth and her parents getting out of the car.
Elizabeth’s dad placed his arm around his daughter’s waist for support, and Jacob could hear Elizabeth’s sweet voice objecting to her father’s help.
Jacob’s heart filled with relief. She seemed okay. From where he sat on the deck, the reflection of the light made her look like an angel floating across the driveway. There was something about that girl that made him forget about his troubles with Jessica and Kristen.
There was something about Elizabeth that made him want to get to know her better.
Elizabeth and her parents walked into their house. Her parents were so loving, yet a little overbearing. She could understand, though. Being their only child and having to take her to the hospital—and in an ambulance—was a bit much.
She ended up telling them that she was slightly anemic, and she was extremely dehydrated. Elizabeth could tell they didn’t believe her, but they didn’t question her any further.
As soon as she got into the house, she excused herself for bed. Both of her parents, though still very concerned, said good night, and watched her ascend the stairs with a slow, laborious step. She was feeling better. The IV fluids really helped her, but she was exhausted.
The doctor told her to take the day off from work, so her mother decided to call Mrs. Stanzel for her. Calling in for a day off so soon after just starting back was not what she had planned on doing. It sure didn’t look good. She complained to her mom, but her mother was not hearing it and got on the phone as soon as they got into the house and called Elizabeth’s boss.
Once in her room, Elizabeth brushed her teeth, changed her clothes, and climbed into bed.
She found herself staring at the ceiling, not able to process what the doctor had told her. Shocked is not the word she would use for how she felt. Disbelief. Disgust. Disappointment. Disgrace. Those words were more like it. Her thoughts flowed through her head like water down the side of a mountain. There was so much going on in her mind that she could not make sense of anything.
Pregnant. What am I going to do with a baby?Why me?What will everyone think of me?How will I tell my parents?
As all those thoughts went through Elizabeth’s head, she realized the desperation of her situation, and the dam of tears she had been holding back all night exploded. She sobbed into her pillow as hard as she could, yet quiet enough so no one in the house could hear her. Between sobs, she started praying, or better yet desperately pleading to God.
“Lord, I don’t know why this happened to me. I know I did wrong in your eyes, but so many people do worse. Please Lord, take this away from me. I don’t have time for a baby! I have so much I want to do with my life, and a baby will just get in the way. Lord, my parents will be so disappointed in me. What will they say? What will they think? And Lord, what do I say when they ask me who the father is? I. Don’t. Even. Know!”
At this, she screamed and cried into her pillow, and had what could only be described as a temper tantrum. Just like a preschool child.
The fear and disappointment she felt overwhelmed her, this was a feeling so intense and deep. One which she had never felt before.
After what seemed like hours, she was exhausted, and had nothing left in her. She fell into a troubled sleep filled with the monsters and demons of her past.
Opening her eyes much later to the sunlight gave her a refreshed feeling. A feeling of relief that the nightmares she had dealt with were over.
That was until she realized the main nightmare, the one that took center stage in her dreams and kept her up most of the night, was not a nightmare at all.
It was her own, new reality.
Glancing at her phone, Elizabeth realized it was nearly 11:00 a.m. Wow! She really slept a long time, but as the sleep washed away from her, she realized that waking up was not a good idea.
Facing the morning meant facing her problems. She pulled her blanket over her head, took a deep breath, and truly contemplated staying the rest of the day right where she was. In the peaceful tranquility of her soft, warm bed.
Suddenly there was a knock on her door, “Elizabeth. Are you awake?” inquired her mother in a soft, comforting voice.
Upset that she was being forced out of her peaceful tranquility, she answered the knock. “Yeah, Mom, come in.”
Mrs. Parks opened the door, entered her daughter’s room, and sat on her bed. Looking at Elizabeth with deep concern in her eyes and brushing a few loose strands of hair out of Elizabeth’s face, she asked if everything was okay, and if there was anything she needed.
Elizabeth shook her head and tried to erase her mom’s concerns. “I feel much better, Mom, than I have in a while. I’m gonna get a shower, and I’ll be down soon.”
“I am so glad to hear it. Your dad and I were so worried. I’m heading to the store to pick up groceries. Do you need anything special?”
Elizabeth again shook her head no and said thank you anyway.
Her mom leaned down to embrace her daughter, kissed her on top of her head, gave one last look of concern, and reminded her that she was here and ready to listen if Elizabeth needed to talk about anything.She gave her daughter a reassuring squeeze and left the room.
Elizabeth stared at the closed door, wondering if her mother knew more than she let on. Shaking her head, she headed for her bathroom.
After a shower and changing, Elizabeth brushed her teeth, took the iron pills and ‘multivitamin’ her parents got from the pharmacy, and pulled her hair into a messy bun. She grabbed her phone off her bedside table and headed downstairs.
