Through Thick And Thin

Chapter 8

As the weeks passed, the phone calls slowed down, and soon they'd stopped coming altogether. Not long after it became obvious that the calls were through, Melody decided that she was done having a baby sitter all the time. Nothing threatening had come about. If it did, she'd put her recently acquired concealed license to good use, and the gun she'd gotten to go along with it.

She was still arguing the subject with Sky, who was with her at the dealership as she picked out a car. Melody had saved up enough money for something cheap, and she was happy that she'd no longer rely on others for a ride.

"I really have no problem with taking you to school or work," Sky was protesting. "I think this is dumb. We don't know what he's doing, and that scares me, Mels."

"Well, I'm over being a hunted animal," Melody replied, looking at a Honda Civic. "Josh isn't going to be worried if I'm on my own or not. If he really wanted me, he'd get me. He doesn't know I'm carrying now, so if he does, I can fight back."

Sky scoffed.

"Oh really?" she said. "Tell me, where's your gun now?"

Melody's face fell when she realized it was in her nightstand at home.

"Well, I'll have it when he comes for me, if she does," she replied. "I think I'll get this one."

Sky just shook her head as Melody signed the papers for her new car. Melody could feel safe if she wanted, but Sky still had an unnerving feeling about the entire situation.

"If you say so," was all she said as Melody took the keys with a grin.

"See you at home!" Melody said as she got behind the wheel. "I'm going to go surprise my boyfriend at work."

Sky waved as Melody drove away, unable to help the smile on her face. No matter how foolish Melody seemed at the moment, it made Sky happy to see her in this mood. Bubbly and carefree, the way a woman her age should be.

......

Melody had a problem. A big problem.

It was funny, in a way. She didn't even realize she had a problem until the moment when Sky had commented about their tampon stash, and how they hadn't had to buy more in a while. When Melody realized she was right, she'd also realized that she couldn't remember when her last period was.

Being pregnant was more of a probability than a possibility at this point. She and David had started having sex not long after their first date, though it wasn't something she was actually proud of. Not that she regretted it, because she didn't. She just wished she had waited a little longer.

 It'd been three months since their first time, and there had been several more since. Now Melody couldn't remember if she'd had a period since then or not.

"Fuck," Melody whispered, beginning to panic.

"Mels?" she heard Sky say from the living room. She must have gotten off of work early.

That meant Melody had sat in her room for nearly eight hours, contemplating about the case of her missing monthly visitor.

"In here," Melody called out, hoarsely. She was beginning to feel nauseated, and she wasn't sure if it was the possible pregnancy, the nerves, or a ghastly combination of both.

Sky came into her room and flopped on Melody's bed dramatically, heaving a loud sigh. Melody winced, the nausea increasing.

"What a day," Sky said, her eyes closed. "I had to do labor and delivery today. Nine babies decided today was the day for them to be born."

Melody couldn't take it anymore. That last comment seemed to be the trigger for her stomach contents to make a reappearance. She hopped off her bed and ran to the adjoining bathroom, where she heaved and heaved until there was nothing left to throw up.