Pregnant … pregnant … pregnant…



Shadee looked around her bedroom and it seemed like she was seeing it for the first time. A bubbly sensation that had started somewhere under her belly-button was slowly creeping its way up to her stomach. Was it actually possible to be happy about it under the given circumstances? Yet Shadee could barely suppress a grin at the thought that she was going to be a mother; nothing mattered at that moment, nothing besides her and the baby developing inside her.



She drew a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to envisage the changes that would happen over the next period of time. Much as she didn’t like to admit it, she was almost completely alone: her grandparents were long dead, Caleb was off on his summer camp and Sebastien… well… Sebastien was as if he didn’t even exist. The only person that could help her through those moments was Holly, who conveniently enough had experience with pregnancy and babies.

Still…she did wish Sebastien were there, next to her…


The following five weeks proved to be quite a difficult period in Shadee’s life. Suddenly its presence acknowledged, the baby was doing everything in its power to remind the people around it that it was there: Shadee barely had a few hours a day when she wasn’t throwing up or feeling too sick to eat something and she decided to spend them sleeping without risking to choke in her own puke.

Holly had indeed become an invaluable person in the young woman’s life: ignoring Shadee’s protests, she had given up her part-time job and resolved to practically come and live with her over the day, dragging the twins along with her when their grandmother couldn’t watch over them. The almost three-years old twins, Martin and Adrian, were the most adorable kids Shadee had ever seen but at the same time they were also quite a handful pair of toddlers, disappearing out of sight during the shortest lapse of attention.



With all the attention and care she was given, Shadee didn’t have a lot of opportunities to think about the fact that she was going to be a lonely mother. She had even accepted the thought and tried to imagine her life around it.

‘Adrian!’

Shadee gave a start and refocused on her surroundings: she was in her bedroom, lying face up on the bed and one hand on her still flat belly. Holly was wearing a fierce expression as she squinted at the guilty looking Adrian, who had just attempted to squeeze through the unclosed door.



‘I am going to go mad with these two!’ she sighed and turned back to face Shadee ‘I’m really sorry, you had fallen asleep, hadn’t you?’



‘No, no worries, Holly. I was just thinking.’ The young woman smiled mildly, oblivious to the incredulous look on her friend’s face. Yes, she was dead tired not having slept properly over the last couple of days; yes, the stormy, thundery evening was perfect for a nap and yes she had closed her eyes, but she hadn’t actually been able to fall asleep.

Holly stood up from the armchair she had previously flopped onto: ‘Anyway, I think me and the two rascals had better left. You really could with some sleep, Shae, you look awful.’ She headed briskly for the doorway, lifted Adrian up with one arm, scooped the already eluded Martin from the hallway and put them both on the bed next to Shadee ‘I’ll go prepare a bubble bath and make you some chamomile tea to relax, then we’ll be off!’



‘Jeez, Holly, I’m quite capable of preparing my own bath and tea, you don’t have to-’

‘Don’t you even think about protesting! You deserve to be spoiled like this, not to mention you’d probably end up throwing up all over your boiling tea!’ without waiting for Shadee to answer, she hurried out of the room and snapped the door shut.

‘She’s impossible, your mummy, isn’t she?’ the young woman looked from one small, round face to the other. The twins started to giggle and bounce up and down the bed, shaking Shadee like mad.

‘Guys, please, I really don’t feel like it right now!’




Half an hour later, after the tub had been filled with hot water and lots of soap suds and the steaming cup of tea had been brought up next to it, Holly was finally ready to leave.

‘And don’t forget: whatever you need, no matter how small and what hour of night it is, just give me a call! I’ll be here in five minutes!’


‘Ok, ok!’ Shadee shook her head, not admitting out loudly that she wouldn’t call Holly unless it was a matter of life and death.

Having locked the door behind her friend, the young woman trudged back up the stairs and prepared herself for the sweetly perfumed bubble bath. Just as she was about to get completely immersed, the doorbell rang.



Sighing loudly and cursing Holly’s forgetfulness, she returned to the front door and opened it with a big grin. At the sight of Sebastien, standing there against the stormy background, her heart just seemed to stop.