CHAPTER 7

“Hey, Mrs. A, thanks for having us over!” Liam hugged Cole’s mom before going to smell the spaghetti on the stove.

“If you stick your fingers in there, Liam, I will cut them off.” Mrs. Andrews smiled at her son’s best friend as she waved the large knife that she had been using to cut vegetables.

“Mom,” Cole came in and kissed her cheek, “Stop threatening to dismember people. It’s not nice.”

Mrs. Andrew’s rolled her eyes. “I don’t threaten strangers, just the ones I love.”

“Thanks, Mrs. A!” Liam laughed, shoving off the counter, “It smells amazing. Can we help with anything?”

Cole smacked the back of Liam’s head. “What the hell, man? Now she is going to make us work.”

Mrs. Andrews snapped her dish towel, catching Cole’s hind end.

Liam was laughing his butt off. “Mrs. A, I love you.”

“Stop perving on my mom!” Cole grumbled.

Mrs. Andrews was used to their banter; shaking her head with amusement she asked, “Boys, I need you to set the table. And Cole, watch your mouth. You are not too old to be washed out with soap.”

Cole made a face. “You should have heard the language coming out of Katie-cat.”

Katie rounded the corner after just returning from the bathroom. “Whatever he is saying is a lie, Mrs. A. It smells awesome, did you make spaghetti?”

Katie walked over to the rich red marinara that was simmering on the stove top. Taking a deep breath, she sighed happily, “I love you, Mrs. A.”

Liam busted up laughing again. “Cole doesn’t like it when we perve on his mom. Besides I saw her first!”

Cole flushed. “That’s not what I said. I don’t like it when you perve on my mom, ass-wipe!”

Katie went up to Mrs. A and gave her a hug. “Maybe we could sell them somewhere. Surely someone wants two eighteen-year-old boys, only slightly used.”

Mrs. A laughed and hugged her back. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

“Fat,” was Katie’s automatic reply.

Mrs. A smiled at her. “Katie, you are not fat, you are quite tiny for being sixteen weeks along. I meant, are you still throwing up?”

Katie shook her head. “I haven’t in the last two weeks, although there are times at school when I feel like I’m fighting it. Some kids have major hygiene problems. I think I am feeling the baby move more.”

Liam laughed, “Or she has wicked gas.”

Katie scowled, “I can’t help that! And you were not going to tell anyone, you swore!”

Cole doubled over with laughter.

Mrs. A snapped her dishtowel at him again.

“Ma, freaking hell! That hurts!” Cole rubbed his backside, shooting his mother an offended look.

Katie was transfixed for a moment on the place that he was rubbing. Suddenly her fingers twitched, and Katie wanted to touch his perfectly shaped ass.

“Kat!”

Katie cleared her head. “What?”

Liam looked at his sister strangely. “You were zoning out. Mrs. A asked you when your next appointment was.”

Katie felt the blush spread from her neck up. “Sorry Mrs. A, sometimes I feel like I am losing my marbles. I have an appointment in two weeks.”

Cole’s eyes lit up. “Is it the ultrasound?”

Katie nodded. “They said that they should be able to tell us the gender of the baby.”

Mrs. A looked concerned. “Do you want me to come with you? Is there anything that I can do?”

Katie shook her head. “Liam and Cole are coming, but thank you, Mrs. A. You really are the best. Do you want me to set the table?”

Mrs. A smiled at Katie. “You are such a dear. I asked these two.”

The boys hopped up and started grabbing things.

“We were working on it,” Cole said with a smirk.

Katie felt heat in her stomach again. She couldn’t help but stare as he reached into the cabinets getting the dishes. There wasn’t a bad angle on the guy. He was hot; there was no denying it.

Cole turned around and caught Katie starring. With a sexy grin, he winked at her before going back to setting the table.

Katie felt hot; was it too warm in the kitchen?

Excusing herself, she went into the living room for a moment. Fanning her face, Katie took some deep breaths. Whatever was the matter with her? Why was she so focused on Cole? This was Cole. The same one who cut her hair when he smuggled scissors home from kindergarten. To be fair, he had also cut his and Liam’s.

“What are you doing, Kat?” Liam poked his head in. “Dinner is ready if you are okay.”

Katie smiled at her brother. “Yeah, I just got a little overheated. But I’m starving, let’s eat.”

Dinner was filled with laughter and a truckload of pasta. When everyone had eaten their fill, Mrs. A set the boys on the dishes. She insisted that being pregnant was job enough for Katie. The girls went out of the back deck to enjoy the cool breeze.

“How is school going?” Mrs. A asked gently. She knew of the troubles that Katie had been having.

“About the same,” Katie sighed. “I went from being on the dance team, someone that everyone wanted to be friends with, to being a social pariah; it’s almost like I am invisible. Liam and Cole eat lunch with me but being seniors, they are not in any of my classes. I just don’t know what I would do without them.”

Mrs. A was sympathetic. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but people suck sometimes. Most of the time, but there are good ones out there too.”

Katie laughed, “People do suck. But you are right.”

“Just don’t close yourself off, okay? Have you thought any more about adoption?”

Katie fidgeted. “I looked through the pamphlets.”

Mrs. A looked out at the yard and trees beyond. “It’s funny, I can still picture you three running around here begging for popsicles like it was yesterday. And here you are almost full-grown, about to be a mother yourself.”

Katie braved a look at Mrs. A. “Do you think it’s wrong to try and raise my baby?”

Mrs. A looked at Katie. “There is no right or wrong answer from me. Katie, you are an amazing girl. You have been through complete hell. First, losing your parents and then with this pregnancy. If you are asking if I think you would be a fit mother, then I will answer you honestly. You will not be perfect. You will make mistakes. You will second guess yourself and wonder if you are the worst parent alive. And it will be damn hard, harder than anything that you have been through yet.”

Katie’s eyes filled with tears. “Then I should give my baby up?”