To make this week’s prompt fit, I had to write another “between the scenes prompt”. If you follow Mav and John’s story, I highly recommend you read it HERE first. If you’re just viewing TRDC link ups, this can be read as a stand alone. If you’re new and would like to read it from the beginning, you can find all but this last post HERE.
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My voice was shaky, reeling from his words. “I did…what?” My free hand instinctively went to my belly.
His touch was still gentle but his eyes were hard. “I saw the card, Mav.”
“What card?” My mind spun, trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about.
“The appointment card from the abortion clinic, confirming your time of 9 AM. It was behind your nightstand.”
“My nightstand? When was this and what were you doing in my room?”
A bitter smile graced his face. “Hiding the perfect gift for your twenty-first birthday.”
I closed my eyes trying to remember.
The nurse handed me a card. “Don’t eat anything two hours before hand. Are you okay, you look a little green? Why don’t you have a seat?” Running out of the office and throwing up in the trash can just outside. Hiding it at home in my math book. Canceling the appointment the next day.
And he thought… “Is that why you left without saying good-bye? The stupid appointment card?”
Something in my tone made him squirm. “You didn’t even tell me you were pregnant. After four years, I deserved that much.”
I collapsed in laughter, the hysterical kind where I fought to grab breaths of air in between. “You… you thought….”
“This isn’t funny, Mav. Why the hell wouldn’t you tell me?”
I laughed harder. It was inappropriate and wrong, but my frustration needed an outlet and if I screamed, the windows would shatter from pent up despair.
“Jesus, Mav! Snap out of it!” He released me, backing away in disgust.
It took another minute for me to calm down, gasping for oxygen. I finally looked up at him.
There was pain in his eyes, the same kind he’d drawn from me during our screaming match. Then it was gone. “Are you done?”
I hiccuped. “Yes.”
“Are you going to tell me what was so funny?”
“Us. We’re one of those bad comedies on TV where someone makes a gross assumption and instead of confronting the person about it, they react to the misunderstanding and fuck everything up.” If I thought about it too hard, I’d break into tears again.
“English please.”
“The card was three years old when you found it. Three fucking years!”
Shock raced across his face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was the beginning of our senior year. We’d only been together for five months. I didn’t even find out until I was six weeks along and started puking my guts out even when I wasn’t drinking.”
He paced the hallway, trying to process the news.
“I made the appointment because I was scared. I was terrified you’d think I was trying to trap you. I was afraid I’d fucked up the baby by drinking the entire time. I stopped when I found out, but…” By then I’d had a month to give it alcohol poisoning. “I canceled the appointment the next day. I couldn’t do it. I was going to talk to you…” I barely choked out the last words, unable to hold back the tears of my eighteen year old self.
“What happened to our baby, Mav?” His voice was soft. His arms wrapped around me.
“I miscarried. A week later.” The sobs were back, wrenching my body. “I killed it because I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know.”
“Shhh… It’s okay.” He picked me up as if I weighed nothing, the stiffness of one arm barely noticeable as I buried my wet face into his good shoulder. “I’m the one who fucked up.”
You can read all of Mav and John’s story as it exists: HERE.
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A Red Dress Club writing prompt
This week’s Guest Hosts are Mandy and Elena. They have chosen the following Red Writing Hood Prompt for you…
You or your character find a forgotten letter or card from someone important in your life–whether good or bad. What does it say? How does it affect you or your character? What is done with it?
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I’m considering “retiring” Mav and John from TRDC and seeing if I can write them without prompts and feedback… or if they stagnate without a way to drive the story and a deadline to hit, so this could be their final prompt for a while.
Concrit is welcomed as always.
