Page 28 of Upon an April Night

She thought she knew what kind of guy Duncan was, but now she wasn’t so sure. She never thought he’d be the kind of guy to blow her off after a one night stand, but that certainly seemed to be the case. And as much as she wanted to believe he’d help her raise this baby, she couldn’t be certain, and she didn’t want to do it alone.

By the time Mom pulled into the driveway, the tears were close to the surface again. She walked into the house, feeling defeated and emotionally exhausted, and collapsed on the couch. Sleep began to overtake her, and she felt her mom drape the afghan over her as she drifted into a deep sleep.

Chapter 12

A week had passed since Jamie’s clinic appointment, and she felt no closer to a decision. She waffled back and forth, doubting her ability to be a single mom, fearing the outcome if she kept the baby and went back to Michigan to announce it to the McGregor family. Some days she thought about going back to the clinic and taking care of it.

At the breakfast table, she sniffled and wiped away tears as she took a bite of toast.

“Baby girl, you need to talk to someone. You need to get some help. Every day, you’re in tears, and I don’t know how to help you. I want to give you advice, but you know how I feel about this, and I don’t want you to think I’m trying to tell you what to do. You need to talk to somebody outside of the situation.”

Jamie grunted. “Like a therapist? I don’t want to talk to a shrink.”

“A friend of mine from church works at a family center. They have nice ladies on hand to talk with you about how you’re feeling and answer questions. They’ll go over options with you. No pressure. They are there to help you make the right decision for you.”

“I don’t know.” The last thing she wanted was to go to an unfamiliar place and talk to a stranger about her situation. But maybe Mom was right. She was no closer to a decision than she had been last week, and the stress probably wasn’t healthy.

“Will you at least think about it?” Mom asked.

Jamie took a drink of orange juice and pushed her plate away. She wasn’t quite sure what she was getting herself into, but she heard herself say, “I’ll go.”

Mom’s eyes widened. “You will?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what to do. I need help making this decision, and I’m willing to try anything at this point.”

Jamie followed her mother through the door of Faith Family Center. The space was bright with comfy chairs the color of dark chocolate and pillows in warm autumn tones set in a quaint waiting area. On the wall were framed inspirational quotes and Bible verses printed across picturesque scenery—fields, oceans, blue skies. The coziness filled her with a calm and replaced the uncertainty she had felt about coming there in the first place.

Almost as soon as they entered, they were greeted by a bubbly middle-aged woman, holding a baby on her hip. “Sylvia!”

“Hi, Gloria.” Jamie’s mom replied. “How are you?”

“Doing well.”

“Who’s this little cutie?” Mom reached out and shook the baby’s chubby little hand.

“This is Carter. His mama is here going through some parenting classes, so we’re keeping an eye on him.” Gloria looked over at Jamie. “You must be Jamie. Your mom said you were in town for a visit.”

“Nice to meet you.” Jamie didn’t know where to start or what to say, but Gloria spoke before she had a chance.

“Can I show you two around the place? We’ve just finished some remodeling, and I love giving people the grand tour.”

“Sure. I’ve been wanting to see all your progress.” Mom reached over and squeezed Jamie’s hand as Gloria led them down a short hallway and around a corner into another welcoming space. A little room to one side had a half door and a large window to see inside. It was overflowing with toys and books, and a teenaged girl sat on the floor, playing with two toddlers. She noticed them through the window and came over to take Carter from Gloria.

Across from the playroom was a space set up like a store with racks of children’s clothing and shelves filled with diapers and wipes and other baby supplies. “Many wonderful people from the community donate the things you see here. We’re very blessed.”

Mom and Gloria chit-chatted as they moved to another section of the building, which looked more like a doctor’s office with a reception desk, waiting area, and separate room with an exam table and equipment. Jamie thought about her visit to the clinic. She hesitated in the doorway as her mother followed her friend.

“This is the newly remodeled area of the center,” Gloria gushed.

“Very nice,” Mom said.

“We offer free pregnancy tests and have a woman who comes and gives free ultrasounds when needed.”

Jamie remained in the doorway and forced herself to speak. “What would you say to someone who is pregnant but doesn’t know whether or not to keep the baby?”

“We would talk with them about what they’re thinking, how they’re feeling, and give them information about all of their options.”

“All of their options?”

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