Page 39 of Meant to Be

"There's plenty of work around," she fires back angrily.

Jax drops his gaze to the floor leaving mum to sport a smug grin on her face thinking she’s won the battle, then turns her attention back to me.

"Well Shelby, since you're still a minor and you have to finish school, I get a say in this. You'll have to have an abortion,” she answers flatly.

"What? This is not your decision mum.” I blink back the tears that have collected in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. "I'm keeping my baby,” I announce.

"You aren't old enough to make that decision."

"Mrs Andrews. We love each other." Jaxon cuts in.

"And you definitely aren't old enough to know what love is."

She stands to walk towards me but not until she’s had a few more digs at Jaxon first, “Love can’t support a child. Love alone doesn’t feed a baby or clothe it.”

“You don’t think I know that…”

Ignoring Jax completely, she cups my face in her hands, looking down at me...

"Sweetheart, we can fix this, it's fine. Then you can carry on with your schoolwork like we planned."

"Why is it always about you? I love him."

"He's not good enough for you darling."

My head snaps to Jax, hoping for a miracle that he didn't hear her, but the crushed look on his face tells me he listened to every word.

"Jax?"

"I'll never be good enough, will I?" He asks her in a quiet voice as he stands too.

"Jax," I speak louder, but he doesn't hear me as they have a stare down.

"No Jaxon, you'll never be good enough for my daughter." She tries to kiss my brow, but I shrug away from her in anger.

"I'll make the arrangements."

Speechless doesn't explain how I'm feeling right now, I'm gutted and heartbroken, but I’m not strong enough to argue. Jaxon looks down at the floor.

"I... I need to get out of here."

"Jaxon, please don't leave, we need to talk about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about, obviously."

“But you promised me…” I shout after him.

Before I can run to stop him from leaving, the door slams shut. My body flinches from the sound.

“But you promised me.” My voice sounds meek even to my own ears. My head turns when I hear Mum, talking on the phone.

"Yes, thank you. Monday at four pm. We'll be there. Bye."

My heart almost forgets to beat, my breath gasps out in short, sharp puffs as I try to get my head around what's just happened. The tears that I wouldn't allow to fall earlier stream down my face, letting my weakness flow out.

Sliding down a wall, I wrap my arms around myself and cry tears for a baby I'm probably never going to know and a love that is never going to be, but both will always live in my heart.

“Shelby, get up off the floor.”

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