The Friends We Keep

“I thought we’d make our first pass at it. School starts in two weeks. I have no idea how that happened, but it did, so we’re going to have to get ready.” She felt her eyes begin to water. “My little girls, growing up so fast.”


“We want dresses,” Kenzie, the fashion princess, said firmly. “And new T-shirts and sweaters.”

Kennedy turned her attention to her breakfast, obviously uninterested in her upcoming makeover. “Mommy, did you tell the teacher we know all our letters?”

“I did and that you’re starting to read. She was very impressed.”

“Hair ribbons,” Kenzie added. “With sparkles.”

Gabby smiled at Makayla. “You have to respect that she knows what she wants.”

“Sparkles for sure.”

“Would you rather do your shopping another day?” Gabby asked Makayla, thinking with the pregnancy progressing, buying clothes could be complicated.

Relief relaxed her expression. “Yes, please.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do. You and I will go out when your dad’s back in town. We’ll take care of the twins this afternoon. I’m picking them up right at one, which means you at one-fifteen. Is that okay?”

The teen nodded. “I can leave camp early. We’re wrapping things up anyway.”

“Great. Then we’ll all go to the mall and when we’re done shopping, we’ll have dinner at Red Robin.”

The twins both cheered.

Gabby knew that with the incentive of a favorite place, the twins would make their choices more quickly. Or rather Kenzie would. Kennedy tended to go along with whatever her twin suggested on the fashion front.

By the time they got home, everyone would be exhausted. She could sit the girls down in front of a movie while she figured out what had to be washed before it could be worn. She’d already sorted through their clothes to figure out what was school-worthy and what would only be for play. There was also the pile to donate that the girls had outgrown.

For a second she felt a flash of guilt about wanting to give it away. Makayla’s baby...

She shook her head. While she didn’t agree with Andrew’s plan, that didn’t mean it wasn’t going to happen. The man had a way of being persuasive. She was determined not to stay home with Makayla’s baby, but how long could she hold out? She was starting to miss him. Miss them. For the greater good...

But what about her? What about what she wanted? Plus, what kind of a message was she sending to her own daughters if she caved? All of which was a lot to think of before she’d finished her first cup of coffee.

“All right, everyone,” she told the kids. “Enough chitchat. Eat. You have to get to camp.”

The twins finished their breakfasts, then raced upstairs to brush their teeth. Makayla went with them to supervise while Gabby packed lunches. The teen came back down a few minutes later.

“They’re putting on their shoes,” she said as she leaned against the counter. “About the shopping...”

Gabby finished loading the dishwasher and waited.

“Thanks for taking me on my own. I don’t really want to get anything new, but I do need a few things.”

Which was not anything like the teen who worried about every item in her wardrobe.

Gabby turned to her. “What’s your biggest concern?”

Makayla flushed. “That everyone is going to know I’m pregnant. I’m showing.” She pulled her T-shirt tight across her belly. There was a small bump. “They’re going to say stuff.”

Kids could be brutal, Gabby thought, especially teenage girls. “Have you told anyone?”

“Not yet.” Makayla dropped her arms to her side and looked away. “I don’t want to.”

“Your friends don’t know?”

“No.”

“Oh, honey, you have to tell them. At least a couple you can trust. You need the support. Friends can make all the difference.”

Makayla looked back, tears in her eyes. “What am I going to say? I’m fifteen and pregnant and my boyfriend dumped me?” She started to cry.

Gabby crossed to her and held her tight. “I know this sucks,” she murmured, “but it will get better.”

“How?”

“I have no idea, but what I do know is nothing stays the same. This is a low, so there’s going to be a high. I promise.”

As she spoke, she hoped she wasn’t lying. That things would get better. For all of them, but most especially for Makayla.

*

Hayley poured iced tea for her friend. “Thanks for coming by. I’m going crazy staying home like this. Steven made me take off until Labor Day.”

“Nice boss.”

“I think he’s more traumatized than nice, to be honest.”

Gabby raised her hands, palm up. “Can you seriously blame him? Don’t take this wrong, but you almost died. That would traumatize anyone.”