true colors

Tabitha Sikes was 5 months pregnant. "Show them, show then your stomach!"  Tabitha's Mom went on and on about how Tabitha wasn't showing yet. Yeap, as if she could walk the beaches in a bikini. Not really. She showed a bit. At least, Kelsey noticed.

Kelsey looked at her Mom, standing next to her in Target by the cosmetics. She slightly rolled her eyes as she hugged herself. She remained silent, wondering how humiliated Tabitha felt, having her mother gush over her predicament. She was just trash to Kelsey, as far as she was concerned.

Naturally, Kelsey's Mom was all grins with Tabitha's Mom as they spoke of the pregnancy. Kelsey was just cold. She would tell no one just how far along she was. Of course, she hadn't gone to the doctor. She hadn't had a pregnancy test, either. But she felt OK. She was fine. Hopefully, she wouldn't show, at all.

"Well, that was interesting, " Kelsey's Mom said once they got away from them. "Thank God, you aren't Tabitha."

"Yeah," Kelsey thought her hearing might be going. She hugged herself up in her parka more.

"Look, spring stuff." Her Mom smiled, looking at the bright colored tops and bohemian-like dresses. "I used to wear stuff like this. You want to try on some of these?"

Kelsey shook her head, no. "I have to use what I have." No way was she going to put a style show on for her Mom. It would be impossible. What if her Mom touched her. Or noticed? She could see herself fainting, waking up in the ambulance and the medic telling her mom on the way that her daughter was pregnant and her mom having a heart attack right there.

"Well, we can afford it, you know." Her mom looked at her as if she might be ill.

"No, no, I spend way too much as it is." She sighed. Besides, there was something else she'd probably spend her money on, soon enough. And she hated the fact that she was really no better than Tabitha.

"You know, the father of Tabitha's baby is in prison. He doesn't even know." Her mom whispered.

"Would she even want him, to know?" Kelsey winced. She didn't even care now, if Rex knew. She knew he was avoiding her like a sickness now. It was true. She had stopped leaving him messages, weeks ago.

"Probably not. How do you kids get mixed up with something like that?" Her Mom looked at Kelsey.

"Don't ask me, Mom." Kelsey tried to laugh. "I'm not like that." She shook her head. But there was a sadness inside her. She felt so ugly. So bad. She wondered what she was carrying inside her would ever love her. No one else would if they knew the truth.