Pelican's Landing

Chapter Eleven

Annie threw up her hands in frustration. “What do you want me to do? You’re embarrassed to have me living here, yet you don’t want me to move out.”

“Not move in with a complete stranger,” her mother said loudly.

“Jordan is not a stranger,” Annie said as she piled more clothes into her bag.

“She’s a stranger to me.”

“Lucky for you, you’re not the one moving in with her,” Annie shot back. They’d been arguing over this for the past two days.

“I just don’t understand you. Getting pregnant in the first place,” her mother said with a shake of her head. “That’s just—”

Annie held up her hand, stopping her mother. “Please. We’ve been over this. I know you’re disappointed in me. I’m disappointed in me too,” she said. “But continuing to hash it over will not change anything. So for both of our sanities, I think it’s best that I don’t live here.” She squared her shoulders, weary of this conversation. “Jordan was kind enough to offer me a place to live. She’s not going to charge me rent. I’ll help with the groceries, that’s it. So you don’t need to worry about me.”

“Of course I’ll worry about you. I don’t know this woman, but I know of her,” she said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You have no business living with her. That’s what that means.”

Annie laughed, finally realizing what her mother was trying to say. “You mean because she’s a lesbian?”

“So the rumors are true then?”

“Yes.”

“Then why would you live with her?”

Annie paused. “I like her. She’s nice. We get along great.” She shrugged. “And like I said, she’s not charging me rent.”

“Maybe because she expects you to pay in other ways,” her mother said quietly.

Annie stared at her. “Seriously? That’s what you’re worried about?”

“You don’t know her. She might—”

“Mom, you know her parents. You knew Matt. They’re good people. Jordan is too. Now quit being ridiculous about it.”

“I think we should at least meet her first.”

Annie laughed and shook her head. “Why would I subject Jordan to that?” She went to her mother and took both of her hands in her own. “Mom, I’m twenty-nine years old. I can handle this. And while I appreciate all you and Dad have done for me, it’s time I moved out. Getting pregnant was not something I ever expected. But it’s my problem, not yours.”

“Annie, we’d never—”

“I know you wouldn’t. But it’s time. I need to do this, Mom. I need some semblance of independence. I’m working full time this summer. I’ll be able to save a lot of money so that I can afford something on my own next year.”

“So you and…your baby will live in a cheap apartment or something? Is that what you’re striving for? You haven’t even told us who the father is. Have you told him? Is he not going to help with this?” Her mother stared at her. “Do you even know who the father is?”

Annie looked away. “Of course I know who the father is.”

“And?”

“And what? I’m handling it, Mom,” she said, refusing to fight with her anymore. “Now, let me finish.”

Her mother turned and walked away without another word, and Annie let out a sigh. Was she making a mistake by leaving the security of her parents’ house? Even though her mother obviously wasn’t happy with the situation, she would never kick her out. Would it be better to stay here until she had the baby?

She shook her head. She couldn’t take another eight months of this. She knew her mother too well. Snide remarks would slip out, whether consciously or not. And then there would be the constant mention of Derrick and getting back with him. That in itself was enough to convince her to leave.

She paused, rubbing her hand across her belly. She didn’t really feel any different. Well, other than being sick nearly every morning. But shouldn’t she feel different? She wondered how soon it would be before she started showing. She hadn’t told Suzanne yet. Because once she told Suzanne, Derrick would find out. Actually, she was surprised Derrick didn’t already know. Unless her mother was simply too embarrassed by her pregnancy to tell Derrick’s mother.

She stared up at the ceiling, then closed her eyes. What was she going to do? Eventually, she’d have to tell someone who the father was. Should she tell Jordan? Matt’s parents? Would they even believe her?

She wiped impatiently at a tear that had fallen. Now was no time to start feeling sorry for herself. She had too much to do. Once she got settled in at Pelican’s Landing, the first thing she had to do was find a doctor. Even though she’d gone through pregnancies with Macy and Suzanne, she knew very little about it. That was about to change.