No Going Back Read Free Page B

Man . ” She points up, referencing Heaven.
    “I don’t mind my daughter sharing the limelight. My problem is I see how the whole present giving goes for kids who are born around then. They get shafted, and my daughter doesn’t deserve that,” I huff.
    “Well, how about we see this baby of yours? Do you want to find out the sex if the baby is cooperating today and not being shy?” She finishes typing my information into the computer from my chart and then turns towards me with her bottle of goo that I’m sure is about to be squirted on my gut.
    I laugh at the last part of her statement. “If this little girl is anything like her father or me, she is not shy. That’s for sure. But I most definitely want you to confirm what I already know and have been telling everyone. I’m all about being able to say I told ya so. ”
    She lifts my shirt and pushes my pants down so my soon to be oversized belly is fully on display before she gives one good squirt of the gel. She maneuvers her wand around in a way as if she’s a skilled chef delicately whisking an intricate meal. Every now and then she will say something like ‘there’s the baby’s head’ and ‘over here is the heart…you can see it moving as it beats’. This made it very apparent by the looks of the way my belly was morphing around that she was awake and excited. Yep, always quick to put on a show — she gets that from her daddy.
    “Well, Miss Prentice, I’m proud to announce that you are going to be the proud mommy of a baby girl.” She points to the screen indicating the area that shows gender…as if I can tell what it is.
    “Booyah! Told ya so!” I proudly shout. Maybe a little too loud, but I can’t contain the excitement that’s bubbling over.
    I get my slide show of pictures of my baby girl and I cling on to them tightly. It’s amazing how much more real this is now. I have the pictures to prove that there is really a baby — a baby girl — growing inside of my belly.
    Jesika finally brings up her trip on the way back to my house. She knows I’m nosey and will usually pull fingernails off to get info out of people, but I’m not too sure I want to know what this is about.
    “Aren’t you going to ask where I’m going? Seeing that its last minute and all…I expected you to want to know more.”
    “Honestly Jes, based on that look you had when you first mentioned it and now have again, I’m pretty sure that I don’t want to know. I have a feeling it has everything to do with Seth, therefore I want nothing to do with it.” I huff and cross my arms, resting them on top of my slowly growing baby bump.
    “You’re right. It has everything to do with Seth, and it’s exactly why you have to go with me. Mallory, you cannot let him marry that troll! You know she’s up to no good. You know she has him trapped. Maybe if you finally admit how you feel and tell him about the baby…maybe he won’t make the biggest mistake of his life. Please Mallory. I know you aren’t happy. You will regret this for the rest of your life if you don’t at least try. You are our last hope.” I give her a questioning look. “Yes, you are my and Derek’s last hope to talk some damn sense into that boy. We all know how he feels about you.”

    I don’t know what I actually think I can accomplish as I board the plane to Vegas. Jesika told me that Derek had already bought me a ticket and it’s non-refundable. Way to make me feel bad. All I can do is pray that I’m doing the right thing right now. That I’m not going to break my heart a little more by putting myself out there for Seth yet again. I don’t want him to be with me because I’m carrying his child. I want him to want me for me. The real me. The me that only he knows.
    I brace myself for the dreaded plane ride that I’ve been suckered into…along with what lies ahead at the end of the landing strip.
    “Are you ready?” Jesika asks as she looks over at me, knowing that planes make me