| Annabelle sat completely still, unable to move or blink. “Miss Cooper are you still there?” Dr. Shaw asked worriedly into the phone. Annabelle looked around the room wondering where the voice was coming from and immediately remembered that Dr. Shaw was on the phone. “I’m here. Got to Go. Still in shock” Annabelle muttered unable to form a comprehendible sentence. Annabelle slowly began to sink lower and lower into the sofa. “Pregnant? How in the world...oh, I remember now” Annabelle said forcing a slight giggle. Her eyes immediately flew to her stomach. “How you doing down there? Sorry about the burrito last night, but don’t worry, no more junk food for mom? Mom? Oh my gosh!” With that one word, everything had finally sunken in. “Calm down Annabelle,” she scolded herself “you’ve always wanted children, and JC....” She stopped her fervent pacing. “What is JC going to say? I know he loves me and I love him and we were planning to get married soon, but he has his career. Career? What about my career? I’m suppose to start my own tour and...geez, I sound like a madwoman” Suddenly a knock rang out from the door. “Are you decent?” Joey asked opening the door slowly. “Yeah Jo-Jo, I’m decent.” Joey walked into the room with a frown on his face. “I was hoping you’d say no”. Annabelle gave a false chuckle hoping Joey wouldn’t notice. Unfortunately, Joey did notice, but he took her false laugh as a sign of her nervousness about the show. “Well Belle, you only have 45 minutes left. Remember,” Joey put his finger under her chin, gently forcing her eyes to look up at him “if you get nervous, just look in the front row, and I’ll be there cheering you on. I’ll always be there for you no matter what.” Before Annabelle could stop it, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Joey’s words had touched her in many ways. Unable to speak, Annabelle nodded her head to let him know that she understood. Joey kissed her forehead and made his way out of the room. As soon as Annabelle regained her composure, she realized that she had to decide her future before she left this room. “I can’t tell JC about the baby before I’ve decided what to do with about my career and my life, but I just have to tell him before the day is over.” Annabelle quickly walked to the door and locked it. She went over to her blue duffel bag and threw everything out until she found what she was looking for. Her memory box. This box contained little mementos from the last two years. Annabelle figured going through the box would help jog her memory about the past, and if she couldn’t remember one thing that convinced her that she couldn’t live without music then she’d quit. “Let the games begin” Annabelle whispered as she took the lid off the box. |
| Chapter two |