Chapter 1
My name is Gabriella Thomas and I cannot tell you how many times I have looked back on my past and wished that I could have done it all differently. It cannot be changed and I know that … but it doesn ’ t make it any easier to endure the mess I have made of my life. I was irresponsible and careless, but I also learned a lot about the world and about myself. Three years ago I found out that I was pregnant. Tay freaked out because a baby would totally ruin our fun time. I have to admit, at first I was thinking the same thing, but as time went on I knew that as much as I hated my roots, they were still embedded into my skull, and the only logical thing for me to do was to keep the baby and change my life.
I did just that. I got a daytime, grown-up job at an insurance firm, and moved myself out of the apartment that I shared with Taylor and into a two bedroom apartment a few miles away. She didn ’ t understand, but I told her that I needed some time to myself to get my life in order. I had gotten real lucky landing this job because it was paying me enough money that I could afford to furnish the apartment including the baby ’ s room Once it was all said and done I felt as if I could breathe easier, like the way I had been living was sucking the life right out of me and now things seemed more normal.
I reconnected with my parents and they quickly forgave me, although it would take me years, if not decades, to forgive myself. I had no idea who the father of my child was because honestly, I don ’ t even remember half of the men I slept with. They never stuck around to chat the next morning and that was how I liked it. It is probably better that I don ’ t know, to be honest; he wouldn ’ t like me if he really knew me anyways, but I grew up and that was how things were going to be. I was happy with my decisions and I would face my new fate in life with open arms and ready to take on the world.
To say that it has been a difficult three years would be the understatement of a lifetime. I had a rough pregnancy and an even rougher delivery. My parents, and even Tay, showed to support me though. Tay tried to help in her own way the entire time I was pregnant. I tried to keep a distance from her but Tay was my family and she needed me almost as much as I truly needed her. After twenty hours of horrific labor, I gave birth to the most beautiful little boy I had ever seen. Theodore Michael Thomas weighed 6 pounds 2 ounces and was so cute there were no words. People stop me all the time and compliment me on how adorable he is. I cannot take any credit though because he looks nothing like me. I assume he looks like his father; it makes my stomach turn at the thought that I will never know. I have come to terms and made peace with my past as best as I can for now. I had to let it all go for my son ’ s sake. I would say that things are going pretty well for us. Theo started a new daycare last week and I got a promotion at work. I will be able to finally move us out of our tiny apartment and into a house that I have had my eye on renting for months. It has a fenced in yard and it is away from the city but only about thirty minutes from work and Theo ’ s preschool. It is perfect.
I pulled up to my office building in my hand-me-down SUV my father had given me before I had Theo. He said I had to have something reliable and he was going to be getting a new car soon. I was grateful to my parents; after everything I had put them through, they found it in their hearts to forgive me and help me out. Parking the car, I quickly checked my reflection in the mirror and added some lip gloss to my look. I got out of the car and opened the back hatch to grab my laptop bag and briefcase. I must have turned too fast because I was almost run down by a driver who was in a huge hurry. When I jumped backwards, my bags fell to the ground and I tumbled backwards into my car.
I was trying to straighten my pencil skirt and fix my
My name is Gabriella Thomas and I cannot tell you how many times I have looked back on my past and wished that I could have done it all differently. It cannot be changed and I know that … but it doesn ’ t make it any easier to endure the mess I have made of my life. I was irresponsible and careless, but I also learned a lot about the world and about myself. Three years ago I found out that I was pregnant. Tay freaked out because a baby would totally ruin our fun time. I have to admit, at first I was thinking the same thing, but as time went on I knew that as much as I hated my roots, they were still embedded into my skull, and the only logical thing for me to do was to keep the baby and change my life.
I did just that. I got a daytime, grown-up job at an insurance firm, and moved myself out of the apartment that I shared with Taylor and into a two bedroom apartment a few miles away. She didn ’ t understand, but I told her that I needed some time to myself to get my life in order. I had gotten real lucky landing this job because it was paying me enough money that I could afford to furnish the apartment including the baby ’ s room Once it was all said and done I felt as if I could breathe easier, like the way I had been living was sucking the life right out of me and now things seemed more normal.
I reconnected with my parents and they quickly forgave me, although it would take me years, if not decades, to forgive myself. I had no idea who the father of my child was because honestly, I don ’ t even remember half of the men I slept with. They never stuck around to chat the next morning and that was how I liked it. It is probably better that I don ’ t know, to be honest; he wouldn ’ t like me if he really knew me anyways, but I grew up and that was how things were going to be. I was happy with my decisions and I would face my new fate in life with open arms and ready to take on the world.
To say that it has been a difficult three years would be the understatement of a lifetime. I had a rough pregnancy and an even rougher delivery. My parents, and even Tay, showed to support me though. Tay tried to help in her own way the entire time I was pregnant. I tried to keep a distance from her but Tay was my family and she needed me almost as much as I truly needed her. After twenty hours of horrific labor, I gave birth to the most beautiful little boy I had ever seen. Theodore Michael Thomas weighed 6 pounds 2 ounces and was so cute there were no words. People stop me all the time and compliment me on how adorable he is. I cannot take any credit though because he looks nothing like me. I assume he looks like his father; it makes my stomach turn at the thought that I will never know. I have come to terms and made peace with my past as best as I can for now. I had to let it all go for my son ’ s sake. I would say that things are going pretty well for us. Theo started a new daycare last week and I got a promotion at work. I will be able to finally move us out of our tiny apartment and into a house that I have had my eye on renting for months. It has a fenced in yard and it is away from the city but only about thirty minutes from work and Theo ’ s preschool. It is perfect.
I pulled up to my office building in my hand-me-down SUV my father had given me before I had Theo. He said I had to have something reliable and he was going to be getting a new car soon. I was grateful to my parents; after everything I had put them through, they found it in their hearts to forgive me and help me out. Parking the car, I quickly checked my reflection in the mirror and added some lip gloss to my look. I got out of the car and opened the back hatch to grab my laptop bag and briefcase. I must have turned too fast because I was almost run down by a driver who was in a huge hurry. When I jumped backwards, my bags fell to the ground and I tumbled backwards into my car.
I was trying to straighten my pencil skirt and fix my
Similar Books
