"Stupid toilet" Amanda muttered under her breath as she went to get the plunger.
She was the first one up so she was the one who had the lovely job of unclogging the toilet.
Amanda realised that they didn't have much spare money at the moment, but she really did wish they could afford things that wouldn't break all the time. Especially seeing as she was going to be the handy one around the house because she was joining the military it obviously made her the most suitable to fix everything.
She couldn't wait for the day when she could make all this stuff unbreakable, she had heard that it could be done and she wanted to learn. And soon.
When she was finished unclogging the toilet she could hear noises coming from the kitchen, then "Amanda, breakfast's ready."
Phil finished his meal first, but instead of getting up and going out into the garden like he normally did, he just sat and stared at Amanda as she ate her pancakes.
"What?" Amanda asked.
"Huh" Phil said.
"Erm, you were staring at me?"
"Was I?"
"Yes, you were staring at me at that party too, I saw you. Do you have a problem with me Phil? Because if you do, I want to know."
"Oh, I don't have a problem with you." Phil said blankly.
"Then what is it?" She demanded
"I feel sorry for you."
"Phil!" Katie said.
"No it's alright Katie, let him finish." She looked at Phil, waiting for an explanation.
"Since we were teenagers, I've watched you break boy's hearts over and over. You just get what you want from them, then you drop them like they're nothing. I feel sorry for you because nobody could ever love somebody like you." And with that he got up and went out to the garden.
Washing up the dishes from breakfast, Amanda was so angry that she accidentally broke the sink.
"Oh for heaven's sake!" She yelled out in frustration as water sprayed her in the face.
She grabbed the wrench from the cupboard under the sink and began to tighten the valves.
By the time that she was finished her clothes were soaked and she was standing in a massive puddle of water. Sighing, she walked to her bedroom and pulled out a fresh set of clothes before grabbing the mop and starting to clean the kitchen floor.
Katie continued painting as though nothing had happened. Amanda wasn't mad at her, she knew that Katie had no idea what to say to her after what happened. It's just how she was. If she feels awkward about anything, she will just keep her silence until she feels like it has passed.
In the garden, Phil was in a wonderful mood. He had wanted to have a go at Amanda for years but had kept it back. She deserved everything that he had said to her, and in his opinion, she deserved worse than that.
He remembered sitting in the playground, in the canteen, by the athletics track at school; watching her flirt with boys then a few days later break their hearts. Over and over again.
Ever since Katie they got to high school, he knew what sort of girl she was. She had always been into the older boys. The ones on the football team, or (later on) the college kids who had shiny sports cars that their parents had brought for them. She was never with a guy for more than a week. Phil was glad that he'd never been the athletic type, and that he was younger than her. If it hadn't been like that, he'd have probably got his heart broken too. But he wasn't athletic, and he wasn't one of those cool, rich older boys and now he had Katie instead.
Katie still hadn't said a word to Amanda. Amanda couldn't even guess what she was thinking in her head. Did Katie agree with Phil?
Still full of rage, she put the workout channel on to try and burn some of her anger off. Thoughts just kept flying round in her head.
"Am I really that bad?"
Squats.
"How many hearts have I broken?"
Jumping Jacks
"I have to stop this."
Push-Ups
"What's wrong with me?"
Lunges
"Why can't I just settle down with someone?"
Stretches
"Maybe I should just stay alone."
Nauseous, out of breath and dripping with sweat, she turned the TV off.
"I'm going to go take a shower." She said to nobody in particular.
"Oh, ok. See you in a bit." Katie replied.
Amanda almost smiled, Katie was talking again.
Maybe it was the anger, maybe she pushed herself too hard, maybe she worked out too soon after breakfast, either way she felt the need to throw up. Amanda ran the last few steps down the hall and had to be careful not to slam the bathroom door.
Retching, she nearly tripped as she went towards the toilet, but caught herself just in time to throw up in the toilet bowl. When she was done she grabbed her toothbrush and brushed her teeth til her gums were red. Turning around, she headed toward the shower, turned the water on and stripped.
As she stood under the hot water, memories of her and Bobby came tumbling back. "Oh no. Oh no no no! Please, no!" She shouted, sliding down the wall of the shower to sit at the bottom, head in hands. Was it possible? It was so soon! What if it was Nick's? But it couldn't be Nick's they were safe. It had to be Bobby!
"Shit!" She gasped.
There was a loud knock at the door, "Amanda! It's me, Kate! Are you ok?"
She turned the water off and called back. "I'm fine Kate."
"I thought I heard shouts."
"No, I was...I was...singing."
"Wow, you're a terrible singer Ammy." Kate laughed and walked away.
Grabbing the towel Amanda stepped out of the shower and dried herself. She was numb, scared, and she sincerely hoped she was wrong.
Nobody spoke at dinner, the silence was nearly too much for Amanda to bear. She had to say something.
"Oh, guys, I forgot to tell you. I got promoted at work yesterday."
Silence
"Yeah, my boss said I was making really good progress and decided to promote me earlier than planned."
Silence
"It's good news right?"
She looked at Phil and Katie, both were just eating, staring down at their plates.
Silence
"I figure if I work hard enough I can get a place of my own soon. I mean, you guys don't want me here forever right?"
Silence
"I might as well be talking to a brick wall." She muttered.
Phil stood up, took his empty plate and put it on the side. "I'll see you in the bedroom sweetie." He said and kissed Katie on the head.
The moment the bedroom door was closed Amanda looked at Katie and saw tears in her eyes.
"What's wrong Kate?"
"I'm so sorry Amanda, I just didn't know what to say."
"What do you mean? Congratulations would have been fine."
"Well, Phil seemed so angry earlier, I didn't want him angry at me for talking to you."
"Kate, you're an adult, and Phil isn't dad, he can't tell you who to talk to." Amanda put her hand on Kate's and said, "Don't worry, I understand. I'm going to bed now ok?"
"Okay. Good night." Katie said
"Night 'lil sis."
That night, a burglar broke in. In the pitch black of night he sneaked across the front of the house and picked the lock on the front door. The moment the door had closed behind him the alarm screeched. "Oh, shit!" He shouted and tried to open the door again, but it was an auto lock door and he didn't have time to pick the lock again.
Amanda was the first one on the scene, but she was in no mood to fight him. Seconds later Katie and Phil ran out of their bedroom. "What the hell is going on. Get the hell out of my house." Phil shouted.
"Don't worry, the police will be here soon." Amanda yelled back.
"They'd better be, we need to stop this racket!" Phil shouted.
"Can't we turn it off now?" Katie asked
"Not until this scumbag has gone, no!" Phil said
Eventually, the police did arrive and it was only a matter of moments before the burglar began to fight back. After a small fight, the police officer had him pinned on the ground, and, lip bleeding, read him his rights before handcuffing him and escorting him to her car.
"Well, I think that's enough excitement for one night," Phil said, "I'm going back to bed."
"Yeah, me too." Said Katie.
"Umm Kate, can I talk to you for a sec before you go?"
Amanda took Katie to the corner furthest from the master bedroom.
"What is it?"
"Katie, I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean?" Katie asked
"Well, you remember that guy, Bobby?"
"Yeah, what about him."
"Well...it would seem...I am..."
"Come on Ammy, spit it out."
Amanda sighed and said, "Katie. I'm pregnant."
"What?! Are you serious"
"Unfortunately, yes." Amanda replied.
"Unfor- what are you talking about, this is great! There'll be a kid in the house, we'll be like a proper family!" She clasped her hands together in excitement
"How is this good news? What about my job? My life? I'm going to have to give it up because of this!" Amanda pointed at her stomach.
"No. You won't. Remember, both me and Phil work at home. We can--"
"Katie," Amanda interrupted, "No offence but I can't see Phil helping to raise this baby."
"Then screw him, I'll help you. I can feed it, play with it, whatever you need." Katie seemed honestly excited by the prospect of raising a child.
"Ok ok, now I need to go and get some rest before it's too late to go back to bed."
"Sure, that's fine."
"Oh and Kate?"
"Yes Ammy."
"Don't tell Phil."
"He's going to figure it out soon Ammy, face it." Then she saw the look on Amanda's face. "Ok, ok I won't tell him for now."
"Thanks sis." Amanda said and headed back to bed.
After breakfast one day, Amanda decided that she needed to know what she had gotten herself into. So she made up some excuse to leave the house and go to the library. Amanda didn't know why she was still trying to hide her growing stomach. It was quite obvious that she was pregnant, her bump might not be huge but she was a rather slim girl and had to change to maternity clothes quite soon into her pregnancy. Regardless of that fact, she didn't want to admit her mistake to Phil. For some reason, it upset her to hear that he thought badly of her.
Once she got to the library, she browsed the shelves for a while, looking at the fiction, avoiding what she had come here to do. Eventually she could procrastinate no longer and found the expecting mothers' shelf. Sighing, she pulled down one of the books and found a comfy chair. She leafed through the pages, it was written by mothers of newborn babies. It detailed every part of their pregnancies, what was the same and different in all of them. By the end of it Amanda still didnt know what to expect. Some pregnant women experience mood swings, others don't. Some experience cravings, others don't. Nearly everything only happens in some women, the only surefire thing was that there was a baby growing inside her and she had to give birth to it. Dazed and confused she went back home.
Phil was rooting through the fridge looking for all the ingredients for his household-favourite stu-surprise when Amanda approached him. "Umm Phil?"
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"Well I was wondering. I mean, I know you're planning on cooking Stu surprise tonight, but umm I was wondering if we could have something different."
"What did you have in mind?" he asked. He was being so polite, Amanda wondered if Katie had asked him to be nice.
"Well, I really fancy some mac and cheese tonight."
"Is that so? It's not like you to pass up my stu-surprise for anything. Especially mac and cheese. Are you feeling ok?"
"I'm fine, why? Has somebody suggested otherwise?" she looked towards Katie for a minute and then back at Phil.
"No, I just want to know that you're feeling ok" He smiled, "Mac and cheese it is" He rooted around in the fridge and said "ah here we go. Amanda, you might wanna get out the way, there's not much room in here."
"Umm sure, I'll, erm I'll be over there."
"Ok, whatever you want Amanda."
Amanda sat on the couch, feeling very confused and watched Phil cook dinner.
As they ate their dinner, Amanda felt like it was finally time to bite the bullet and let Phil hear the news. She felt rather foolish as he probably already knew by now, but he should hear it from her at least.
"Um, Phil?"
"Yes, Amanda?"
"There's something you should know."
"Oh, and what might that be."
Amanda was fed up of playing games now. "I'm not moving out." she said "Because, I'm pregnant, and I will need Katie's help raising the baby."
"That's fine." he said, smiling at her.
"What? No 'I told you so'? Or 'You deserved this'?" Amanda was confused.
"Well, I'm glad you got what was coming to you, but a baby is a miraculous thing, and I never truly wanted something bad to happen to you. We have no problem with you living here, and I'm sorry if you felt otherwise" He seemed sincere.
"You were amazing today babe." Katie said.
"Well come on, it was kind of obvious, but the poor girl seemed so scared to say anything to me after that day at breakfast."
"Well, it's all behind us now. Maybe the two of you can become friends. I think what you said has changed her."
"Yeah, maybe." Phil rubbed his face against Katie's neck before kissing her softly.
"Oh, I love it when you kiss me there." Katie moaned.
"I know." he whispered in her ear, then began to kiss her all over, going under the covers and taking her robe off of her.
"Phil!" Katie gasped, "What's got - oh!"
It wasn't too long after that magical night with Phil that Katie had morning sickness too. She had just got to the toilet in time. After a while, there was a tap on the door. "Katie, are you ok in there? You've been in there a while." it was Amanda.
"Come in" Katie said.
"What's wrong Kate?" Amanda said, giving Katie a glass of water.
Katie didn't say anything, just slowly sipped her water.
"Katie?"
"I think I might be pregnant." she said.
"What? Are you sure?" Amanda said, helping her to her feet.
"No, I'm not sure, but I really think I might be."
"Well, if you are that's great right?" Amanda asked.
"I'm not too sure, what with your baby on the way too, it might be too much for us."
"Don't be silly Katie. One baby, two babies. There won't be that much difference."
"Now I see why you were so scared Amanda. It's terrifying." Katie said.
"It'll be alright. I promise." Amanda hugged her sister, "We'll have to be completely sure before we let Phil know."
"I know, I know. Thankyou Ammy."
Amanda decided she needed to approach Katie about her health. If she really was going to be having a baby, she needed to be a lot healthier.
"I just don't get how you do it." Katie complained.
"What do you mean?" Amanda said.
"Well, I don't understand how you stand in front of that tv and work out every single day."
"It's just about getting off of that couch and moving."
"But even the thought of exercise makes me tired." Katie moaned
"Well what if we all went to the gym together? Would that help you?"
"Maybe, but what will we do?"
"I don't know, we'll see what we can do once we get there."
"So Amanda, explain again what we're doing?" Phil said when they got to the gym.
"We're all going to do a workout together of course." Amanda said.
"Yeah, I got that. But why?" Phil sounded annoyed.
"Because I want you guys to come to the gym with me every now and again."
From behind Phil, Katie smiled and mouthed "thank you".
Amanda smiled.
"Oh for goodness sake! Ok. What do you want me to do then?"
"Right, I'll go and do some floor exercises here and you guys hop on the treadmills." Amanda said.
"Why is it you aren't actually training us again?" Phil demanded, "If I'm going to be doing this I want to know that I am doing it properly."
"I'm not qualified to be a personal trainer." Amanda said, "And besides all you have to do is run, it's not that hard."
"Fine. Whatever." Phil said climbing onto the treadmill next to where his wife had already started jogging.
It was as though Phil was scared of the treadmill. He treated it so tentatively, he barely got past a walk in the first twenty minutes.
After a trip to the gym, Katie decided to announce what she now knew for sure.
"Guys, I have something to tell you."
"What is it honey?" Phil asked.
"I'm pregnant too."
