Terry started to walk away, tears dripping down her face uncontrollably. She felt lost and disoriented, unable to recollect how she lost control of her world, her life.

“Terry, you know I love you, and I mean it,” Chris interjected. Terry continued to sob with her hands covering her face. This was the face time she had ever cried in front of Chris. She only remembers their good times together; they've never had any altercations with each other.

“Please don’t cry Terry. You..you caught me unaware – that is all!” Chris stroked Terry’s hair and carefully wiped her face with the sleeve of his plaid shirt. He had forgotten to re-button his shirt after they slept together about an hour ago. He looked around to make sure no passerby could see them. He tightened his hands around Terry’s wrist and pulled her back to the shade of the cluttered trees. The last thing he wanted was someone he knew to identify them.

“Christopher, I've heard that before. But just like you told me last month, prove it! I’m pregnant with your baby; so what are we going to do?” Terry was uncertain of tomorrow. She needed a guarantee from Chris that everything was going to work out. He is the only part of her life that had kept her breathing and living again.

“Ok. Let me think,” Chris replied. He looked at the sky without saying a word. It felt like hours before he finally responded. “I got it! You can come to Maple city with me. You’ll work on your GED while I finish college. After you have the baby, we’ll have a court wedding.”

“I guess I can do that,” Terry said, trying to conceal her excitement as a ray of hope warmed her heart. She felt revived again. It can work, it will work, she told herself. She had been waiting for the day when she could leave her neighborhood and the familiar town to live in a different city, state, or even country.

Terry was excited at the chance of a new life. She could barely contain herself. As she unlocked the door, her father was waiting in the kitchen. He noticed the glow on Terry’s face; she looked different.

“Terry, where have you been? Your dinner is cold. You’ll need to warm it up,” He said.

“I’m not hungry dad. I picked up something on my way home. Thanks!” Terry replied without looking at her dad. She dashed upstairs with her backpack and notepads. She had stashed the blanket that she and Chris slept on while they’d cuddled under the tree into her backpack. She was so happy. Things are finally starting to work out – maybe not the way she planned. They’re better than before.

She looked through her closet and packed some few clothes into her dad’s gym bag. She took her toiletries and clean underwear. She stuffed them all into the bag with some of the pictures of her mom. Terry suddenly heard a knock.

“Who is it?” She called out.

“It’s me Terry. Open the door.” It was Terry’s stepmother. Mr. Benson had remarried four years ago, only three years after Terry’s mom passed away in a car accident. Terry had always thought her dad could have waited a little longer. “What’s the rush,” she’d told him then, “I don’t want anyone to replace mom.”

“No one will ever take the place of your mom in my heart – not your new stepmom Susan, your sister Jenna, or even you, Terry. You are all special to me in your own ways, and I love you,” her dad had told her.

Nevertheless, Terry wasn't convinced, and it did not change her nonchalant attitude towards her stepmother. Jenna was the one who really cared for Susan. Visitors who do not live in the town actually thought they were family. Their smooth, tan skin tones were impeccable and similar; also, their full natural long curls with brown highlights that drop around their round faces while complementing their hazel eyes shows off their semblance. Susan and Jenna could finish each other’s sentences whenever they’re in the same room. This was one of the reasons why Terry usually felt like the odd ball during Sunday dinner – their family time.

Terry quickly pushed the bag under her bed. She unlocked the door, and Susan poked her head in with the door ajar. “What are you up to cupid?” Terry hated that nickname.

None of your business, she wanted to say. “I’m just about to get started on a school project,” she chirped, hoping she’ll close the door and leave her alone.

“But school hasn't started Terry,” Susan said.

Terry had to craft another lie on her feet. This was more work than she thought. “I know. Jason told me that the syllabus for one of my teachers is available online so I can check ‘em out before school start,” Terry replied with a smile.

“Kids these days; you all are so spoiled with technology! So young lady, your dad told me you didn't want your dinner. I had made your favorite – Meat-lover Lasagna. I just wanted to make sure everything is okay,” Susan smiled back.

“Well, as you can see Susan, I’m fine. I don’t like it when you and dad treat me like a child. It’s so over-rated.”

“First, watch your manners Terry. The least you can do is to call me Ms. Benson; the most you can do is to address me with respect. I may not be your mom, but as long as you’re still living in this house, I’m your caretaker. I say this because I care, not to be cumbersome,” Susan shot back.

“Whatever,” Terry mumbled.

“See your dad before leaving for school tomorrow morning. He wants to talk to you. Good night,” Susan said as she shut the door. Terry could sense the awkwardness in the room. She did not hate Terry; she just disliked seeing her around instead of her mom. Ten years later and she can still feel the absence of her mom in the house.

If only mom was here; she’d know what to do, Terry thought to herself.

To be continued...

Click the links below to read the previous series

Silent Moments - The Story (Part I)
Silent Moments - The Story (Part II)
Silent Moments - The Story (Part III)

Chris's plan did not work.

They had planned to meet at their usual location the day after she’d told him about the baby. Terry had packed all her things, and she waited under the shade of the trees. No one came. She was alone until sunset. After waiting for so long, she began to feel unsafe and she left. She waited for two weeks, called Chris’s phone, and even stopped by his dad’s house to see if he was there. He was nowhere to be found!

She had called Maple Baptist University to see if school had started and Chris was enrolled there for the Fall Semester. The admission representative informed her that Christopher Bartley had transferred to another school just few weeks prior. Due to confidentiality, she was unable to tell Terry where Chris had moved to. He did not notify his family about the change. How could Chris leave without a word, letter, or at least a text message?

Terry was devastated. Now back in her room, she laid on her stomach, clenched her fist, and shut her eyes really tight. She groaned silently, hoping by some miracle that when she opens her eyes, the past five months would have been a dream – a terrible nightmare! She wished it never had happen – all of it, including Chris. While she reminisced on her decisions – the good and the ugly, she drifted off to sleep.

Bang! Bang!

Terry woke up to what sounded like fireworks. She tossed to the other side of her bed to check her T.V. No, its turned off, she thought to herself. Maybe some of those hooligans down the street are playing with firecrackers again. Terry went back to sleep. Several minutes later, she opened her eyes again. She tried to get up but felt extremely weak. Her toes had barely touched the floor when she felt a throbbing headache. “For Christ’s sake, can life be any worse?” Terry mumbled to herself. She was distraught to see that she was still on planet earth. Nothing has changed. She blamed herself for everything. What will she do now?

She saw that the gym bag she had packed two weeks earlier was still positioned nicely in the corner of her closet. The last thing she wanted was for her dad or stepmother to find it there and question her about it. She headed toward the bag, unzipped it, and took out her toiletries.

“Ow!” Terry shouted. The headache hit her again; this time, it was more forceful.

“What in the world? I better get some Tylenol before I pass out again,” Terry said out loud. As she walked down the stairs, the thought of overdosing overwhelmed her. What if…just what if I accidentally take five or eight more than the normal dose? Will this pregnancy go away? Wait a minute, what if I die? No, I can’t die. So, how much is too much? Alright Terry, just take the bottle and check it out on the internet… in your room. No one will know. They all think I’m in school anyways.

Terry quietly tiptoed to the kitchen. She grabbed the Tylenol bottle, and opened it slightly. It was full. She closed it back. She wanted to make sure the door was locked so she could hear when Susan returns from work. That’s if I’m not dead by then, she thought, as she silently slid over to the living room. The olive pillows were fluffed and in their place. The cream carpet was clean and Hawaiian scented. Susan has a habit of cleaning the living room before leaving for work. Terry was reminded of how much she can’t stand her perfection. No human can be that perfect! “Oh give me a break," Terry whispered.

She felt like a spy in an action movie with Angelina Jolie. She would be Jolie’s partner in crime – ready to save the world from a disaster caused by some tech-savvy psycho who wants to take over the world. Terry moved to the next section of the house towards the den. Why is the door open?

“Hello! Is anybody home?” Terry hollered. No response.

“Dad, are you home? Susan?” Terry called out, but heard nothing. She gently walked to her dad’s bedroom. She heard shallow gasps and wheezes like a strangled cat. She turned around the corner to her parent’s bathroom. There she found her father lying in a pool of blood.

“Oh my God! Dad, are you ok? Dad, can you hear me?”

Terry ran out of the bathroom to the front door. She raced to the empty street. No car, no one was walking by. It was mid-afternoon. Her neighbors were probably at work or at school.
“Somebody please help!” Terry shouted, hoping a familiar face will appear.

“Anybody! Help!!” Terry shouted louder with every ounce of energy that was left in her. There was silence. Terry could hear the noisy birds chirping in the nearby trees that surrounded her house. “Someone please help me,” She mumbled through the tears that suddenly began to flow down her cheek.

She ran back to the house and straight to the kitchen. She dialed 911 as she headed to the bathroom. Her dad was lying down on his chest, his left hand tightly holding his side. Terry knelt down and rolled up her sleeve while she waited on hold for a customer representative to answer. “Daddy can you hear me?” She only heard the music from the phone.

“Don’t worry dad, I’m here. It’s Terry. I’m here, dad.”

To be continued...