Princess (American Princess #1)(6)
Author: Courtney Cole

“Sydney, I will not stand aside and let you throw away everything that we’ve worked for.  This is not a request. You will get an abortion. Tomorrow.”

Her mother stood up as she spit the words at Sydney.

Sydney started to answer but was interrupted when Christian’s mother spoke for the first time.  Until that moment, both she and Mr. Price had been silent, absorbing the conversation, but not contributing to it.  Now she wasted no time in letting her opinion be known.

“Let’s make no mistake.  No irresponsible little twit is going to compromise my son’s future.  I won’t allow it. I don’t care how much political clout you have or that you have more money than God. I’m sorry, Randall.  This isn’t personal.”  The tiny, dark-haired woman looked at Sydney. “You will either get an abortion or you will sign a legal document releasing Christian from any and all ties to that baby. We want no part of this. This whole situation is ridiculous.”

“Mom…” Christian started to protest.

“Shut up, Christian.  You’ve done enough already. I’m just cleaning up your mess!” his mother snapped.

To Sydney’s intense disappointment, he did as his mother demanded and closed his mouth.  He sat quietly as everyone else pondered Sydney’s future.  His eyes held an apology, but it didn’t stop Sydney’s heart from breaking.  The sense of abandonment she felt was stifling.

“Mrs. Price, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” she murmured, as an errant tear dripped off the end of her nose and landed onto her clasped hands. 

“That doesn’t change the fact that it has happened,” Celine Price answered.  “And now that it has, you have to do what is best for everyone.”  Her dark eyes gentled for a brief second before speaking again.  “Part of growing up is doing the right thing, Sydney.”

“You’ve been raised to know what the right thing is, Sydney,”  her mother interjected.  “And you will do it tomorrow.”

“But Mother… That doesn’t feel like the ‘right thing.’  It feels wrong.  And I must not be the only one who feels that way. There have been other political daughters who have gotten pregnant and had their babies.  Their parents weren’t damaged beyond repair. In fact, they were able to spin it in a positive light. They just focused on how their daughters were taking the high road and being responsible.”

“Oh, please,” Jillian scoffed.  “They only chose ‘the high road’ because they didn’t find out early enough to take care of it or someone else let the information leak to the press.  Stop being so naïve.”

Talking to her mother was like talking to a brick wall, so Sydney once again appealed to her father.

“Daddy, you’re against abortion. Everyone knows that. I would think that it would be worse for you if your daughter got an abortion and someone found out, rather than if I had the baby.” Her eyes pled with him in earnest and he closed his own for a moment, rubbing his silver tipped temples with manicured fingers before he replied.

“I know, Sydney.  I am against abortion.  But your mother is right.  I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am to allow myself to become damaged by this scandal.  I assure you, no one will find out.  The clinic is very discreet. And it’s better for you. You have your whole life in front of you right now.  You’ll have babies when the time is right for you—and that is not right now. Trust me.”

She wanted to.  But she couldn’t.  She knew that when it boiled down to it, her parents’ top priority was her father’s career.  Hands down, end of story.  Her wants and needs had always been secondary.  And it was time that she took them into her own hands because no one else was going to consider them.  She took a deep breath and faced her parents with her shoulders back and her chin up.

“Mom… Dad… I’m not getting an abortion.  I’m sorry.  It’s not something I can do.  And if you can’t accept that- then I’m going to have to leave.  I won’t kill my baby.” 

She pushed back from the table and glanced at the faces surrounding her, waiting for someone to speak.  No one, not even Christian, attempted to stop her.  The room was as silent as a tomb.

She fled and flew up the stairs, slamming her heavy door closed and sliding down the length of it until she was a limp heap on the floor. She couldn’t stop her tears any longer and sobbed with abandon.

This wasn’t the way her life was supposed to be turning out. She was supposed to be carefree and laughing- biding her time until she left for school, where she would party and study for law school in her free time.  Her tears continued until they were interrupted by a soft knock on the door a few minutes later.

“Syd?”  Christian’s low voice was muffled through the thick wooden door.

Sydney scooted to the side before mumbling, “Come in.”

The door opened slowly and Christian stepped in, kneeling next to her.  Without even looking up, she started crying again and he sank onto the floor, pulling her into his arms. She collapsed weakly against him as she cried, relieved that someone had cared enough to come after her.

“Don’t cry, Syd, please.  You don’t have to do this to yourself.”    He sounded helpless and uncomfortable as stroked her back soothingly. She tried to get a hold of herself, but her emotions felt like a runaway train. Suddenly, though, a thought occurred to her and she leaned away and gazed up at him with wet lashes.

“Christian, did they send you up here?”

“Well… yes. But I would have come anyway.”

He continued patting her back awkwardly, and she knew that he wouldn’t have.  He was here at his mother’s bidding- to attempt damage control.  To sway her toward reason. She cringed on the inside and any trust that she had in him disintegrated.

“Christian, you might as well go back down and tell them that I’m not changing my mind.  I’m sorry.”  She pushed away from him and stood up, taking a deep, settling breath.

“I’m leaving here and I’m having the baby.  But don’t worry, I’m not going to ask for anything from you.” She was impressed at how steady her voice sounded, since she was quite aware that her heart was in tatters.