Keeping Secrets by Treasure Hernandez Page A

pregnant when I’m already up on you two abortions? I didn’t know whether them babies were Tom’s, Dick’s, or Khari’s.” Shawndiece laughed.
    â€œYou stupid.” Secret chuckled. “Yet here you are telling me to keep mine.”
    â€œI’m not telling you to keep yours. I’m just saying I’d understand if you did. Like I said, Secret, you ain’t like me. You gon’ make it regardless. So if getting an abortion is going to weigh heavy on your mind, you might as well not have all that guilt and remorse holding you back. Hell, you can have sextuplets and you still gon’ get further in life than half the chicks in the neighborhood.”
    â€œYeah, but what about college?” Secret reminded her friend. “I’ve been dreaming of walking the campus of OSU since I can remember. I’ve looked at their Web site and have sent off for their brochures and I ain’t never seen nobody strolling the campus pushing a baby stroller.”
    â€œLook, chick, I’m not trying to talk you into anything or out of anything. I just want you to be certain of whatever decision you make. I mean, I can see the pros and cons of keeping the baby and not keeping the baby. It’s all about what you want to do. Either way, you know I got your back.”
    If Secret didn’t know anything else for certain, she knew what Shawndiece was saying was true. She’d have her back through hell and high water. She’d never stab her in the back or turn her back on her, but she’d damn sure have her back.
    â€œNow I ain’t gonna sit here and lie and tell you I’ll baby-sit for you and all that,” Shawndiece continued. “Hell, I ain’t wanna have and watch my own babies, so why would I wanna watch yours? But it can call me Auntie Shawn-Shawn and I’ll buy it some really cool birthday and Christmas presents.”
    Secret just looked at Shawn like she was crazy. “Why are you stupid?” She burst out laughing.
    â€œI’m serious.”
    â€œI know, and that’s the scary part.”
    The girls continued their ride on the bus until they reached their stop. Once they had gotten off the bus, were in their neighborhood, and had walked to the cross streets where they needed to split up, they headed their separate ways.
    â€œDon’t forget, I got your back,” Shawndiece reminded Secret as she walked in the opposite direction. “And if you decide to go to the next clinic, if need be, I got five on it, you know what I’m saying?”
    â€œUmphf, umphf, umphf. I got no words for you, Shawn, other than I’ma pray for you.”
    â€œGood, ’cause I need all the prayer there is.” Shawndiece put her thumb to her ear and her pinky finger to her mouth. “Call me,” she shouted out as she headed to her house.
    â€œI will,” Secret called back as she headed to hers.
    Secret could feel her stomach turning as she walked to her house. Her stomach turning had nothing to do with the little embryo, fetus, or whatever it was they call a baby that’s barely even a month into development. Her queasy stomach had everything to do with her mother. Whether she kept the baby or not, she’d have to tell her mother. She’d need her either way. The medical card and information came addressed to her mother, and she’d need that card to get some money off the abortion procedure. It wouldn’t pay for the full procedure, but it would put a nice little dent in the total cost. She’d learned that when she looked up all her options at the first inkling that she could possibly be pregnant. Nine times out of ten, she’d need her mother to help her pay for the abortion as well. She had just turned eighteen last week, so she didn’t need her mother’s consent to get the abortion, but she would need her financial support.
    She’d thought about picking up a job at the local supermarket real