Forgetting - Part 6

"Hi. I need to set up an abortion as quickly as possible." I tell the woman on the other end of the line.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"You'll need parent consent."

"I'm sorry, I can't do that." I hang up the phone yet again. We don't have the time to wait for our birthday in three weeks, neither of us know when it would be too late. This was the third clinic I have called today that won't let us come in without parent consent.

"Hey, try this one." Kim throws a page of the newspaper at me with a small add highlighted.

I read it out loud. "Free woman's clinic for all ages and personal problems. Counseling available. Call today, continue your life tomorrow." I look up at her. "This one seems a lot sketchier than the other ones. Are you sure you want to try it?"

"How much you wanna bet they ask for parent permission?" She throws back at me.

I pick the phone up again and dial the number.

"Hello?" I can tell the receptionist is smacking gum.

"Hi, I need an abortion and fast."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"We have an opening today at five. Can you make that?"

I look at my watch. It's only three - thirty. "Yes."

"Name?"

"Kira Heaven." I say the fake name Kim chose.

"Alright. You're on for five."

"Great. Thank you so..." She hangs up the phone before I finish my sentence. "Come on, we have to find this place."

We get in the car and drive in silence. I glance at her every few seconds.

"Kimmie?" I ask after a long time of nothing but driving.

"Mmm?"

"How did this happen?"

"It was a mistake. I really don't want to talk about it Jules."

"Okay."

We only spend another five minutes at most in silence. We pull into a shady apartment complex.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Kim asks hesitantly.

"Yep." I point to the sign with the offices in the building. They include a tatoo parler, a clothing boutique, a beauty school, and the free clinic. "Come on. You're the one who wants to do this."

"I don't want to, I need to."

"Do you really need to though?"

"Yes I do. I'll be at college in the fall. I won't have time for a kid and I don't deserve to ruin my body just to give the thing to someone else."

"Thing? It's not a toy it's a child!"

"Not yet. It's not going to be a child. It will never get that far."

"It's heart is beating Kim. It's alive and it can't fight or speak up for itself. It's helpless and it's yours and you don't care."

"And you do? You made the appointment! You drove! You're just as bad as I am Julia!"

We both stand in the parking lot facing each other, not speaking. She makes the first move and she goes inside the building. I look back at the car and then follow her. Yep, I love her.