In class, Angelina meets a new person who tells her, “My dad has your picture.” Angelina keeps an eye on the girl after school to find out who her father is. She almost passes out when she sees him. Angelina had built her dream private school from start. She was a determined and passionate teacher. At age 28, she not only ran the school but also loved teaching there.
One sunny Tuesday, Emily, a new student who was ten years old and had curious eyes and a nervous smile, walked in. Angelina was interested when Emily introduced herself to the class and said she had a cat named Whiskers and had just moved to town with her dad. Emily said something out of the blue: “Oh, and my dad has your picture at our house.” When Angelina heard this, she was confused and interested in how Emily’s father was related to her.
Angelina watched Emily meet her dad outside after class without drawing attention to herself. Angelina thought of a long-ago memory when she saw the man’s familiar eyes and smile. She looked at him and realized it was Michael, her high school boyfriend. They had talked about deep things and made plans for the future. They dreamed of a life together full of love, happiness, and family ten years ago.
Angelina wanted to open her school before they got married and had a child, and Michael was very supportive of her. Things changed one night, though. Angelina got very sick out of the blue and felt very sick and dizzy. Michael, who was sleeping next to her, knew right away that she was in pain. “Are you okay, Angie?” He asked with worry in his voice as he turned on the lamp next to the bed. The soft light gave Angelina a soft glow that showed off her pale skin.
“I don’t know,” Angelina said in a low voice. She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness sent her over. “I just feel sick all of a sudden.”Michael acted right away because he wanted to protect her. He got her a glass of water and stayed by her side while she leaned over the side of the bed and tried to settle her stomach. He held her hair back and rubbed her back in soft, calm circles. Angelina’s situation didn’t seem to be getting better, no matter what he did.
Angelina’s parents picked her up from Michael’s house at dawn because she was sick. She was scared, so her mother said, “Angelina, you look so pale!” What took place? What did you and Michael eat that was bad? Michael, who was also worried, told them that they hadn’t eaten or drank anything strange. Angelina’s parents chose right away to take her to the hospital. During the car ride, her worried parents looked at her and talked to each other a lot.
“Perhaps she just has a bad stomach bug,” her mother said, hoping for the best.The setting at the hospital made their anxiety worse. When Angelina’s doctor finally came out with the test results, her mother asked, “Doctor, please tell us what’s wrong with our daughter.” The doctor’s answer was a surprise. “Angelina is expecting.” Angelina and her parents were shocked when they found out she was pregnant. Her father stood by and did nothing, and her mother’s response was a mix of shock and mixed feelings.
“Is something wrong? She was asked by her mother, “Are you sure?” The doctor confirmed the pregnancy, and now Angelina and her family have to deal with this unexpected turn of events. Her carefully planned future seemed uncertain all of a sudden. Then Angelina called Michael and asked him to come over to her folks’ house. Their looks were sad as they waited in the kitchen. Michael asked, “What’s going on?” because he could tell things were serious. Is everything all right?”
It took Angelina a while to say it, but she finally did: “I’m pregnant, Michael.” Michael was shocked when he found out that Angelina was pregnant, but he quickly calmed down. He told Angelina’s parents, “I love Angelina, and I’m here to help her and our child.” No way am I going to avoid this duty.” Angelina’s folks were relieved because they were expecting a different response. Her father liked what she did and said, “That’s good to hear, son.” “You’re really growing up.”
Angelina felt torn, though. Michael’s dedication was different from her hopes of building a school. When she tried to talk about her worries, her father cut her off and told her, “Now is not the time for foolish dreams.” Pay attention to what’s important: this baby.Angelina gave a resigned nod and set her goals aside. She thought about her health and the baby a lot, but her dream of going to that school kept coming back to her.
A few months later, Angelina got an acceptance letter from a well-known college she had applied to. She told her parents the good news and showed them the letter because she was so happy. “Look at this, Mom and Dad. They let me into the college I applied to!” Her folks had mixed feelings about what she did. “How exciting!” her mother told her, “but have you given this much thought?” Now that the baby is here…”
“I could study and be a mom at the same time.” Angelina said, “I could get by with some help from Michael.” Her voice was full of hope. But her father wasn’t sure. “Angelina, we’re proud of you, but you need to be realistic,” he told her. “You’re going to have a baby soon.” “But I can do both,” Angelina begged. “I am sure I can.””Michael has found a good job and is getting ready for the baby,” her mother said in a soft voice. You can’t expect him to work and take care of the baby at the same time while you study.
“Your place is with the child, Angelina,” her father said. Michael will bring in the money, so you should focus on taking care of your family. Angelina’s hope dropped when she realized that her folks didn’t understand her deepest desires. They only saw her as a mother in the future. Angelina gave birth two days after having the hard talk with her parents about her future. Michael and her folks rushed her to the hospital. Her mom told her during the drive, “You’re going to be okay, sweetheart.”
“You can do this, Angie,” Michael told her, staying by her side. I’m here with you.” Angelina was in a lot of pain and labor was hard at the hospital. Outside the delivery room, her parents waited with bated breath and held on tight. “It’s a girl, and both mother and daughter are doing well,” the nurse finally said, making everyone happy. But the truth of being a mom overwhelmed Angelina. She made a terrible choice because she felt stuck and wanted the life she had imagined.
Two weeks after giving birth, she left Michael a note saying she was sorry and giving him her reasons. She then quietly left her home with her new baby.Angelina moved to a new place and went to college, which was her dream. She worked hard, did well in school, and finally became a good teacher. She became known for her creative ways of teaching, which brought her closer to her goal of opening her own school.
Angelina always thought about the girl she left behind, even though she was very successful in her career. She thought about the important things in her life and the person she was changing into. She felt terrible for her family because she knew they must have felt cheated by her choice. Angelina felt a deep sense of loss because she was haunted by the choice she made years ago to leave. She was now doing well at her dream school.
