Ever since she was a young girl, Maggie’s parents had high expectations for her. They wanted her to follow in her mother’s footsteps and pursue a career in law but Maggie had other plans. She knew exactly what she wanted to do when she grew up and that was to be a fashion model. She came from a family of high achievers so choosing a career in modelling was out of the question for her parents. Maggie didn’t care, though. She was going to be a model whether they liked it or not.
Maggie was defiant and would sneak out of the house to attend modelling events. She was never caught but her parents knew what she was up to. Despite her defiance, Maggie was her parents’ trophy daughter. She was the apple of her father’s eye and the love of her mother’s life. It was obvious that they favoured her over the other children since she was allowed to get away with many things. While the others stayed home during weekends to study, she went to modelling events. But she was also expected to keep up her grades and help out around the house just like her siblings. Maggie was allowed to do whatever she wanted. However, her parents had one rule.
“Don’t have sex while you’re still under our roof because I’m not going to raise your child if you become pregnant.” her mother said to her.
At the moment, her mother’s words seemed absurd since Maggie was not interested in any kind of relationship, much less a sexual one. However, her mother was still worried about her since she had already started to attract attention from men.
“Oh my God, Mum, that’s ridiculous.” Maggie protested.
“It’s not. I’m only looking out for you. I want you to focus on being a model. Those other things are not important. If a man tries to tell you that he’ll give you the world, tell him that you already have it. There’s nothing your father and I won’t do for you.” Her mother said almost in tears.
“Trust me, that’s the last thing you should be worried about,” Maggie assured her mum which seemed to put her at ease.
“Okay. Take care of yourself.”
Maggie kept to her word. She graduated from high school without any incident and, as a bonus, she performed fairly well. This gave her parents more confidence to let her explore the world on her own.
The following year, a whole new world opened up for her. She was no longer the girl with dreams of becoming a model. Now, she was a real model and was quickly getting closer to being in the big leagues. She was getting invited to many events, meeting the girls she looked up to and walking on the same runways as them.
It was scary at first since she didn’t know anybody and everyone seemed to ignore her but she finally made a friend. Ivy was a more experienced model and it was very evident. She walked and talked like a model. When she interacted with Maggie, it was very clear that Maggie still had a lot to learn.
“Hi, I’ve been seeing you at events. Are you a new model?” Ivy asked.
“Yes, I just started modelling professionally a few months ago.”
“Wow, I can’t imagine being a new model right now. Everyone is so full of themselves nowadays.” Ivy said.
Maggie didn’t say anything. She was smart enough to know not to badmouth her fellow models lest she would be a target for bullying.
“I’m Ivy, by the way.”
“I know. You’re amazing. I want to be like you when I grow up.” Maggie joked.
Ivy chuckled then answered, “I’m not that much older than you. Good luck on the runway. I’ll talk to you later.”
Ivy and Maggie met again after the event and Ivy offered her a ride home. From that day, Maggie knew that she had made a lifelong friend. Ivy gave her a lot of advice on being a model and what she should expect.
“Have you been to an industry party before?” Ivy asked.
“No, what are those?”
“What? I know you’re a new model but how have you never attended an industry party?”
“I don’t go out to parties.”
“What do you do for fun?”
“Nothing. I just go to events, get paid and go home.”
“Well, you must attend some if you want to network and meet people in the modelling industry. You can also find a rich man to spoil you.” Ivy teased.
“It sounds like fun.”
“It is. I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Ivy dropped Maggie home and drove to her place. As soon as she got in her apartment, Maggie started looking for an outfit that she would wear to the party. She didn’t know what to expect so she wasn’t sure whether she should wear something formal or a party dress. However, judging from the way Ivy had described it to her, there was nothing formal about those parties.
The two girls met up outside Maggie’s apartment as planned and made their way to the party.
“You look nice. I see you’re serious about finding a rich man. I like it.” Ivy joked.
“No, I just want to have fun. This is my first time going to a party.”
“Your first time ever?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, I knew there was something special about you. You’re really one of a kind. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”
As soon as they got to the party, Maggie felt overwhelmed. There was too much attention on her which made her want to crawl in a hole and hide. Every time a man talked to her, she heard her mother’s voice in the background warning her not to get pregnant.
It became too much so she stepped outside to get some air and be alone.
“Are you okay?” she heard a man asking.
“I’m fine.” she said without turning around.
“You forgot your jacket.”
“Thank you.” she finally turned around and saw a handsome young man holding her favourite tweed jacket.
“I hope I’m not bothering. I just noticed you looked uncomfortable around those old men.”
“Yeah. It’s a bit much,” she answered
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I hope so.”
I’m Henry.”
“I’m Maggie.”
Ivy came out just as the two finished introducing themselves and ran towards Maggie in a panic. She looked disoriented and sweaty as if she was having a fever.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you and you’re here with Henry.”
“You know Henry?”
“Of course. He’s a newbie but he’s already one of the best photographers in the industry. I’m surprised he’s talking to you. He usually keeps to himself.”
It was clear that Ivy was very drunk so they both took her to her car where she could sleep it off. They stayed in the car talking until she woke up several hours later.
Henry drove both girls to Maggie’s apartment and walked them in before leaving.
“I’ll see you around, Maggie,” he said with a smile then left.
**********************************************
“What do you think of Henry?” Ivy asked as soon as she closed the door.
“He’s nice. Why?”
“I think he likes you. I’ve never seen him so interested in a model before.”
“We’ll see where things go but I’m not interested in anything right now. I’m purely focused on my career.”
“That’s fine. Just remember what I told you, keep an open mind.”
The girls prepared breakfast while chatting before Ivy remembered she had another event to attend that evening and started preparing to leave.
“Call me if you need anything.” Maggie offered.
Finally, she settled down to enjoy a much-needed quiet time after the hectic night she had but before she could kick her feet up, her phone rang. It was her mother which was unusual since it was a bit too early for her.
“Good morning, my daughter.”
“Morning Mum.”
“Did you go to church?”
“Church?”
“Yes, today is Sunday or have you forgotten?”
Sunday was the only day her mother called her in the morning to remind her to go to church.
“No, I’m getting ready to attend the 11 am service. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
She hung up before her mother could say anything then drifted away to slumberland. By the time she woke up, it was almost 6 pm. She checked her phone to see if Ivy tried to contact her but instead, she saw a message from Henry.
“Hi, beautiful. What are you up to?” the message read.
“Nothing much. I want to get something to eat,” she replied.
“I can bring you some food. What do you want?”
“Thanks. I’m in the mood for chicken and milkshake.”
“Really? I thought models don’t eat junk food.”
“With this hangover, I could eat 10 burgers.”
Henry showed up barely 30 minutes later with the food. They sat next to each other on the couch and picked up the conversation where they had left it the previous night.
“How did you become a model?” he asked.
“I developed an interest when I was very young and started sneaking out of home to attend runway events. Eventually, someone noticed me and gave me a chance to be a model.”
“That’s really nice but you need to be careful in this industry. Most girls I’ve seen disappear into oblivion after two years because they let the lifestyle get to them.”
“I know. That’s why I avoid parties.”
As she talked, Henry removed his camera from his backpack and started taking pictures of her.
“The camera loves you. We need to work together soon,” he said then showed her the pictures he had taken.
“Wow, these are great. Ivy told me you’re the best photographer but I didn’t think you were this talented.”
“Thanks. You can come to my studio anytime.”
Who could turn down an offer to get photographed by an exceptional photographer for free? Maggie became a regular at Henry’s studio. At times, she simply went to hang out with him and watch other models being photographed. She even started learning how to be a photographer.
Maggie’s career was also growing at an exponential rate thanks to Henry’s photography. She was being featured in magazines and getting offers to model for bigger brands. In the midst of this, Henry finally asked her to be his girlfriend. The pair had been working together for over a year when Henry decided to ask her out and Maggie happily agreed.
“What took you so long?” she asked jokingly.
“I didn’t want to distract you,” he answered.
“Don’t flatter yourself. It takes a lot to distract me.”
They continued to work together while dating and everything seemed to be going as planned. Life was blissful. She got to live her dreams with one of the best men she had ever met. However, things didn’t stay that way for too long.
Three months into their relationship, Maggie fell ill. She refused to go to he hospital hoping the illness would go away with time. However, it only got worse. She was weak and lost her appetite. Ivy came to visit her to try and convince her to go to the hospital but as soon as she saw her in person, she knew exactly what what going on.
“Have you taken a pregnancy test?” she asked.
“What? I can’t be pregnant.”
“Okay, then why don’t you take a test to confirm that you’re not? Let me bring you a test then you can take it when you’re ready.”
Ivy rushed to a pharmacy near the apartment and returned with the test which she kept by Maggie’s side. As soon as she left, Maggie went to the bathroom and took the test which came back positive. She was in disbelief but tried to stay calm so that she could figure out what to do next but she couldn’t think of anything other than she was pregnant.
“I can’t be pregnant.” she kept repeating to herself.
The following day, she tried to go to the studio and get some work done but she barely had any energy to do it. As soon as she heard the first camera flash, her head started spinning and almost lost her balance. However, she brushed it off and carried on as if she was fine. Henry took a few more photos before noticing that Maggie was struggling.
“What’s wrong?” Henry remarked as he put his camera down to go to her aid.
“Nothing. Just keep taking photos,” she said and Henry resumed his work.
Maggie tried to push herself but she couldn’t.
“I need a break.” she finally admitted, making her way to a chair near her.
“Okay. We can call it a day.” Henry said and the rest of the team dispersed.
Once everyone was gone, Henry went to where Maggie was seated. She was hunched over and breathing heavily as if she was in pain. Henry was alarmed since he had never seen her in that condition but tried to stay calm.
“We need to take you to the hospital.”
“No, I’ll be fine. I just need some water.”
While Henry went to get her a cup of water, Maggie removed the pregnancy test and put it on the table. Henry placed the cup down and then noticed the test.
“What’s this?” he asked, picking it up. “Are you pregnant?”
“Yes, but I’m not keeping it.”
“What do you mean?”
“My career is at its peak right now and I can’t risk that. Besides, this was so unexpected. None of us are ready to be parents.”
“I understand but what options do we have?”
“I want to have an abortion.”
“Abortion? Isn’t it risky?”
“I don’t know but I feel desperate enough to do anything,” she said in tears.
“It’s okay. What about Ivy? She might know someone who can help.”
“I’ll go talk to her tomorrow.”
**********************************************
Maggie sat silently in a cafe perusing a fashion magazine she had just bought from a street vendor. She was dressed in a long, oversized trenchcoat since she was self-conscious about her non-existent baby bump but the trenchcoat only drew more attention to her and made her stand out.
Soon after, Ivy joined her at the cafe and immediately noticed that something was wrong.
“Have you been crying? Your eyes look red and puffy.” she enquired.
“I have to tell you something, Ivy, but you have to keep it a secret.”
“Of course. You know you can trust me.”
“I’m pregnant.” Maggie finally said after a brief silence.
Ivy wasn’t shocked. In fact, she smiled as if she had received the best news in the world. However, she didn’t want to offend Maggie so she sat silently and let her speak her mind.
“I’ve ruined everything, Ivy. I’ve ruined everything,” she said then broke down in tears.
Ivy put her hand over Maggie’s shoulder to comfort her and after a few minutes, she calmed down.
“You haven’t ruined anything. I can hardly tell you’re pregnant. You can still model for a few more months.” Ivy said, trying to reassure Maggie. “Besides, you’ll be a great mother because you’re great at everything you do.”
“I’m not ready to be a mother. I’m only 20 years old. What do I know about raising a child?” She said to Ivy then looked at a picture of a model posing. “How could I have let this happen to myself? All I eventually wanted was to be a model and when I got the chance I ruined it.”
“It’s not too late and whatever you decide to do, I support you,” Ivy assured her.
“I want to have an abortion but I’m scared because I’ve heard that I can die or become infertile.”
“No, there are safe ways to do it using abortion pills. You won’t even notice when it happens.”
“Where can I get them?”
“Are you assuming because I’m a party girl I know where to get abortion pills?”
“No, it’s because you’ve been in the modelling industry for long and I’m guessing you or someone you know has had a similar issue.”
“I haven’t and I don’t know anyone who has. Most girls get pregnant by rich men who have connections to get them safe abortions.”
“Okay. Thanks for nothing.”
“Just go home and think about it. Maybe it’s a sign that you should keep it.”
“I can’t keep it. I’d rather go to one of those illegal clinics in the slums that do it.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“Yes, but if it comes to that I will.”
“Don’t even think about that.”
Instead of going to her apartment, Maggie decided to go to her parents’ home. She hadn’t been there in a month and needed her family’s support. She wasn’t planning on telling them what was going on but her mother could see that she was lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked.
“Mum, Dad, I need to tell you something. I’m pregnant and I want to get an abortion.”
“What? Did I hear you correctly?” her mother shouted.
“Yes,” Maggie answered.
Her dad sat quietly as her mum talked to herself. Maggie tried to get their attention but it was futile.
“If you don’t help me, I’ll get it done at an illegal clinic.”
Finally, she got their attention back.
“You want us to help you get an abortion. Have you lost your mind?” her father said.
“Wait, before we get to the abortion, who got you pregnant? Where is he?”
“It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t even know I’m here.”
“It matters. He should be the one to help you. Not us.”
“He doesn’t know anyone.”
“And you think we do?”
“Dad, you have connections. Don’t you know a doctor or a gynaecologist who can do it?”
“How will I even ask them? It’s embarrassing. You were our pride and joy and now you’re asking us to get you an abortion.”
“Dad, it’s not the end of the world.”
“Go to bed. We’ll talk to you in the morning.”
The following day, Maggie was woken up by her mother who had brought her breakfast in bed. She looked less hostile than she did the previous night.
“Eat and get ready. Your father is waiting for you,” she said then left.
Maggie ate the food and took a shower then joined her father in the living room.
“I have made some phone calls and one of my friends knows somewhere we can go to get it down. However, this is the first and last time you ever ask me anything like this. Your mother and I couldn’t sleep last night and the only reason I agreed is because we will be more stressed if we let you leave without a solution.”
“Thank you, Dad.” Maggie embraced her father but there was still tension between them.
“I don’t want to hear anything from you. Get your things and let’s go.”
They got to the clinic where Maggie’s dad had been told he could buy the abortion pills. After explaining what they wanted and who had sent them, the attendant went to the back and came back with a brown envelope. He handed it to them and gave them instructions on how to take the pills. They made the payment and went back to the car.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked Maggie before giving her the envelope.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Okay, call us if you need anything,” he said as he drove her to her apartment.
The same night, Maggie took the pills then went to bed and waited for them to take effect. Just as the attendant had informed her, she started feeling discomfort followed by a sharp pain and heavy bleeding. She sat on the toilet wondering if she was going to be okay. However, she was feeling better the following morning though she was still bleeding heavily. Eventually by the end of day 2 she had stopped bleeding and cramping. Things went better than she had hoped.
When Ivy and Henry went to visit her, they found her in good spirits which was a relief since they were both worried that something would go wrong.
“I was scared but everything went ok. It’s as if I got my period but it was really heavy.”
“Really? Then you need to eat lots of fruits and veggies to replenish the blood.”
“Yes, the clinic attendant told us that.”
“I still can’t believe your dad took you to buy abortion pills. I wish I had understanding parents like that.”
“Yeah, I’m very lucky to have such parents.”
Ivy said, “I think we need to go see a doctor about getting you long-term contraceptives. So that you can have a child when you are emotionally and mentally ready to have them”. Maggie and Henry agreed that it was a good idea. They booked an appointment to go see Maggie’s doctor together.
Despite getting an abortion, Maggie’s relationship with her parents never changed although it was a bit awkward for the first year after it happened. They still welcomed her into their home and treated her the same way they used to. Though they never talked about the abortion again, Maggie knew how lucky she was to have parents who could put her welfare before their traditions.
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