I Can't Do This

A/N: This story starts at the end of Accidents Will Happen, which I have now seen by downloading. You can e-mail me and I will help you.!

'I can't do this,' I thought. 'I wish mom wasn't here, then I could bolt.'

"Manuella Santos?" A cold voice drew me out of my thoughts.

"Mama," I pleaded with my mother "I can't do this. I made a descision, and I'm not going to commit a murder." The look on my mother's face was like one of a woman just slapped.

"Manuella, you will not disgrace our family like this," my mother replied coldly.

"Mom, I can't kill someone. I'm carrying this baby to term. I might give it up for adoption at the end, but I'm not having an abortion."

"Manuella, that is your decision, but if you wish to carry your child to term, then you must do it in someone else's home, because I refuse to house a pregnant 14 year old."

Now it was my to look slapped. "Fine, I'll talk to Spike." My mom winced, she hated me calling Spike anything but 'Mrs. Simpson or Ms. Nelson.' "She said she would help me, but I'm not sure to what extent. Or I could talk to Craig and Joey, maybe we could get married and live in their garage."

"Manuella, I'm glad you are being sensible now, after you got pregnant instead of being sensible when it came to having intercourse. Now I'll bring you to Emma's, but I do not want to see you in my home except when you come to pick up your belongings."

The ride to Emma's was silent. I got to the house, rang the doorbell, and watched my mother drive away. "Manny?" Spike answered the door with a screaming baby Jack in her arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I had my appointment at the clinic for my abortion today, I couldn't go through with it. Even if I give this child up for adoption, I can't commit a murder. The only problem is that my mom said she wouldn't house me if I decided to show my pregnancy. I don't want to be a burden for seven more months, but I was wondering if I could stay here for a while, until Craig and I figure out what to do."

"Manny, don't be silly, you can stay here as long as you like. Let me drive you to your house to get your stuff. You can stay with Emma in her room, I can set up the air mattress down there."

The ride to my house was fairly quiet, but it wasn't awkward like it was with my mom. I got to my house and my mother started screaming at me in half-Spanish.

"Manuella, you tramp! I noticed your change, and I never liked it! You brought disgrace on your whole family! We're ashamed!!"

I slipped out of the house and back into the car, where Spike had waited. "As soon as I walked in she started screaming at me." I told Spike, then continued in a high-pitched imitation of my mother. "'Manuella, you tramp! Then she said how she didn't like when I changed, and how I brought disgrace on our family, how ashamed they are." I burst into tears right in Spike's car.

"It's okay, Manny, you're almost home. You'll be fine. Craig should be home from school now, do you want me to take you to Joey's?" Seeing Craig was not something I particularly wanted to do, but I knew I had to.

"Yeah, I guess so. But one question, how did you tell Shane you were pregnant and not having an...aborti...abortion?" I could hardly bring myself to say the word I was so disgusted by it.

"I just told it to him, Craig already knows you're pregnant, just tell him you didn't go through with the abortion, that's all. Oh, we're here. Good luck Manny. Call me if you need a ride home and either Archie or I will come get you."

"Thanks, Ms. Simpson." I took a deep breath and walked up to the Jeremiah's front door. To my surprise Caitlin Ryan, of all people, answered. "Hi," I said to Caitlin, "is Craig there?"

"Hi. Manny, right?" I nodded, saving my breath for the conversation of real importance. "CRAIG!!" She yelled