Second Thoughts, Chapter Eight by: Ashley

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Joey stood in front of the mirror in her room the next morning. She turned to the side and gazed at her own reflection, trying to imagine what she‘d look like seven, eight months from now. She then placed a hand on her flat stomach and looked down.

“Hey in there. I know things are really confusing right now but I’ll fix this I promise.” She smiled. She was really having a baby; Dawson’s baby. Just the idea thrilled her to no end.

She smiled as she looked over at he alarm clock, she didn’t have morning sickness as frequently as she did, although today she did throw up. Joey decided to throw on some clothes and greet the day.

“Bessie,” Joey whined as she walked into the kitchen. “I hate being pregnant!” Bessie smiled as Joey sat down at the table with her sister.

“It’s not funny. Bessie, I swear I’m going to puke this baby up!” Joey said.

Bessie laughed. “Wait until you get as big as a house,” she said. “Or as I recall, ’Monumentally Gargantuan.’”

Joey smiled as she remembered how she used to pick on her sister for being so big when she was pregnant, then groaned as she leaned back on the couch so that she was now laying on her back.

“Why me?” Joey asked.

“Don’t worry, in a few more weeks you should be feeling better,” she assured her.

“I hope so.” Bessie got up and walked over to the fridge.

“Oh Joey, were all out of milk,” Bessie said as she held up the empty carton. “You think your feeling up to going out and picking up a few things?” she asked.

“Yeah, the morning sickness has pretty much subsided..” Joey said. “Until tomorrow morning of coarse..” she muttered as she stood up. Bessie smiled.

“I love you,” Bessie said as she handed Joey some money and a grocery list.

“Yeah, yeah.”


Joey was searching for the last thing on her list. She was starting to get hungry, and just wanted to get back home. She slowly pushed the cart along the isle as she kept her eyes on alert for what Bessie had on the list, totally closing the world out from her thoughts.

“Joey Potter.” A familiar voice said from behind her. Joey quickly spun around, and smiled at the sight of two familiar faces.

“Jack!?” Joey said happily. Jack smiled and walked over to her and gave her a hug.

“Hey stranger. It’s been a while,” he said as he hugged her.

“It has; I know,” she said as the two pulled away.

“How long you been in town?” Jack asked curiously.

“I drove down yesterday,” she said, still smiling. She looked over past Jack and realized Jen’s daughter, Aimee in the cart.

“Oh my god, she looks just like-,” Joey said as she walked over to the baby in the cart.

“Jen; I know,” Jack finished. Joey looked back at Jack and gave him a sympathetic smile. Everyone missed Jen. It felt weird; the thought of her not around anymore. Joey considered Jen one of her best friends despite the way they started out.

“Can I hold her?” Joey asked finally.

“Sure,” Jack said as he walked over to the cart and handed Aimee to Joey.

“Hey Aimee,” Joey said as she held Jen’s daughter. Her thoughts drifted to what it’d be like when she was able to hold her own baby.

She looked up at Jack. “How’ve you been? How’s parenthood treating you?” she asked.

“It’s exhausting, you know. It’s, it’s different,” he looked at his goddaughter and smiled. “But in the best ways possible.” Joey smiled.

“So you going to be in town for a while?” Jack asked curiously after a few minutes. Joey looked up at him.

“Yeah, I’ll be here for a few weeks,” she told him.

Jack smiled. “Great. Well Aimee and I still have a few more things to get before heading home. Give me a call sometime this week; we’ll get together; me, you, Pacey,” he suggested. Joey was about to tell him what was going on, but instead decided not to say anything yet.

“Yeah, I’d like that.” The two old friends said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

“That…was close,” Joey mumbled to herself as she pushed the cart the other way; towards the check out lane.


“Bess, I’m home!” Joey called as she bumped the door closed with her foot. “You’ll never guess who I bumped into at the-” she stopped dead sentence as she walked into the kitchen and realized who was sitting at the table with her sister. “-store.” she finished. For once in her life Joey was speechless. She was now face to face with the grandmother of the baby she was carrying inside of her. Oh no… This is not happening…..

“Joey, hi Honey!” Gale said as Joey put the grocery bags on the counter, and began to unload the bags. Her and Gale had always been close. Joey had always thought of Gale as a surrogate mother; same went for Gale.

“Hey Gale,” Joey said.

“You know, we were just talking about you,” Gale said with a smile on her face. Joey’s pulse quickened as she quickly looked at her sister hoping she hadn’t mentioned anything to Gale about the baby. She hadn’t even told Dawson yet!

“Oh, you were?” Joey asked un-easily.

“I’m really happy to hear about how well your doing at that editing job,” Gale said. Joey’s pulse began to return to it’s normal rate…Bessie hadn’t told her.

“Thanks,” Joey said. Gale looked at Joey and smiled.

“So how have you been? Seems so long ago I last saw you,” Gale said.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Joey admitted. The eight months she had last been in Capeside seemed so much longer, especially lately…

“Dawson’s been so busy with the show, I haven’t seen him in a while either. My own son..” Gale said. Joey managed a small smile as she put away the last of the groceries. Joey felt un-comfortable with this all of a sudden.

“Joey honey, are you alright?” Gail asked. The look on Bessie’s face echoed Gale’s question.

“Ah, yeah. Yeah, I’m ok; just a little tired is all,” Joey lied. Although she did feel a little tired….

“Joey, why don’t you go lay down for a while?” Bessie suggested knowing Joey must be feeling a little un-comfortable.

“Yeah, I think I’ll go lie down for a while,” Joey said. “Gale, I’m really sorry-”

“Honey, don’t worry about it. I’ll see you later; you’ll be here for a while, right?” she asked.

“For a little bit at least,” she assured her. Gail smiled.

“I’ll see you soon then,” she promised. Joey gave a small smile and nodded.

“Alright.” She sighed as she shut her door behind her. This is crazy! she thought to herself. Gale was just in the other room talking with her sister. She knew Gale and Bessie talked a lot, but she must have just forgotten. Cause things can’t just be simple foe me for a while, she said to herself as she walked over to her bed, and crawled into the warm blankets; her arm over her still flat stomach as she tried to picture what her and Dawson’s child would look like…

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