The break between first and second semesters was drawing to a close. Gab and Freya were sitting in the lounge-room of their apartment while Steph made herself a spinach and coconut-water smoothie. Gab hadn’t discussed her plans for continuing uni with the other girls in her apartment yet, but they’d figured out she was pregnant. Steph was only half listening to Freya and Gab’s conversation, but her ears pricked up when she realised they were discussing whether Gab would take the baby to lectures. Steph wheeled around.
“We are not having that baby here!” she interjected, cutting Gab off mid-sentence. “Why would you even think that might be okay? We’d never get any study done!” Gab pretended it didn’t cut deeply to hear the rejection straight out.
“I never said I was staying here,” said Gab quietly.
“Well, it sounds like you might be considering it!” retorted Steph. “So, you’re keeping the baby?”
“Hang on, hold off!” said Freya. “Who said Gab couldn’t stay here?”
“Well, will she be paying rent for two?”
“Steph!” Freya cried.
Gab got up and walked out the door and towards the elevator, Freya following behind. Gab knew it wouldn’t be easy; she wasn’t going to inflict the new circumstances on the others without their consent. She just hadn’t expected to be so flatly shunned, as if she had done something wrong by choosing to keep her baby. It wasn’t the baby’s fault that it would cry; they’d all started off that way. And it wasn’t the baby’s choice to come into the world. Was Steph trying to punish her? Gab was upset and angry. Didn’t Steph understand that she couldn’t just go home to her mum or dad like she could? Didn’t Steph realise that this wasn’t what Gab had wanted? Gab hated Steph’s assumptions, Steph’s affluence and Steph’s options.
Freya followed Gab into the elevator and they rode down in silence. But as soon as they stepped outside and onto the lawn, Freya said, “Don’t listen to her, Gab. She has no right to talk to you like that.”
“She doesn’t understand!” cried Gab, throwing her arms up in the air. “It could have been any of us!”
“I know.”
“I wouldn’t treat her that way if she was having a baby! I’d want to support her and help her out. I’d think it was great if she wanted to keep going with uni, instead of treating her like a criminal who was somehow doing something wrong!” Gab’s voice cracked with pent-up emotion.
“Yeah, I know.”
“I mean, I get it! She doesn’t want a baby waking her up at all hours of the night. And yeah, maybe a baby doesn’t really fit into uni life. But does she have to be so mean about it?” Gab blinked back tears.
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“No, she doesn’t,” said Freya earnestly, sitting down on a bench.
“What am I going to do, Freya?”
“Let’s go grab some dumplings, Gab. Come on.” Freya took her friend’s arm. Gab was too preoccupied to argue. She and Freya walked towards Dumpling King. Arriving, they sat down at a table in the little dumpling house and Freya grabbed a napkin and then borrowed a pen from one of the waiters.
“Let’s work out your options, Gab,” she said. “Let’s brainstorm.”
“Okay,” Gab agreed. “But let’s order food first!” Now that her morning sickness had mostly abated, she was hungry all the time. Dumplings and drinks were ordered and the young women threw around ideas for Gab’s future living arrangements. They came up with a list of options:
Move back to Mum’s (uni break or quit or transfer)
Move to Chengs’ (uni break or quit or transfer)
Stay at current apartment??
Rent somewhere near uni— apartment, share house, room for rent?
“Will you need a break from uni at the start?” asked Freya. “I mean, having a new baby is a big deal.”
“I just … I really want to continue,” said Gab. “I feel like it gives me something to look forward to; something to work towards.” Freya nodded. “And,” Gab added, “it gives me a reason to stay in the city instead of going back to Mum’s. I know she’ll try and convince me, I know she will … when I finally tell her. And I’m not good at saying no to her. Uni gives me that reason to say no.”
“You’re allowed to say no for your own sake, Gab,” said Freya quietly, taking a sip of the bubble tea that had just been delivered to their table.
“I know. But I’ll feel more comfortable with a reason.”
Freya nodded. “Have you thought about studying part-time?”
“Yeah, I’ve been wondering about it. I reckon it would be ideal. But … then I’ll stop receiving Youth Allowance, won’t I? You have to be studying full time.” Gab’s face fell. “There’s be no way I’ll be able to afford it.”
Freya scrunched up her face to think until her face lit up again. “But you’ll get a parenting allowance instead or something, won’t you?”
“Maybe?”
“Well, we can cross your mum and the Chengs off the housing list since you want to stay here at uni,” said Freya, doing just that. “They weren’t really options to begin with. It just made the list look better,” she said.
“And cross off our current apartment,” said Gab. “Steph won’t have it. What am I going to do, Frey? How can I afford to go anywhere by myself? I’m going to end up on the streets!”
“That is not going to happen, Gab,” said Freya adamantly. “No way. My mum would have you at her place before you even came close to that. I know you want your own space,” she added, “but at least Mum and Dad’s is a manageable distance from uni.”
Gab nodded. “But would they really let me?”
“No question,” said Freya. “But don’t give up too quickly. Single room student accommodation might not cost much more than what you’re paying now.” Freya’s positivity was contagious because Gab was looking for signs of hope.
“Maybe I can stay in our same building and get a studio room!” Gab suggested. “That wouldn’t be much hassle. Then we’d still be neighbours!” Freya nodded enthusiastically.
Just then, a smiling waitress brought out several baskets of steaming dim sims and pork-buns, placing them onto the girls’ table. Filling up her plate, Gab looked at the mouth-watering, tender little bodies of deliciousness swimming in soy sauce. Soothed by the sense of possibilities now opening up, Gab tucked in with gusto, with Freya not far behind.