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I’m going to be completely honest with him so I need him to be home and look into his eyes before I confess how I truly feel about him. First, I’m going to apologize then I’m going to tell him I’ve fallen for him. And I cannot live without him. Andthen I’m going to give him my good news. At least, I hope he will consider it good news.
“Did your mom see you leave the house?” I ask Louisa.
“Yes, but she doesn’t know I am coming to meet you,” Louisa answers. “Why are we whispering? And where are we going?”
I glance around me, even though it’s only Louisa and I in the car.
“Okay, you’re making me more worried.” She grabs my shoulders. “What is going on? What’s wrong?”
“We’re going to the hospital,” I whisper.
Louisa’s eyes widen. “Are you sick? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
My voice dips even lower because I don’t want to risk the driver hearing me. “I think I might be pregnant.”
Louisa squeals, and I slap a hand to her mouth. “Louisa!”
“What?” Louisa peels my hand away from her mouth. “Isn’t this a good thing? You’re pregnant for the Boss.”
“It might not be,” I whisper harshly. “Valentino and I are going through some rocky times right now and I don’t know whether he will be happy about his baby.”
Louisa looks disappointed. “You still haven’t apologized to him? You’re even more stubborn than I thought. It’s been three days since your mama advised you.”
“I haven’t seen him in three days,” I answer, my heart contracting painfully in my chest.
“What? Where is he?”
“I don’t know. He hasn’t been home. I really hope this marriage isn’t over, Louisa.” Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them away. This isn’t the time for cowardice; it’s time to be strong.
Louisa’s arms come around me.
“I don’t know how this happened. I went on the pill when Valentino and I got married.”
Louisa gasps. “Does he know this?”
“No. I didn’t want the marriage, Louisa, and I was scared that I’d be bound to him if I got pregnant, so I took steps to make sure.”
“Okay, but after you and Valentino got to know each other, why didn’t you stop?”
“Because we never discussed having kids. It was too early. I didn’t want to bring a kid into this life with a man that doesn’t love me, Louisa. Please don’t blame me.”
“I will never blame you!” Louisa hugs me. “You’re my sister. I’m always on your side.”
Tears slip down my face, and she gently wipes them off. “So what now?”
“I’m going to confirm my pregnancy test.”
“Okay.” She nods. “What next? What will you do if you find out you’re pregnant?”
“I—”
A knock on the partition interrupts me, and I hear the driver’s voice. “We’re at St. Monica’s hospital, ma’am.”
Louisa and I exchanged glances. “Come on,” she says. “Let’s do this.”
Hours later, Louisa and I are huddled on a chair in the hospital reception, waiting for the result of my pregnancy test. A nurse had taken my urine sample about two hours ago, and my patience has almost run out from having to wait that long.
Louisa’s arm is tight around my body, and I can tell she’s nervous, too. My heart is beating furiously in my chest because deep down, I know the result is going to say the same thing the pregnancy kits from the pharmacy said. The symptoms are all there.