She did not want to accept it.
She was not supposed to accept it.
Yet the evidence was clear.
As the gynaecologist explained how it was possible for even the most foolproof birth control to have a loophole, Reyona simply nodded and stared.
Her mind was racing with a thousand and one thoughts.
"It is very rare…"
Pregnant. She was pregnant.
"... 1 out of 100…"
She will be a mother. Somebody's mother.
"Ma'am. Are you with me?"
Reyona looked at the woman staring at her in inquiry.
She saw Dr. Romano was looking at her with his typical passive face.
Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked over at the concerned-looking Killian.
"You will be late for your exam," she said simply.
Killian smiled and said "I live nearby. I can still get home in time for it."
"Then you need to go then," Reyona said.
"You are not thinking of leaving again, are you?" Nurse Killian asked with a smile, reminding her of what she had said earlier.
Reyona cradled her hand against her stomach and said "No, I am not. Thank you."
Nurse Killian excused himself and left.
"What do I need to do?" She asked the gynaecologist.
"First, you need to register for antenatal, then…"
As Reyona listened to the gynaecologist talk, her situation became more and more real to her.
She now belonged to a category she had no idea she could be in a few minutes ago.
She was going to be a mother.
When Dr Romano and Dr Salem left her to rest before the nurse assigned to her that morning would come.
Reyona lay down properly on the bed and started thinking of all the things she needed to do.
She needed to start eating more healthily than she used to.
No more alcohol or anything related to it.
She needed to minimise her stress too.
Well, she would just speak to Dr Romano later and ask the gynaecologist to make a list of the things she should be eating and those she should stay away from.
She might just get a nutritionist cook.
Yes, that is right.
She wouldn't be eating for one anymore, and she needed to do it right.
She would do things right and get them done well.
This was a second chance given to her by God.
By the universe.
By fate, and she would be damned if she wasted it.
Probably better to stop swearing now too.
Whether in her head or out loud.
Babies caught on to things like that fast.
Baby.
She was going to have a baby.
Someone to hold.
Someone to love.
Someone to cherish.
Someone who wouldn't betray her.
Someone who wouldn't lie to her.
Someone that….
Reyona stopped as she realised that her hands were clenched around the sheets and tears were coming out of her eyes.
Even as she had decidedly focused on the good of this situation.
As she had deliberately fixed her mind on the miracle of this situation, her mind had pulled along towards the ugly.
Reyona let her tears flow freely as the ridiculousness of her situation hit her.
Something she had long dreamed of even when she was a kid was finally happening.
It was finally happening yet not how she had pictured it.
She had imagined that she would be happily married when she conceived the baby that she and her loving husband would receive with such joy.
Even before she had the face of any man in mind, she had held on to that dream.
As her parents went on to create new families, she held on to that dream.
One day, she will have a family of her own.
A family that would always be hers and never leave her.
Her tears streamed down the sides of her as she thought of her current situation.
After wasting her years on a man who was never sincere with her from the first day.
Now she somehow found herself in a fake marriage with a man who had been lying to her to use her.
And she almost lost her long-wanted treasure because of a soulless bitch who hadn't hesitated in her intention to kill her.
Reyina cupped her hand against her stomach as she whispered "I am sorry."
What would she have done?
If the sick woman had made her lose her baby, she wouldn't have forgiven herself.
It didn't matter that this baby came in an undesired way.
What mattered was that it was hers.
And she was going to protect him or her with everything she had.
And keep him away from any unscrupulous character.
No matter who they were.
Coming to a decision on a question she had hardly acknowledged, Reyona wiped her tears clean.
There would be no unnecessary tears around her baby.
She was going to be positive and strong both in mind and body.
That way, her child can draw from it and learn to be happily independent too.
Her child would be protected against the scum of the earth and by the time she could no longer protect him against everything that might want to hurt him, he would have already learned that not everyone could be trusted.
At the end of the day, family is something you can rely on.
With that thought in mind, she reached for her phone and called Toria.
She could hear construction sounds in the background as Toria said "Hi, sis."
"Hey there," she said with a smile. "Are you busy? Can you talk right now?"
"Yeah, yeah. Of course, I can. What's up?" Toria asked in a distracted voice. Then she said, "Hold on…"
Reyona heard her speaking to someone in the background, then the background sound receded as Toria said "I am all yours."
Reyona excitedly added the other two people.
"Rey? Hi. This is a conference call?" Gladys' voice came on.
"My dear, what is going on? Are you fine?" Carlisle said from his end.
Reyona supposed it was a great idea that she had not used the video feature, so they wouldn't see her in her hospital garb.
Her smile bloomed into a grin as she said "I am fine. I am pregnant."
A momentary silence laden with shock.
Then "Rey! Oh my God!"
"My baby! I am going to be a grandmother?!"
"My dear girl!"
As the exclamations and joyful reactions cascaded over her, Reyona's hope bloomed and her conviction increased.
She was going to be fine.
She and her baby were going to do just fine.
Anyone who threatened that would have her to contend with.
Whoever they may be.