CHAPTER 18

Emily's POV

I was baffled by my mother's question. "Preg...nant? Mom, are you crazy? Of course I'm not pregnant. I've always been careful when it came to having sex...I..."

I paused as memories of the heated night with Sebastian flooded my mind. He sneaked me away to his bedroom and to his hot waiting Jacuzzi, and once there, we had the most passionate night of our lives.

"I'm always careful," I finished, but I knew I was lying. I missed my levonorgestrel pills the morning after because I forgot to take them with me, and when I got back to the hotel, pills weren't even on my mind.

"Okay," my mother said simply, and I knew she wouldn't leave it at that. If there was one thing I was certain about when it came to my mother, it was that there was unfinished business whenever she was calm.

I swallowed the fear, and my senses tasted the imaginary liquid at the back of my throat. I walked out of the bathroom and went back to the bedroom. I was still sleepy.

__________

At midday, I woke again, and my mother was standing in the doorway, looking at me with a sly smile on her pretty face, which never seemed to age.

"You know I won't leave you alone until you prove that you're not pregnant, right?" she said as if she had won a satisfying battle. 

"Mom, for the last time, I'm not pregnant. I'm just ill," I protested.

"Oh, then you shouldn't have a problem taking this pregnancy test." She waved a pregnancy test around, and my eyes darted to it, dreading the thought of it showing a positive result. I got off the bed, kindly took the test from my mother, and made a beeline to my washroom. I read the directions before following through.

I waited.

Finally. The line to indicate the pregnancy appeared. And there were two of them.

I stagger backwards and fall on my bum on the marble floor. My mother must have heard because she rushed in.

"Are you okay?" she asked and help me up to my feet.

"Oh God, oh God!" I screamed once the results had sunk into my head. My mother took the test and looked at it, and her mouth formed the silent 'o' of surprise.

"Congratulations, Emily, wait until your father hears about this."

"NO! MOM, PLEASE DON'T TELL DAD YET!"

"But he'll be thrilled."

"I want to tell him myself."

______

My mother left me to it, and I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering if I should call my best friend or the father of my child or pretend like none of this was happening.

When my father got home, I joined him and mom for dinner. I toyed with my meal, wondering if I'd vomit it up again.

"Sweetie, you don't like the food?" my father asked and raised an eyebrow at me in suspicion.

I took a mouthful of parmesan chicken and swallowed.

"Dad, I'm pregnant," I said once I had finished my dinner.

My father's eyes locked onto me. "Is this a joke?"

"No," my mother assured, "She's telling the truth, Ethan, she's pregnant."

"Who's the father?"

"A guy," I covered.

"I wouldn't expect it to be a woman," he let out, his voice not so cheerful. I thought he would be happy. Just last evening, he asked when I'd make him a grandpa, and now he's hitting me with strictness. So unfair.

"Ethan, please don't," my mother pleaded, "Not right now."

"Then when? Is this the reason you came back home, Emily, because you're pregnant?"

"Of course not, dad. I didn't know. I found out only a few hours ago."

He stood up and excused himself, and I felt bad. I had pictured that going differently in my head.

"I thought he'd be happy."

"Your father is happy. This is just news to him."

"But why is he acting so angry, as if I'm the only one who's having a baby? Evan had a son and twins on the way. EJ is having a baby, and I'm older than EJ. He never acted like that with the boys!"

"And there's your answer right there. You're his only daughter, and he's always going to be protective of you."

"But I'm not a baby anymore. I'm a woman," I said.

"Just give him some time and let him process. He'll be happy for you. I am. So, have you told the father yet?"

I shook my head no.

"Why not? Is there a problem?"

'A big problem' I wanted to scream, but I didn't.

"I'll call him afterwards."

To my surprise, my meal digested perfectly, and I retrieved my cellphone from the bedroom. I dialed and waited for his voice to come on the other end.

"Hello," his voice came after the third ring.

"Hi, Sebastian, there's something I need to tell you. Something you ought to know."

"What is it, Emily?" his voice carried anger.

"I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye." I was suddenly afraid of telling him the truth.

"Is that all?" he asked again, still holding anger.

"Umm..."

"Well, goodbye Emily," he responded and hung up the phone.