What Now

"I came as soon as you called, where is she?" Lydia asked, gasping for air. Jane sighed and closed the door, leaning against it.

She lifted her head and Lydia frowned as she took in the unshed tears on her face. "She's in there. She hasn't said a word. All I got were tears."

Lydia wrapped her arms around Jane's shoulder and led her towards the bedroom where Lia was. As they got to the door, Lydia stopped and they both stared at their friend.

Lia had never been one to show her emotions except when the situation was way out of her control. Right now, her hands were wrapped around her stomach protectively and her eyes were staring at nothing.

The duo exchanged a look. Jane sighed and moved away, giving Lydia the honor of going first. Lydia took one unsure step forward and paused again, eyeing Lia who was motionless.

What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to say it? She didn't even know what happened. Fernando was at Adam's place; her place and he was in the same state except he hadn't cried a single tear unlike Lia.

Lydia finally summoned the courage to walk all the way to the bed and she sat down just a few inches away from Lia, staring at her. She eyed Jane who was still standing by the door and then looked back at Lia who hadn't moved or acknowledged their presence.

"Babe, what happened?" Lydia asked, finding her voice. Lia didn't move or make a sound; it was almost as if she didn't hear the question but Lydia knew she could hear them.

She raised her head just as Jane came towards them, stopping in front of Lia. There were tears in her eyes as she looked at her friend who had looked so happy just last week, everything had been going so well. What could have happened?

"Have you called Janet?" Lydia asked and Jane shook her head.

"I'm even surprised she hasn't called me yet. Lia has been gone for a while."

Lydia shrugged. "Janet probably knows she's here and besides Lia is not a child. She's not going to keep track of her movements like that."

"Let me call her," Jane walked away, her steps slow and sure as she left the room. "Where is my phone?"

Lydia could still hear her footsteps as she probably looked everywhere for her phone.

"Found it!" She called from where she was and Lydia eyed Lia hoping for a reaction. She got nothing.

She blinked back tears just as Jane walked back into the room. She made a space for her by shifting closer to Lia but she didn't dare touch her. Lia's hands were still wrapped tightly around her stomach, almost as if there was something inside. Or someone, a baby.

Lydia's eyes widened in realization and she turned to her other side where Jane was sitting, ready to tell her but she was speaking to someone on the phone. So she waited.

"Yes, she came here and she cried a little. Then she laid down and then sat up again. She has been sitting still like that since, not saying a word." Jane told the person on the other line and Lydia stared at Lia.

'Say something!' She begged her. 'Anything!" She just wanted some indication that she was okay or at least if she wasn't, Lydia wanted to know what was wrong and see how they could at least help solve it.

"Oh, I see. Is Fernando with you?" Jane asked and Lydia frowned, opening her mouth to speak.

Why would she ask Janet that when she had already told her Fernando was at hers and Adam's place?

"Fernando is at-" Jane shushed her, placing a finger against her lips, her eyes pleading. Lydia narrowed her eyes, studying her. What was Jane up to?

"Alright, I will call you as soon as I know anything." Jane ended the call and fell silent. Lydia's heart beat wildly as she waited for Jane to give her some information.

When it was about one hour and Jane hadn't said anything, Lydia shook her.

"What's going on?"

Jane let out a breath and looked up at Lydia, her eyes worried. "I think Janet has something to do with everything that's happening."

"Why would you say that? That's Lia's mother!"

Jane scoffed and Lydia narrowed her eyes. Was there something she was missing here? She always thought Janet was a sweet young woman who adored her daughter. Jane was making it sound like she was secretly plotting against her own daughter, her flesh and blood.

"The same woman that couldn't see the handwriting on the wall when she arrived?" She got up from the bed and paced around, her eyes restlessly moving  around. "It is so obvious to anyone who cares to see it that Fernando and Lia have something going on. Are you trying to tell me observant Janet never noticed anything? It's such a stretch. And why did she show up now all of a sudden when things are so good between Lia and Fernando?"

Lydia rose to her feet and snorted. "That's a hell of an accusation you have leveled against Janet Lawson. Do you have enough evidence?"

Jane glared at her. "This isn't one of those episodes of 'Law and Order' that you watch, this is real life."

"Exactly my point." Lydia shrugged. "You can't pin such a charge against someone without having enough evidence, Jane, even if you have a point."

Jane sighed and ran her hands through her hair, her legs shaking.

"I think Lia is pregnant." Lydia said after a moment of silence had passed between them.

Jane's eyes grew wide and she spared Lia a quick glance, eyeing Lydia again. "How do you know that?"

Lydia placed her hands on Jane's shoulders and turned her so she could see Lia well. "Look at her hands, she's obviously trying to protect something in her stomach... even in her subconscious state."

"But if she's pregnant, shouldn't that be good news?" Lydia wondered out loud and Jane sighed.

"Something is not right Ly, there's something wrong somewhere."

"Water,"

Lydia and Jane froze and turned back to look at Lia at the same time, shock and relief obvious on their faces.

Lydia was the first to recover and she reached for the pitcher of water on the nightstand, pouring some for her. She handed the glass over with shaky hands, not like Lia noticed and she drank, downing it all in one go.

Jane and Lydia exchanged looks, their hearts beating wildly in their chess. They waited patiently for her to say something else, anything. Give them a clue of where and what was wrong and how they could help.

Just when they thought she wouldn't speak again. She shocked them by diving into the heart of the matter.

"Fernando is my father,"

Jane almost fainted from the shock of the confession but Lydia caught her in time, hugging her waist as she too tried to get over the shock she was feeling. What kind of joke was life playing now? Or was it a human that was responsible for such a joke?

She eyed Jane who was watching Lia, a longing look in her eyes. Lydia released her and immediately, Jane went to her, hugging her tightly. She joined them and the three of them remained there, holding each other close without speaking. Sometimes words didn't have to be spoken, the mood was just perfect for silence.

"I'm pregnant, the doctor confirmed it today and Fernando looked so happy, perhaps the happiest I have seen him in a while."

"Is Fernando really your father?" Jane asked, voicing out the question that was also on Lydia's mind.

Lia shrugged as her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know. Janet said he is and I mean a mother always knows the father of her child."

Jane and Lydia exchanged meaningful looks and Lydia shook her head when Jane opened her mouth to protest with what Lia had said. Lia wasn't ready yet to look at the other side of things, they had to give her time. And they also needed some kind of proof to show that what they were thinking was true.

"Have you spoken to Fernando? How does he feel about everything?"

Lia shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I don't know what to say to him and I don't think he wants to talk to me right now."

Jane sniffed and hugged Lia, fighting back tears. "I'm so sorry this is happening babe. Everything had been going so well."

"I'm sorry too," Lia sniffed, hugging her back.

"I wish I had told my mum the truth about my relationship with Fernando. Maybe if I had then, the truth would have come out earlier than this. Then maybe it wouldn't hurt this much. I feel like I'm drowning slowly and I don't know what to do."

Jane and Lydia held hands and Lydia smiled at Lia as she bent to kiss her forehead. "We are here and we won't let you drown so easily. Believe it or not, I'm a pretty good swimmer."

Jane rolled her eyes and tightened her hold around Lia's small frame. "I can't believe I'm going to be an aunt."

Lydia smiled just as Lia laughed, touching her stomach again. she had a real smile on her face. "I can't believe I'm going to be a mother."

"I don't think we have time for disbelief though. The baby is growing fast everyday. I say we go shopping tomorrow."

Jane and Lia exchanged looks and eyed Lydia. Lia shook her head with a smile. "Don't you think it's too early to shop? I'm just a few weeks gone."

"We are not shopping for the baby per say. See it as window shopping." She stood up straight, letting go of Jane's hand. "I want us to have a feel of the baby section of the store so we can probably come to terms with the situation. Right now, we are still in shock."

Lia nodded and closed her eyes, soaking up Jane's warmth and Lydia's presence. These women were her entire world. What would she do without them? When everything felt like it was crumbling, they were always right there to pull her back up again. "Thank you for always being here, you two. I think I'd have lost my mind a long time ago if you two had not been there."

Lydia snorted but reached for Lia's hand again, giving it a light squeeze. Jane only tightened her hold on Lia's body and the trio sat there in silence. No matter what would come again, they had each other.