" Come in " I Said when I heard a knock on the door. I was sitting on the bed watching Netflix on tv. I near as the door creaks open slowly.
"I come bearing food. " Samantha said, raising the tray of food up. " breakfast. "
I let out a laugh, I could have easily gone down for breakfast but I appreciated her gesture. I stood up from the bed and went to sit on the couch since there was a table at the centre of it. Samantha walked towards me, placing the tray on the table then took a seat beside me.
"I hope you are hungry. " she says as I stared at the large dish of favourite topping pancakes and sausage on the side.
"I would have gone down for breakfast, you didn't have to stress yourself. " I say to her.
"It's nothing, I don't want to eat in the kitchen or the dining room nor eat alone in my room. So ln a way, I'm using you to keep me company. " She replied with a grin on her face.
I breathe in the wonderful aroma of the meal and my mouth is salivating. I looked at the other side of the tray to see a different plate of pancakes with a banana flavoured topping dripping from the top to the bottom. She takes a bite of her pancakes, her eyes focused on the TV in front of her. I ate my food but the smell of banana from Samantha's plate didn't sit well with me. "Are you okay, you look pale. " she asked.
My stomach rumbling weirdly. " I'm okay" i directed my eyes to my food and tried to take another bite, but the smell was so prominent that I felt my stomach begin to churn.
"are you seriously eating pancakes with banana toppings.” I asked puzzled.
" yeah, I like it. I saw the video of someone trying this on YouTube and it actually tasted great to me.” Samantha replied putting more pancakes into her mouth.
I tried to not put my attention on the smell, while l ate my food slowly. I kept my gaze straight to the TV and kept repeating in my mind 'it's fine, I’m fine but I made a mistake of looking at it on top of her plate and the next thing I know, I find myself hunched over the toilet letting out my guts.
"Mani. "I hear Samantha call out, followed by the sound of her hurried footsteps. I feel as her soft, gentle hand pulls my hair out, away from my face and behind my back in one swift movement as continue to hurl.
I flushed the toilet and sat back resting my back against the wall with a thud. " ugh..., I feel like crap . "I groan.
Samantha sat next to me " you may have a stomach bug"
I nodded my head in agreement " Maybe I ate something expired or rotten was accidentally used when preparing meals yesterday. "I suggest, I use my hand to rub the nausea building up I'm my stomach.
" maybe. " she says almost dismissively. "but you also vomited the last time and refused to see a doctor" she points out what happened weeks back
in the kitchen and how I was pestered to see a doctor and I told Sin it it continues then I would see one bit it didn't. It was just a simple stomach bug.
"Yeah, what about it. " l asked her, trying to understand what she was getting at.
"Can I ask you a question. " She says, facing me.
" sure. "I answered, feeling uneasy.
"When was your last period. " is the first thing she asked and looked at her confused before answering.
"The week before we went to the dinner party"
"Are you sure?" She asked, I nodded my head wondering where she was headed to.
She mumbled to herself before speaking again “Have you been taking birth control pills with the way you and Sin get at it. "
"yes..s. I got a new one just recently"
"And does he wear condoms?" she asked, calm and collective as possible.
While on the other hand, I could feel my heart beat ten times faster than before. "No, that's the reason for birth control" I whispered.
Taking a deep breath, she stood up and I followed, standing up as well. We both walked back inside the room.
"Give me a sec, I need to get something from my room. "She dashed out of the room before l could say anything and I just stood there confused.
I heard footsteps of someone coming and a second later Samantha walked in again with her hands filled with white and blue sticks.
She walked towards me, pushing her hand to go give the sticks to me. "go into the bathroom."
I took the stick from her and examined it, my eyes widened. " I’m not pregnant Samantha, I already told you I had my period last month. " I let go of the test kit and watched them drop, hitting the ground in a rattle.
Samantha sighed and picked the test again. "Just go check first, that's the only way we would know if you're pregnant or not Mani. " she says with a pleading eyes.
I half mindedly took the test from her hand then made my way back inside the bathroom. I locked the door and tossed the sticks on the counter, not caring if it got broken or not. I recall the time
Stephanie had asked me this same question, she was so sure that I was pregnant. I felt my hands shake on their own accord. What if she was right.
What if Stephanie and Samantha were right and I am pregnant. I let out a shaky breath.
Before reaching for the sticks, I wiped my sweaty palms on my shirt and tried to calm my nerves. I took the stick and peed on five of them. When I was done, I set the stick back on the counter. Then take a seat at the toilet seat, waiting for the set time.
My eyes set on the clock in my phone, 15 minutes was all I needed to know how my life was going to turn out to be.
5 minutes passed
10 minutes passed
The timer rang, alerting my trembling body as I forced myself to stand up from the toilet seat. I reached out to the counter and grabbed the test stick with my sweaty palms that were now sweatier than before.
"Please please please please.. "I murmured softly to myself at this very moment as I turned the sticks around to see the results.
"Oh my God!. "I whispered as I felt the hotness in my eyes grow with every second that passed, staring at the test.
Two lines!.
I was pregnant. I didn't know what to feel, should I be happy, sad or even worried. I couldn't move, my hand subconsciously raised to grab my stomach. I was pregnant. I thought again.
Was I ready to have a child especially right now with the kind of business Sin was into. Was it right to bring a child into a world like this. I pondered.
I heard the sound of someone knocking repeatedly on the bathroom door and knew it was Samantha, since she was the only one here with me.
"Mani, is everything alright in there. What was the result? " She asked all at once and I noticed a hint of worry from her voice due to my lack of response. I took in a deep shaken breath, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were red and my cheek puffy.
How did I miss all the signs, I should have known.
When Stephanie had told me, I shouldn't have turned down her words. I turned on the tap, using my hands to take water then splashed it on my face. I did this four times, washing the tears off my eyes.
" Mani, answer me or my barging in if you don't say anything. " She Said sternly and I knew she meant every word.
I cleaned my face with a towel, took the sticks from the counter and moved to open the door.
Samantha was standing just a feet apart, her hand raised up ready to bang on the door. She took in my red eyes and puffy cheeks, her facial expressions calming. I walked past her to sit on the bed.
"So I take it, you are pregnant. " She asked, coming to sit beside me. I gave her the sticks for her to check herself. She took it from my hand, looking down at it and a grin graced her face.
The grin was washed off when she looked at my face. "aren't you happy about this."
"I don't know Sam, a part of me ls happy and another is worried. The latter dominates the first. " I say to her, my hands placed on my tummy, rubbing it softly.
"I get that you are worried, I guess that should be a normal reaction. You're still Young and haven't started your life yet, not to talk about the mafia stuff."
"exactly Samantha, would this be the right time to bring a baby in on all this mess.”
She looked at me worried. "Please don't tell me you are thinking of aborting this baby"
I gasped, shocked at her words. " what.... No way, never. I know it wasn't planned for, but this is my child and I would be damned if I let anything happen to him or her.”
She let out a breath of relief and a smile formed on her face. She put her hand on mine that was placed securely on my tummy.
"See, you are already protective of him or her. You are going to be a great mom Mani, and also you aren't doing this alone. I know Sin will be with you every step of the way. "
"you think. What if he isn't ready to be a father or what if he had no plans of having a child. We have never really talked about it and I don't know what his reaction would be. " my voice quavered. I didn't know what to expect.
"I know he would love and cherish this child, it's his child after all" She says, pulling me to a side hug.
"and besides you have me as well. I will always be there every step of the way, so I better be the godmother. Okay" She teases and we both let out a laugh.
I pretend to think about it, making her nudge my shoulders and we laugh again.
"Thanks Samantha, I don't know what I would do without you. Thanks."
" no problem girls. " she says, waving my words off
."how are you going to tell Sin.. "
“about that. " I let out a breath. "I think I’m going to hold off from telling him for now.
"what. Why.. " she voiced out surprise.
“It's just for a few days, I will tell him but just not now."
"Mani, I don't think that's a wise decision. If Sin finds out, he will be really pissed that you didn't tell him the moment you took the test. " she said, emphasising more on the word pissed.
" please Samantha. " i say In a pleading voice.
"Fine, but you need to tell him before the end of this week. " let out a smile, nodding my head.
“ Thanks a lot Samantha. I just have one more request. "I raised a finger up with a pleading look.
“What is it. " she asks playfully, rolling her eyes.
" Can we keep this between us until I have told Sin. I don't want anyone to know yet. ".
“Okay, I understand. It's best Sin knows before the others." she replies.
"I can’t believe i have another life growing in me. "I laughed, finally coming to terms with it.