I protest again.
“It’s not a lie! Not really. I just—” I stop. A sudden rush of nausea sends me scrambling off the bed and bolting to the bathroom. I make it to the toilet just in time, and everything I’ve eaten in the last few hours rushes into the porcelain bowl. Rachel darts in behind me and holds my hair out of my face.
“Are you okay?” she asks after I’ve finished. “Is it the pizza? The pepperoni? Sometimes, that stuff can be lethal.”
I rinse out my mouth in the sink before answering. “It can’t be because you ate more of the pizza than I did, and you’re fine.”
She nods, frowning.
“But then what could it be? Did you eat something bad earlier?”
I shake my head miserably while wiping my mouth with a towel.
“No,” I say in a low voice. “Rach, I think I might be pregnant.”
Her jaw drops and her eyes bug out with shock. I merely nod again and then walk back to the bedroom before taking a long sip from my water bottle. “I shouldn’t even have had that wine tonight, given that I suspected.”
“Are you sure?” Rach asks. “It could be food poisoning.”
I nod miserably. “I’m pretty sure. My mood’s been crazy lately, and I haven’t felt like my usual self. My breasts are tender, and honestly, I’ve suspected for a couple weeks now, but I guess this clinches it.”
Rach frowns.
“But you used protection, right?”
I nod.
“Yes, but there were a few times when the moment was just too heated. You know how it goes,” I blush. “He’s there, you’re there, and you want it so bad but it would take so long to find a condom …”
Rachel takes my hand in hers and gives me her most serious expression. “Lina, I’m telling you this as your friend and as someone who doesn’t want to see you hurt. You have to tell Tim the truth about your relationship, now more than ever. With a baby on the way, you don’t have a choice anymore.”
I run a hand through my hair.
“I know,” I say in a small voice. Then I wrap my arms around myself and turn away from my friend, collecting my thoughts. I feel strangely calm, given the circumstances, and wonder if I’m having an out of body experience. Shouldn’t I be crying? Shouldn’t I be out of my mind with anxiety or stress? Instead, I feel like I’m in control, and even a bit happy, to be honest. I have no idea how Tim will react, but suddenly, a smile breaks out on my face. I want this child and being a mother will be a blessing.
Rachel touches my shoulder, startling me out of my trance.
“You’re going to be okay no matter what path you choose, Lina. But you should tell him sooner rather than later. Don’t sabotage your relationship with the father of you child, Lina.”
I nod. “We have a date tomorrow, and I’ll tell him then. I promise.”
“Okay, good.” She pulls me into her arms for a long hug. “It’s going to be okay, Lina. No matter what, you’re going to get through this.”
“Thanks, Rach.” My voice cracks at the end, and tears suddenly flood down my cheeks. I know my friend thinks it’s because I’m terrified, but the truth is that it isn’t terror. The truth is that I want this child, and I’m just emotional knowing that I’m going to have a baby with the man of my dreams. The problem is: what does Tim want? Soon, I’m going to find out.
9
Tim
* * *
The doorbell rings as I’m setting up the couch, and I’m already smiling when Lina lets herself in using the key I gave her. She’s wearing a gorgeous pink dress that hugs her curves in just the right way, and there’s a lily peeking out from behind one ear. Her large, brown eyes shine up at me, and she’s carrying a few groceries, which I take from her.
“You don’t have to ring the doorbell if you have a key,” I chuckle, closing the door behind her. “You can just come in.”
She giggles.
“No, no! It’d be rude to just barge in without any warning.”
“In case I’m in my underwear?” I joke.
Her eyes go devious.
“Especially if you’re in your underwear, handsome. You know how much I like it when you stride around wearing nothing but boxers.”
The glimmer in her eyes gets me hot, and I pull her close for a long, searching kiss. Her mouth is sweet against mine, and my hands are already cupping those big breasts when she pulls away.
“First things first though, big guy. Dinner. I know that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
I growl.
“Or through his pants in my case.”
She merely giggles and sashays into the kitchen, already beginning to pull out pots and pans. I love how she’s made my place her own, and the curvy girl looks absolutely right, pulling on an apron. In fact, I can imagine waking up to Lina every morning. That would be a wonderful way to start the day.