“Please, mom. Don’t force her to eat. I’ll take her to a doctor,” said Maxwell, ready to go to work.
“Not just any doctor, Max. Take Eva to Dr. Miriam Cruz at Elmwood Medicare. She’s available till eleven in the morning,” said Penny Clyborne who was aunt Gloria’s daughter-in-law, married to her oldest son, Isaac. Having given birth to twins two months back, she was quick to realize what was wrong with Eva.
“Isn’t she your gynecologist?” asked Maxwell with wide eyes when Eva returned to the room, feeling totally drained out. She gaped at the topic of conversation. Was she really pregnant?
“Yes and she’s very good. I didn’t have many complications despite such a difficult pregnancy. She made the journey so smooth,” said Penny, and even their moms agreed.
“Why would she need to see a gynecologist? I’m sure she has some stomach ailments.”
“How do you like this dumb guy, Eva? Anyway, do you think you’re pregnant? Have you missed your monthly cycle this month?” asked Katie. With all of them crowding in her room, waiting for her reply, Eva looked blankly at Maxwell. How could she tell them that she had skipped her menstrual cycle this month? With so many things happening in her life, she hardly had given it much thought. Alexander hadn’t used protection at all, so was she pregnant with his baby?
“I think I am pregnant,” said Eva, the color draining out from her cheeks. Maxwell gaped at her, his eyes round like saucers.
“Oh, you are?” he mumbled, wondering what he should do.
“Max, close your mouth and go to the pharmacy and get her home test kits,” said Penny.
“Sure. How many should I buy?” he asked, looking lost.
“Three.” Maxwell rushed out and Eva sank into the bed as a sense of dread filled her mind and body. With Alexander having broken all ties with her, what would she do? Should she call him up and tell him? No, he had asked her not to reach out to him.
“Don’t worry so much, dear. We don’t have any problems with your pregnancy nor any objections to your wedding. We will arrange for everything within a week before nausea hits you hard,” comforted his mom. Eva felt even more worried after hearing about their plans to get her married to Maxwell. Should she tell them that it wasn’t his baby?
Maxwell returned with the test kits and she went into the washroom to check. “Please, God! Let this be just a stomach bug!” she prayed softly. However, her prayers went unanswered just like always and all three tests gave positive results. She was pregnant indeed! It was the worst thing that could have happened to her and she gripped the vanity washbasin to come to terms with the fact. Now, what would she do?
“Eva? Are you okay?” Came Maxwell’s mom’s voice. She took a deep breath and opened the door. To her immense discomfort, the whole family seemed to be outside the washroom door, waiting for the verdict.
“So?” prompted Maxwell with wide eyes.
She nodded, holding his gaze, mirroring the horrified look on his face. “Yes, I’m pregnant.”
“Wow! Congrats you two. This is the happiest day of my life,” said Kendall, breaking into a dance.
“Mine as well. Congratulations, come and give me a hug,” said his mom.
“Congratulations!” said Maxwell’s dad, Victor Clyborne. Everyone wrapped her in a hug and she went along with it like an automaton.
“What’s the matter with you, Max? We will arrange for your wedding within a week if that’s what’s bothering you,” said his mom. Maxwell turned to give Eva a questioning look. He could accept her into his life even with Alexander’s baby but would she agree to marry him? He didn’t love her like he loved Teresa but she was the only genuine woman he had met after so long. He liked her simplicity since the night he met her at the Phoenix. He knew she was the only one after Teresa with whom he could spend his life.
“I’ll have a word with Eva and inform you, please.”
“Fine. Come on, everyone. Breakfast is ready,” said aunt Gloria, ushering everyone out of the room. Maxwell stayed back and closed the door after they all left.
“You didn’t tell me you had physical intimacy with Alexander,” he said, looking at her accusingly. All the courage left her body and she sat at the edge of the bed and covered her face as tears stung her eyes.
“It just happened once. I didn’t realize I would end up being pregnant. I’m sorry to cause so much trouble. I’ll tell your family the truth and leave.” She wiped her eyes and got up, feeling guilty for taking advantage of their kindness. She didn’t deserve it.
Maxwell came to his senses and grabbed her hand, bringing her back to the bed and sitting down beside her.
“I didn’t mean it that way, Eva and I’m sorry. I’m too shocked for words. It happened so suddenly that I can’t understand how to deal with this.”
“I’m sorry for the sudden confusion. It’s best that I go away before they start our wedding preparations,” said Eva with a sigh, extracting her hand from his grip.
“No Eva. I don’t want you to go away. If Alexander doesn’t take responsibility, I will. I still want to marry you and be a good father to the baby growing inside you.”
“Why are you doing this, Maxwell? I don’t need your pity,” she whispered.
“I’m not pitying you. My life has no meaning now. The woman I love married someone else and it’s better to give my life a direction than contemplate ending it.” For the first time, Eva felt that he needed her more in his life than she did. This was a new side to Maxwell’s character that she wasn’t aware existed.
“I’m sorry, Maxwell. That means we’re two people who need each other,” she whispered but he smiled instead shaking his head.
“No, we’re three people needing each other. You forgot our baby.” Eva felt tears pool in her eyes and she reached out and hugged him. It was a friendly hug between two friends who needed one another.
“I’m blessed to have someone like you, Maxwell but I need to inform Alexander first. I’m sure he will be very happy to hear the news. Maybe he will break off with Beatrix,” she said, releasing him, her eyes twinkling with hope. Maxwell smiled and nodded, giving her the signal to go ahead.
“I hope your wishes come true, Eva. Good luck. I’m always there if he doesn’t want you,” he said, getting up to leave the room. After he left, Eva called up Alexander’s number but again some cop accepted the call.
“Sorry miss. This phone is now in the custody of the NYPD. Please call later.”
“Wait! Why is the phone with the NYPD? Is everything alright with Alexander?” she asked worriedly.
“I’m sure Mr. Van Every is fine. This phone is being tapped. So I wouldn’t be able to say much. Have a nice day!” Eva gaped at the phone as the officer disconnected it in a hurry. What was going on? Was Alexander in some sort of danger? Why was his phone being tapped? She called Alyssa but her phone was unreasonable. Where was Alyssa when she needed her the most?
She went out to have breakfast but the smell of food made her queasy.
“Have some soup and bread, Eva. Max will take you to the doctor on his way to work.”
“Why bother bro? I’m sure he will pick up a fight there with the receptionist, nurse, or doctor. I’ll take Eva to the doctor,” offered Katie.
“And me too,” said Kendall.
“And me three,” said Gabriella.
“And me, four,” said Claire, who was Maxwell’s youngest aunt, Gwen Clyborne’s sixteen-year-old daughter.
“No, thanks. Eva will go crazy tolerating the four of you. I’ll be accompanying her,” said Maxwell and all the girls teased him the whole time till he pulled Eva out with him to the garage.
“Have you talked to Alexander?” he asked impatiently.
“No, his phone is at the NYPD. It’s being tapped, so the officer asked me not to say much.”
“Oh, then?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll wait a couple of days and try again,” said Eva.
“You don’t have much time, Eva. My family has already started the wedding preparations,” said Maxwell with a sigh, making Eva’s eyes pop out with shock.
“Why don’t you tell them the truth?”
“I will, only if Alexander accepts his responsibility and marries you. Otherwise, this will remain a secret forever. There’s no point telling everyone the truth,” he reasoned.
They went to the hospital and waited for their turn with the doctor. Eva noted that Maxwell didn’t once show any urgency to go to work. He waited with her patiently till it was their turn to go inside. Afterwards, he dropped her off at his house and left for work.
Throughout the day, Eva tried to call Alyssa but the call didn’t go through. She called Sienna and found out that Alyssa was in Singapore. An article was published about Alyssa and Nicholas’s relationship and Alexander had gone over to Lucas’s house to fight with Lucas.
So it seemed Alexander was fine, after all! Only he didn’t need Eva in his life.