“P-pregnant?” Aurelia gaped, her jaw scraping the floor.
Ezekiel nodded solemnly, shifting on the hospital bed so he could take her hand. “The doctor said you’re two months gone.”
Aurelia looked down at her stomach, unable to believe a baby was growing inside her. Her baby. Luke’s baby.
Her vision blurred, and she felt like she was floating outside her body. She heard Ezekiel’s concerned voice, but it sounded distant, muffled. The hospital room spun around her, a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds.
Luke’s baby.
The words echoed in her mind, refusing to sink in.
“This…” she suddenly felt dizzy again. “This can’t be real.”
She must be dreaming. It can’t be possible.
Because she can’t……she can’t get pregnant.
A few years back, Aurelia had discovered she couldn’t conceive during a mandatory check-up for college. Her ovarian reserve was low, so there was a 0. 9% percent chance her eggs would fertilize to bear a child.
It didn’t mean much to her then, because she was devoted to her studies. And once she became a designer, Aurelia had long since accepted the fact, shifting her devotion to her job.
But now… now she was pregnant.
Aurelia’s hand instinctively went to her stomach, as if to protect the tiny life growing inside her. She felt a surge of emotions: shock, fear, excitement, and joy.
But the most prominent feeling was dread.
How was she going to tell Luke?
Ezekiel’s grip on her hand tightened. “Aurelia, breathe. You’re going to pass out again.”
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. The room slowly came back into focus, and she looked up at Ezekiel, her eyes pleading.
“Please,” she whispered. “Please don’t tell Luke. I want to tell him myself.”
Ezekiel’s expression was somber.
The news made his blood run cold, and he was putting a good show of remaining calm. But hearing her call his name pulled at his strings of patience.
He was glad his mask hid the scowl on his face.
“You need to get some rest.” He moved to stand up, pretending not to hear her statement. “I’ll go get you a bottle of water-”
“Ezekiel.” Aurelia caught his arm, her eyes glistening with tears. “Please…promise me you won’t tell him.”
Ezekiel’s jaw clenched, and a foreign emotion flashed in gaze, but it left as soon as it came.
He patted her head lovingly, ruffling her hair.
“I promise.” Ezekiel leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Now get some rest. Don’t worry about the bills, I’ll be back soon.
Ezekiel had no intention to tell Luke. They were not that close. But the main reason was because he feared this new development might cause them to reunite.
And that. Was the last thing he wanted.
Once she was alone, Aurelia’s mind reeled as she processed the news. She was going to be a mother. The mother of Luke’s child.
Tears streamed down her face as she felt a sense of hope and purpose she hadn’t felt in years.
Ezekiel convinced her to stay for more checkups, and she didn’t have the strength to refuse.
“Ahhh.” He held a spoon of soup out for her and Aurelia giggled softly.
He had fully taken the role of the nurse, going the extra mile to feed her. She appreciated his efforts, but it was just too much, especially for a man of his caliber.
“I’m just pregnant, my arms aren’t broken you know.” She tried to take the spoon from him but he evaded her. “Come on.”
“I’m not listening to you, the doctor said you should avoid any strenuous activity,” Ezekiel stated, blowing off the steam from her meal. “Now say aahhh.”
Aurelia hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. Ezekiel’s face was covered with his signature face mask, but she could see the cheeky smile underneath. It was evident in the way his eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Fine.” Aurelia threw her hands in the air and opened her mouth, but instead of the spoon, Ezekiel pulled down his mask and kissed her. Aurelia’s eyes widened, while he pulled back with a contented smile. The kiss lasted only for a minute.
He couldn’t help that she looked so cute. A few nurses squealed as they passed their room, exchanging hush whispers.
“Oh my that man is so romantic.”
“The girlfriend is really lucky.”
“He’s so tall, but always wears a mask and cap, maybe he’s a celebrity.”
“If that’s true then she’s the luckiest woman in the world.”
Ezekiel pulled his mask up, his laughter filling the air at her the blush on her cheeks.
Aurelia cleared her throat, looking off to the side. “You should do things like that.”
“Hmm?” he caught his breath, propping his elbows on the table. “Why not?”
“Because…” Aurelia sighed. “We’re not together, people might get the wrong idea.”
Ezekiel nodded, resting his head on his palm. “I already told them you were my girlfriend so they won’t–”
“Not that.” Aurelia pitched him, facing him with a serious expression. “I’m pregnant Ezekiel, with Luke’s child.”
Ezekiel nonchalantly looked up at the ceiling; “I’m well aware of that.”
“So…” Aurelia couldn’t find the right words, so he decided to say it for her.
“So you’re telling me to give up on you?” he returned his gaze to her, his fingers tapping a random beat on the table. “Is that it?”
Aurelia fell silent for a moment, bracing herself.
“You know we can’t be together.”
“Says who?” Ezekiel countered.
Aurelia shook her head. “The situation is just too complicated, or are you willing to take responsibility for a child that’s not yours?”
“Yes,” Ezekiel answered firmly, straightening up. His reply takes Aurelia by surprise. She searched his eyes for any hint of playfulness but he was dead serious.
“You can’t be serious?” there was no way he would do it.
“Well, I am.” Ezekiel reached to caress her cheek, sighing at the softness of her skin. But when Aurelia turned away, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest.
“Aurelia.” He dropped his hands. “I can take care of you and your child. Luke doesn’t have to know a thing. We can travel…”
Aurelia shook her head, but Ezekiel desperately grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest.
“Please Aurelia, say yes to me, to my proposal, I can give you and your child everything and more.”
Ezekiel didn’t mind that he sounded desperate, he would get on his knees and beg if he had to, but he didn’t want to make her any more uncomfortable.
Aurelia was conflicted, torn between the choices before her. Now she couldn’t think for herself alone, but for her child as well. She had considered being his designer, but her pregnancy would give way to scandals, and she didn’t want that for her child or her career.
“I’m sorry Ezekiel.” Aurelia pulled away from his grasp. “I can’t burden you with that. I have to tell Luke the truth, he wouldn’t abandon his child. I don’t care what happens to me.”
Ezekiel bit his bottom lip so hard it bled. The rejection dawned on him, hurting more than he could ever imagine.
“And what if Luke abandons you?” He asked her, his tone flat.
“What will you do?”
Aurelia didn’t want to imagine that. She combed her hair back, turning to the window. The sun had just begun to set, staining the blue sky with hues of pink and orange.
“He won’t.” She didn’t know why, but she was sure Luke wouldn’t turn her away. The man was many things, petty, arrogant, egotistical, but he wasn’t irresponsible.
He wouldn’t abandon his own child.
Ezekiel sighed, deciding to let it be. “Alright. I’ll respect your decision.”
Aurelia offers him a grateful smile. “Thank you. You’ve been a wonderful friend.”
Ezekiel flicked her forehead. “Don’t refer to me in past tense, I’m still your friend dummy.”
Aurelia laughed, the sweet sound tickling his aching heart.
****
The following day, Aurelia was finally discharged from the hospital. She felt a mix of relief and anxiety as she waited for Ezekiel to pick her up, just as he had promised.
But as the hours ticked by, Aurelia grew restless. She checked her phone for what felt like the hundredth time, but there were no messages or calls from Ezekiel.
“Where is he?” Aurelia wondered, feeling a pang of worry.
As the evening drew near, Aurelia decided to take matters into her own hands. She sent Ezekiel a text: “Hey, I’m being discharged. Since you’re not here, I’ll just head home myself. Thank you for taking care of the bills, I’ll make it up to you.”
With that, Aurelia hailed a cab and slid into the back seat, wanting nothing more than to return home. She’d never liked the smell of hospitals. As the driver pulled away from the curb, Aurelia noticed a strange man sitting in the corner of the back seat. She felt a shiver run down her spine as he turned to face her.
Before she could react, the man lunged at her, holding a cloth filled with a sweet-smelling liquid. Aurelia tried to push him away, but it was too late. The cloth covered her nose and mouth, and she felt herself being pulled into darkness.
Aurelia’s world went black as the chloroform took hold. She was unaware of the cab driving away from the hospital, unaware of the stranger’s sinister intentions, and unaware of the unfamiliar place where she would eventually awaken.
As the darkness closed in around her, Aurelia’s last thought of her baby, and of the man she longed to see again.