Evelyn
Two days had passed since the excitement of Jacob’s proposal, but something else had been gnawing at me like a relentless leech. One nagging, soul-crushing question: Was I even on the pill?
The fact that I couldn’t remember was maddening. It felt like trying to grasp smoke. I needed to know-desperately. And worse, there was no one I could ask. Who else would know about my pregnancy precautions? That was my responsibility. Solely mine. And I had failed. Miserably.
I bit the inside of my cheek, shutting my eyes tightly, trying to will the memory back. Nothing. Just a hazy void where clarity should have been.
The only person who might help? Nancy.
Jacob was still in the shower, so I had time to call her. My fingers fumbled over my phone as I pulled up her contact and hit FaceTime.
The call rang. And rang. Anxiety surged like a tidal wave, crashing harder with each unanswered ring.
“Pick up, you stupid bitch,” I muttered under my breath, pacing the room. “Come on, I need you! Pick the damn phone!”
Finally, as if the gods decided to take pity on me, Nancy answered. The screen flickered to life, revealing her sprawled across a bed, her hair tousled and a barely awake man lying beside her. I didn’t recognize him, but given her track record, I didn’t expect to.
She adjusted her satin nightie and gave me her signature smirk. “Hey, bitch. What’s up?”
“Nancy,” I blurted, barely able to contain myself. “I think I screwed up. Big time.”
Her brows furrowed as she sat up slightly, though her smirk didn’t falter. “Don’t tell me you’re already getting cold feet. Seriously, Evie, it’s been like three days! Too early for a meltdown.”
“No!” I snapped. “That’s not it. I want to marry Jacob. There’s no doubt in my mind about that.”
“Then what? Spill.” Her voice softened, but the confusion lingered.
I swallowed hard, avoiding her gaze. “I… I forgot when I last took my pills.”
The line went silent for a beat. I braced myself for one of her classic are-you-serious-right-now looks. Instead, she blinked, processing. Then, finally:
“That’s no biggie,” she said with a dismissive wave. “It’s all about your period. You didn’t miss it, right? No way you’re pregnant if-”
Her words trailed off as my face betrayed me.
Period.
Fuck.
Two months. Maybe more. Exactly when had I last had it?
“Evelyn…” Her voice dropped, her playful tone replaced by something serious. “No. Tell me you’re not about to say what I think you’re about to say.”
I ran a shaky hand through my hair, my breath hitching. “I know I sound like a complete idiot right now, but between everything in America and the chaos of coming here… I didn’t even notice I’d missed it. Not until now.”
Nancy let out a strangled groan and leapt out of bed, startling her bedmate, who groggily muttered something before rolling over. She didn’t care. Her frustration radiated through the screen.
“God, Evelyn! I can’t believe this!” She paced, hands tugging at her hair. “How do you just-” She stopped mid-rant, pressing a hand to her forehead. “Okay. Okay. First things first: Are you sure? Sure-sure? Or are we panicking for no reason?”
I inhaled deeply, feeling the weight of her words crash down on me. “I don’t know,” I whispered. “I don’t know anything right now.”
“How many months?” Nancy’s voice was sharp, breaking the tense silence.
“Two,” I whispered, my throat dry. “Two months, probably. Maybe more.”
Her eyes narrowed, scanning my face with a mix of disbelief and concern. “You’re not even sure,” she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Okay, let’s take a breath. Calm down first.” She inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly as if hoping I’d mirror her composure. “Have you had any symptoms? Nausea? Dizziness? Changes in appetite?”
The tension coiled tighter in my chest as her words hit home. My pulse raced. “All of them,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nancy’s eyes widened, her calm veneer cracking. “God damn it, bitch! What have you been waiting for? Why haven’t you taken a test?” Her frustration exploded, as loud and sharp as a thunderclap.
“I know I’ve been stupid,” I said quickly, my words tumbling over each other. “I thought it was just fatigue, you know? I kept brushing it off. But yesterday, it finally hit me-this could mean something else.”
“Something that neither you nor Jacob is remotely ready for,” she shot back, her tone unwavering.
“Exactly,” I breathed, dread curling its cold fingers around me. It felt like a thousand tiny spiders crawling under my skin, and the suffocating weight of uncertainty settled in my chest. “I screwed up, Nancy. I don’t know what to do. It’s… terrifying.”
Nancy’s features softened as she met my gaze. “Hey, don’t panic. There’s no point in panicking until you know for sure. Start with a pregnancy test, okay? Just take the first step. Then call me with the results. It might not be what you’re thinking.”
“And if it is?” I asked, my voice trembling. My hand drifted to my stomach, fingers curling around the soft fabric of my dress.
“Then we’ll figure it out,” she said, hesitating slightly before adding, “There are… options. You know that, right? So don’t stress yourself out.”
The word options struck me like a physical blow, the weight of it settling heavily in my gut. That wasn’t a path I could even begin to consider. No matter how unprepared I felt, the thought of taking that option made my stomach churn.
“Evelyn?” Her voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.
“Yeah?”
“I was asking-when are you planning to tell Jacob?”
I swallowed hard, my hand still resting on my abdomen. “Let me take the test first. Then… I’ll figure it out. I don’t think he’ll take it lightly-”
The sound of the bathroom door opening cut my words short. My heart leapt into my throat as Jacob stepped out, toweling his damp hair.
I hurriedly ended the call, shooting Nancy a quick text: I’ll let you know once I take the test.
Her reply buzzed almost instantly: You’d better. Don’t leave me hanging.
Jacob dropped the towel on the floor, his usual careless habit. Normally, I’d groan and tell him to throw it in the basket. Today, I couldn’t muster the energy.
“Who were you talking to?” he asked, his tone casual as he stood by the bed.
“Nancy,” I lied, forcing a nervous laugh. “She was just checking on me after the proposal.”
“Hmm.” His lips curved into a small smile as he leaned down, brushing a soft kiss against mine. The tenderness of his touch sent a flicker of warmth through me, momentarily quieting the storm in my mind. “Come on, get ready. Let’s grab some lunch.”
“Okay,” I murmured, rising to my feet.
As he turned to grab his shoes, my gaze lingered on him, a knot of guilt twisting tighter in my chest. How am I supposed to tell him if the answer is yes?
***
The next day, while Jacob was at the office, I finally worked up the nerve to take the tests. Not one, but two-just to be absolutely sure.
Time seemed to crawl as I waited. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst through my chest. Cold sweat slicked my palms and clung to my skin, an icy reminder of the storm brewing inside me.
Early pregnancy-it had wrecked my parents. They’d fallen apart before I was even old enough to understand. A small, insidious part of me had always wondered if I was the reason. Was it my existence that fractured them, or had their love already been a house of cards, destined to collapse?
And now, here I was. On the brink of the same reality.
What if the test was positive? What would Jacob think? How would he react?
He’d just proposed to me, barely a week ago. He was so full of plans-bookings, venues, everything meticulously arranged. He’d been keeping the wedding date a secret to surprise me.
But this news… It would change everything.
My gaze flicked to the clock, the seconds stretching unbearably. The waiting was over.
I could check now.
I shot up from the bed and practically ran to the bathroom, my hands trembling as I picked up the tests. My breath hitched, and I held it as I turned them over.
Two lines.
On both tests.
I stumbled back, my legs threatening to give way beneath me, but I gripped the basin counter to steady myself. My chest heaved as I emitted a shaky breath, staring at the undeniable truth in my hands.
Positive.
I blinked, shaking the tests as if the motion might somehow erase the lines. But the result didn’t waver.
The room seemed to shrink around me, the walls pressing closer with each heartbeat.
Disbelief gripped me first. Then a crushing wave of anxiety. My heart thundered as a deluge of emotions followed in rapid succession-dismay, helplessness, and finally, raw, unrelenting fear.
The last thing I expected had just happened.
I was pregnant.