Room 067

Jolene’s POV

“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

The glass of water slipped from my hand. It shattered on impact, sending shards of glass skittering across the floor. The cold water flowed down, pricking beneath the sole of my feet.

I stood there in shock as if I had lost all form of mobility.

In front of me was Celine, she was visibly livid. Her gaze pierced through me like a dagger. On her hand, was a white envelope that was slightly opened. It had a Red Cross stamp on it.

Pregnant?

How did she know I was pregnant? How the hell was I even pregnant? It was just a one time thing. Did the hospital send in my pregnancy test result via mail this morning?

My heart pounded rapidly as panic kicked in, I could feel the adrenaline rush.

I wasn’t worried about figuring out who was responsible. I knew who. He was the only man I’d ever slept with for over a year now.

Darius Blackwood.

But how was I supposed to tell a client I was carrying his child? Madam Vero would kill me. She had always warned us to never have sex without protection.

That night. Darius demanded we did it without protection. I couldn’t refuse him.

I should have refused.

Instead, I convinced myself it was what I wanted too.

My heart sank to my chest. I felt a cold sweat roll down my back.

“You’re getting rid of this,” Celine said, her voice trembling despite her anger. “I’m not going to watch your life end the way mine did.” My heart stopped.

She wanted me to kill my baby?

I instinctively wrapped my arms around my stomach.

The thought alone made my stomach churn. I could never do that. I’ve heard terrible stories of people who lost their lives through abortion and I didn’t plan to be one of those statistics.

“Why did you go through my stuff?” I asked.

That was the only response I could think of.

Celine was visibly taken aback by my question. “Not today Jolene. Not today. You have some explanations to do.”

“I’ve told you countless times. Never go through the mail assigned to me.” I queried.

I felt a sharp pain beneath my feet. I must have stepped on broken glass. I squinted.

“I’ve been through this before and I’m not doing it again.” Celine yelled.

“You don’t get to say that to me.”

“Why? Of course I’m in the right position to tell you that. I’m your mother.”

“Don’t play that card with me.”

“You don’t know what I went through raising you all by myself. That thing in you, it would ruin your life and take away your dreams from you”

“Dreams?” I scoffed.

Since when did my mother care about my dreams? She never acknowledged my existence but all of a sudden I have dreams now?

“You are not raising any child under my roof.” Celine yelled. She threw the envelope toward me.

“Your roof? I pay the rent for Christ’s sake. We are over $2,100 short. What have you done about it? Nothing!” I yelled.

There was a time when I didn’t think my mother was a deadbeat. The moment I started to earn I took charge of everything with the hopes of becoming good enough.

Still, I was never enough.

Celine hesitated for a minute. “I said what I said. You’re not raising that child under my roof. It’s either that child leaves or you leave.”

“You know what? You’re right. I’ve had enough of your bullshit. I’ve been trying to prove myself to you, right now, I don’t even know who you are anymore.” I crashed out.

The shock on my mother’s face was visible. She hadn’t expected me to talk back to her that way.

“Since you’re tired of my bullshit, why don’t you move out? You’re free to go. Your sister did it I’m sure you can too, moreover, You and your sister are cut from the same rotten cloth.” Celine added.

I stood there in awful bewilderment.

I walked out on her.

It wasn’t worth it. I knew the path this would take and I’m not open to such conversations.

I had an appointment with Darius.

I found my way to the hotel where Darius was waiting for me.

Today was different, the towering building that stood before me, although familiar, felt somehow strange today. I could recall all the escapades I had within the rooms of this hotel.

I steadied my breath as I walked towards the hotel.

Room 067.

Different from the last one. He always made sure we never used a room twice. There was something ominous about it but I brushed that feeling aside. Wealthy people think differently.

I made my way to the room.

“You’re late.” His voice cold and indifferent echoed within the walls of the room.

I cussed my mother underneath my breath. If not for that silly argument.

I didn’t say anything.

I slowly undressed myself as I walked towards him. My eyes were locked with his. He didn’t break it. Darius wasn’t the kind of man to break eye contact.

I reached for his neck. Slowly grabbed the tie that sat on his broad shoulder. Our lips locked.

A tingling sensation ravaged my body.

Darius’s hands settled on my waist, his fingers pressed gently into my curves.

I closed my eyes.

“Stop, stop.” Darius commanded.

I was taken aback.

Stop? That was one of the words I’d never heard Darius say during moments like this.

“Today feels off.” He said.

He pushed me gently on the side of the bed. He got up, stood by the window.

Why was he acting this way?

He didn’t look back at me, not even once.

“I’m pregnant.”

The room fell deathly silent. Even the hum of the air conditioner sounded deafening.

Darius didn’t even flinch. He remained by the window, his back still turned to me. Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes.

I held my breath as I waited for his possible reaction.