Chapter 4 – Cruise from hell.

“You are pregnant? Oh my god you are pregnant.”

I was now on my knees crying, after so many years, four years of them trying, four years of me calling my friend to talk her out of her harmful thoughts.

“Please don’t cry, you are making me cry as well.” Clover says in tears herself.

“I am so happy, oh my god congratulations,” I say hugging her, “Oh, hugging you is safe right we will not hurt our baby?”

“Of course, it is I really need a hug right now.” Clover says.

We cried together in happiness on the couch, Gian blessed his soul cooked for us since our eyes were too swollen to see and we were tired from all the crying. Since it was late for me to leave, I stayed in the guest room that night.

The next morning my mom, (Clover) woke me up after getting my bath ready. And all I had to do was bathe and get dressed as she had already ironed all my work clothes.

“Good morning.” I say going downstair for breakfast.

“Good morning, I see our little girl is ready for school.” Gian jokes, well Clover had always been the responsible motherlike friend that Gian would joke about me being their first child, yeah redundant joke as Gian was only like 35 years old and Clover 30 years, which makes them 9 and 4 years older, respectively.

“Where is Clover?”

“She went back to bed, thank you for last night, I felt like she needed you more than she needed me” Gian says sadly.

“Oh, you don’t have to thank me, I really am happy to see her this happy again,” I say, “we just need to get her the best stay at home nurse to take care of her.”

“Yeah... this is our first pregnancy we need to be careful.” Gian says proudly, I had met Clover during her worst time, her first painful divorce and when she came to my work after I forgot my lunch, she met her soulmate who saved her.

“By the way, Mr. Duncan told me about the offer, can you wait until next month before submitting the resignation letter?”

“Resignation letter? Sir what is this about?”

“The offer to be part of the financial advisors at Duncan Incorp, he hadn’t asked you yet?”

“Um... I rejected the offer sir.”

Gian widened his eyes in shock, yes, my loyalty did tend to keep me stagnated at one position, like how I refused to move out of my apartment because the owner is very close to me. Gian sighed before continuing.

“Can you please let him know that you will think about it? I know you like your job here, but you need to progress with your life, and this is a big opportunity, at least think about it for a while.”

“He already told me he will be in touch so I can always contact him if I change my mind.”

I say to him, and he smiled softly finishing his coffee, “good, besides I only gave him a go ahead as long as you are happy, and you will always come back to Easton Tech.”

The project had gone on without a hitch, after he had seen me lead the project well in his absence Gian had given me the full control to continue with it. Aside from Carl’s snide remarks, everyone had let me lead well.

“The first prototype was a successful, and we had the safety clearance on our first ever smart ship.” It has been a 3month since we started the project and 1 year since the first prototype was made, I got a raise since I oversaw a successful project.

“That is amazing Miss, Lennon, I have been a pleasure working with you.” Heath says, he had grown on me a little, he was not such a bad person after all, I no longer wonder why Carl is in love with him.

“We should have a celebration now.” Carl says loudly, typical of him to celebrate every milestone.

“That is a good idea, celebratory dinner?” Gian interjected; he had been supervising the meeting.

“Maybe a club would be nice, there is this strip club boss man took me to four months ago, it is the best say.” Carl says boatful.

Three months ago, like three months ago we were still together. The night you said you went to a business meeting and stayed with a friend. Ugh, I wanted to punch him in the face for that statement.

After so much conversation we settled in a restaurant, where more of the team was also invited.

“See how godly I am after leaving you?” Carl boasted he had followed me outside after I went to answer my phone.

“Godly?” I asked confused.

“Did you see the number of girls that were all over me?” the female colleagues sure were near him, not all over him, all they wanted was access of Heath who was living his best life with the attention.

“Oh... how great of you oh powerful God.” I sarcastically say, “I trust those women who find you goldy are not after Mr. Duncan, you know we wouldn’t want the powerful God to be used.”

“Stay bitter, you will be an old bitter celibate woman forever since no man would like a bitter woman.”

“You know, I believe those bruises I gave you a month ago are not enough, I should have broken that ugly jaw.” I say making him flinch before tripping and falling.

I could not help but burst out laughing at him, it was funny how he speaks so boldly but is afraid of me at the same time.

“I wonder who you are going to say did that to you to protect your pride.”  I say before leaving him on the ground, but I halt at the door when I meet Heath who seemed to be eavesdropping, ugh, seem I have start trouble.

But to my surprise he was laughing, like tears on his eyes, holding onto his painful ribs laughing. I ignored him and went straight to the table he is probably laughing at Carl’s situation, I hoped.

After that night I had not seen either of the two in a while, well it was a good thing not to, my mental health was protected, or so I thought.

“So, you are going on a vacation and plan go on a cruise from Mauritius to Madagascar.” I asked Clover again.

“Yes.” She says proudly, I had first whip out my phone to search if a pregnant woman can travel through ship.

“How far along are you?” I ask.

“I am 10 weeks in Fee, come on you will be there too, and we have a nurse coming too.”  Clover reassures me, I was skeptical, but she seemed to be really invested in this.

I should not have taken that leave from work, I should not have agreed to accompany this love birds to that vacation, I should not have even bought Selby who is busy laughing right with me.

“Ah… Miss Lennon how have you been these past weeks” Heath Theodore Duncan stand two feet away from me on this cruise ship along with the jerk Carl.

“Mr. Duncan, I didn’t know you were coming.” I say holding my breath, anger, and scream.

“Mr. Easton was so kind as to invite me,” he smirks at me.

“Hey guys sorry we are late,” Clover chimes before widening her eyes when she sees Heath, “I can explain.” She mouths to me.

“Well since we are all here, we may go now, this is going to be a fun 15 days don’t you think.” Carl chimes happily.

“15 days?” I asked angrily, 15 days with these two, Carl smirks at me since he saw I was uncomfortable with this arrangement.