Chapter 3

Olivia’s POV

“Oli, hey get up already.” I heard a voice say to me.

Still dazed with sleep, I shrugged it off and turned to the other side of my bed.

“Oli!”

The voice yelled my name, shaking me as gently as possible.

For a minute I thought I was back at the hotel. Till I took a slight peek, and discovered i was in my bedroom.

“What is it?” I asked, turning over to stare at the person.

It was sally, my friend.

Her purple lipstick painted her lips, matching her eyes. While her long blonde hair flowed around her neck.

“What?” I asked, brushing sleep from my eyes. “And how did you get in?”

She shakes her head profusely, holding out a key in her hand. “I have a spare key, remember?”

“Oh.”

“Mm-hmm.” She says, dangling the key.

For some reason unknown to me, my head hurt like hell, and I felt so weak and tender.

Slowly I rose to sit on the bed, staring at my friend sheepishly.

Sally stares at me like she’s about to storm me.

“You’ve been avoiding me for weeks and I haven’t even seen you at work.”

I sighed.

Sally shakes her head, her expression softens. “Look,” she said, taking in a deep breath. “I know what happened hurt you. But I’m not her and you know me.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

She looks at me with hurt eyes. “Oli, I’m sorry about everything. I truly am.”

Her words struck a nerve in me, I had a sudden flash of everything again.

It had been three weeks and four days already. But it all still felt like yesterday.

“Yes, yes. I know it’s no one’s fault. But who needs me at the hospital?”

I felt my friend’s palm on the back of my hand, she gave me a gentle squeeze and stared at me intensely.

“Oli, I’m here for you. Always, you know that.”

Oh yes I do. But Cynthia already betrayed and slept with my boyfriend, I couldn’t be more cautious.

As if reading my thoughts, she moved closer and pulled me in for a hug.

“It’s all going to be okay.” She said, rubbing my back gently.

I hope so.

When we broke off from the hug, I beamed her a smile even tho I wasn’t feeling all too good.

“Oli. You’ve not been to work since. The management is getting a bit furious.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The first two weeks you said you weren’t feeling well and needed some rest. But you never said anything again.”

“Why should I?”

“Oli! That’s not how things work. You can’t hide yourself in here forever.” She said, placing a palm on my head.

“What if I want to? What if I don’t want to be around people anymore?”

She chuckles, beaming a smile as she assesses me. “Oh my god, Oli are you okay? I think you have a fever.”

I pulled my head away from her and got off the bed. Creating distance between us.

The room tilted before I even realised it was happening.

One second I was standing, the next the whole world slanted hard to the left like someone had yanked the floor out from under me.

My stomach churned up and my eyes spinned back.

What’s happening?

My breath stuck somewhere between my ribs and my throat.

Don’t fall. Don’t you dare fall right now.

My knees buckled anyway, I fell to the side.

Sally screamed. Darting off the bed and rushing towards me.

I caught myself halfway down, one palm slapping the floor.

My friend rushed over just in time and pulled me up.

“Oli. Are you okay?” She asked with concern.

I wasn’t.

Still dazed, I forced air in through my nose. And out through my mouth, calming myself.

My legs still trembling like I’d ran a marathon.

And then it hit.

A sudden unmistakable roll deep in my gut, sharp and urgent. Not nausea anymore. This was the real thing.

My mouth flooded with saliva, the kind that comes right before….

Oh god no.

I clapped a hand over my lips and bolted for the bathroom. Pushed the door furiously open and rushed over to the sink.

The door banged against the wall behind me.

My hands held each side of the sink as I opened my mouth wide for what ever to escape.

It came fast and brutal.

My eyes watered, and my hair fell in my face.

When it finally stopped, I pushed my hair back. Tucking it in place before standing to stare at my reflection on the mirror.

Sally stopped the door from banging behind me. “Oli, are you pregnant?”

I didn’t move, didn’t utter a word. But my eyes stood wide with shock.

She walks to me and placed her hand gently on my back. Rubbing it.

“Oli.”

I snort my nose.

“Are you pregnant?” She asked again. Only this time she drawled.

Tears came tricking down my face immediately. I brushed my palm against my eyes, and wiped my face. Forcing myself away from Sally, and went back into my bedroom to search my med kit.

Within seconds of searching, I found a pregnancy test kit. And took it into the bathroom.

Sally waited behind in my bedroom while I ran the test.

The bathroom tile chilled my feet. I stared at the stick on the sink edge, the past two minutes felt like eternity.

I washed my hands again, and forced myself to look.

Two lines.

Clear. Dark. Done.

My knees buckled. I gripped the sink, breath catching.

“Oh.” I muttered.

I pressed a palm to my flat stomach. Nothing felt different. Yet everything had.

I was pregnant. The test said so and I felt so too. Nothing else mattered right now.

Tears streaked down my eyes uncontrollably, the test still in my hand.

A small laugh escaped my mouth. Then a sob.

Two lines?

Not ready.

I’m terrified.

When I didn’t come out the bathroom for a while. My friend came in for me, she finds the test stick in my hand.

Sally pulls me in quickly. “It’s okay. I’m here for you.” She says.

I sobbed uncontrollably on her chest.

Everything temporary just turned forever.

And I was going to have to tell the tiny heartbeat I couldn’t yet hear that I was its mom.