The Reveal

Ayana exclaimed, “Three months!” as she gazed at the ultrasound.

“Thirteen weeks to be precise,” I replied.

“So, how are you feeling?” She asked.

“I’m a mix of emotions—happy, confused, and reckless,” I replied.

“You’ve been tossing around them panties like the world is ending,” she teased.

I cut my eyes at her.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” she laughed.

I couldn’t help but laugh along with her because she was right. It was incredible. My body had betrayed me at every turn.

“What did Eric say?” She asked.

“He’s thrilled about having a son,” I said.

“I’m getting a nephew!” she exclaimed, barely containing her excitement.

I leaned back on my elbows and for a moment, I imagined a life with Eric. Our son running in the yard while Eric chased him, and I yelling at them to be careful, as I bake cookies or sip lemonade. It looked so beautiful and heartwarming.

….

*ERIC*

I knew Jamira had been throwing up. I had seen her do it twice before. She kept brushing it off as an upset stomach, so I didn’t think much of it. But when I found out she was carrying my child and it was a boy, I felt invincible. I couldn’t stop thinking about her appointment, and that made me smile.

I wasn’t sure if she was ready to tell anyone, but I couldn’t keep it to myself. I went to work after dropping Jamira off. I couldn’t focus on work, so I went to Walt’s office.

Once I got there, I was irritated. Dina was there, all in his face with the first three buttons undone and leaning a little too close for things to be professional.

I walked right in and moved Dina to the side.

“Dina, get out!” I shouted.

She pouted loudly and scurried out the door.

“What’s wrong with you, man? You can’t keep doing that.”

“It’s for the best. You can do so much better than Dina. Plus, I have some news.”

“What’s going on, brother?”

“I’m going to be a dad!”

“No way! She’s pregnant?”

“She’s pregnant!”

“Who’s pregnant?”

I hit the back of his head.

“Jamira, you idiot.”

“Ow,” he said, rubbing his head. “Congratulations.”

After that, I returned to my office and resumed working on the case I had been diligently pursuing. However, this progress was short-lived as I found myself preoccupied with the task of finding space for another person in my condo.

….

*JAMIRA*

I informed my boss that I would be arriving late. Since I had a bit of extra time before my expected arrival, I decided to visit the hospital. Considering that I was carrying someone else’s child, I felt compelled to address a few loose ends.

I had visited Chris a few times since he regained consciousness, and I was present when he began to speak again.

This particular visit, however, I knew was not going to be as pleasant as I wanted and the thought of it weighed heavily on my shoulders. With each step, my stomach tightened, and my heart rate surged so rapidly that I feared it might burst out of my chest.

By the time I reached his room, I felt as though I was sinking into quicksand, surrounded by an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

I was unable to breathe. I was deeply engrossed in this situation and knew that I had to proceed before I backed out. Without a moment’s hesitation, I entered his room.

As I stepped inside, Chris’s face lit up with a smile. It was always a relief to see him smile again, after being so stoic and angry for so long.

“Mira! I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“Yeah, I had some extra time, so I decided to stop by for a few minutes.”

“You’re glowing. What you got going on?”

“Oh, nothing special. How are you feeling, Chris?”

“Some days, I feel like an eight, while other days, I’m around a three,” he replied, pointing to the plastic bag hanging up beside him.

“So, when did they say you’d be discharged?”

“They mentioned that if I continue progressing at this pace, I can go home in three weeks.”

“That’s good news.”

I reached for his hand and gently placed it in mine, knowing that I needed to guide him through this difficult conversation with utmost care.

“What’s wrong? You look troubled.”

“Look, Chris, there’s no easy way to say this, but I believe it’s best if we part ways.”

That smile he wore when I entered had transformed into a frown that wasn’t entirely sad. I couldn’t quite pinpoint the emotion. It wasn’t all sadness or anger; it was almost as if he had been offended. He jerked his hand back as if my touch had suddenly burned him.

“What the hell, Mira! Why? You couldn’t wait until I got out of the hospital? Do you want to do this now?”

“Chris, calm down. It’s not good for your health.”

“Neither is you strutting in here and telling me it’s over just like that! No warning whatsoever!”

“Chris, please. Try to understand.”

“You want me to understand you leaving me on my sickbed after three years?”

“Yes, Chris, because this isn’t going to work.”

“Let me guess, that guy?”

“What… no. Honestly, I find your obsession with him alarming.”

“So, what’s the reason?”

Suddenly, I felt a lump in my throat and couldn’t find the words. I swallowed hard and forced them out.

“I’m… pregnant.”

That made his eyes darken with what I understood as rage. It was raw and unforgiving. I had never seen him this angry. I knew if I wanted to avoid the wrath that was to follow, I had to leave. Now. So without hesitation, I got up and left without a trace or second thought in mind. This wasn’t over.