Charter three

It’s been some weeks since Phoebe got separated from Trevor, but somehow, she still felt that he would come back to his senses. Even when her bank alert beeped with the sum of thirty thousand dollars, even when she got a mail with him reminding her to vacate the apartment, she still had hope that he would come back to her.

It was a Saturday and as her lazy day, Phoebe laid back on the bed in her new apartment, staring at the fancy bulb on the ceiling. There were a lot of chores waiting for her as she was sure the kitchen would be a mess after her late cooking the previous night, but she didn't have the strength to get up from the bed. Her phone flashed on with a beep as a message entered, but she didn't bother to pick up the phone which was lying on the nightstand by her bedside as she knew exactly who it was. A crazy colleague at her workplace who couldn't read the lines to know that she wasn't and wouldn't ever be interested in what he was proposing. He'd taken it upon himself to write her five-minute epistles every morning since she got her job and it annoyed her to no end.

Phoebe stirred on the bed again, as she pictured herself in the kitchen doing the chores but her body refused to comply as it lay lifeless on the bed.

But then, she felt a sudden need to puke that made her jump out of the mattress and into the bathroom.

Raising her head from the toilet seat, Phoebe watched her vomit float above the toilet water, before flushing it down. She proceeded to rinse her mouth when she caught her reflection in the mirror.

“Please don't fall sick,” she whispered to herself as she stared at the pale image of herself in the mirror. That was how her mornings have been since the last three days and she knew it had everything to do with her draining job. She'd just started working at a newly established company as an accountant as she'd spent most of her money on securing a house and was the one financing her bills now, unlike when Trevor paid for everything.

Phoebe proceeded to brush her teeth before stepping out of the bathroom. Her phone beeped again and hissing loudly, she picked it up from the nightstand. But it wasn't the message that got her blood rising, but the date.

3rd August 2023.

No, it can't be, right?” she asked no one in particular as she quickly got dressed into the flare gown she saw nearby before rushing out of the house. Her period was a week late and for someone who'd never missed her period before, coupled with her sudden illness, it only meant one thing, one thing that she wasn't ready to accept.

She was soon back at her house with five pregnancy tests she'd gotten from a nearby pharmacy. Closing her eyes, she prayed for it to come out negative before urinating on all five. She paced back and forth, waiting for the tests to be ready and when it was, it had her heart falling into her stomach.

Four of the five test sticks showed up positive.

“How is it possible? It was just one…..” The rest of her words clung to her throat as she rushed to the bathroom again and crouched down on the toilet seat, emptying her bowels.

Who was she kidding? As much as she wanted to brush it off as malaria, she couldn't. There was no way four tests could be all wrong.

Phoebe’s head felt dizzy and she held onto her dresser for support. With her phone still in hand, and not knowing what else to do, she dialed the number she'd been avoiding.

Her heart thumped erratically in her chest, with her breath coming out in shallow pants as she held the phone to her ear. It rang for some time with no response before it was forwarded to voicemail. Releasing the air she'd been holding, she dialed again.

“What is it?” his voice sailed through the speakers of her phone. It was different from the voice he addressed her with, as the cold undertone couldn't be mistaken.

Phoebe swallowed saliva as she thought of how best to relate the message to him but her brain seemed to have gone to a vacation as it was blank.

“Look, I have a lot on my table right now. And yes, I forgot to add, you are not allowed to call me....”

“I have something to tell you, can we see? Phoebe interrupted him as she sensed that he might end the call.

“No, we cannot. If it's that important then say it here.”

She took in another breath and on the exhale, voiced her anxiety.

“I'm pregnant, Trevor.”

An uncomfortable silence ensued between the both of them and those few seconds were like years for her. Just as she was still wondering what was going through his mind, he broke into a humorless laughter. Phoebe’s eyebrows knitted in confusion as she listened to his chuckle which ended abruptly.

“Aren’t you tired, baby girl? First, it was a love format, and now you want to pin me down with pregnancy?”

“I remember reminding you to take the pills each time we made a mistake so if you are truly pregnant like you claim, that's your problem and not mine.”

Phoebe wanted to say something but he wasn't done as his voice interrupted her.

“Or are you that dumb to think that carrying that thing would gain you access to the Maddox family? Pathetic.”

A tear involuntarily escaped from her eyes as his words felt like sharp arrows piercing her heart. She wouldn't say she was entirely surprised but it was still hard for her to fit him into that jerky personality. She took another deep breath to steady her voice and not show she was crying.

“Exactly the reaction I had expected. If it would put your mind at ease, it was just a scare. I only wanted to know what you would have done if it were true and I think I've gotten my answer.” she mumbled, trying to sound normal as opposed to the way her insides felt like everything was crumbling down to ruins.

“Good thing for you.” That was the only thing he said before ending the call.

And as soon as the call ended, came the tears she’d been holding, pouring out in torrents