All Chapters of What We Kept In The Dark: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

I’m on the phone with Reina telling her about the new bookstore that opened downtown when Doctor Kent walks in carrying a manila folder.“Hey, the doctor just walked in,” I say into the phone. “Let me call you back.”“Okay babe, let me know what she says,” Reina says, and I can hear traffic in the background on her end. “Love you.”“Love you too.”I hang up and Doctor Kent settles into the chair across from me without looking up from whatever’s written in that folder, and there’s something about the way she’s holding herself that makes my palms start sweating.“Miss Lancelin,” she says finally, still not meeting my eyes. “Your test results came back.”“Okay.” My voice sounds steadier than I feel.She looks up then, and I see it in her face before she even opens her mouth—whatever she’s about to say is going to change everything.“You’re pregnant.”The words hit me like cold water and for a second I think I misheard her, think maybe she said something else entirely.I laugh, this shar

“Jer! I know you’re home, open up!”Ryan’s fist hammers against the door and the sound tears through the apartment, sharp and demanding.He’s here.Actually here, on the other side of that door, and I don’t understand how this is possible.I didn’t tell anyone I was coming to Jeremy’s—not my parents, not even Reina. The only person who knew I was going to the clinic was Reina, and I never mentioned Jeremy’s name.So how does he know?Jeremy’s already moving toward the door and panic floods through me so fast I don’t think, just react, grabbing his arm and digging my fingers into his sleeve hard enough that he stops.“Wait.” I say, pulling him back. “Please, wait.”He turns to look at me and I can see the confusion spreading across his face, his eyebrows pulling together.“What’s wrong?”“He can’t know I’m here,” I say, keeping my voice low even though Ryan’s still pounding on the door. “Please, Jeremy. Don’t tell him I’m here.”“Cam, I don’t understand, why would—”“Please.” My voice

I wake up to the feeling of something cool pressed against my forehead and for a second I don’t know where I am, I don't remember how I got here.The ceiling above me isn’t mine.Neither is the bed.I try to sit up and a hand gently pushes me back down.“Easy,” Jeremy’s voice says from somewhere close. “Don’t move too fast.”My eyes focus and he’s sitting in a chair beside the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, and the relief that washes over his face when he sees I’m awake is so obvious it startles me.“What happened?” My voice comes out rough, scratchy.“You passed out. Scared the hell out of me.”There’s someone else in the room—an older woman with graying hair pulled back in a neat bun, kind eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses, standing at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed.“Who—”“This is Mrs. Kimberly,” Jeremy says. “Sasha’s mom. She lives downstairs. She’s a nurse.”Mrs. Kimberly steps closer and pulls a chair up on the other side of the bed, reaching for my

Jeremy’s face goes completely blank and the silence that follows stretches so long I start counting the seconds in my head.One.Two.Three.Four.Then he stands up fast enough that the chair legs scrape against the floor, and he’s running both hands through his hair, fingers dragging through the dark strands until they stick up at odd angles.He starts pacing—three steps toward the window, pivot, three steps back toward the door, pivot again.I watch his mouth press into a hard line, watch his fingers curl and uncurl at his sides, watch the way he won’t look at me even though I’m sitting right here waiting for an answer.He’s fighting with himself.I can see the whole war playing out across his face, the way his eyebrows pull together and then relax, the way he keeps opening his mouth like he’s about to say something and then closing it again.He’s going to say no.Of course he’s going to say no.I just asked him to lie to medical professionals, to pretend to be the father of a baby

“What are you doing here?”Patricia Hilary’s voice breaks through the hallway and my brain scrambles for an answer, any answer that makes sense.Say something. Anything.“I had a doctor’s appointment,” I say, forcing the words out steady even though my pulse is racing. “Just a routine check-up.”Her eyes narrow and she moves closer, heels clicking against the tile floor.“A check-up? At the maternity ward?”The question makes my skin prickle cold because how does she know we’re on the maternity ward? The hospital has five floors, dozens of departments—how did she pinpoint exactly where I am?Then it dawned on me, silly me of course she knew where to go. Hospitals practically spell it out for you and this hospital was no exception.“Where’s Ryan?” she asks, and there’s an edge to her voice now. “Does he know you’re here?”“He’s traveling. For work.”“Traveling?” One perfectly shaped eyebrow lifts. “He didn’t mention any trip to me.”Of course he didn’t because I have no idea where Ryan