Chapter One
Bad News
Emily's P.O.V
“I'm pregnant,” I said staring at the floor.
“You're pregnant? How? When? For who?” My best friend Betsy asked in a frenzied shock, and stared at me as if I had suddenly developed two heads. I was mute. I lowered my head slowly.
“Start talking!” she shouted still in shock.
“It's…it's Nathan,” I muttered. “Nathan? Who is Nathan? Which Nathan? Nathan who?” she asked again.
“Nathan…Gates,” I stuttered.
“You cannot be serious!” she said in utter disbelief and continued,
“The Nathan Gates? Vice Chairman of Vaughan and Co Law firm? The same Nathan who is getting married next week? The wedding rumoured to be the wedding of the year sort of?” I nodded silently in affirmation. Shocked would be an understatement to describe how Betsy felt, rage and confusion were better words.
“But I do not understand, I have never seen you with Nathan before. How did your paths even cross? Where did you see him to begin with in the first place that you are now pregnant for him? What business do you have with him?”
“It was a one night stand. After Fred broke up with me, I was in a bad place and you were out of town so I just went out for a few drinks at Sherwin Hotel…in order to clear my head and I met him there,” I replied dejectedly.
“You met him and decided to have sex with him, unprotected one at that. Emily you can't be serious! What have you done to yourself?” she asked again for the umpteenth time.
“I was not thinking straight Betsy…I had a few drinks and we both went to his hotel room. I passed out after and when I woke up, I was unclad,” I explained.
“Then what happened next?” she asked again impatiently.
“He was still at the hotel room and he thanked me for keeping him warm and gave me some money, ten thousand dollars,” I answered.
“What? He gave you ten thousand dollars? That means he slept with you and the money was the payment for the services you rendered. This is unbelievable. So why didn't you tell me any of this happened? If you weren't pregnant you would never have mentioned it. Did you even go to the hospital to run some tests on yourself? Because why would he even give you ten thousand dollars, that is a lot of money and it is very suspicious,” Betsy explained.
I continued staring into the air utterly confused.
“This man is getting married next week and the news of his wedding is all over tabloids and newspapers even billboards. You know who he is getting married to? Belinda Vaughan, the only daughter of Senator James Vaughan, he is a member of the House of Lords,” she explained exasperating and continued,
“What is your next line of action now Emily? Will you inform him? Do you even know how to reach him?”
“No, I don't have his contacts neither do I know his exact company address,” I explained.
“His office address should not be a problem, we can just check it online. You intend to tell him about the pregnancy right?” I nodded.
“What if he tells you to get rid of it? Because trust me, that is exactly what he is going to tell you to do. He will then give you some money, then tell his security men to walk you out of the company's complex,” Betsy explained.
“So what do you suggest I do?” I asked with pleading eyes.
Betsy was quiet for about ten seconds.
“You still have to let him know, but the problem is how to get across to him directly. He has a lot of security around him. It will also be impossible to see him without booking an appointment beforehand,” Betsy explained.
“Should I just undergo an abortion then?”. I asked with weary eyes. “What? You will do no such thing. What if you die in the process? What if something goes wrong? What if you're unable to give birth in the future? You will not undergo an abortion!” she exclaimed.
“But it's my body what is it to you? I am just twenty four, do you expect me to be a single mother at this age? Or become a baby mama to a married man? How am I going to take care of the baby all by myself? Do you think it is easy? I am not going to go and see him. He does not need to know. I will go to the hospital and try to get rid of this pregnancy and get it over with once and for all. I am not going to put myself through constant humiliation,” I said blurting out all my suppressed emotions. Betsy scoffed.
“You would rather put your own life in danger for something you did not do alone? Make it make sense Emily!” she said still visibly angered.
“What do you want me to do then? I followed him into his hotel room in my own volition…”
“Yes, you did! But you were drunk and you were not in your right senses!” Betsy interrupted me.
“The point is, I don't have a case, I chose to get drunk, I followed him to his hotel room and if I tell him about the pregnancy, he will definitely tell me to get rid of it. So why would I stress myself and go through the long route of trying to reach out to him first?” I asked again. The tears on my face had dried up.
“I am your friend Emily and I would not watch you intentionally put yourself in harms way. It does not make any sense to me,” Betsy explained.
“I know you care about me Betsy and I really do appreciate you but I have my whole life right in front of me and I won't jeopardize my dreams and goals because of an unwanted pregnancy,” Betsy sighed loudly. “Should we go to the hospital to check how far gone you are?” she asked. “I don't care how long gone I am, I just want to go to the hospital and get rid of it,” I said defiantly. “Okay, let us go together then.” Betsy offered leading the way out of my room.
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The drive to Everton Clinic was a quiet one and a twenty minutes drive from my house and in no time, I had parked my Toyota Camry at the clinic’s underground parking space and Betsy and I had sauntered towards the entrance of the three storeyed white painted clinic building. At the reception, we waited for approximately five minutes before one of the nurses directed us to the doctor's office.
Betsy and I entered the office and saw Dr. Murray, he was a middle aged man. He stood beside his table. His stomach seemed to house a set of triplets. He ushered us in with a bright smile urging us to take our seats while he did the same.
“You're two months pregnant, Miss Emily…with twins,” he said handling a medical report to me. I took a look and gave Betsy who was also curious to see it.
“Twins?” Betsy and I shouted exchanging glances. This could not be happening.
“Congratulations,” he said again. I shook my head slowly trying to conceal the tears that were threatening to roll down my cheeks. “This is not a congratulatory news doctor. This is bad news,” Betsy intervened.
“Why is that? If I may ask? Is the father of the babies not going to be available?” He asked in curiosity. “Doctor, is there anything I can do? I don't want this pregnancy. Do you have pills or anything that I can take to just remove this pregnancy?” I asked pleadingly.
“Well, Miss Emily, I am going to be very honest with you, there's nothing we can do at this stage of this pregnancy. You're three months gone. The foetuses are fully formed already and if you try to undergo an abortion, it will be injurious to your health, there is also a high chance of you not surviving at all. It is very dangerous and I cannot guarantee your safety,” he said on a tone of finality. Betsy sighed loudly.
“I said it, I knew it was going to be dangerous. I knew it,” she said.
“So what do you suggest that I do now Doctor? This pregnancy is a mistake. There has to be a way to get rid of it somehow,” I insisted. “Miss Emily…the test we carried out on you showed you have fibroids. It is even a miracle that you are pregnant. It is very rare for women with fibroids to get pregnant, I'm sure you know this. If you undergo an abortion now, chances are that you may either not make it alive or your womb may be completely ruptured, thereby undermining your chances of getting pregnant again. In simple terms, you won't be able to give birth to any child again,” Doctor Murray explained. The office was quiet for fifteen seconds.
Dr Murray sensed the tensed atmosphere at said.
“Unwanted pregnancies can come as a shocker, I know, especially for young ladies who have unprotected sex. But two wrongs do not make a right. I advise that you contact the man responsible for your pregnancy and you can come up with a plan that works best for the both of you, but remove abortion from the equation. That's all I have to say. Good day. I have to see the next patient in ten seconds,” he explained.
“Thank you Doctor,” Betsy said standing up to her feet and held my hands. We both left the clinic.
I bowed my head on my stirring wheel and started crying uncontrollably. My life was falling apart right in front of my own eyes and I had no idea how to get it back on track or fix the mess that I had put myself in. Betsy patted my back as we sat in silence for ten minutes thinking of the next line of action.
“You have to tell, that's the only way out. We thought it was just one baby but now see…they're twins,” Betsy said sighing loudly.
“What if he tells me to still get rid of pregnancy? What do I do then?” I asked amidst my heavy sobbing. “Then we will handle this ourselves, I am your best friend, I will help you. I will not leave you to go through all of this alone. I'll be right by your side. But first things first, let him know,” Betsy advised.
“How am I supposed to get across to him without a prior appointment?”I mumbled out loud.
“You would just go there like you have a case and you want him to represent you in court and you will insist that you want him as your lawyer,” Betsy suggested.
“Okay,” I replied.
“So when will you go? Will you go tomorrow?” she asked.
“Isn't that too soon? I think I still need to mentally prepare myself for that,” I opined.
“What do you mean too soon? Didn't you hear the doctor? You're already two months pregnant and in no time, your baby bump will soon start being visible, so the earlier the better,” she replied.
“Okay, fine…I will go tomorrow, I will go and see him tomorrow,” I muttered again.
“That's better, go and see him and tell me how it goes so that we can plan our next line of action. We are in this together,” Betsy told me reassuringly, patting the back of my hand. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. I reasoned.
