Jes sat in the hallway, picking at the skin of her finger beds as she waited nervously for the attending nurse to show up with results for the test she just had. She looked around the hall, there were two other women in the waiting area, both accompanied by their partners. Both women were heavily pregnant, probably in their last trimester. Jes watched as one of the women shifted uncomfortably on her seat, trying to relax. She seemed to be in a lot of pain and her partner was trying all he could to ease her discomfort, but nothing seemed to be working. The other woman looked more relaxed. She was busy scrolling through her cellphone while her husband held on to their little daughter who didn't look more than two years old.
Jes sighed as she returned her attention to her fingers. This time, she put her little finger between her teeth and began to chew on it nervously.
"There's no way I am pregnant." She thought to herself. "I am not pregnant. It is probably just an infection. Just an infection delaying my period. I am not pregnant." She assured herself.
Jes had been repeating those words to herself from the moment she woke up that morning, feeling the sudden morning sickness and dizziness which she had been experiencing for days now. She had repeated the same words to herself as she made the decision to visit a maternity clinic and put all her doubts and fear to rest. She had repeated those words to herself all the way to the clinic, and now she was repeating those words to herself as she waited on the results for her test.
Jes ran her fingers through her disheveled brown hair and quickly tied it in a rough knot at the back of her head.
"I am fine. I am fine." She assured herself again. For the umpteenth time that morning, she counted out on her fingers how long it had been since she had her last period.
"It's two weeks late. Only two weeks. It is not something to be alarmed about! This things happen all the time." She muttered to herself. "Just calm down Jes. There is nothing to be alarmed about." She nodded to herself. She looked up, the couples were staring at her curiously. Her muttering had been a little too loud.
"Sorry." Jes whispered in embarrassment. She quickly reached into her handbag for her cellphone. She brought it out and fondled with it aimlessly, just to seem busy and avert the questioning eyes of the other patients.
A call suddenly popped up on her screen. It was from her friend and coworker, Avery. Jes quickly picked the call, relieved that she could finally get her mind off the present tension.
"Hi girl!" Avery's cheerful voice came through the phone. "How are you now?" She asked.
"I'm better." Jes said simply. She had told Avery that she had a fever and needed to rest for the day. She didn't tell her friend that she was going to get a pregnancy test done.
"Did you take any medication yet?" Avery asked.
"Yes." Jes answered, then she added. "I'm at a clinic right now."
"Is it that bad?" Avery asked with concern in her voice.
"No. No, it's not. I just decided to get some test done." Jes said.
"Okay. Good. You get well soon, okay?" Avery said.
"Okay. Thank you." Jes sighed. She wanted to talk to Avery badly. She wanted to tell her the truth, that she was getting a pregnancy test done. She wanted to share her concerns so that she could ease the tension in her chest. But then, she didn't. For all she knew, she was only over thinking and overreacting. She didn't want to bother her friend about something that was probably just a minor infection. So, she held back.
"Girl, guess who just walked out of here!" Avery said, the excitement in her voice was ringing clear. Jes's heart began to race and her stomach tightened and began to churn. Judging by Avery's excitement, she could already guess who it was. Yet, she hoped that she was wrong.
"Who?" She whispered into the phone, her breath coming in short rasps.
"Your baby boy!" Avery cried, giggling into the phone.
Jes went silent, her breath caught in her throat. For a long moment, she did not breath, and when she finally did, she let out a heavy sigh. Avery had just confirmed her fear. It was her one night stand again.
She didn't even know his name. He probably told her before, but she could not remember. The first time they met, she had been too drunk to remember anything. And now, she didn't have the courage to ask him. It wasn't like she had any need for his name, right? It was just a one night stand and they should leave it as that. Actually, they were never supposed to meet again. They had met for the first time at a club. He had come in company of a mutual friend. He was strange in a unique way and for some reason, that appealed to Jes. They had some kind of chemistry from the moment their eyes met, and so they had spent the night getting drunk together. By the end of the night, their naked bodies were intertwined and wrapped up in sheets.
There was no drama in the aftermath though. They had parted ways cordially as two consenting adults who just had a good time together. There was an understanding, and although they had forgotten to use protection in the heat of the moment, the young man had assured Jes that she didn't need to worry about infections or getting pregnant.
"I am safe." He had assured her. "And I don't need to worry about you."
Jes didn't fully understand this assurance, but once again, for some strange reason, she trusted the young man so that she didn't even run any test or take any treatment after the night.
They had parted ways on that note, and Jes didn't think that she would ever have to run into him again. But then, two days after their rendezvous, the young man walked into the super mart where Jes worked as a cashier. He recognized her as she recognized him, but by some unspoken understanding, none of them acted like they knew the other. They had a professional transaction and the young man left. Jes had hoped that that would be the last time she would have to see him, but in the days that followed, the young man frequented the super mart.
Jes tried to ignore him as much as he ignored her, but she couldn't maintain her cool and soon, she had to share her truth with her friend Avery, who had noticed her discomfort whenever the young man came around.
"He probably keeps coming around because he's interested in you." Avery had teased Jes, and that was why she had dubbed him Jes's 'baby boy', just to taunt her friend.
Jes had coped just fine, living in the discomfort of his intruding presence in her daily life. But today of all days, she was sensitive to his presence. He was the last person she had been with. The only person she'd had sex with in months, without protection!. He was the reason why she was waiting now in the hallway of a maternity clinic, and whatever the outcome of her test was, it had everything to do with him.
"Jes! Jes!! Are you there?" Avery's voice called through the phone.
"Yes! Yes, I'm with you." Jes replied.
"Why didn't you reply?" Avery asked.
"Uhm, I was thinking." Jes shrugged. The knots in her stomach tightened even more and her breath became shorter.
"About?" Avery asked, her voice teasing.
"Nothing." Jes said simply. At this point, she wanted to end the call. She didn't feel like talking anymore.
"You're thinking about nothing?" Avery giggled. Jes was growing impatient. "Well, I thought you should know. He asked about you." Avery said.
"What?!" Jes exclaimed. The couples looked at her questioningly again, but this time, Jes didn't care. She was too shocked to care what her present environment was saying.
"I told you he likes you, didn't I? He noticed that you were absent today, and so he asked." Avery giggled. "He was trying to act like it was no big deal, but when I told him that you were sick, you should have seen the concern in his eyes! Girl, you have yourself a secret admirer!" Avery laughed out loud.
Jes didn't say anything. She couldn't speak. Nothing made any sense to her.
Why was he asking after her? It wasn't like they were friends or anything. Infact, whenever he came around, he acted like he didn't know her. He was always aloof around her, and she respected that. He was being civil and sensible. So, why now? Why did he have to ask about her now and act like he cared?
"Hey, Jes! You still there?" Avery called, but before Jes could answer, the nurse showed up.
"Jessica Anthony." The nurse announced.
"Here ma'am." Jes answered.
"With me please." The nurse said and turned around.
"I'll talk to you later Avery. Gotta see the nurse now." Jes said as she hurriedly got up and began to follow the nurse.
"Okay then. You take care." Avery said just before Jes ended the call.
"Sit please." The doctor instructed Jes when she entered the office where the nurse directed her to. Jes sat down and began to pick at her fingers under the table.
"Jessica Anthony." The doctor said her name and Jes's heart jumped into her throat.
"Yes doctor." Jes replied sharply. She tried to remain calm so as you quiet the sudden ringing in her ears. The doctor peered into the paper in front of her for what seemed like forever. Then, she finally looked up at Jes.
"Did you come with anybody today? A parent? Guardian? Your partner?" The doctor asked.
"No. I didn't come with anybody. I came alone." Jes replied. "I live on my own, and I don't have a partner." She added.
The doctor looked surprised.
"So, you intend to raise the baby by yourself?" She asked.
"Baby? What baby?" Jes asked. The ringing in her ears increased and her sight began to fade.
"Miss Anthony, you are six weeks pregnant." The doctor said gently and Jes almost passed out. "Now, listen to me Miss Anthony. I understand that you don't have a partner and you are still very young. You see, there are options..." The doctor began to say, but the loud ringing in Jes's ears drowned out her voice, and her sight faded completely. Her mouth suddenly went dry and the knots in her belly went all the way up to her chest.
