Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
I glance up at Dr. Cho, an older man who seems almost ready for retirement. He looks at me from the other side of his spectacles and smiles kindly. “We’ll start with a pregnancy test, just to be sure it isn’t a false alarm. What makes you think you’re pregnant?”
“I took an at-home test earlier today, and it said I was pregnant.” Lies upon lies upon lies, like a bed of snakes that will eventually strike.
“Ah, okay. Please take mine to be sure. How late is your period?”
I knew it.
I give him all the details, then take the little plastic cup to pee in and head to the bathroom. Orlando comes with me.
“I can handle this part on my own,” I tell him.
He hesitates, then finally concedes. “Fine, but we look at the test together.” His eyes darken. “And don’t you ever take a pregnancy test without me again, you understand me?”
I nod. Of course he’d feel that way. I wouldn’t have, but the lies are piling up like logs in a woodpile. I’m so afraid that with a strike of a match, they’ll ignite and burn me along with them.
Shaking, I do what I need to and come out to the doctor and Orlando. The doctor takes out a little strip of paper. I’m shaking with nerves, terrified of Orlando’s reaction when he sees the negative test. Will I have to lie further? Tell him maybe it was a false positive or…or something.
I want this all over. I want to tell him the truth and face the consequences. I’m tired of living a life that’s a lie. I want to live in the truth.
He told me he’d never lie to me.
It’s all I’ve ever done to him.
I bury my head on his shoulder, savoring this one last moment of stolen comfort before the truth outs.
Dr. Cho smiles. “Congratulations, you two. You are indeed pregnant. It’s obviously very early, and we can talk about the early symptoms of pregnancy and what the best course of prenatal care will be.”
He drones on and on, but I hardly hear him.
Wait. What? No.
My mind is still fixated on that one word.
Pregnant.
Pregnant.
Pregnant.
How did that… How could he… He doesn’t know that I need this right now. He doesn’t know that he just complicated things so recklessly. Is he telling me the truth?
Orlando grins at me and hold me so close to him it hurts. “Easy,” I tell him. “Please. That hurts.”
He releases me as if I’m a hot potato, and Dr. Cho laughs out loud.
“You don’t have to treat her with kid gloves. She’s resilient. Lots of pregnant women are. But I know your family, and I know you’ll take very good care of her. Tomorrow, we’ll get her in with an OB in my practice, and she’ll undergo the beginnings of prenatal care.” He turns to me. “How do you feel right now?”
How do I feel? Stunned. Shocked. Relieved. Terrified.
I just shake my head. Orlando wraps his arm around my shoulders and holds me. A lump rises in my throat, but I swallow it down. Another moment of stolen comfort.
“She’s tired, doctor. We had a very long day.” Then he frowns and fiddles with the wedding band on his hand. “I was pretty hard on her earlier.”
Dr. Cho waves at hand. “If you want to talk about sex, that’s fine, I don’t care. But I doubt there’s anything you’re going to do to her that’s going to hurt the baby. I get these questions all the time.”
Orlando looks at me. “Even if she gets spanked?” My cheeks flush. But I don’t even care. I have bigger things on my mind than whether or not Dr. Cho knows that my husband is a kinky bastard.
“Nothing wrong with a little endorphin rush. I’m sure you’re not going to strike her belly. Just use caution, Orlando. You should know that.”
Orlando stands, gently sliding me down on the bed, and walks over to the doctor. They speak in hushed voices as they go to the door.
I wonder where Elise is. I want to rejoice in the sign of new life with my husband, but I don’t know what he’ll do when he finds out who I am.
The door shuts, and as soon as it is, there’s another knock.
He opens the door. This time my heart races even faster.
Tavi’s tapping my phone. They heard the tear-filled conversation, I know they did. And Rosa is in this house.
The gig is up.
I’m pregnant.
I sit up in bed, and I already know before I even look at the door who’s there. Romeo stands in the doorway and the look he gives me is nothing short of terrifying. He’s been polite to me. He’s gentle with his wife, and good to his siblings, but when he looks at me, I see nothing but the ruthless leader of this family. The man who’s earned his reputation as the most severe mafioso in all of New England.