Chapter Five

“You’re pregnant?” Sheila was stunned. Amaliah was out of the doctor’s office, after being handed the test results. She had read the pregnancy result over and over but it still hadn’t registered on her mind.

“It appears so.” Amaliah sat down hard on the chair in the waiting room and the envelope that contained her test results flitted to the floor. Sheila picked it up and opened it. She perused the pregnancy test and her jaw dropped in shock. A new baby? With everything that was going on? Could Amaliah handle a baby with everything that was going on?

"But, how? When? I don't understand."

Amaliah didn't respond. She knew how, and when, of course.

It was on a Friday, two weekends before Rafael died. The twins were spending that weekend with her parents, and Amaliah had been determined to make it as romantic as possible. Rafael and herself had been having little problems, and she hated it when they had problems even though it was inevitable in any marriage.

Rafael was out, and on her way back after dropping the girls, she stopped at the mall to buy new lingerie, perfume and red wine to complement their dinner. They were a little strapped for cash which was one of the reasons for their disagreements in the first place, but she was determined to make it as memorable as possible so she took a little out of her savings.

She had three hours before he got back, and rushed home to finish making dinner. She had made lasagna and roast chicken the previous night and before she went to drop the girls, she had brought it out to defrost. Very quickly, she fried potatoes and started on the arrow cubano and tacos.

Two hours later, she was done cooking and had less than an hour to have a bath and get ready. Her mood was dampened by the fact that she couldn’t take a scented bubble bath as she had earlier hoped and she had to settle for a quick shower. She was however grateful that she had had her hair done the previous day, so she didn't have to bother with that and all she had to do was brush it till it shone.

By the time Rafael got home, she had drawn the curtains, lit a candle and was sitting at the table, scrolling through her phone and wearing the sexy lingerie under a big white t-shirt, one of his.

He entered the house tentatively. They had argued before he left that morning and although he knew she would be calm already, he didn’t know what to do to end the arguments. They were going through a rough patch, but he didn’t want them to go through it while fighting and bickering. It was so unlike them to bicker.

He found the house dark and wondered if the fuse box had blown again, or if their electricity had been disconnected again because they were very late on the payment. He found Amaliah seated at the tab, her hair cascading down her shoulders just the way he liked it. It looked shiny and deeply moisturized.

She was wearing one of his tees, his favorite one. Her face was illuminated by a single candlelight in the center of the table and she had red lipstick on. She smiled at him when she saw him, a full smile that made his heart do cartwheels inside his chest. He felt like a thirteen year old about to have his first kiss.

“Hi, baby. Welcome home.” she said in a low voice. She stood up and walked towards him. He suddenly became lightheaded when he realized she wasn’t wearing shorts underneath the tee.

“H… hi, mi amor. What’s going on?” he stuttered. He hadn’t been expecting such an elaborate reception.

“Well, since the girls are away for the weekend, I figured you’d like us to have some alone time. So I cooked dinner and we can see a movie on Fabflix, or do other things.” she winked suggestively.

“I like the way you think.” he moved closer to her and took her in his arms. “That was thoughtful of you. But then, I'm not surprised. You’ve always been the most thoughtful person I know. Thank you, my princess.”

“Anything for you baby.” she withdrew slightly from the embrace to look up at him. “I’d like to apologize for the past few days. We shouldn’t be fighting like this. We’ve always been better off thinking of possible solutions and strategizing, rather than bickering and misunderstanding one another.”

“Shh.” he pulled her back into the embrace and rocked her gently. “I should be apologizing. You’re so good to me, so good with the girls. I don’t know what I'd do without you. Just give me a little time and I'll sort everything out, okay? The company I'm starting will work. I know it looks bleak now but things will work out, I promise. Just believe in me, that’s all I need right now.”

“You don’t even have to ask darling. I’ll be here with you every step of the way. I believe in you and I always will.”

“Thank you, babe. Now, I've been holding this in but I can't anymore! You are smoking hot babe. Damn girl.” he touched her hair and marveled at the texture. “Your hair is silkier than the silkiest silk. Need a man to go with this? ‘Cause I'm a hundred percent available.”

She laughed and turned around for him to get the full view. “You’re so corny. Anyway, I prepared a three-course meal. Dinner, desert, and desert.”

“Whohoo.” he whistled low. “I can’t wait to eat then.”

She laughed again and started to walk towards the kitchen. “I’ll set the table while you take a shower. Hurry back.”

“I sure will.” he called over his shoulder as he sprinted down the hall to the room they shared.

********

A jumble of thoughts ran through Sheila’s mind. She didn’t understand what kind of day it had turned out to be. From finding out her friend was suicidal and might’ve taken her own life if she was one day late to finding out her friend was over three months pregnant.

Amaliah stood up suddenly, jolting Sheila out of her reverie.

“I need your help, Sheila.” she grabbed Sheila's arms and shook her slightly with a sense of urgency. “You have to help me.”

“Okay, okay. What do you need help with?”

“I need six pregnancy test kits, six PT strips and a test in another hospital.”

“What? Why?`` Sheila's face was one of confusion.

“Well, why not? Listen, Sheila, this hospital, this doctor is probably wrong. We’ve all had cases of wrong and incorrect diagnoses. When the girls were two and really sick, their doctor ran some tests and said they had leukemia, which was false. Thankfully, we found out just two days after that it was simply a severe allergic reaction. So, the pregnancy test result is probably wrong.”

“Okay, what if it turns out right? What then?” Sheila sighed.

“It won’t. I can’t be pregnant, it’s not possible.” Amaliah shook her head vehemently, as though by doing so, all the events of the last hour would simply be erased.

“Alright, if you say so. Come on, we’ll get the PT kits and strips from the pharmacy.”

Kit after kit and strip after strip came out positive. By the time they got to the other hospital, Amaliah was frantic and on edge.

“Listen, I’m going to need you to calm down girl. It’s not the end of the world if you’re pregnant.”

Amaliah did not respond. Twenty minutes after taking the test, she was called into the doctor’s office for the result.

“Ms Rivers. Congratulations, you’re nearly fifteen weeks pregnant. Now, it was also detected that you have a high blood pressure and a low blood count. I’m going to give you a prescription for some supplements that’ll help you lower your blood pressure and increase your appetite, as well as your folic acid and normal pregnancy multivitamins.”

Amaliah wasn’t listening. How could she be pregnant when Rafael was not here with her? They had planned to have another baby - a boy - but she had opted to wait until Rafael had the money issues straightened out a bit so the strain on them would lessen. Her mind flashed back to that intimate weekend, the last one she had had with her husband before his death.

*****************

After having his shower, Rafael came downstairs wearing shirtless, wearing only combat shorts that hung low on his waist. She gasped when she saw him, muscles rippling, his hair damp.

“Oh wow,” she said huskily, moving towards him slowly, seductively. “Now who is smoking hot?”

“Still you babe.” he grabbed her and planted a kiss on her cheek, evading her puckered lips.

“Nice, nice. Feel like playing a game darling? You’re so on.”

He threw his head back and laughed, his Adam apple bobbing up and down. Her nipples went taut, and she clamped down the urge to grab him there and then and do things to his body.

“So, we’ll go through dinner without touching each other. Are you game?” she tilted her head to the side, daring him.

“Oh yes, yes I am.” he agreed enthusiastically.

He drew out her chair for her and she sat down gracefully.

“I made your favorite, arroz cubana and lasagna.” She informed him and opened the dish. He clapped gleefully, like a child that had just been handed his favorite candy and she laughed. He still had that child-like enthusiasm that had drawn her to him when they first met. She felt like freezing that moment, that night for eternity but she could only hope that there would be more nights like this in the future.

They made small talk as they ate. They talked about the girls, funny moments they had overlooked while they were bickering and little gists circulating in their circle.

“Is it me or is it hot in here?” Amaliah asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She stood up and removed the tee slowly, making sure his eyes were glued to her. She sat back down in only the red hot lingerie and smiled as his fork clattered against his plate. She continued to eat, and he forced himself to concentrate on what she was saying.

Five minutes later, he couldn’t sit still anymore. He kept stealing glances at her, and she was enjoying every second. Suddenly, he stood up hurriedly and rounded the table to pull her up. He took her mouth hungrily and she opened up to him. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and she met him halfway, matching his energy. Her knees buckled and turned to jelly at the intensity of his kisses. He held her up with his arm and backed her up against the wall, dropping hot kisses on her neck.

“By the time I'm done baby, we’ll be having triplets.” he grinned at her in between kisses.

*****************

“Ms Rivers, are you okay? Ms Rivers?” the doctor called gently, but Amaliah was lost in her reverie. “Ms Rivers? Earth to Ms Rivers.”

She smiled sadly at the doctor as she came out of her reverie. It was the saddest smile he had ever seen, but he didn’t like to pry and he doubted that there was anything he could do for her. He only hoped she would be fine.

“Dr. Greene,” she looked at the name on his coat to be sure. “Are there options available if I don’t want to keep the baby? I mean, seeing as I’m three months gone already.”

“Oh. May I ask why you wouldn’t want to keep the baby, Ms Rivers?”

“I’m sorry doc, but it’s quite personal. I just want to know my options.”

“That’s fine. Your pregnancy is already too advanced for a simple medical abortion, but you can have surgical abortions. Now there are two types; the Dilation and Evacuation, commonly called D&E abortion and the aspiration abortion. If you are very sure you would like to terminate the pregnancy, then we’ll talk extensively. For now, I'll give you some pamphlets on the processes so you can get familiar with what you want while you make your decision. Is that okay?” the doctor patted her hand.

“Yes Dr. Greene. Thank you.” She stood up, shook his hand and walked out of his office with an envelope containing the prescription, pamphlet and test results. Sheila was waiting for her outside the office, and opened her arms for an embrace immediately her friend came out.

“Come on, I'll drive you home.” Sheila offered after a long hug. Amaliah nodded and they left the hospital.