03| Congratulations, you're pregnant

"You're fired." That word repeatedly played in her head as her feet remained rooted on the ground while still in his office.

"But," She tried to give an explanation, but instead he raised his hand to keep hey shut.

"I said to leave this instant." He repeated.

Tears rushed down her eyes immediately. Valerie was only an orphan who lost her parents when she was 10, and being raised in an orphanage, she was never loved by another.

She had promised herself to grow up fast, and get a quick job to stand on her own since no one wanted to associate with her until she met Maya who later became her best friend. Earning a living was still quite hard for both of them, but at least, they were both still surviving and it was all that mattered.

She cleaned up the tears on her cheek and turned to leave his office like he had instructed. Sam was to blame for everything happening to her. In just one night and one morning, he completely ruined her life.

As she closed the door behind herself, more salty tears couldn't help but escape her eyes again. 

Staying strong and getting another job was the only option she had, even though it was really clear it was something that might take forever because she wasn't educated.

She walked back to the counter where Maya was anxiously awaiting her presence. Just with the look on Valerie's face, Maya needed no magician to tell her the worst had happened to her best friend. She rushed over to Valerie and grabbed her hand.

"I'm so sorry Val," 

Valerie nodded her head, gushing out more tears from her eyes. "I need to leave now Maya,"She replied.

"First of all, what happened?" 

She was in no mood to talk about what happened with Sam, and how she had ended up coming late to work, but she knew Maya was always a curious one.

"I'll wait for you home, when you're shift is over I'll tell you everything" Valerie said, tapping her hands and giving out a fake smile.

"Whatever happens girl, I'm here for you okay. We'll go through this together" She heard Maya's comforting words, and immediately pulled her into a hug. "I love you okay, don't ever forget that" 

As she exited the door and walked out, she decided not to look back at the restaurant nor have any regrets about what had happened to her last night. To her, it was only a foolish one night stand with someone she didn't even know and what more could come out of it. Folding her hands underneath her breast, she walked away to head back home, and wait for Maya's return.

"Job hunting begins tomorrow" she mused, trying to comfort herself that the world wasn't over just yet. Sam had destroyed her life and maybe like he always wanted, but she was ready to put it back up right again in track.

She opened the door to their one bedroom apartment, and walked in throwing her handbag on the floor. She immediately headed towards the small kitchen to get a glass of water and try to think straight. Depending on Maya wasn't an option as the young lady had families she also needed to feed, while trying to also ensure her brother goes to a good university and her mother gets a good treatment for cancer.

After taking a quick bath and wearing something light, she laid on her bed and soon drifted off into a deep sleep.

****

"Tell me Val, what the hell happened to you? I was so worried about you" Maya questioned, immediately she got home.

Valerie's gaze went to the outfit she had thrown to the dustbin, and then trying not to let the tears that brimmed her eyes fall, she raised her head to face the ceiling.

"Sam broke up with me," She finally admitted.

"Oh goodness" Maya couldn't find the right words to say after that, she only took Valerie's hands while standing up to tap her shoulders.

"I know that son of a bitch was no good, he's a sly bastard. After everything you did for him, how could he." She yelled, curling her hands into fist.

"Where's he now, I need to go pay him a visit and talk some sense into his fucking brain" 

"He's leaving the country today, and he isn't coming back again." Valerie replied, still trying hard not to cry.

"Oh, trust me, he's going to regret ever doing such to you. Was that why you couldn't come to work?" 

Valerie shook her head, and pinned it to the floor in shame.

"I ended up at a club and had a one night stand with a stranger. I swear I had no idea what happened before then, but when I woke up the next morning, he was completely gone"

Maya's jaws nearly dropped when she heard Valerie, "OMG!! What the hell" She immediately shut her eyes in anger. "Oh, if I ever lay my eyes on that son of a bastard, I'm so gonna tear him apart. This is all his fault" She cursed, biting her lower lips.

Valerie could only cry on her palm shutting her eyes tight, while Maya continue tapping her back slowly and giving an assurance that everything was going to be fine.

***

Valerie made sure to put on something free without any make-up on her face. Today she was going to search for a job of any kind. 

Hours later, she was still under the hot sun and with a bottle of water in her left hand, she ran towards a shade to take a little rest and continue when she fully gains some of her lost strength.

She wasn't going to think about Sam any longer and focus on planning her life again. 

"To hell with stupid relationships." She cursed, telling herself she wasn't ever going to let herself be treated the way Sam treated her by another man. She was done being the clingy one, the heartbroken one, and the foolish one like Sam had said. 

She used her hand to wipe off the sweats on her forehead and looked towards the direction of the hot scorching sun. Without thinking, she began rushing towards a newly opened restaurant to go try her luck over there.

**

Valerie pushed the door to a coffee shop open, and the bell hung on the door rang a little as she walked out. Another disappointment again, just like the last one week. As she looked up the sky, she predicted it was going to rain, and as fast as her legs could carry her, she ran to go look for a shade before it begins to pour.

It was like every eatery, restaurants, coffee shop and shopping mall she went to were purposely avoid her and she couldn't guess why. She adjusted her roughly banded hair to the back and remained under the shade as the rain poured heavily.

A tear rushed down her eyes recollecting how everything started, she had really long forgotten about the stranger she had slept with, but not her Sam who had made her life become so miserable.

She really couldn't continue depending on Maya to eat, get necessary things she needed and get herself new things.

It was getting really late and the rain had not stopped pouring. Scared of walking out late, Valerie rushed into the rain while hoping she wouldn't catch a cold in the next few days. In an hour time after running, she finally got home and tiredly rushed towards her bed to relax and maybe take a long nap.

A week later…

Valerie woke up with a bad headache and a light body pain. Again, she rushed to the bathroom to puke like she had done earlier and yesterday. 

Maya turned to watch her rush to go puke again, and when she finally came back, she gave Valerie a suspicious look, "Hey, you should go see a doctor today, it's really getting out of hand Val" 

Using the back of her palm to clean her mouth, Valerie closed her eyes a bit to try maintain her balance as she was still feeling so dizzy. "I'll be find Maya, it must be a cold" She suggested, and hurried towards the bed to lay down.

Maya rushed over to her piggy savings and immediately broke one. "Here Val, I'm taking a day off work today, I'll call Mr Stanford and inform him. You need to get yourself checked up first" 

Valerie sighed loudly still holding her head as a result of the bad headache she was feeling. "I.. I don't want to be a burden to you Maya," 

"Get your ass up lady, and stop being a pain in the ass by saying trash. Now up, up , up you stand" Maya called, forcefully lifting her up and assisting her out of the room.

After what seemed like a ride that might never come to an end, they finally reached the hospital and got down from the cab. 

Maya stretched a dollar bill to the can driver and immediately thanked him before heading towards the hospital with Valerie whose condition only got worst.

They both had to wait for more than an hour before a nurse walked towards them, leading them to a room. Slowly, Valerie laid on the soft bed with a small pillow behind her, and Maya took a seat beside her.

A male doctor walked in after about 10 minutes. "Good day ladies" He greeted but only got a reply from Maya.

He reached for Valeria's head and touched it to feel her temperature. "Just a sample of her blood will be needed" He said and immediately, a nurse walked closer to collect Valerie's blood like the doctor has said, while another rushed to arrange a few drips and some dosages.

Maya remained calm, hoping her best friend would be fine as the doctor turned to exit the room without saying a word, "She needs a lot of rest and she'll be just fine. The test results will be out soon" The nurse informed, while holding a file in her right hand.

Hours later, Valerie slowly opened her eyes with a blurry vision at first, but seconds later, she could see properly. 

"Val, are you alright?" Maya asked, with a worrisome look on her face.

The doctor walked in immediately, and they both turned to look at him. 

He wore a smile on his face as he approached them, and after adjusting his glasses, he cleared his throat before speaking.

"Congratulations Mrs Hudson, you're two week pregnant." He announced.