What do you mean pregnant?

A month had passed since my almost deal with Anthony and surprisingly (or not) in the meantime I had managed to sink deeper into debt, because I hadn't gotten a job and this was already worrying me, after all I had used all the money I had in the bank to pay the rents that were now up to date, but I had no idea how I would pay the next one.

- You'll manage," Helena said, smiling as she made some coffee in my kitchen.

- How do you expect me to do that, Lena? When I don't even have a job?

she sighed.

- I don't know, OK? But you'll figure it out. Miguel and I could help you, but with the whole marriage thing it's hard.

- I wouldn't take it even if you could. This is my problem, and I'm the one who's going to solve it. And could you please stop messing with this stinky thing?

- What would be new is if you would accept help. And what do you mean by "stinky thing"? Are you talking about the coffee? - she asked, and I nodded and grimaced, the smell was unbearable. - I thought you liked it.

- Well, I don't anymore," I said grimly, and she laughed.

Anyone who saw her laughing like that couldn't imagine her surprised face when I told her what had happened. Lena looked as if she was going to kill me, and Miguel almost did, it seemed as if we were teenagers again and he was telling me off. And seeing now, the idea of having a child by a stranger is really crazy, only I could think of such a thing. I wasn't going to tell them anything and simply pretend that the weekend they were away didn't even exist, but of course the universe didn't agree with this, because even without wanting to, the doorman of our building fingered me when he asked nicely if "Is that guy in the suit and fancy car your boyfriend? But since I would probably never see Anthony again it was okay to tell my borrowed and jealous older brother who he was.

- Do you really need to do this here? - I asked Lena when the smell of coffee became so unbearable as to drive me out of my thoughts.

- You're the one who asked me to do it here because you wanted some," she accused and I grimaced. OK, maybe I really did ask her that, but I had already changed my mind. 

I opened my mouth to answer, but closed it and ran to the bathroom as soon as I sensed what was coming next. When I reached the smallest room in the house, I leaned over the toilet and put everything I had eaten so far into it, and given the fact that it was past noon, it wasn't much.

Lena caught up with me as I got up to wash my mouth.

- Again Lisa? - she asked worriedly as I brushed my teeth to get the bad taste out of my mouth. - What's that? The third? Fourth time this week? Have you been to the doctor?

- I'm fine, Lena," I assured her grimly and the brunette rolled her eyes.

- You're obviously not fine," she said seriously. - So, have you seen a doctor?

- I'm sure it's just a virus.

- A virus that made you throw up all the chocolate cake you ate all by yourself? No such thing, Lisa. You have to see a doctor, it could be serious.

- I'm fine," I repeated, leaning on the mirror above the sink after a dizzy spell and knocking a few things out of the cupboard in the process.

- You're clearly not fine," she countered, picking up the packets of pads that had fallen to the floor to put them away again. - I don't care what you're saying, I'm taking you to the hospital and that's final.

I was about to say for the third time in a row that I was fine, but stopped halfway through when I saw what she was putting away in the cupboard, and stared at the colorful packets in her hands.

- What day is today? - I asked, my heart beating fast.

- What is it? - Lena turned to face me, frowning.

- What day is it today? - I repeated the question already imagining that she would not like the answer.

- Twenty-four - the brunette answered, still staring at me without understanding. 

- Three weeks... - I mumbled in panic. Three whole weeks. That was how long I was overdue. - This can't be right? - I said, walking back into the room and being followed by a completely confused Helena.

I checked the calendar stuck on the wall three times and saw that Lena was right about the date, but it didn't make sense, I couldn't do it, how was it possible?

- Lisa, what's the matter? - she asked, looking at me worriedly. - What is going on?

- I'm late," I said in a panic. 

- Did you have an appointment? - she asked uncomprehendingly and I sighed walking from one side of my small room to the other.

- I... My period is late," I repeated, and Lena looked at me in surprise.

- Your... What do you mean? Lisa, for God's sake, what's going on?

- Do you think I know? - I asked in a panic feeling dizzy, my friend must have realized that something was wrong, because she held me by the arm and took me to the sofa.

- Sit here Lisa - she indicated and joined me. - Take a deep breath and let's think calmly.

I did as she asked and calmed down enough for the dizziness to pass. We were silent for a few minutes and finally Helena looked at me seriously.

- Lisa, you're not pregnant, are you?

- Pregnant? - I asked incredulously. Of course not. How could I be pregnant if I'm not? - I stopped in the middle of the sentence, feeling my heart racing. This had to be a joke.

- Don't you think that...? - Helena's question was interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone.

- Hello," I said as soon as I answered it with trembling fingers.

- Elisa Banks? - asked a voice I didn't recognize.

- It's me," I mumbled, still half shaken by recent events.

- My name is Michael, I own the Honey Bread Bakery, you left your resume here a few days ago, I would like to know if you are still interested in the job?

- Yes," I exclaimed, almost frightening Lena to death. - Of course I am.

- That's great," he said, and I heard him sigh on the other end of the line. - I would like to interview you in person, could you come here tomorrow at eight?

- Of course! - I assured him with a mixture of relief and excitement. - Tomorrow at eight I'll be there.

- I'll be waiting. See you tomorrow.

- See you," I answered before hanging up the cell phone. - Lena you won't believe what - I interrupted myself as soon as I looked around the apartment and saw no sign of her. - Lena?

As she didn't answer I went to the bathroom, found nothing, then to the bedroom and nothing either. Where is that crazy woman when I am clearly in a crisis?

- I'm back - the brunette announced from the living room while I thought how much of a bastard she was for abandoning me.

- Where have you been? - I asked as she placed several boxes on the counter. - What are these?

- I went to the pharmacy down the street and saw for yourself," Lena said, holding out one of the boxes. My eyes widened as soon as I saw the writing.

- You've got to be kidding," I said, starting to panic again.

- A joke, are you? Come on, think with me Elisa, you can't smell anything too strong, you're eating like crazy," I opened my mouth to protest, but she wouldn't let me. - And don't give me that "I've always eaten a lot" because yesterday you ate a cake almost all by yourself and are having morning, afternoon, evening and after that cake yesterday, I think you already understand, right? By my count nothing has stopped inside you for almost a week, am I right?

I sighed defeatedly, looking at the box with the pregnancy test.

- I hate it when you seem to be right," I grumbled, and she smiled.

- Here - she held out a bottle. - I bought juice too, drink it and go pee on a stick.

- You know that's not a very nice phrase, right? - I asked and she laughed. I rolled my eyes with a smile still on my face and started to drink the juice.

Worse than peeing on five "straws" (Helena is exaggerated and I don't think I could convince myself with only one), was surely waiting five minutes to know the result, I had lined up the tests on top of their boxes on the counter and the time didn't seem to pass, five minutes never took so long.

- This shipment must be broken, there's no other explanation," I said, going back and forth for what seemed like the hundredth time in less than five minutes.

- Stop being hasty Elisa, it's not even time yet and there's no such thing as a shipment, each test is of a different brand - she said amused and I huffed.

- Whatever - I grumbled and she laughed even harder, but her laughter was interrupted by the sound of the alarm we had set. 

I felt my hands sweat with nervousness as Lena turned off the alarm.

- Do you want to see the results? - she asked, and I took two steps away as I denied it with my head.

- You look at them," I asked. - Please.

Helena approached the counter and checked the tests and I began to panic again, I wondered what it said there.

- At least the result is unanimous - she said smiling.

- And what is this result? - I asked, unable to contain myself any longer and pushed her aside so I could see the tests, she was right, they all said the same thing, whether with a plus or two pink lines, I was pregnant.

- Come on Elisa, let's sit down," Helena said as she dragged me to the sofa. I was still in shock, I couldn't understand.

- How is it possible? - I wanted to know. - Dr. Stuart said the test was negative, I even joked that with my luck I could get pregnant the first time, but I didn't think I would, that's crazy. She said that the probability of getting pregnant on the first try was very small!

- My congratulations then," Helena said ironically. - Really Elisa, only you could get yourself into trouble like that. And now, what are you going to do?

I was about to let out a resounding "I don't know" when everything became absurdly clear.

- This baby is not mine to begin with, I will give it to his father, because that is why Anthony "hired" me in the end, if he wanted it a month ago he will want it now. He has to want it.

- Okay, but what if he doesn't want a baby anymore? Or if he has found another crazy woman to have his baby? Do you realize what a mess you've gotten yourself into?

- Lena, you are not helping," I said on the verge of tears, "I was trying to see the bright side of things and she was not cooperating.

- Okay, okay," she said when she saw my horrible crying face. - I'll help you, everything will be fine.

- You won't believe this," I said, standing up and starting to walk back and forth again. - And you know what? You may be right, but I have to do something. This is Anthony's baby, it was the baby he wanted so I had to warn him.

And I was going to find a way to do it, one way or another.