You wouldn't have the number of my baby's father, would you?

Even if I had said that, "telling" Anthony was proving to be a very difficult task, especially since I had no idea where the card with his number was. I gave up looking because it was close to eleven o'clock at night and I had a job interview the next day, but before dismissing Helena (she was helping me) I made her promise not to tell Miguel anything yet, because it was obvious that he would notice when my belly started to grow, but for now I wanted to avoid being lectured, especially when I wasn't so sure if this was going to end well.

Luckily this time I remembered to set my alarm clock so I didn't have any surprises or rushing around and arrived at my destination with fifteen minutes to go before eight o'clock.

The candy store was beautiful, all decorated in shades of light pink and lilac, there was a huge white counter and several shelves leaning against the walls, there were also four little wooden tables with two chairs each, in short it was like a dream that smelled incredibly good.

I went up to the counter where a smiling redhead was lining up what looked to me like honey buns in a basket.

- Hi," I said to get her attention and she looked up at me curiously. - Could you help me? I've come to talk to Michael about the clerk position.

- Are you Elisa Banks?

- Yes, that's me.

- It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Chloe Campbell, Mike's wife. - Sorry for the mess, our business is relatively new so we're still getting used to it," she commented, pointing to the shelves.

It was only then that I noticed that most of them were empty.

- That's fine," I assured him looking around, I had arrived too early and the store was empty and I had nothing to do.

- Mike went to buy some ingredients for the cakes, he shouldn't be long.

- No problem," I said, smiling. - Do you want some help?

- No need.

- I insist," I said, amused by her surprised expression. - I am anxiety itself, and I'm already nervous enough to be here, so keeping busy is the best way to avoid disaster.

Chloe laughed.

- If that's the case, I accept.

Chloe and I spent the next twenty minutes lining up candy and opening boxes, and I didn't really care that I was helping out without being hired, being busy was really the best way to keep my mind off my other problem, and to solve this one I'd need more time and a little luck.

- Sorry love, there was a problem with the orders, can you believe the guy wanted to sell me construction material? - a dark-eyed brunette came talking, he walked right past me and kissed Chloe. - What does he think I'm going to do with bricks here?

The redhead laughed and Michael finally seemed to notice me.

- And who are you?

- Elisa Banks," I introduced myself, holding out my hand, and he shook it, looking confused. I sighed. - I'm here for the job interview.

His eyes widened and he blushed a little.

- Oh my God, Miss Banks, I completely forgot about you, I'm sorry. I'm Michael Campbell, I spoke to you on the phone.

- No problem, and I sort of guessed who you were," I said, nodding around to the empty store. I regretted it immediately when the brunette raised an eyebrow. - Well, that's not what I meant. I...

He laughed, and I wasn't sure if this was good or bad.

- I totally understand," he said amused. - But I think we've gone on too long already, do you want to get this damn interview started soon?

- With pleasure," I said relieved.

The interview was not at all what I expected, and not as formal as I imagined, Michael was a very funny guy and at some point the interview became a conversation about stupid bosses.

- I think it's because of bosses like that that I decided to start my own business," he shrugged.

- Unfortunately I don't have the capital for such a thing, so I have to be lucky to find a decent boss.

- I guarantee that I am decent," he said, smiling, "and I can be your boss if you want.

- Are you saying you want to hire me? - I asked in surprise.

- If you want the job, it's yours. You seem like a great person, and with experience as a waitress and saleswoman, I don't see why not. So you want the job?

- Yes," I said louder than I intended and felt my face flush. - I mean, yes, you don't know how much.

- So, welcome aboard," he said, extending his hand, and I shook it.

- Thank you.

As we left the office and headed back to the store Chloe was just finishing up with a girl who looked no older than fifteen.

- Come again," the redhead said, waving to the girl as she left. - And then? - she asked, turning in our direction.

- Miss Banks has accepted the job," Michael warned and I rolled my eyes as Chloe smiled.

- Please, call me Elisa or maybe Lisa, but not Miss Banks, anything but that," I said, feeling a sudden uneasiness as I remembered Anthony.

- All right then, Elisa," he stressed my name. - You can call me Mike, are you ready to start?

- Now? - I asked, surprised.

- Why not? - Chloe asked with a smile and I ended up smiling too.

- All right then," I shrugged. - Let's do it.

Spending the afternoon working with Chloe and Mike was nothing like I expected (I should have known after the job interview), first because he really kept his promise and didn't become an idiot, in fact we seemed like old friends and that was the second reason, it was strange to get along with people you just met, but when it came to me, it shouldn't be that big a deal, after all, I was pregnant with a stranger who I didn't even have his phone number.

As the day came to an end, I said goodbye to my new bosses and went home very satisfied, until I turned on the damn cell phone that had been discharged earlier and saw over a hundred messages from Lena about the job, the pregnancy, and Anthony, especially Anthony. I could try to ignore her, but how could I if she lived across the hall?

I texted her that I had arrived and before I finished putting my cell phone away she was already invading my apartment.

- What happened? Why didn't you answer me? Where have you been all day anyway? - she bombarded me with questions and I sighed.

- If you'd let me talk I'd tell you that I didn't answer because my cell phone was dead and I was at work all day, okay? I wasn't kidnapped or anything, and before you ask, no, I still haven't gotten Anthony's phone number," I answered calmly, reaching for a package of chocolate chip cookies I knew I had in the cupboard.

- Wait, does that mean that you were hired? - she asked after a few seconds, taking in everything I had said. I smiled as I turned to her.

- That's right, your friend here is the newest employee at the Honey Bread store," I said excitedly, and Lena came over to me and gave me a bear hug.

- I knew you would make it.

- That was one problem solved, there's still another, and I don't even know where to start solving it," I sighed when she let go of me and to my surprise Helena smiled.

- Well, I know," she said amused and I arched an eyebrow at her as if asking, "How? - I was there in the clinic working and thinking about her problem when the answer came to me through an injection.

- Wait! The answer came through a what? - I asked, starting to think that spending so much time with sick animals was affecting my friend's brain.

- That's right, an injection, why do you think Lisa, who was the only other person who was with you and Anthony in the middle of this mess? 

I stopped and thought, but could not come to any conclusion, what did an injection have to do with Anthony's number? They were used by doctors and... 

- Oh my God! - I exclaimed when I finally understood what Lena was getting at. - Dr. Stuart," I murmured.

- That's right," she smiled. - Find her and you'll find him, or at least his number. Anyway, you need an appointment, don't you?

I ended up smiling.

- Yeah, I think I do.

Finding the number of the clinic where Dr. Stuart worked wasn't difficult, in fact with ten minutes of searching on the internet I even knew the address (the time I went with Anthony I didn't bother to ask). So I called and made an appointment for right after I got off work the next day, I didn't bother to tell her that I had already been there, in fact I didn't even know if I had the money to pay for an appointment at that place, but I had to at least try, I needed to talk to the doctor and get Anthony's number as soon as possible.

- What are the two women in my life doing? - Miguel asked smiling as he came into my apartment, I just rolled my eyes at him while I ate my cookie and came up with my plan to talk to the doctor, while Helena gave her fiancé the biggest smile she could and went to kiss him.

I had stopped caring about any of them invading my apartment a long time ago, we were a family living in two houses and that was the end of it.

- What do you want? - I asked the brunette as soon as he let go of my friend, seeing the two of them making out like that sometimes made me depressed for not having a boyfriend, but then I would remember the last one I had and that he cheated on me with a "co-worker" and the urge would soon pass.

- Why do you think I want something? - he played innocent and I rolled my eyes.

- Women in my life, Miguel? Really? - I asked amused, reaching for the coffee and finding an empty bottle. - You only make these things up when you want something from me. What is it this time?

- You wouldn't mind organizing some documents for me, would you? - he asked, flashing me the biggest, scariest smile he could manage, and making me laugh. - Go on Lisa, please, you're not doing anything anyway.

- That's where you're wrong," I said, smiling. - I just got back from my newest job, I went for an interview earlier today and they just loved me," I said bowing slightly to Miguel and laughing at his surprised face. - I know, I'm too much.

- Is this serious? - he asked suspiciously. - You're not just making up an excuse not to help me, are you?

- How old do you think I am? - I asked indignantly. - And just for the record, Mr. Miguel White, the world does not revolve around you, okay?

- I thought it did," he said debauchedly, and I made mention of answering him as I should, but Lena was quicker.

- Don't even get me started on you two," she said, giving us an ugly look. - You look like two children.

Miguel and I looked at each other trying to look annoyed, but ended up laughing.

- Okay then," he said after recovering from his fit of laughter. - Tell me about this new job.

I told them everything I could and a little more, talking about how nice Mike and Chloe were made me feel really good. We all ended up having dinner in my apartment while my friends complained about their bosses and co-workers. Miguel was a lawyer at a huge company, he hated his supervisor and every now and then complained about one of his fellow lawyers who was always on his case. Helena had just finished college and had gotten a job at a veterinary clinic, there she was just the doctor's assistant, but she still loved it, you could see in her smile that animals were her passion, but people not so much, and I can't even blame her, after all the receptionist there is clearly after her job and Helena is too nice to talk to her (and I also think she doesn't want to be fired).

Amidst the laughter and the cursing at the bosses I felt bad for not telling Miguel about all the drama that was going on. But how could I if when I told him the whole story a month ago he almost killed me? I can't just come out and say, "Remember the whole story with the crazy guy who asked me to have his baby last month, Miguel? So it turns out that I did get pregnant, by the way, can you pass me the salt? And that's why in the end I didn't say anything, I just smiled and laughed with them at their stories.

Waking up at seven the next day was a nightmare since I had spent the last month waking up late, but just thinking that at the end of the month I would have a paycheck made it worth it. Working at the candy store was proving to be a wonderful thing, easier and more fun than any other job I had ever had, especially since the last few were in bars, restaurants, and diners with drunken idiots. So when six o'clock came around I was a little disappointed, how the day had gone so fast?

- See you tomorrow Lisa," Chloe said goodbye, getting into the car with Mike. 

- See you," I waved and walked the other way. They had even offered me a ride, but I couldn't accept, I still had a place to go and I didn't know if I was ready. 

I took the bus feeling my heart hammering in my ribs, I was terrified at the thought of seeing Dr. Stuart, but I still had to do it. When I reached my stop, I couldn't tell how much time I had spent getting there.

I walked into the building that looked exactly the same as it did a month ago and took a deep breath, it was the moment of truth.

I went to the receptionist with my heart still racing. I was in need of a tranquilizer.

- Hello, good evening. How can I help you? - she asked systematically with a forced smile which definitely didn't help.

- I have an appointment with Dr. Stuart," I informed her. - I'm Elisa Banks.

- Okay Ms. Banks let me check - she asked, already typing on the computer, after a few clicks she looked at me again - You can go up, the doctor will see you now.

- Thank you - I thanked her and went towards the same elevator I shared with Anthony a month ago. The same one where he assured me that I wasn't pregnant because it would take a lot of bad luck for that, but look how things turned out, isn't it?

I walked down the corridor to the doctor's office sure that I would have a heart attack before reaching her, but luckily I made it there alive. I knocked on the door and received a "Come in" as an answer and so I did.

- Elisa? - the doctor asked in surprise as soon as I closed the door behind me. - When I saw your name in the system I remembered you, but I never thought it was really you. Sit down - she said indicating the chair in front of her and I sat down still without saying anything. I had no idea how to start this conversation. - To what do I owe the honor? 

- I well... - I started without knowing how to finish and the doctor smiled.

- Don't tell me that you want to try artificial insemination on your own now.

- No, certainly not," I assured her sighing. - After all, I am already pregnant.

- How? - the doctor asked with wide eyes. 

- That's right doctor, I am pregnant.

- But if you are already pregnant then you want prenatal care, right? - she questioned, trying to move from an expression of surprise and confusion to a professional one.

- Actually I would like to know if you have the number of the baby's father," I said simply and saw several emotions pass through the doctor's face, but the one that remained was shock, she blinked and stared at me with her mouth open.

- Don't tell me that... - she murmured looking from my face to my belly and vice versa. - Anthony is the father of the baby?

- Unless the semen you put in me the last time I was here is someone else's, yes, he is the father.

- Oh my God! This is amazing," she said sounding euphoric, and I could only groan at her joy. She seemed to notice that I was not as happy as she was. - Are you sure?

- I took five of those drugstore tests and they were all positive, I'm feeling nauseous, extremely hungry and sleepier than normal, and my period has been late for almost a month," I listed, and she nodded, making notes on a clipboard.

- I'll order a blood test just so we can confirm, but from what you told me there's no doubt about your pregnancy," she warned and it was my turn to nod, I had already imagined something like this. She rummaged through her drawer and picked up a business card, then held it out to me. - Here it is. I think you'd better tell him, I'm going to draw your blood now and we can meet tomorrow to, well, talk about it.

I stared at the card with Anthony's name and phone number, still assimilating what the doctor had said, it took me a few seconds to answer, but when I did my answer couldn't be any other.

I had no choice this time.

- All right, I'll talk to him.

The doctor took my blood and like last time gave me a snack, I was still eating when she looked at me curiously.

- Why did you do that? - she asked suddenly and I stared at her uncomprehendingly, putting aside my bun.

- Do what?

- Accept Anthony's crazy proposal. Why did you do it?

- For the money," I said after hesitating for a moment.

- Are you sure?

- Of course, why else would it be? I don't even know him," I said, starting to realize the irony of the situation. I was pregnant with a stranger who most likely wouldn't continue to be recognized as such, after all nine months is a long time.

- Maybe in some time you will understand and make Anthony understand that messing with people is not the same as messing with a bunch of numbers, especially when it comes to a little being that is still being formed. - she said, causing a small shiver to run up my back. What did she mean by this? I was about to ask when she stood there smiling as if she hadn't said anything. - Well, I guess that's it. You just have to come back tomorrow with Anthony and we'll know the result. And now, not to be rude, but could you excuse me? I have another patient in half an hour and I haven't had dinner yet.

- Of course," I said, standing up and giving up the question. - See you tomorrow then, doctor.

- See you, Elisa - she said goodbye and I left her room and headed for the elevator, not sure what would happen when I finally got up the courage to call Anthony.