Unexpected news

Kathleen

My eyes lingered lazily on thean before me, on his knees with his head bowed.

“What are you doing Carl?”

“Proposing to you.”

“That's an odd position. You look like you're asking for my blessings.”

“I am asking for your apology.”

“What?”

He lifts his head. “I'm sorry for the shit I've put you through.”

This is right but at the same time it's wrong. I did the same thing he did meaning I should be in that position as well.

I breathe in deeply then exhale the air through my mouth. “I slept with someone. No, I've been sleeping with someone, my boss.”

He sloy rises and takes my hands in his. “It's okay.”

“No its not.” I speak more to myself than to him.

He pulls me into his arms. “Mistakes do happen, love. let's not repeat it again,” He holds me at a distance to observe my face. “We are starting again.”

My eyes searched his looking for some traces of a lie, waiting for a glimmer of mockery in them, waiting for Jim to tell me its all a joke.

None if that came.

Instead, his lips met nine in a soft and warm kiss. I allowed him to kiss me and I kissed him back.

“Marry me.” He said whilst resting his forehead on mine.

“What?” I blurted.

“I want to make you mine. Marry me. I promise you, I won't mess thus up.”

‘No.’ but the words were only in my head. My lips remained sealed as I starred at him.

He let's pu a low laugh. “I'm serious, babe. let's build a-”

I step back. “Why?”

“What?” He asks. “What for you mean, why’ we've been dating for so long and-”

“Do you love me?”

“Pf vpurse I love you.”

My eyebrows furrow, my brain going round and round trying to make sense of those simple words, ‘Marry me.I want to make you mine.’

I rubbed my temples and let out an exparated sigh. “This isn't right.”

“We are right. This feels right.” He moves closer to me. Too close even though we've shared intimate space before.

“Carl, just- Let me think about this,pkay?”

I walk pat him buy he grabs my arm. “What's there to think about,Kathleen?!”

His harsh tone makes my whole body tensed up. We have been here before, danced to thus song and we ended up tired.

Hurt and tired. Then we were back at it again.

He increases the force in his grip and yanks me towards him. “We are getting married.”

It wasn't a question. It did not leave a room for argument. It was a demand.

He leans over and places a soft kiss on my forehead. “It will be the greatest marriage of all time.”

“Carl, I need to go to work-” even in my own ears I could hear the tremor behind my words.

“No, no. You are going to stay here with me.”

He pulls me against his chest.

“I, I can't breathe.” I manage through strangled breathe.

“Shh,”

Those were the last words I heard before all went dark.

____________________

My eyes flattered open and I immediately shut then due to the assault from the lights.

“Good. You're awake.”

“Josh? why am I at the hospital and not at work?” I shake my head. “Carl, where us he?”

“You fainted.”

“I know. Someone suffocated me in the name of a hug.”

I hear footsteps coming towards us making me force my eyes open once again.

“Carl?!”

“Hey,” Josh lightly holds my bicep. “What happened?”

“He proposed then sort of lost it.”

Worry floods his face.

“It's nothing serious.”

“Kathleen Williams, you're awake.”

“Can I leave now?”

if I'm late for work then it will seem like I'm taking advantage of our sexual relationship and mixing business with pleasure.

“There's nothing to be worried about. infact the cause requires a celebration.”

I sheepishly blink at her.

“Yeah,I need to be at work.” I spell out slowly.

She smiles. “Sir,I think you should keep her away from work in the meantime but that doesn't mean she is not healthy enough to-:

“Please get to the point.”

“Congratulations, “

No.

“...You are two weeks pregnant.”

“No.” I verbalise it this time.

“Yes.” She counters.

“Josh,take me home so I can lie in bed and cry.”

“I'll go work on the papers. “

__________________

“You need to tell him.”

I turned to the other side to ignore him but he was making his presence hard to know.

“No. I do not.”

He comes over to the other side.

“He is the father.”

“So?”

“He deserves to know.”

“Get out.” I say finally after starring at him long enough to believe he is not my best friend but rather a weapon formed against me.

“Not until I'm done convincing you to-”

I muffle his mouth with the pillow. “Leave so I can dress up and go to work.”

He throws the pillow to the other side of the bed. “But you are pregnant!” He shrieks.

“Yeah I'm pregnant, so?” I vovk my head to the side, daring Jim to give me a response.

“Fine. Be safe.”

(Fouryy minutes later at the office.)

“Ms. Williams, I might as well give you my title then.”

“My apologies,sir. Something came up.”

“Someyinv so urgent that you report two hours late?”

“I'm sorry.”

He goes back to tge folders on his desk. I proceed to sit.

“What is it?” he asked after some time.

“What is what?”

“You've sighed way too many times and it hadn't been thirty minutes yet.”

Doesn't he have something better to do than to keep track of my sighing.

“Nothing.”

“Everytjing altigtr?”

No, I'm carrying your child and I do not know how to handle this whole new situation.

“Perfect!”