Unexpected

Helen's POV

Mustering up enough courage, I dialed Lucy's number and waited with my heart hammering against my chest, for her to answer the phone.

Two days had passed since I moved out of Fernando's mansion into a motel, using the money Lillian had given me.

The cash had been quite helpful but I knew I couldn't keep staying in the motel without doing anything tangible with my life.

In a matter of days, I would exhaust the money and be forced to make the streets my new home.

"Helen?" Lucy sounded groggy.

"Hi, Lucy. Did I wake you?" I asked, feeling guilt tug my heart.

I didn't even remember that our time zones were different.

"Yeah, but it's fine," She said. "What the hell happened to you? Your line has been unreachable for the past two days. Do you know how worried I was? Hell, I was about to board a flight to New York." She rambled out.

"I'm sorry I made you worry about me. It's just that stuff came up and I needed to think properly." I uttered.

"Right, you were telling me something the other day. You said you are going through hell. What exactly is happening to you, Helen? Is your bitch of a stepmother frustrating you again?" She asked, to which I shook my head as tears built up in my eyes.

"No, it's not that," I croaked. "I need your help, Lucy. But you have to promise me that you won't judge me."

"Of course, I promise you. I would never judge you. It's not like I'm pure myself." She replied, her voice softening.

"Three years ago, I dropped out of college to get married to my father's benefactor according to his wishes. And ever since then, my life has been a living hell, Lucy." I began, as I traced the flowery pattern on the blanket which I had draped over my legs.

"Why didn't you tell me? I feel hurt that you decided to keep something as huge as this to yourself. Don't you trust me anymore?" Her voice oozed with pain as she asked me.

"I trust you, Lucy and I'm sorry I kept my marriage a secret from you," I said.

"It's alright," She muttered. "So what were you saying?"

"Right. My hus-" I paused, as bitterness hitched my throat. "My ex-husband divorced me two days ago and also sent me away, without a dime. I have no idea what to do anymore. I don't have a college degree nor do I have any handwork."

Tears rolled down my face freely as I spoke.

Never in my life had I felt so useless. 

Fernando's mother was right when she had called me a worthless wench.

Hell, I couldn't even give her the grandchildren that she had desperately wanted.

Maybe if I had given birth, Fernando would have fallen in love with me and wouldn't have divorced me.

"Please calm down, babe. It's not your fault all these is happening to you, okay? It's that jerkface that stole your life away from you. But be rest assured that I will definitely find a way for you to move over here, alright?" She reassured me, and for the first time in a long while, something akin to reprieve coursed through me.

"But I don't have a degree." I croaked, feeling gloom hover over me again.

"Don't worry about that. The most important thing right now is for you to get here. I will buy you a ticket and send the details to you. Can you come to Australia tomorrow?" She inquired.

"Yes, I can. Thank you so much for doing this for me. I will definitely work hard to pay you back." 

Lucy scoffed fondly. "It's okay, Helen. You don't have to worry about paying me back."

"Are you sure?" I couldn't believe my ears.

"Definitely. We are best friends, aren't we? If I were in your current position, I'm sure you would have done everything you can to help me. So where are you staying presently?"

"I'm staying in a motel at the moment."

"Okay, that's good. I will send you an email when I buy the tickets. Take care of yourself, Helen. I love you." Lucy professed, wringing more tears out of me.

"I love and appreciate you more," I replied.

"Silly," She giggled, and hung up.

Afterward, I got out of bed and went to pack my belongings into my luggage.

Lucy kept to her words as my phone dinged with an email containing the flight ticket information some minutes later.

My flight was scheduled for the next morning by five.

Later that evening as I slid beneath the bed cover, I muttered a prayer underneath my breath for Lucy.

She was an epitome of what true friendship was, and she deserved all the best things life had to offer.

+

THE NEXT MORNING

My face relaxed into a smile as I walked into the airport.

I was finally leaving Fernando and everything that was related to him behind.

And I desperately hoped to never meet him again.

Soon, the flight announcer announced my flight through the large speakers that were mounted on the walls.

It was my first time travelling by air, so I was quite excited as I trekked up the stairs leading into the airplane.

We made a quick stop at Denmark after ten hours of flying.

I exchanged some of my money into danish crones and bought some refreshments to snack on while we waited at the airport.

An hour later, we reboarded the airplane and made our way straight to Australia.

I sighted Lucy sitting on a bench immediately I got out of the airport gate.

Six years had passed since I last saw her and she still looked every bit like herself.

Her blonde hair was still cropped in a bob, with sparse bangs floating over her forehead.

The only thing different about her was that she had gotten a lot of ear piercings.

Stealthily, I walked up to her and tapped her shoulder from behind.

"Hi, Lulu." I beamed, as she turned to face me.

Her orbs widened theatrically as she drew me into a bear hug.

"Oh, Helen. I missed you so much." She cried.

"I missed you too." I said, caressing her hair.

"You have really lost so much weight. Did that bastard feed you at all?" She seethed as she gave me a once over.

I had no idea how to respond, so I just settled on feigning a smile.

"By the way," She continued, dragging my luggage. "You have yet to tell me who he is. Is he someone I know?"

"Yes. Almost everybody in New York, if not America knows him."

"So who is he?"

"Fernando Alvarez."

Lucy's mien instantly transformed into a shocked countenance.

"Fernando Alvarez of AV group of companies? The tall and handsome billionaire?"

"Yeah." I squeaked, directing my gaze to the floor.

"He's a fucking bastard then. How could he treat you like trash? It's true what they say about handsome brats like him."

"What do they say?"

"They are always conceited jerks."

As Lucy and I stepped out of the airport, my vision suddenly became blurry while my legs became heavy like huge slabs of lead.

Trying to force myself to move only made me feel dizzier. I could also feel an excruciating ache at the pit of my belly.

"What's wrong, Helen? Are you okay? You look really pale." Lucy was instantly by my side and assessing me like a mother hen.

"I-I don't know. I can't move my legs, my stomach hurts and I feel really dizzy. It's probably something I ate on the plane." I forced myself to say.

Even my mouth suddenly tasted bitter like bile.

What in the world was happening to me?

"Let's sit down first." Lucy took my hand and gently dragged me back into the airport.

As I tried to place my feet after each other, a great wave of darkness struck my vision.

The last thing I heard before collapsing was Lucy's panicked voice.

When I came around, I found myself laying in a hospital bed, with the antiseptic smell that all hospitals always seemed to possess wafting into my nostrils.

I groaned, as the recollection of how I had fainted at the airport came into mind.

"You're finally awake, Helen. I thought I was going to lose you. I was so scared." I heard Lucy ramble from beside me as she held my hand.

Carefully, I tilted my head sideways to face her, and frowned when I saw tears pouring out of her eyes.

"Stop crying, I'm okay now." I croaked, reaching up to wipe her tears off.

"I was worried sick, Helen. Why didn't you tell me about your condition?" 

I frowned, flummoxed. "What condition?"

"Don't tell me you didn't know you were pregnant. The doctor said you are undernourished which is bad for both you and the baby. She also told me that you need to see a dietitian before you get discharged." Lucy divulged in a beat.

I immediately sat up, ignoring the migraine hammering my temples.

"P-Pregnant? She must be joking. I can't be pregnant right now. How would I raise it?"

"I'm here for both you and my god baby, Helen." Lucy beamed, and I shook my head in negation.

"This can't be happening to me."

In response, Lucy just hugged me without uttering a word.

"I'm getting an abortion. There's no way I'm keeping anything that will remind me of Fernando. Absolutely no way." My voice cracked with unshed tears as I gritted out.