Chapter 5: Unwanted Blessing

Rissa closed her eyes dejectedly, she opened them again to be met with two glaring red lines on the test strip.

She held the pregnancy strip with one hand and covered her agape mouth with the other, holding back her tears

She had just had the worst three weeks of her life, and now, to cap it, she was expecting a stranger's baby.

" Rissa I am home!" Diane called out from the sitting room, Rissa's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly threw the test strip down the drain of the water closet and flushed it out completely.

She hastily dabbed her teary eyes with cold water and dried it on the face towel “Toilet time, baby girl”, she responded, keeping her voice steady to avoid giving herself away.

She adjusted her clothes and came out of the toilet smiling pleasantly at Diane

" I can bet ten dollars you just had another great night" Rissa smiled pleasantly

" You won the bet baby girl" Diane said smiling happily “Last night was great! The date and shopping Oh my God! I had so much fun" she recounted happily

" And you forgot to include it in your plan of informing me you would be sleeping out" Rissa said rolling her eyes teasingly

" Sorry baby girl, the shopping spree took quite some time, I even got you a pink purse, it will all be delivered later in the day," she said blushing furiously

" I am genuinely happy for you Diane" Rissa engulfed her in a tight embrace

" Thank you, baby girl”, Diane responded swiftly, disentangling from her, but Rissa didn't seem to think much of it.

" I need to talk to you babe" Rissa said sitting down on the sofa next to her

" I am considering your advice, Diane. I think I need some time to recuperate. I will move back to my mother's house in the countryside”, Rissa said dejectedly.

" Really!" Diane exclaimed hiding her excitement

" I have to, baby girl; Liam's recent interview worsened things for me; I do not think that rumour is dying off anytime soon,” Rissa busted into uncontrollable tears.

Diane took her into her arms and hugged her petting her shoulder lovingly

" It is a good decision, Rissa, you need to hide for now" Diane encouraged

" I will miss you dearly babygirl" Rissa said clinging onto her "I will miss you too Rissa" Diane said sweetly

" I will be leaving in two days, I already informed my mother," she said and stood up abruptly, she sat back feeling lightheaded

" Are you okay?" Diane asked hastily, holding her to regain her balance. "I am..... just fine; I guess I didn't get a good sleep overnight”, she responded, faking a yawn.

Rissa had a rethink about informing Diane about her illegitimate pregnancy, she felt ashamed about it.

Finding out about the unfortunate pregnancy was to her bewilderment as contraceptives seem to have failed her.

Who was she to blame for a medication she took too late?

" A penny for your thoughts" Diane said flinging her fingers in front of Rissa's pale face

Rissa regained her composture "I guess you must have had an exquisite breakfast somewhere" Rissa said teasingly

" I sure did" she responded enthusiastically "he ordered like we were having a feast" she added boastfully

" And you forgot your starving friend" Rissa joked making light of the truth of her thought

"Oh, my bad! We emptied the fridge, didn't we?" She said faking sympathy

" Babygirl we emptied the fridge three days ago, you didn't notice because you have been munching on fancy delicacies," Rissa said calmly

She didn't want to upset Diane, who accommodated her; due to her messed up love life, she lost her job and means of livelihood.

Starting over wasn't going to be easy, but she was left with no other choice; the thought of Liam seeing her pregnant and broke irked her.

There is no way she was ready to face society! She needs an escapism.

" Liam seems to have moved on”, Rissa said out of the blue. Diane's eyes widened at the accuracy of her assumption but she kept a plain expression

" Why do you think so?" She asked with curiosity, hoping she was still as clueless as she expected her to be.

" My instincts are always right Diane, he looked....ha..appy in his interview" Rissa said sadly

" Maybe, I barely get to see him at work, he wouldn't even grant me an audience since your ruined marriage" Diane responded swiftly playing a victim

" I am sorry Diane, being friends with me surely must put you in a difficult position at work, I owe you immensely girl," Rissa said feeling guilty

" Quit acting old already; it doesn't fit you that much”, Diane teased, and they both laughed it over.

" Should I just summon the courage and visit Liam to explain things to him because I know he hates me a lot? I know I lost him already, but I just wish to clear the air while I find that imposter?" Rissa said reasonably

Diane turned her shoulder to face her. "Don't try that, Rissa, there is nothing left to prove to him; just focus on finding that man. Then you can make him clear the air”, she advised desperately.

" I do not want you to embarrass yourself further, Rissa; I care about your emotions a lot; aren't you trying to heal from depression? Don't visit Liam" she said

Rissa was downcast, she knew there were truths to Diane's words "he blocked me everywhere" she responded dejectedly

" Keep your distance till you can fully prove his assumption wrong”, Diane cajoled her, and Rissa nodded in affirmation.

Diane stood up and strolled to the kitchen; she picked up two tumblers. "Let us celebrate our strength in the face of adversaries”, she said with enthusiasm as her convincing words seemed to have kept Rissa shackled.

Her phone chimed and Rissa picked it up on the couch, she glanced briefly at the displayed message

" You have a message Diane," Rissa screamed out loudly playfully, "Come find me before I figure out where you are fox," Rissa read out without thinking "Who dares call my friend a fox?" Rissa asked rhetorically

Diane stiffened as she reached the doorway "It is from ......Adrian," Rissa said nonchalantly; Diane dropped the tumbler, startled; it broke and shattered completely.