Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 39687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Flicking the box over, she read the instructions along with the guidance for a positive test.
She didn’t want to be pregnant.
“Happy birthday to me,” she said.
Putting the box down, she lifted her head up and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Today was her birthday, and she was all alone. She’d woken up to find Marcus gone, breakfast waiting for her, and the tests in the bathroom with a note from Marcus telling her to take one.
She had yet to do as she was told.
Marcus hadn’t returned.
Running fingers through her hair, she glanced around the bathroom, hating the sterile environment.
She hated her birthday so much, and this one was proving to be just as bad as many others before. Her parents always found a reason or an excuse to throw a birthday party, even when she didn’t want to celebrate. All the times before, they had invited people she barely knew. A party organizer always took care of who was to come, regardless of if she liked them or not.
At least this time she didn’t have a party.
No, what was waiting for her was a nice little box with a pregnancy test stick. Just what the doctor, or her husband, ordered.
She didn’t want to find out all alone if she was pregnant or not. Marcus had left her alone while he went to deal with his own family problem, not that she knew what it was. Probably a hunting party where he went and killed people.
“I’ve got to do this.”
Even as her hands shook, she knew there was no point in putting off the inevitable.
Opening up a single box, she promised herself she’d only take one test.
One test and then she was done.
Peeing on the stick was so not comfortable, but after she had done it, she placed it by the sink and washed her hands.
They were shaking.
Would they really be doing anything else at a time like this?
The last thing she wanted to do right now was to sit and think about what a baby could mean.
“You still want to leave. To have a life far away from Marcus and his family.” She wasn’t blind to the truth. Once he’d done his job, she had no doubt he’d leave her.
His house had become a prison to her, and while she waited, her heart raced, thinking of what a child would mean. There would be no escape.
When her watch beeped to let her know enough time had passed, she stared at the stick, and tears filled her eyes. Without taking another test, as there was no point, she walked downstairs and went straight to the library. Taking a seat by the window, overlooking the garden, she stared out across the view, feeling sick to her stomach.
What was she going to do now?
There was no way she could bring a baby into this world.
In the distance she heard the door opening.
Marcus didn’t come to her though.
She sat in her chair waiting, but still no sign of him.
By the time he arrived at the library, she didn’t want to see him.
“This is positive,” he said.
“I know.”
“Laura, look at me.”
“I really don’t want to.”
“Rosa said you didn’t eat anything.”
“Rosa has a big mouth and needs to learn to butt out of my business.” She held the pillow protectively against her stomach, feeling so emotional. She hated being angry at anyone, but the only person she hated right now was herself. She was too weak, and now there was no way she was ever getting out of this life. She’d ruined her own life.
She wiped at her nose and sniffled.
“Please, don’t be upset.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re clearly not fine.” He sat down beside her feet.
She didn’t move.
He didn’t touch her either.
“Look at me, Laura.”
“I don’t want to look at you.” She felt the first tears fill her eyes, and she swiped her hand across her face.
“You’re scared.”
“I’m not scared.” Unable to not look at the father of her baby anymore, she glared at him. He put a hand on her knee, but it offered her little to no comfort. “You got what you wanted. Why are you still here?”
“Why wouldn’t I be here?”
“Come on, Marcus. I’m not stupid. I know all you had to do was knock me up. Well congratulations, you accomplished what your family wanted you to do. You can give yourself a giant pat on the back. Job well done. You don’t have to stay anymore. I know you’ve hated my guts for a long time. I bet you hated having to be with me.”
“I haven’t hated a second of it,” he said, finally speaking up a couple of seconds later. “I know our marriage wasn’t what either of us wanted, but I’m willing to make this work.”
“Work?” She didn’t want to get her hopes up. What was the point?
This wasn’t how she planned this conversation to go.