Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Livy opens her door wearing a pink headband and a pale blue leotard with rainbow leg warmers over tights. Big yellow feathers dangle from her ears. Her long hair is twisted into a ballerina bun.
“Oh,” I say. “Are you busy?”
She waves me inside. “Come through. I just finished an aerobics session. I was about to grab a drink.” Walking ahead of me to the kitchen, she asks, “Water?”
I close the door and lock it. “Yes, please.”
She pours cucumber and lemon water in two glasses.
“Here you go,” she says, handing me one. “Let’s sit down in the lounge.”
I take the poof while she sits cross-legged on the floor. She puts her glass in an ornate silver coaster on the coffee table and leans to the side with her arm stretched over her head. “Stretching is important, especially at my age.”
Tilting my head, I follow her movement. “You’re very supple.”
“I can still do a split.” She straightens and rolls her neck. “So, how are you settling down in your new place?”
“Great.”
“Is it a nice house?”
“It’s big.”
“Saverio is a successful software development businessman. Of course he has a big house.” She gives my clothes an approving nod. “I’m glad to see he’s taking good care of you. If he doesn’t treat you right, he’ll have to deal with me.”
Her sweetness warms my chest. “You’re the only friend I have in the whole wide world.”
She leans over and pats my arm. “That’s because you were so busy running the household and taking care of your mother you never had time to make friends. What you need are friends of your own age to go out with and have fun. Now that you have Sav to take care of you, you can finally enjoy your young life.”
As if to disagree by reminding me of my responsibilities, my body breaks out in cold sweat while saliva pools in my mouth.
“Excuse me,” I blurt out before running to the bathroom and slamming the door behind me.
By the time I get the toilet open, my lunch is already pushing up in my throat. Spasms rack my body while I empty my stomach for a second time today.
A knock falls on the door.
“Anya? Are you okay?”
“Just I minute,” I say, trying to speak normally through my heaving.
I take a moment before getting to my feet and rinsing my mouth with toothpaste. My face is pale in the reflection of the mirror, but my skin feels hot. I splash water on my cheeks and wash my hands.
When I open the door, Livy stands on the threshold with her face pulled into a mask of concern.
“What’s going on?” she asks. “Are you sick?”
I bite my lip, considering how to say this.
Her features even out with understanding as she says in a soft voice, “You’re pregnant.”
Cringing internally, I nod.
Instead of berating me like I expected, she drags me into a hug and squeezes hard enough to crack my ribs. “That’s wonderful news.”
I stagger a little when she sets me free. For such a skinny person, she has a strong grip.
I’m still reeling from her reaction when she clasps her hands together and says with a twinkle in her eyes, “Sav must be so happy.” Waving a finger at me, she continues, “You’ve been seeing him from a lot earlier than you gave on, you naughty girl.”
“What do you—?” Her meaning sinks in. Cupping a hand over my stomach, I say, “Oh, no. It’s not what—”
The chime of the doorbell cuts me short.
Taking my hand, she pulls me to the lounge. “Go sit down. After all that puking, you must be weak.”
Not giving me time to argue, she pushes me toward the poof and go to the door.
“Speak of the devil,” she says as she looks through the peephole. “It’s your chéri.”
She opens the door wide.
Saverio stands on the other side with a big smile on his face. “Hello, Livy.”
He doesn’t glance in my direction, but I sense his awareness of me. The permanent tension between us is like an electric current in the air, connecting us with an invisible thread.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” he says. “My driver told me Anya was here. As I was in the area, I thought I’d meet her here and drive my girl home.”
“Come in,” Livy says, brimming with excitement. “Anya just told me the big news.”
At last, Saverio makes eye contact with me. His smile stays intact, but strain creeps into his voice. “Did she?”
Finally getting back to my senses, I open my mouth to stop Livy from making a blunder, but she beats me to it.
“Congratulations,” she says, clapping her hands and rolling on the balls of her feet. “You made a baby together. You must be so proud.”
For all of one second, Saverio turns stiff. He’s quick to hide it though, his manner suave as he says, “I’m not the father.”