Suprise! New Book on the Way… and I have a sample for you below. Cover will be revealed soonish, but I’m too excited to hide this chapter from you all. I hope you enjoy.
BTW the story is called The Beginning of Our Ending
Tests & Regrets
Skye
Today is September 9, 2010, and here I am, rushing to the store to buy a pregnancy test. There’s no doubt in my mind that I’m pregnant. My period is a day late, and I’m never late. On top of that, I’d been spotting for over a week. At first, I thought nothing of it. I assumed my period was around the corner, but the cramps were becoming way too intense for this to be a regular cycle. Recently, I’ve been sleeping more than usual, which is unusual for me. As my friends and family know, waking up early is always a struggle for me, no matter how late I go to bed. But lately, I’ve slept past my usual 6 AM wake-up time.
Then there’s the obvious. Lance and I haven’t been using protection, and I’m not on birth control. Yeah…I know I should know better at my age, but love can be blind, especially when sex is like a scene from your favorite romance novel. During those moments, we’d get so caught up in the idea of having a family together. Bringing my own child into the world is something I find exciting, but on the other hand, I need to deal with the possible outcome with caution and consideration. Babies are cute, but a lot comes with raising one.
Skye: Pulling up to the store now.
Lance: Text me as soon as you get the result. I have to get back to work before my supervisor catches me taking another break.
As soon as I stepped foot inside the store, a sense of unease washed over me. I made a beeline for the pregnancy test section, hoping to avoid drawing any unwanted attention to myself. The last thing I wanted was to be the center of anyone’s gaze or gossip. So, I quickly scan the shelves, searching for the right test kit while trying to keep a low profile.
Why are there so many? My head explodes, trying to figure out which ones to grab. I don’t want to return, so I grab them all, at least the ones I can fit in my hands. Before making an appointment, I need to see those two lines myself, and the word pregnant flash across the tiny screen. I know some tests can yield false positive results, and there’s no way I’m taking that chance—one of the many reasons I’m taking as many as I can. I’m not sure if they’ll show anything at all. I’m only a day late.
Looking around the store, I notice no customers are present, which is a relief. I may be a grown-ass woman, but I feel like a teen afraid of the world finding out I’ve been busting it wide open while telling my parents I’m still a virgin. It’s embarrassing. More embarrassing than the time I went to buy some condoms from the gas station, and the woman told the whole line my business. Quickly scanning my surroundings one last time, I make a beeline for the counter, hoping to avoid detection. I thought I had succeeded, but it wasn’t the case because I heard a familiar voice beside me when I reached the counter. A voice that used to bring me comfort and safety.
“How many kids do you think you’re having?” He chuckles.
Scared to turn around, I keep my head down as the clerk rings me up. Of all the places and times I could have run into him, why did it have to be today?
“So, are you going to act like you don’t hear me, Ayla?” He asks, tapping me on the shoulder. I hate when he calls me by my middle name. If I don’t answer him, he’s going to cause a scene purposely to embarrass me further. Feeling guilty for how I ended things between us, I slowly turn around to face him. “Funny seeing you here.” I smile slightly at the man I once had the privilege of being with for four years.
“Is it? I stay right around the corner.”
“At this moment, I can’t help but find it amusing that out of all the people and days, you happen to be the one I bump into,” I say while facing the clerk to pay for the numerous tests in front of me.
“It’s quite a coincidence to run into the woman I once hoped to have children with, picking up pregnancy tests. I can’t help but wonder if you’ve chosen to start a family with someone else?” he comments with a hint of sarcasm.
Welp, this is awkward, I think, looking over at the clerk and grabbing my bag. “I gotta run,” I quickly say and rush out of the store.
“Maybe I’ll see you around,” I hear him yell from afar. Hopefully, you don’t, I think, as I jump into my car. It was evident that Desmond was angry with me for choosing Lance, and I couldn’t imagine running into him with a big belly and Lance by my side. I’d probably give birth at the sight of him. You’re thinking too far ahead, Skye.
Lance: Have you taken the test yet?
Skye: I’ll let you know as soon as I do it. I’m walking into the house now.
Rushing into the bathroom, I take out four sticks and pee on each back-to-back. I made sure to fill up on water when I woke up. While waiting for the results, I try to shake off my earlier encounter with Desmond. I don’t remember him looking that good. His goatee attached to his mustache sent the nastiest thoughts to my head the moment his juicy lips parted to speak. They’d indeed look delicious between my legs, covered in my nectar. Focus Skye. A baby is growing inside you, and it’s not his.With bated breath, I pick up the first test, and within a second, my suspicions are confirmed – I am indeed pregnant. I pick up another stick; the two pink lines are as clear as ever, and the next read pregnant on the screen. I didn’t even look at the last test because I knew the results would be the same. Despite the evidence before me, I still can’t believe what I’m clearly seeing. There’s no way.
Skye: You’re going to be a dad.
I shared the news of my pregnancy with Lance immediately. He called me right away, and I could hear the excitement in his voice; he was practically yelling through the phone about how he was going to be a father. I’m sure I could hear tears of joy. I had to hush him before the whole world heard him. Regardless of how he was feeling, I found myself unsure of my emotions and hoped to eventually feel the same level of happiness. Any woman would be lucky to start a family with a man like Lance. He’s truly a wonderful man. He works, provides, adores his mother, is faithful, and the sex… I’m pretty sure I mentioned the sex is filled with so much passion, but I have some reservations about our compatibility. We jumped into a relationship too soon, and I feel it’s necessary to evaluate whether we are emotionally and financially equipped to raise a child together. This decision requires careful consideration and planning, and I want to be fully prepared for the responsibilities and challenges that come with parenthood. I should have thought about that before you yelled cum in me, Daddy.
Discussing a family and creating one are two different things; creating one right now wasn’t what I actually wanted. I can barely take care of myself with my freelance gigs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m making bank, but I’m a woman with expensive taste and would like to keep living that way. I can only imagine the amount of money I’d need to bring in by adding a baby into the picture, especially if I’m going to spoil it the way my parents spoiled me… or at least used to. My mom, like the bitch she is, forced my dad to cut me off. He still sneaks money into my account now and again, but she’d blow a gasket if she knew. Speaking of my mom. The thought of becoming a grandmother, at least a grandmother to Lance’s seed, would send her to an early grave. Just the mention of his name makes her sick. It’s fucking rude and is one of the reasons I haven’t introduced him to the family yet. She’s disapproved of our relationship since I told her I met someone new.
My mind is consuming me with thoughts of regret as Lance sleeps beside me peacefully. Upon receiving my message, he eagerly rushed to my apartment to cuddle me and rub on my nonexistent belly. Lance walked through the door bearing my favorite treats and flowers, ready to celebrate. I loved the happiness the news brought him, but I wish he would calm the fuck down and back off already. I’m overwhelmed. What if I miscarry? What if I get an abortion, and then he hates me? Another relationship over, for sure.
“What are you still doing up?” he asks, rolling over, wrapping his arm around me to scoop me into him.“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I can’t sleep.”
“Is there something on your mind?”Yeah, there is; my insides scream, I don’t want this baby. I don’t want your baby.I couldn’t bring myself to say those words aloud.
“Earth to Skye,” Lance says, waving his hand before my face.“I’m doing great, thank you. Today was just a little hectic, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I’ll be able to get some rest soon.” I didn’t fix my lips to tell Lance I ran into my one true love while in the store. We never talked much about my relationship before him. All he knew was I went through a bad breakup and was looking to move forward with my life…with him.
“Do you want to watch a movie and eat some of the goodies I brought you?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m good,” I reply, settling comfortably in his embrace. “This is all I need.”