“Maybe you need to go to the doctor,” she said as she stood in the doorway. “You’ve been sick for a week. Could you be—pregnant?”
“Oh my God. How could you even ask me that?”
“It was just a thought. Anyway, I have to go. I’m meeting Carson for lunch. Call the doctor. Maybe he can give you something. I’ll call you later.”
Pregnant? I swallowed hard. The thought never crossed my mind. Grabbing my phone, I sat back down on the couch and stared at my period app where I kept track of my periods every month. The weeks had gone by so fast that I’d forgotten about my period. Usually, I was reminded every month by the painstaking cramps I’d get a couple days before. But I hadn’t had any of that. I tapped the app and sure as shit, I was late. But it had to be from the stress I was under. Losing my apartment, my job, not knowing what I’m going to do, and blowing through the little savings I had. I needed something to manage my stress, and maybe Bri was right about calling the doctor.
I was able to get into the doctor that afternoon after I told the receptionist I’d been throwing up all week and I thought I was dehydrated. I may have exaggerated a little bit just to get in. As I sat in the room and waited for the doctor to walk back in, I played a game on my phone to try and distract me from the nervousness that riddled inside me.
“I have your test results back,” Dr. Levy said as he walked into the room and gave me a sympathetic look.
“I’m pregnant, aren’t I?”
“I’m afraid so. You’re about six weeks along. You have options, Jenna.”
“I know.” I looked down as I fiddled with my hands.
“I can give you the name of a good clinic if you’re interested.”
“I am.”
He took a small notepad from his pocket and wrote the name of an abortion clinic down and handed it to me.
“If you decide to keep the baby, I suggest you get in touch with your OB/GYN and start prenatal care.”
“Thanks, Dr. Levy,” I said as I hopped off the table.
When I arrived back home, I called Bri and asked her if she would come over because I needed to talk to her. She thought she muted her phone, but she didn’t, and I heard every word her and Carson said. She told him I needed to talk, and she was coming over. He said no and that he wanted her home with him, and he planned on them watching a movie tonight. I could hear the things he was saying about me and it took everything I had not to go over there and kick his douchebag ass.
“I’m sorry, Jenna. Carson and I have plans tonight. I can come over tomorrow morning before work.”
“That’s okay. We’ll talk another time.” I quickly ended the call before she had a chance to say anything else.
I was pissed, hurt, and full of rage. I needed my best friend during this turbulent time in my life and she couldn’t stand up to her controlling boyfriend enough to be the friend she needed to be to me. That was the final straw as far as I was concerned, and I wasn’t going to try anymore. As much as I tried to make her see she was in a toxic relationship, she wouldn’t. But I was no longer going to be a part of it, so I considered our friendship over. I laid in bed all night and cried. I had no job, I was basically homeless, and I was pregnant.
The next morning, after tossing and turning all night, I pulled the piece of paper from my purse that Dr. Levy gave me and called the abortion clinic. I was in complete shock when the receptionist told me they had a cancellation and asked if I could come in at three o’clock. I agreed and tried to go about my day the best I could. Bri had sent me a few text messages, and I didn’t bother responding.
I sat on the table in one of those hideous gowns as I swung my legs back and forth. Everything was happening so fast. I couldn’t call my parents or even go back home. They’d told me once I left, there was no coming back, and I was no longer welcomed in their home or in their lives because I was nothing but a disappointment. But they were wrong. They were the disappointment, not me. No parent should ever treat their child the way they treated me. I placed my hands on my belly. What the hell was I doing here? This wasn’t this child’s fault. It didn’t ask to be conceived, and I had no right to take its life away before it even began.
I jumped off the table and threw my clothes on. As I opened the door, the doctor was standing on the other side.
“Miss Larson?”
“Yes. I’ve changed my mind, and I’m leaving.”
“Okay. That’s good news. Take care of yourself.”
“Thank you.” I gave him a small smile as I ran as fast as I could out of the place.
I took a cab to Central Park so I could think. As I was walking through, I had to make a stop at the first trash can I saw and throw up. I was sure this wasn’t morning sickness. Just nerves. Thank God I’d brought a bottle of water with me to sip on. Taking a seat on a bench, I thought about what I was going to do. I needed to find a new apartment and a new job ASAP.
Chapter 6
Lucas
I sat behind my desk and tried to figure out what the hell was wrong with the coding. My team had been working on the last half for the past six weeks and nothing. They couldn’t figure it out either. I was in a multi-million-dollar contract and our deadline was approaching. The stress I was under was real. I’d barely slept and didn’t have time to think about anything but this project. My father was up my ass about it, and no matter how many times I told him I was working on it, it wasn’t enough. How could this even be possible? I was good, potentially the best, and I couldn’t see where the error was. I only hired the best people, and they couldn’t figure it out either. As much as I wanted my team to start from scratch, I couldn’t ask them. We’d already been working on it for the last six months and the other work they had already suffered because of it. So, I decided to take it on all by myself.
I was in a foul mood when I stepped out of my office and told my secretary, Laurel, that I was leaving for the day and I didn’t want to be disturbed at home. At least there, there wouldn’t be any distractions and I could get a head start.
I arrived home at one o’clock and had already put six hours into it. At seven o’clock, the doorman called and told me someone was here to see me.
“Who is it, Russell?” I asked.
“It’s Jenna Larson, sir.”
Jenna? What the hell was she doing here? I asked myself in confusion. I hadn’t seen or spoken to her since our night together. I needed a small break any way, so I told him to send her up.
I waited at the elevator for her and when it arrived and the doors opened, she stood there gripping two extra-large suitcases.
“Jenna, what’s going on?” I asked in confusion.
“I need a place to temporarily stay, Lucas, and you’re my only option,” she spoke as she wheeled her suitcases past me.
“What? What the hell are you talking about? Listen, Jenna. It’s good to see you and everything, but this is a really bad time. I have a lot going—”
“And so do I!” she snapped at me.
“Okay. Let’s both calm down and you can tell me what’s going on with you. But I’m on limited time. I’m working on a very special project and I have to get back to it.”