When I opened my eyes, I saw myself in a desolate room. The walls were painted white, the floors and even the ceiling.
Abruptly, the room changed, and I saw twenty-five-year-old me with my father. It was the year I got a scholarship to further my studies in Los Angeles.
"Eloise, I think you should take the scholarship; you can get married later; this resort won't come twice." My father was anxious. I could discern the pain in his eyes. I wouldn't assert I was not disheartened, I was, but I tried to exclude it. There was absolutely no way I would leave without Peter.
We applied to further our studies in Los Angeles, but only mine came through. I know he was impeded. So to make him cheerful, I thought the best thing was to repudiate the offer and accept his proposal.
Did he do it on purpose? Did he propose to me cause he knew I wouldn't leave him if we married? Did he trick me?
If he did, he succeeded. My life became a living hell after marriage. I should have listened to my father.
I stood there, watching myself foolishly get married to Peter. That wedding vows I stayed up late to write made no difference. He slowly became my worst nightmare. Every day after our marriage felt like I was walking on a tightrope.
....
Suddenly, I kept hearing noises, but I couldn't see anyone. In a minute, my father disappeared. I started shrieking, looking around for him, but I couldn't find him and the voices got worse.
I fell to my knees, screaming for my father to come back to me. Suddenly, I could hear my name, and instantly my eyes opened.
I saw a doctor, who seemed a bit shocked.
"She is awake." The doctor shouted.
There were about five nurses in the room and three doctors. I tried to move, but some wires were attached to my brain, and my legs were draped and hung.
"Are you okay?" One of the nurses said to me.
"Why wouldn't she be? Cinderella is always fine. Hmm, I wish I were you." Another nurse said.
I couldn't comprehend a thing. I couldn't even speak as the oxygen was attached to my nose and mouth.
The nurse removed the oxygen from my mouth, and I focused on her.
"You are going to be alright. It's a miracle you survived." The nurse smiled, and they all left the room except for a particular doctor, who looked tense. He had his fingers in between his teeth. His gazes were fixed on me, but no word left his lips.
"Maybe I'm dying." That was the only thought in my head until-
"Eloise Wright."
The doctor slowly removed his fingers from his mouth. I could see the muscles of his bottleneck stiffed and moving like he gobbled his saliva.
'Why does he look scared?'
"I know you just woke up, but there is something you need to know." The doctor savaged his lower lips. His gaze avoided mine.
My heart was swatting fast, and my lips were slightly open. I was wheezing, thinking the next word that would come out of the doctor's mouth would be the news of a condition that would bring about my death.
When I saw his lips open, I shut my eyes tight and tried to use my hands to close my ears, but I was too slow. The IV tube on my right hand made it impossible for me to extend, my hands were tepid.
"You are pregnant."
My eyes slowly opened as I heard him.
'I can't be pregnant. I've been barren for eight years; why will I be pregnant?'
I puckered my brows at him. No one told me doctors could joke with a dying patient. Or maybe he was talking to someone else, but there was no one here. Does he have ear pods in his ears?
"You are pregnant" the doctor's voice ran in my ears the second time, and I pretended he wasn't talking to me.
He took a step closer, his eyes narrowing a tad bit more at my face that was void of any expression.
"Ma'am, I said you are pregnant," he said yet again, and I glinted once, then twice, and then it finally dawned on me that he was speaking to me.
My mouth parted slightly, but no word made it out as my heart started to pound loudly in my chest. I let my eyes clench shut for a moment, trying to recall the event that had taken place and led to this very moment.
The last thing I remembered was falling off the hospital rooftop. My dear husband of eight years couldn't even sprawl a hand to help me. Recalling that incident made the blood in my veins canker, igniting my spirit that made the doctor standing in front of me seem highly foolish. How could I be pregnant?
Someone walked into the ward; glancing at him, I swear I recognized him. He was the same man who bridged over me earlier, looking at me like I was a shoddy woman.
He excused himself and turned to walk away. He didn't look as proud as he was earlier. My gaze slowly drifted towards the doctor, but then-
"I'm sorry, but I have something to tell you. You are pregnant, and the baby is mine."
My gaze ambled from him to the doctor. They must be pulling a prank on me.
"Do you need a doctor?" I asked him and erupted into laughter. I can't believe this. Are they trying to make me laugh? Maybe they thought I committed suicide.