Kiara locked her bedroom door and took the pregnancy test again.
"Who knows, maybe that time it made an error. I think it will tell the truth now." she mumbled to herself.
She waited eagerly and checked the results. It was still positive.
"What was I thinking? I have missed three periods so far…or is it four? Oh no!" She hit the wall and winced in pain, because she was hurting her own hands.
After pulling up her blouse and looking at herself in the mirror, the young lady realised that her bump was surely showing. Or was it just in her mind?
"How long before mum sees this?" She sighed heavily, picked up a jacket and walked out to go to her parents.
Immediately she started to feel very dizzy, and she tried holding on to the kitchen counter, but she was too late. She was about to fall on to the floor when Travis caught her mid-air and led her to a chair.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I just feel dizzy,"
"Should I call an ambulance, Aletha?" Travis was visibly worried.
"What is it, Kiara?" Aletha bent down to look closely at her daughter.
"No don't call an ambulance. I…I just need some rest." Kiara stated in a low voice.
"Have you been overworking yourself? You need to rest! Come," Aletha held her daughter's hand and led her to her room. She let her sit on bed and went out to get a bottle of water.
Kiara drank all of the water and handed the empty bottle over to her mother.
When Aletha was about to leave the room, she saw an empty packaging of the pregnancy test, hidden under a pillow. Well, it was supposed to be hidden, but when Kiara saw on the bed and fidgeted in it, she moved the pillow, thus exposing the small box.
"Do not tell me that what I am suspecting is correct," Aletha said in a low hoarse voice, her eyes fixed on the little box.
Kiara's eyes followed her mother's gaze, and they fell on the empty box.
She did not know what to say or do.
"My child," Aletha sat down next to her daughter. "You can tell me the honest truth, you don't need to hide anything from me. Are you pregnant?"
Kiara looked at her mother and the tears began to flow.
"Answer me, Kiara," she demanded, doing her best to suppress her anger.
"Y…yes," she stammered.
"How many weeks now?"
"I…I don't know. Maybe twenty!"
"My goodness!! My own child has gone halfway through pregnancy and here I am, not knowing a thing about it! Does Jeremy know?"
Kiara shook her head.
"What? You haven't told him? And why on earth would you keep such news away from him?"
"I…I was planning on telling him soon."
Aletha shook her head in disappointment. She stood up and left the room.
"I'm going to the mall just down the street, I'll be back soon," she told Travis.
"To the mall? This late?" the husband asked.
Ignoring her husband, Aletha continued to go to the pharmacy where she bought a pregnancy test. She needed to confirm, to do the test herself.
Since Jeremy was spending some time editing his clients' photos on that day, he got home late, arriving at his gate right as the same time as Aletha. Without informing him of anything, Aletha called Jeremy inside.
Travis was in his bedroom when Jeremy walked in, so Aletha did not bother calling her husband, she just instructed the young man to proceed to Kiara's bedroom. The poor girl was sleeping in her bed, looking very pale and exhausted. Next to her pillow was a water bottle and a number of mint sweets scattered on the bed.
"You're not feeling well? What's the problem my love?" he asked.
"I feel terrible. I am taking these mint sweets because there is this horrible taste in my mouth, and I hate it." She looked and sounded pathetic.
"You need to go to the hospital," Jeremy advised. Kiara chose not to respond.
There was a faint knock on the door, and Aletha walked in. She asked Kiara to sit up and she handed over a cup of ginger tea to her to her daughter.
"You two need to talk." Aletha stated before fixing a stern look on her daughter and ordering her; "Tell him, Kiara."
Kiara was silent.
"What do you want to tell me?" Jeremy failed to hide his curiosity and anxiety.
His girlfriend faced down and whispered, "I'm pregnant."
On hearing that, Jeremy sat up straight, not knowing whether to laugh, smile or cry.
"Pregnant?" he asked in a shocked voice.
"Umm," Aletha said. "I must confess, I am disappointed in you two. I thought you knew better than to do what you have done."
"Are you pregnant, Kiara? Are we going to be parents?" Jeremy asked with widened eyes.
Kiara slightly raised her head and did not respond.
"I bought a test. We're going to do a pregnancy test just now. Let her finish her tea first." Aletha said.
Kiara drank her tea slowly, and there was dead silence in the room. It seemed like forever before she finished the small cup of tea, and she followed her mother to the bathroom.
Left alone in the room, Jeremy did not know what to do. A child? What; he was going to be a father? A part of his heart felt bad, and another part felt happy. Bad because he felt like he was burdening his mother. While he himself was still a student and not making much from photography, he felt bad that he was going to bring another life into their home. And happy because Kiara was the mother of his child. That on its own was enough to make him smile.
Jeremy pulled out his phone and called Jacob. As soon as it was answered, he went straight to the point,
"You won't believe this, Kiara is pregnant."
"What, Jeremy! Does mum know?"
"Not yet. I'm scared."
"Don't be scared. The child is already on the way, so the best we can do is to prepare for him or her," Jacob comforted him.
"What do you think mum will say?" he asked.
"I am not too sure. But I don't think anyone will be too shocked, considering the way you and Kiara have been driving each other crazy since the day you were born," Jacob laughed.
"Don't laugh, Jacob. This is a serious matter," said Jeremy.
"It's not that bad. How far along is she?" Jacob asked.
"I don't know," Jeremy said in a low voice.
"Well, our mother is one blessed woman. Nesisa and I are expecting a little one, and so are you and Kiara." he chuckled.
"You think she will be happy? I don't know, brother. She is happy about your child, because you did everything in the right way. As for me…I really don't know!" Jeremy said with a sad heart.
"Congratulations little brother, and stop crying over spilt water. At least my child will have a little cousin to play with," said Jacob.
At that moment, Jeremy heard footsteps and he knew that Kiara and her mother were coming back, so he quickly said to his brother, "I'll talk to you later," and ended the call.
He threw his phone on the bed and stood up, anxiously rubbing his palms together. A baby! Who would the baby look like? He imagined a little girl as beautiful as Kiara. And he also imagined a little boy like himself.
He looked as the door was slightly pushed open, and then it stopped. It was pushed again, and in came Kiara. She headed to her bed and sat down.
Aletha walked in and stood by the doorway.
He looked at Kiara but saw nothing in her eyes. He looked at Aletha and also failed to read anything in the woman's eyes.
"Tell me," he said, for he could not hold in any longer.
Aletha walked towards the bed and sat down beside her daughter.
"Tell him, my child."
Kiara did not raise her eyes but said in a low voice, "the test is positive. I am pregnant."
Jeremy's face melted into a wide smile. He hugged Kiara tight and said, "We're going to be parents! I am very happy!!"
Kiara seemed not to share the joy, but Jeremy was truly happy. All the fear seemed to fly away the moment that the pregnancy was confirmed. He felt very happy. He pulled over some bed linen and covered Kiara's legs up to her waist.
"You need to keep yourself warm," he smiled. "Do you need anything?" he asked eagerly.
"No," Kiara whispered.
"Kiara, we are going to be parents!! We are going to be parents, Kiara. That is good news, is it not?" he asked with a smile.
"It is," Kiara whispered.