I am standing in the bathroom in front of the basin. I look at the pregnancy test that I am holding in my palm. The test strip has two lines.
What am I going to do? I need to have a conversation with the father of my unborn child.
When I finally come to terms with the fact that I am twenty-one years old and that I had a one-night stand with the brother of my best friend, tears start to fall on my face.
Can you imagine what Melvin will think of me when he finds out I have a romantic relationship with his brother?
On my way to my bedroom, I grab the test and head there. It doesn't take me long to change into a pair of jean shorts and a tank top with speed. The test is placed in my luggage, and I exit the dormitory.
As I go to the stairs, I hear a whisper coming from somewhere. Keep your distance from Melvin. He belongs to me. After that, I am dragged further down a flight of stairs.
During my descent down the stairs, I smacked my stomach with a significant amount of force.
It is the bottom step that my head smacks.
After noticing that something is dripping down my leg, I realize that it is blood. Almost immediately after that, I pass out.
Suddenly, I am being shaken away by someone whispering my name. "Katherine?" Another time, they shake me. "Would you wake up? It's terrifying to see you.
I finally open my eyes, and tears roll down my face. "It's all my fault."
Melvin grabs the two sides of my face. "What's not your fault?" It is his fingers that he uses to wipe my face.
As I cry into his shoulder, I remove his hands from my face and take them away. When I say, "My baby," I cry even more.
It's been years since I've given that day any thought. I don't understand why it had to come back to me again in a dream. Regarding that particular day, is there something I should hold in my memory? Does the individual who shoved me down the stairs have any connection to me?
No, Katherine, you have never been a mother. The only time I can recall you being pregnant is when you were pregnant, but I don't remember ever being pregnant.
I let out a whisper as I pulled away from him. "You are not as familiar with me as you believe you are. Because Michelle was my roommate, there were periods when we did not see each other throughout our time together. Because she was envious of our friendship, she made it a point to prevent us from spending time together. While I was by myself, you spent most of your time with her. The celebration of my twenty-first birthday was a private affair for me. When I had a one-night stand, I was under the influence of alcohol.
"You got pregnant by that guy?"
My head nods.
I feel Melvin snatching me into his arms. It is a whisper. "What happened to the baby?"
New tears are falling once more. "The day I found out I was pregnant, I was going to tell the Dad, but I didn't make it out of the dorm."
He has a frown. "What do you mean you didn't leave the dorm?"
I give a head shake. "I can't..." I falter as my chest tightens, making it difficult for me to breathe. I am unable to continue.
Take a peek at me, Katherine." I am unable to.
Melvin gives me a cheek slap. "Kathy, hold your breath for me. If you do not give it a shot, I will contact an ambulance, and as a result, you will be required to speak with someone. It would be more convenient for me if I were the one who assisted you in overcoming whatever it is that you are concealing from me. I am capable of keeping your secret." In and out, he takes a breath. "Just copy me, Kathy."
I follow his directions.
For some time, it gets less difficult to breathe.
I won't attempt to coerce you into telling me right now. You handle that matter in your own time." His lips are kissing the crown of my head. "I'm going back to bed."
The bed begins to shift, and I grab his hand. Could you spend the night with me? It's not that I want to be by myself.
After saying, "Okay," he entered the bed beside me. I am lying on my back with my head on his chest, and he wraps his arms around me. His lips are kissing the crown of my head. "Goodnight, Katy."
"Goodnight," I murmur to myself.
*****
When I awoke the following morning, I found that food had been presented to me on the nightstand.
Melvin is depicted with a grin on his face. "Good morning, my dear. I figured that after yesterday night, you would be grateful for a delicious breakfast.
After examining the dish, I noticed that it had pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
What a delicious-looking breakfast!
"Thanks, Melvin, but you didn't have to do it."
Melvin is seated next to me on the bed. Indeed, I did it. Yesterday evening, I exerted a lot of pressure on you to provide me with information. I was floored by the information that you disclosed. I wanted you to fill me in on everything that happened before.
"I will not feel at ease with that for a considerable time. I want to say that I hope that after you hear everything, you won't hate me.
"I could never hate you."
We'll have to wait and see about that.
After the kid was born, I reached my lowest point and turned to drugs as a means of coping with the pain I was experiencing. On a particular weekend, Melvin's mother came to visit, and she spotted me.
The question "What the hell are you doing?" was posed to me, and she took me aside.
I told her the entire narrative when I was under the effects of drugs, and I told her everything from the beginning to the end. After packing my belongings, she escorted me to therapy. They were given every detail about me by her. And that includes my narrative.
There was no coercion on my part to talk to the psychologist; nonetheless, the longer I remained there, the more I felt comfortable opening up to her. The child that I had just recently learned about and that I had lost on the same day was a source of comfort for me throughout my time of loss.
A snap of Melvin's fingers is directed toward my face. "Kathy, are you alright?"
I won't be, but I will be. "Are you coming to join me for breakfast? Or do you plan to look at me for the entirety of the morning? It is nine o'clock when I turn my attention to the clock. The time has come for us to depart, Melvin. Seraphina desires to see us.
"I forgot about that." A guilty expression accompanied his affirmation. "Everything you revealed to me last night is still swimming in my head."
I reach out and touch his arm. When would be a good time to discuss this matter? Whatever Seraphina has to discuss, I want to get through it quickly.
We do not speak when we eat.
Immediately following the completion of my breakfast, Melvin takes my plate. I'm going to take a shower. After half an hour, I will come down to meet you downstairs. After leaving bed, I quickly gather my belongings and go to the restroom. Immediately before entering the shower, I pull my hair back into a bun. Until I am satisfied with the temperature, I submerge my palm in the water.
I wash myself by stepping under the shower spray, picking up the loafer, and performing the procedure. After turning off the water, I exit the building. To dry myself, I grab the towel and dry myself. Next, I put on a white blouse and a skirt. I switched to ballet flats. Following my exit from the restroom, I approach the living room.
Melvin makes his way to the couch. "Are you ready?"
After saying, "Yes," he stands up and approaches me. He walks me to the car while placing his hand on the small part of my back, and then he leads me there.
He opens the door for me when I get to the car. When I enter, he shuts the door behind me. After rounding the cat, he hops into the driver's seat. He secures himself in his seat. After putting his hand on my knee, he drives off toward the office.