"How long did you know it?" Marcus asked as he leaned over her on the hospital bed. He had brought her to the hospital after she suddenly passed out, he was scared and had been even more surprised when the doctor said she was three months and two weeks pregnant.
"Know what?" She lied, pretending to be clueless, she sat up straight and looked at him. She still had on the dress from yesterday.
The hospital ward was big, spacious and smelt like disinfectants and drugs. Marcus had requested one of the best ones, typical of him.
"How long have you known you were pregnant Caroline? The doctor said you've been going through with the antenatal and the baby is okay." He asked, there was anger in his tone and she could sense the held together rage.
Does he know it was his? She hoped he didn't, yet.
"I just discovered a month ago, the day I called in sick at work" Carol responded, placing her hands subconsciously over her belly, Marcus followed the movement and his heart broke, twice, one because he could never have a child to his name and two, Caroline had intercourse with someone else under his nose.
He took up courage and finally asked. "Who is the father?"
The question came as a shock to her, she looked like she was convulsing and realized it was the breaking point.
She had no other choice but to tell him, even though it was going to come as a surprise to him.
"What do you mean? You are the father!" She announced and now it was his own time to convulse. She watched the almighty Marcus Roberts struggle to have a grip on himself.
"Is that some sort of joke?" He asked, finally getting a grip on himself and leaning in, his eyes narrowed dangerously, in the way it usually does with those impertinent clients.
"Why does that come as a surprise to you? I haven't had any sex with anybody aside from you!" Caroline grounded and it was the first time either of them had ever addressed that night in April.
Drunk and tired, Marcus had pulled her in for a kiss, she had hesitated at first, she didn't want the only time he was giving her attention to be when he was drunk.
After his lips landed in hers, she forgot everything she stood for and gave in. Caroline would later admit to herself, and her journal that it was the greatest sex she has ever had.
"I am sorry it sounds that way but how do I believe that, when I am….." He wanted to say, 'clinically confirmed to be unable to get someone pregnant' but what was the odd that she actually was pregnant and it was his?
It was something he had come to terms with, he could not father a child, the accident made sure of that, every one but Caroline knew that.
"Say something! When you are what?" Caroline asked him patiently waiting to hear the accusation she was sure he wanted to throw at her, if he did that then she would remind him of all the ladies he brought to the house when he thought she was asleep.
"This is great news." He finally said to her. He stared at her, joy in his eyes and reached out to hold her hands just as Nina bursted in through the door. He turned around to look at her and Caroline didn't miss the look that passed through his eyes.
"Oh my goodness, I knew something was wrong when you threw up the other day. I immediately came when Marc told me you were unwell. You have been doing silly things haven't you? Why don't you watch her, Marc?" She ranted and an immediate migraine started to brew in Caroline's head, Nina was exhausted.
Nina's act at being sweet and kind was not making the correct impression on Caroline. She knew she wanted Marcus and she also knew she was going to do anything to make her be out of the picture for good, so she definitely was not buying the act.
"I am okay thank you." Carol simply said and allowed Marcus to explain it to her if it pleased him.
"It's good news Nina, Caroline here is pregnant with my child." He said to her as he led her to the corner of the ward.
Caroline watched the surprise that passed through her expression and fought the urge to laugh in triumph. She didn't know what his next move was going to be, but just knowing she had been able to give him a child was enough torture for poor sweet Nina.
"It can't be! You are clinically unable to! The doctors in Spain confirmed that." She argued in a hushed tone.
"That's what they said, a 98% chance of never being able to. This is very great news" he told her and Nina spared her a glance before walking over to her.
"Are you sure it is Marc's child? I don't trust you and your ways!" She snapped and Caroline said nothing. She did answer to her.
"Stop it Nina!" Marcus ordered and she turned red.
"I need air" Nina announced and raged out of the room.
"Sorry about her, she's looking out for me" he said warily and Caroline was even more surprised, he hardly apologized or said more than ten strings of words to her on a good day. He acted like she was some plague that needed to be avoided, and now he was being ingeniously sweet.
"Don't worry you can go meet her. When are we returning to the states?" She asked him, quickly changing the topic.
"I would. I need to know if you're okay!" He asked and she was almost irritated. She never wanted him to love or pay her attention just because there was a baby now in the equation, that was why she was suddenly happy about the divorce.
"You can go, I'm alright." She insisted. "Immediately I'm back in New York, I will sign the papers. You can now leave"
A confused look passed through his face. "What do you mean by signing the papers? There's no way I'm letting you go! You are carrying my child!"