5

As I sit in the hard plastic chair waiting for my results I can't help but feel nervous.

"It could be many things," My physician had said.

"Something to worry about or nothing at all."

My body feels like a million ants are walking all over it. I stand up and before I even know it I am walking from one end of the corridor to the other. I start biting my thumb a habit I had developed as a kid as I pace.

'What if I am pregnant?" I ask myself. "What am I going to do?" "I'll tell you what I am going to do. I am going to give birth. Then I am going to..."

"Katherine Valentine!" The nurse calls.

"I'm here!" I call back as I rush back to my chair I gather my things then head over to the nurse. She leads me back over to the consultation room and closes the door.

"Miss Valentine I have some good news for you." Dr. Lin, my physician says. He gestures to the chair in front of his dark. I slide in and cross my legs to keep them from bouncing.

He picks up my results and scans them." Your heart rate is a little higher than normal blood pressure too,"

"How is that good?" I asked cutting him off.

"I'm getting there," he says. " Your hCG levels are high too." he puts the report down and folds his hands.

"That means?" I ask becoming impatient.

"That means that judging from your history and appearance you are about 14 weeks pregnant Miss. Valentine."

Despite having already considered this fact it still feels like a bucket of water had been poured over me.

"I'm pregnant," I say slowly.

"I am going to refer you to an OB-GYN.," he says "It will be up to you to make the appointment." He hands me a few papers and lets me out of the room. If I thought I was nervous then, whew, Lord have mercy now. I quickly sit down in one of those hard plastic chairs in the waiting room as my vision was swimming.

'I'm pregnant.' I think,' I'm pregnant and he doesn't even know.' and then it dawned on me. 'He doesn't even know and he never will.' I cried for a while. Releasing all the stress and worry that I felt since leaving that place. When I was done I left the hospital.

By the time I made it home, it was dark and I was starving. I turned on the lights and took off my shoes not forgetting to lock the door behind me. I made my way over to the kitchen still clutching the papers Mr. Lim gave me in my hand. I read over them, again and again, each time the words positive and second trimester jumped out to me. Almost as if to say here I am l! This is your reality. And then in the good Physicians hand, the words Call them, Were scrawled at the bottom of the page next to the OB-GYN's contact information.

I toss the papers aside on the table in annoyance then head into the kitchen to make some food. After I'm done I wash my dishes and go to bed.

The next morning the paper catches my attention as I leave for work.

'To hell with it! I take my phone out of my bag and dial Dr. Copelin the OB-GYN. After three rings Dr. Copelin's secretary answered and I was able to make an appointment for the first of next month. That's in what five days?

I put my phone back in my bag and head to the bus stop at the end of the road. As I am sitting on the bench I can't help but start thinking of everything.

I take out my phone and start scrolling through social media. The usual headlines are at the top.

TOP MODEL ACCUSED OF BED CLIMBING.

PRESIDENT GIVES SPEECH AT THE CHERRY BLOSSOM IN TODAY: MAJOR REACTIONS FROM CROWD.

A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY GOES BANKRUPT.

IS IT TRUE? REESE INTERPRISE IS BUYING OUT COMPETITORS LAW FIRMS AND ASSOCIATED LAW FIRMS?

I can hear the noisy huffing of the bus so put my phone in my bag and stood up. The royal purple bus pulled up and I got on. The bus didn't have as many passengers as I usually do so I was able to score a place to sit. there are two young women behind me and a middle-aged man watching me to my left. I can feel the man's eyes on me so look out my window to ignore him. I watch the various shades of pink and white of the blossoming branches dance in the breeze as we pass through the city. My bus ride is quite short compared to many others. After thirty minutes or so the bus I am on pulls up to the firm. Still feeling serine I get off and for some reason, I turn to watch the bus pull away, and with that, I lock eyes with the middle-aged man.