Chapter 3
1190 Words
Sara's POV
"Sara, you are such a shame to this family" Dad shouted throughout the living room. I winced, crying my eyes out.
"But Dad, please listen-" I pleaded, my voice breaking into a sob.
"No!' He interrupted me raising his voice and becoming red in the face. " I have heard quite enough. How could you do this to Jack?"
I searched in Jack's eyes for help, but he was just standing there with a smug look. He then dragged my father over and told him half the story; his side of it, specifically. My side? It didn't matter anymore.
"Mr. Jones," Jack said, frowning in what was feigned sorrow, "I'm sorry you had to learn it like this.
Dad turned to the side, looking down to the floor and completely disregarding me. I became angry and said, "I am disappointed in you, Sara, I raised you better than this".
"Dad, please," I tried asking for the last time. "Jack cheated on me first, with Emma-
"Enough!" Dad roared. "I disowned you. I don't want to listen to your alibis. You are not my daughter".
Those words slapped me across my face. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. Well, I just watched as all that I had worked for crumbled in front of me.
Jack cleared his throat. "I believe it is for the best that you go now, Sara.
My eyes passed through the room that had been my home. It now felt cold, void, and unfamiliar. I reached with visibly shaking hands for my luggage, already packed in anticipation of this event. Nobody moved to approach me, let alone try to help.
As I was exiting the door, the words from Dad were like a resounding echo in my ear: Take that back,, and do not even bother coming home. "
The door swung right behind me with a tiring bang.
I found myself on the streets, wandering without any idea about which direction to take. There was something in my pocket that felt like my phone weighed a ton. Then I took it out and dialed a number which I hadn't used in many years.
"Hello?'' There was a familiar voice at the other end of the phone.
"Lily?" I asked softly. "Hello,, it's Sara. I... I am stuck."
An hour later, I found myself in Lily's small apartment in Liverpool and was telling her everything. Lily looked at me with wide eyes and listened.
"Oh, Sara," she said when I finished it. "Oh! That is terrible; yes, of course, you can stay here."
I hugged her since she was the only person to believe me and give me support during that time.
These days turn into weeks that pass into a blur. I had to get employment at one cafe waiting tables, not much but enough to pay the favor Lily did for me. I tried my best not to remember Jack or my father or my life that used to be.
After that was the day I saw the newspaper. It was a picture of Jack and Emma; the names of the two people in that picture were written in bold letters in black. Headline: They are: Local Realtor Weds in Lavish Ceremony.
I crushed the paper and swallowed the lump in my throat. "How could they?" I said to myself. This was a common question that I asked myself, "How could he move on so fast?"
But more shocks were in store for me; first of all, there was the constant tiredness. This was followed by the nausea of pregnancy, or as people call it, morning sickness.
After a few moments of silence, I laid the pregnancy test down on the counter and looked at it, 'No,' I whispered. "No, no, no. "
Lily came in and found me sitting on the bathroom floor, bawling. "Sara? What's wrong?"
I showed her the test, The situation depicted in the given text can be explained in the following manner. Her eyes went wide. "Oh, sweetie. Is it. ..
I nodded my head, understanding what she was asking of me. "It has to be from that night, with the stranger at the bar. "
"What are you going to do?" Lily asked softly.
I shook my head. "I don't know. I don't even know his name.
But it wasn't true. As for who he was…well, I did know his name. Ben Clark. The piece of paper with his number was still in my purse and I looked at it for the first time in ages.
I took it out hesitantly with my shaking hands. The ink was smeared but the numbers could be seen clearly.
"I have to find him," I said almost to myself and looked at Lily. "He needs to know. "
"I have to find him," I told Lily, though it was more of a mumble to myself. "He needs to know."
I dialed the number, my hands shaking as I dialed the number on the phone. Once, twice, thrice ring. Then..
"Hello, this is a recording, I am sorry to inform you that the number you have called is out of service. "
I let the phone slip from my hand. Now what was I going to do?
"Sara?" Lily's voice sounded like it had come from afar. "Are you okay?"
I looked at her, a little helplessly, and told her, "But I am different from the others, am I?" "I am pregnant," I said to her, words rolling off my tongue. "And I have no idea how to find the father. "
Lily sat down beside me and pulled an arm around my shoulder. "Well," she said, "We'll figure it out." She said, "Together. "
I nodded in agreement but tried to reassure myself of the fact by what she said, knowing well that sitting there, with a hand over my still flat stomach, it felt like my life was going to change once again.
The events that occurred over the next few days are still a blur in my head. I did go to work all the time thinking, thinking. Here, one question that I could ask myself is, should I keep the baby? Could I even afford to? And what about Ben? Did he have a right to know?
One evening we were out on her small balcony, watching the sun go down, when suddenly she said to me in the most serious tone of voice I'd ever heard.
"What are you going to do?" she asked softly.
I groaned, rubbing my head in my hands. Honestly, I don't know, Lily. Part of me wants this baby. It might be the only good thing to come out of this mess, but another part.
"Are you scared?" Lily said to me.
I nodded. "That is right, how can I raise a child on my own, I can hardly take care of myself at the moment. "
Lily pulled on my hand and gave it a tight grip. "You are not alone, Sara," I said softly, "You have me. And perhaps… perhaps it is time to try contacting your dad again?
- Writer
