CHAPTER 2
2216 Words
CAROLINE'S POINT OF VIEW
Caroline sat on the closed toilet lid inside the small bathroom.
Her hand shook as she stared down at the plastic stick.
Two bright pink lines stared back at her from the window.
The test was completely positive.
She could not understand how this was even possible.
Her mind felt totally blank and frozen.
She had not been with anyone.
She had not done anything that could cause this.
It felt like a bad dream that she could not wake up from.
A sharp knock on the wooden door broke the heavy silence.
Caroline, are you okay in there?
The voice belonged to Lucaa and it sounded full of worry.
I do not understand what is happening, Caroline said.
Her voice vibrated with pure fear.
Lucaa pushed the door open and stepped into the small room.
She closed the door quickly behind her back.
Her face looked completely white like a ghost.
I need to tell you something right now, Lucaa whispered.
She looked down at the floor.
You are really not going to like this news.
Caroline frowned and squeezed the plastic stick tighter.
What is it?
What did you find out?
Lucaa rubbed her forehead and sighed heavily.
The medical clinic made a massive mistake with you.
A mistake?
Caroline felt her stomach drop into a deep dark hole.
Lucaa nodded her head with intense guilt in her eyes.
They performed the completely wrong procedure on your body.
You did not have an egg retrieval operation like we planned.
They actually did a full fertilization operation on you.
Caroline stopped breathing for several long seconds.
The words did not make any sense in her brain.
What are you saying to me right now?
Am I pregnant because of a medical accident?
Yes, Lucaa said in a very quiet voice.
Caroline stared at her friend with her heart thumping loudly.
It felt like a heavy hammer beating against her ribs.
That is totally impossible.
How could a real doctor mix up something that big?
Lucaa leaned against the sink and groaned.
That place was an absolute mess behind the scenes.
They were not following any legal health rules or safety procedures.
I should have never suggested that place to you.
This whole disaster is completely my fault.
Lucaa stamped her foot on the floor and swore softly.
Caroline shook her head from side to side quickly.
She tried to force her brain to process the details.
Does this mean we have to give the money back?
But the cash is already gone because my uncle took it.
You do not have to return a single cent, Lucaa said.
The clinic is totally gone now.
They shut down the entire operation already.
What do you mean by gone?
Caroline repeated the word like an echo.
When I went back there to fight with them, the building was empty.
There were no doctors and no nurses anywhere.
They took all the medical machines and every single paper file.
There are absolutely no records left behind.
So they just vanished into thin air?
And now I am stuck with this giant disaster alone?
Caroline wanted to scream until her throat felt raw.
She had not asked for a baby.
She had not done anything to create a new life.
Suddenly she was forced to carry a complete stranger's child.
Lucaa looked at her with tears swimming in her eyes.
I managed to take one thing before they cleared the rooms.
Lucaa reached deep into her jacket pocket.
She pulled out a small silver cross necklace.
What is that supposed to be?
Caroline looked at the shiny metal object with confusion.
It was sitting right inside the secret donor file, Lucaa said.
She dropped the cold metal into Caroline's open palm.
It was the only piece of evidence I could grab.
The rest of the paperwork was completely destroyed.
The biological father is totally anonymous to us.
Caroline stared down at the tiny silver cross.
It caught the dim light of the bathroom bulb.
The metal felt freezing cold against her warm skin.
It felt as heavy as a massive stone block.
She could not say a single word for several minutes.
Her thoughts were spinning around like a wild tornado.
Caroline, Lucaa said as she stepped closer.
I know this is an absolute living nightmare for you.
I know it is my fault for bringing you there.
If you want to go to the police, we can go right now.
I will tell the officers the entire story myself.
I will take all the legal blame for this mistake.
What are you talking about?
Caroline looked up in total shock.
I will go to a court of law, Lucaa continued.
I will give up my medical license if I have to do it.
I will even go to prison to pay for this.
No way, Caroline said while shaking her head.
You cannot throw away your entire future like that.
You studied so hard in medical school for many years.
I have to do this for you, Lucaa insisted.
You would not be in this mess without me.
Caroline felt a thick lump form in her throat.
Lucaa had always protected her from the bad things in life.
She was always trying to find ways to help her survive.
Now she wanted to destroy her career to save Caroline.
Lucaa, this is truly not your fault at all.
You were just trying to help me get the money.
I made the final choice to walk inside that clinic.
But I was the person who found the ad, Lucaa argued.
It does not matter who found it, Caroline said firmly.
We cannot change the past things that happened.
We just have to figure out our next move together.
Later that evening, Caroline sat completely alone in her bedroom.
The silver cross necklace was still pressed inside her hand.
She could not take her eyes off the shining metal object.
It was the only physical link to the mystery man.
The unknown person who was the father of her baby.
She started thinking about Aunt Margaret and her old advice.
Her aunt always told her to pack her bags and run away.
She always said to go live a real life somewhere else.
Caroline thought about the terrible mess her family made.
They took everything from her until she had nothing left.
They drained her energy and her spirit completely.
Now she was facing a massive life decision.
She pressed her flat palm against her lower stomach.
Her mind raced from one scary thought to another.
She had not asked for this pregnancy to happen.
She had never planned to become a mother right now.
But she could not think of the tiny life as a mistake.
She thought about the little baby growing inside her.
She thought about the beautiful life she could provide.
She stood up from her mattress and walked to the kitchen.
Lucaa was sitting at the wooden table in the dark.
Her eyes were wide and filled with deep anxiety.
I have finally made my decision, Caroline said clearly.
Lucaa stood up from her chair quickly.
Are you absolutely sure about this?
Caroline nodded her head without any doubt left.
Yes, this is my own personal choice now.
I am not going to let anyone steal this choice away.
For the first time in years, Caroline felt calm inside.
Her life was a total disaster zone.
But this tiny baby belonged to her completely.
It did not matter how the baby was created.
She was going to protect this child with her life.
Lucaa stayed right by her side for the entire day.
She refused to leave the apartment for any reason.
Caroline felt deeply grateful for the quiet company.
They sat across from each other at the dining table.
Lucaa had just finished eating a plate of fried rice.
Caroline only managed to eat half of her own food.
She could feel her friend watching her every move.
Lucaa was trying to read her mind without asking questions.
Caroline kept her eyes fixed on the silver cross.
The necklace lay right between them on the wood table.
Caroline, Lucaa said softly into the quiet room.
I know this is a massive amount of stress for you.
But if you cannot do this, it is not too late.
You can still change your mind and get an abortion.
I am absolutely keeping this baby, Caroline interrupted.
She knew exactly what her friend was going to say next.
Lucaa nodded her head up and down very slowly.
I just want you to know all your legal options.
If we need money, you could sell that silver cross.
Caroline looked up with wide surprised eyes.
Sell the necklace?
You said it belonged to the anonymous donor.
Lucaa leaned back in her chair and stiffened her shoulders.
That is the biggest problem right now, Caroline.
This is not a normal piece of jewelry from a shop.
What does that mean?
Lucaa hesitated like she was afraid to speak the truth.
She let out a long shaky breath of air.
There is an old tradition with certain powerful crime families.
The cross represents absolute loyalty and dangerous power.
I am almost positive this belongs to the mafia.
The father might be a very dangerous criminal man.
Caroline felt her stomach twist into a tight painful knot.
Are you saying the donor is a mafia member?
It is highly possible, Lucaa admitted in a whisper.
The clinic closing down overnight proves something big is happening.
The missing records show they wanted to hide their identities.
They wanted to cover their tracks from the law.
Caroline picked up the cold silver cross again.
She ran her thumb over the smooth metal edges.
It felt heavy with a dark dangerous secret.
She was not ready to uncover that secret yet.
Later that night, Caroline told Aunt Margaret the whole story.
She expected her aunt to scream or get very angry.
Instead, the old woman listened with a peaceful face.
When Caroline finished talking, Aunt Margaret grabbed her hand.
She squeezed her fingers with surprising strength.
Caroline, this is the true will of God, she whispered.
Her voice was very faint and hard to hear clearly.
The old woman was fighting for her breath.
God's will?
Caroline blinked her eyes in total disbelief.
Aunt Margaret, this happened because of a dirty clinic.
How can you say a medical mistake is God's plan?
The old woman smiled a tiny beautiful smile.
Because God works in mysterious ways we cannot see.
You have always wanted a real family of your own.
Maybe this child is the family you have been praying for.
Those words touched something deep inside Caroline's heart.
She had never said that wish out loud to anyone.
But her aunt knew the absolute truth about her soul.
She had always felt completely alone in the world.
Even when she was standing in a crowded room.
If Aunt Margaret died, she would have nobody left.
Do you truly believe that?
Caroline asked the question in a tiny voice.
The old woman nodded as tears rolled down her cheeks.
I believe it with all my heart, Caroline.
You are going to be a wonderful mother to this baby.
That night, Caroline lay awake in her dark bedroom.
She stared up at the blank white ceiling for hours.
Her aunt's words kept repeating in her mind over and over.
They mixed with the scary warnings from Lucaa.
If the father was really a dangerous mafia monster, what then?
What would that mean for the safety of her child?
Would the crime family come to hunt them down?
Would she end up dead in a ditch somewhere?
But her mind remained totally made up despite the fear.
This little child was not a mistake or an accident anymore.
The baby belonged to her and her alone.
The next morning, Lucaa was waiting in the kitchen again.
She had dark circles under her red eyes from no sleep.
Have you made your final choice?
Caroline walked into the room and nodded her head.
I am absolutely keeping my baby.
Lucaa let out a long breath and dropped her shoulders down.
She still looked incredibly worried about the future.
Caroline, are you totally sure about this path?
This life is going to be incredibly difficult for a single mother.
If the donor is mafia, there will be serious danger for you.
I do not care about the danger anymore, Caroline said.
I spent my whole life following choices made by bad people.
This time, I am making a choice for my own life.
It does not matter who the biological father is.
This child belongs to me now.
I am going to give this baby the best life possible.
She gripped the silver cross tightly inside her pocket.
She knew her life would never be simple or safe again.
But she was ready to fight the entire world for her child.
She looked out the window at the bright morning sun.
Was she truly ready to face the wrath of a secret mafia king if he ever discovered the existence of his hidden child?
- Writer
