PREGNANT FOR MY HUSBAND'S STEPFATHER

Aria "You're pregnant." She broke the news to me. The bag, which I held on to tightly, dropped to the ground. I was terrified, nervous and at the same time regretful. I had been feeling nauseous and dizzy, so I decided to visit the hospital for a checkup. Pregnancy was the last thing on my mind. For some, it was good news, but for me, it was the other way round. 3 years of marriage, yet no child every couple would be happy to hear that sentence that bonds the existence of marriage, not in my case. I watched my husband leave home and come back once in two weeks and sometimes once in a month, my marriage was shattered and there was nothing I could do to save it. “No,” I said, too sharp, too defensive. “Impossible.” She threw the resulting papers at me. "VALDEZ, ARIA. RESULT: POSITIVE. ESTIMATED GESTATION: 3 WEEKS." I read. 3 weeks...it dawned on me... Zachary, my stepfather-in-law, I thought he used protection, how could I still have gotten pregnant? I glanced at her, that woman, that face. The reason why my husband became an alien to me. She smirked as if she could sense my deep hatred for her. Was I able to do anything? No, at least not in a situation where my survival in marriage depends on her, it was either she chose to keep my secret or she spilled it out. "When was the last time you had your menstruation?" I heard her ask. I desperately wanted to respond, defend myself, but my voice failed me. I haven't seen my menstruation in the last month, but I thought it had been delayed. She looked at me with accusatory eyes as if hinting to me the child wasn't his. I knew too, I knew Quinn wasn't responsible for the pregnancy. Was it my fault? I had to endure loneliness for 2 and half years of my life. It was overbearing and when life finally decided to show me some sweet side by giving me Zach, stepfather-in-law, I still messed things up with my carelessness. Zachary was a million times what Quinn could never be. He loved me like I deserved to be loved, like I wanted to be loved. If only I had met Zachary earlier than I met Quinn. To hell with my marriage. 3 years of commitment, endurance and waiting, hoping that Quinn would care a little more about me and not mess around with his side chick. Mikasa? I knew her too well. Quinn would go to any length to satisfy her, in the middle of the night when she would call, and he would run to her, leaving me all alone in a spacious room without warmth. Each time I questioned him about who she really was to him, it was always the same response, over and over again. "She's just a friend, Aria." "You overthink things." "Don't you trust me?" It was devastating because I was once a friend and I knew what I did as a friend during our youthful days. I can remember vividly one of my many outdoor date nights with Zachary, my stepfather-inlaw. Mikasa caught us being cozy but all she did was smile and greet me like an old friend. At that time, I was embarrassed but didn't think much of it. "If you may excuse me, Mrs Valdez, I have other clients to attend to." I was lost in thoughts, but her words hit deep. To her, she was maintaining professionalism, but to me, she was just making mockery and being sarcastic. She wasn't to be blamed, she didn't instruct me to open my legs wide for my step father-in-law so why should she pity me or try to console me? I bent, picked up my bag which had initially fallen to the ground, moved my legs, away from her office, sluggishly, a walk to the parking lot which was within a few minutes, now extended to eternity. I went into my car, stepped on the gas pedal and I drove off, back to my house. I highlighted my car in the parking lot. Influence and affluence was all I had but happiness, it just wasn't destined for my life. I stood in the car for several minutes, my face pale and my mind blank, as I got down from the car, I realized the lights were on. I could vividly remember putting off the lights before stepping out. Anxiety gripped me. One part of me had already made a guess of what it could be but another part of me was so doubtful, convincing me that I had probably forgotten to put off the lights on my outside. Deep within me, I knew it couldn't be the latter. If I had forgotten to put off the light, I couldn't have probably forgotten to lock the door or maybe the maids did, or.... My husband. He was around.I would have been so excited about his arrival but with the current situation, his arrival poured salt on my injury. "Hey babe." Quinn squealed in excitement, opening his arms wide, waiting to receive my hug, but I just stood in front of the door, glancing at him like I had seen a ghost. His expression changed from excitement to worry, if only they were true. "Are you alright?" He asked, moving closer, he touched my head to feel my body temperature. "I'm a little bit stressed out and surprised, you didn't inform me that you would be back this early." I answered with no hint of excitement, he couldn't even notice the sarcasm in my voice, and he still had the guts to give me a response. Early? Coming after 6 weeks was indeed early for my workaholic husband. "I wanted to make things up to you," Quinn said to me." Let's head inside," he added. He placed his arms around my waist, his palm making a slight contact with my stomach. Make things up to me? It was too late. I wanted to scream at him, tell him there was a baby growing inside that belly, and it wasn't his but his stepfather's, the one whom he detested so much. We both sat on the chair, he wouldn't stop ranting to me about how his business trip went, kissing me at any chance he had, I was nearly dozing off, all I did was nod at intervals. How disgusting for an unfaithful husband like him. Oh, maybe how disgusting for unfaithful couples like us. I poured myself a glass of juice. Suddenly, he stopped speaking, like he remembered something. "You know, Mikasa told me something." He spoke up. The glass of juice which I held on to fell to the ground. I became terrified. Did he perhaps know that I was pregnant for someone else? Had Mikasa told him?