CHAPTER 5
1182 Words
Abigail
I reached my apartment door, still seething with anger and frustration. The encounter with Doris had only added salt to the wounds Xander left behind. My hands trembled as I inserted the key into the lock.
I had earlier thought about my decision. If I made that terrible mistake, it would only aggreviate the situationship. Xander would hate me more, Doris would sue me, the police would arrest me and maybe sentence me to life imprisonment where I would never be able to make music again.
As I thought about all the aftermath, I gently slid back the pocket knife into my purse and pressed my lips together.
The moment the door swung open, I was greeted by the familiar silence of my one-bedroom apartment. It felt both comforting and suffocating at the same time. I needed a moment to clear my head, a moment to cry.
I walked over to the small kitchen, poured myself a glass of water, and stared out of the window. The city lights twinkled in the distance, oblivious to the chaos within me.
As I sipped the water, my mind raced. I had not been feeling so well for the past two months. I was having frequent headaches and would sometimes throw up.
When I would tell Xander that I needed to go for a check-up, he would simply ignore me and blame it on the weather. So, I never really bothered to check until two days ago when I went to my doctor. He took my blood sample and said that he would get back to me. I was still hoping to hear from him.
The gold card from Nathan burned in my pocket. Honestly, this was the only way out. The only way to prove to Xander that he made a mistake by tossing me aside to follow that b***h!
I had no other options. If Nathan was really who he claimed to be, then big things are about to happen.
Big things!
Taking a deep breath, I decided to contact him. If there was a chance to pursue my dreams without bowing to Doris's demeaning offer, I had to explore it. I wouldn't even think of accepting Doris's f*****g offer.
I dialled the number on the card, and after a few rings, Nathan's smooth voice answered, "Abigail, I've been expecting your call. Are you ready to step into a world where your talent will be recognized?"
His words offered a glimmer of hope, a chance to break free from the chains of despair that bound me. "Yes, Nathan. I'm ready," I replied with determination.
He sighed. He didn't end the call. I thought this was supposed to be a professional call. Why didn't he end it immediately? And why didn't I end it from my own end?
“I'm pretty sure you hate Doris Anderson, right? After what happened today, I don't think you'll ever want to see her face!” Nathan said.
I suddenly stood erect. That incident just happened a few minutes ago. How did he know about it? Did the neighbors post already?
“How did you know what happened? It just happened a few minutes ago! Or are you stalking me, sir?” I asked him cautiously.
“Goodbye, Abigail. Let me make a promise to you. Doris Anderson and your Xander Wayne will both pay dearly for making those precious tears of yours drop. They do not worth your tears. I will make sure they pay.
“Meet me tonight at the exact location I'll send you after this call. That is my house and label studio. If you need to pass the competition, you need good preparation!” Nathan voiced out.
What? Who is this dude? Why isn't he telling me who he is? As soon as those words slipped into my ears, a reaction was made and another drop of tear escaped my eyes.
No one, absolutely no one has ever fought for me or even said those sweet words to me. It felt – those words felt so unreal. Was this person just flattering me?
Just 2 seconds before the call ended, I heard something from him. It was vauge, but it sounded like ‘bye, sweetheart'.
Finally, for the first time that month, I smiled. I truly smiled. I finally had someone to rely on. Someone who truly understood me and what I wanted.
Not in terms of love, no. In terms of…
Fuck, no! I wasn't falling for a man I didn't know, was I?
I made lunch. Toast and egg. Whenever I prepared any meal, I always made for two and dished for two! The second person was Cassandra.
As soon as I sat down to eat, my doorbell rang. It literally rang. That was unusual because I never expected any visitors. No one ever pressed that bell. I was a lone wolf living in solitude. The only person who ever crossed that doorstep was Cassandra.
Even my own mother never once visited me. Neither did Amanda, my sister or Donald, my brother.
Again, I could say that they hated me and it won't be far from the truth because they actually did. I mean, who wouldn't despise me after the f*****g thing I did which ruined the lives of everyone around me?
I dropped my fork and went to open the door. Huh?
“Doctor Foster?” I called out in gasps of surprise.
“Hello Mrs. Xander.” He smiled.
“What are you doing here? You've never been here. It's so unusual!” I said and chuckled a bit, but I made sure he didn't come in. I wouldn't want anyone to come into my home ever again.
It was like my lair, my heart. No one needed to know what was going on inside. Any attempt to come in, I would shut the door on their faces.
Thanks to Xander. My heart – my home – was now locked up forever.
“Ah, yes. You see, my brother lives down the road, just a few blocks away. I went to offer paramedics for his wife. You know, after childbirth, the woman needs to be constantly examined. You never know!” He smiled.
He was always smiling. I think he was another person who made me smile. He was a calm, humble soul.
“Oh, that's great!” I chucked nervously with my teeth brightly on display. I honestly didn't see how how how that concerns me, especially since it reminded me of how my own husband is no longer with me!
“So, you know, I figured I'd just drop by to hand this over to you!”
“What's this?” I asked as I collected the documents he handed over to me, trying to scan the content with my eyes. It was all just some long, boring medical terms.
“Your test results, Abigail. We were able to run them through and we had the same results. Guess what..?
“You are officially pregnant, Abigail Clerk!! Xander Wayne is about to be a father!”
- Writer
