The Return of Mia

“Mia, I have the results of your pregnancy test.” The doctor says as soon as he enters the office. I’ve been anxiously waiting here for what feels like an eternity, desperate to understand what was really going on with my body. I wasn't entirely convinced by the pregnancy test I picked up at the store. I mean, how could a mere stick tell me if I was pregnant or not? So I knew I had to come to the hospital to get a confirmation, to be absolutely sure. The wait had been agonizing, but now, as the doctor stood before me with the results, my heart raced with a mixture of dread and anticipation. “Yes, please tell me.” I managed to say, my voice trembling with anxiety. As the doctor uttered those next words, my world stopped. "Mia, you're pregnant." How? How was this possible? I've always been careful. Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled to comprehend the news. Or was this another one of Jason’s child that I’d have to abort? Heck. “S-sometimes these things happen, Mia,” the doctor offers, his voice gentle but distant. “It’s important to focus on what steps you want to take next.” “But I don’t understand,” I stammer through tears. “I’ve always been careful.” The weight of disbelief and confusion crushes me as I struggle to make sense of it all. “It’s okay, Mia. It’s not your fault.” The doctor says, trying to comfort me. His voice suddenly faded into the background as my mind raced back to that night, just a month ago, 49 days ago, when I made that impulsive decision at the club. It all came rushing back, hitting me like a tidal wave of regret and disbelief. How could I have been so reckless? 7 WEEKS AGO "Jason?" I called out as soon as I stepped into the house, but there was no reply. I paused, wondering if anyone was home. Then, I heard noise coming from upstairs, indicating that either Jason was deliberately ignoring me or the TV volume was cranked up too high he couldn’t hear me. However, I remembered that Jason had never installed a TV in his room, and that the noise coming from upstairs was from something else entirely. With a sense of apprehension, I slowly ascended the stairs a step at a time, calling out Jason's name once more, but still, there was silence. “Jason! Where the f**k are you?” As I neared his room, the sound grew louder, intensifying the pounding of my heart. What if my worst fears were true? What if Jason was cheating on me? No, I scolded myself, refusing to succumb to any negativity and suspicions. Standing before the closed door, my hand trembled as I slowly reached for the door knob. “Mmmhhmm, yess, baby Jason, right there…mmmm. f**k, Jason, deeper” The woman moaned and that broke me even deeper. Summoning every ounce of courage, I pushed open the door, only to be confronted by Jason’s voice and body intertwined with a woman I haven’t met in my life. “Claire, you feel so good. f**k,” he uttered, his words piercing daggers to my heart as he lavished affection on the woman in his arms. Unable to bear the sight any longer, I whispered Jason’s name, “Jason,” my voice barely audible amidst all the emotions raging within me. His gaze snapped to mine, guilt etched across his feisty red as he immediately scrambled away from the woman in his bed. A bed Jason and I have created memories together. “f*****g hell, Mia. I’m sorry,” he hissed, desperation lacing his words as he moved toward me, but I recoiled away from him, his betrayal still too raw. I’ve been f*****g dreaming all these times, whilst deceiving myself that what Jason and I had was real. Resigned to my shattered reality, I turned away, retreating down the stairs. His apologies follow me. “Mia, I said I’m sorry. You weren’t supposed to see this. Claire! Put some f*****g clothes on and leave this place immediately,” his voice echoed but I didn’t stop. I kept on running down the stairs in a blur till I reached the living room. Collapsing onto a distant couch, I buried my face in my hands. I couldn’t leave without answers. No. I refused to depart until Jason explained himself. What did he see in that b***h, Claire, that I was lacking? Didn’t I give him enough? Like, how could he do this to me? What had I done to deserve such callous disregard for our relationship? Haven’t I sacrificed enough of my heart for him? The ache in my heart demanded clarity, and I wouldn’t rest until I had it. As I sat there, time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each passing moment adding to the weight of betrayal crushing my heart. The minutes dragged by, and still, Jason hadn’t emerged from his room. Was I just wasting my time? But then, to my disbelief, the b***h, Claire sauntered down the stairs with a smirk. It took every humility and home training I had in me to restrain myself and not injure her with my heels as she said “Other woman” and walked off. Eventually, exhaustion weighed heavily upon me as I rose from the couch, my purse clutched tightly in my hand. I was on the verge of leaving when I heard his voice call out my name. Turning to face him, I saw Jason, casually dressed with a towel draped around his waist, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. So the i***t had comfortably taken a shower, while I was down here waiting for him? Nice one Jason, nice one. “You didn’t mention you were coming.” he remarked, his tone casual, like I didn’t just catch him cheating on me. His nonchalance only fueled my anger more “How long has this been going on?” I demanded, looking at him with disgust. “How long have you been cheating on me?” I cry, my face dripping with tears “You’re crying now,” Ignoring my question, he reached out as if to wipe my tears but I slapped his hands away, staring him down in disgust. “How long, you bastard!” I screamed Jason hesitated, a pained expression crossing his face. "I'm sorry..." he began, but I cut him off, unable to bear this stupid apology any longer because it was obvious he didn’t mean it. "So you've been seeing someone else?” I demanded, my voice raw with hurt. He pinched the bridge of his nose, unable to answer. “Yes, I have,” he finally admitted, and I broke down. The tears spilled uncontrollably now. Damn it. This isn’t my life. “And Claire is pregnant.” I stood there frozen in disbelief as his words echoed in my mind. I hadn't expected that, ever at all. “Pregnant?” “Yes, Mia. So whatever shitty tantrum you just threw now would not work on me. I’m getting married to her soon.” “And what about me?” I ask tearfully “What about all the abortions I had done for you because you asked me to?” I never imagined my boyfriend of six years would betray me in such a cruel and callous manner. This left my heart shattering into a million pieces. “What about all what I’ve gone through in the hands of my parents just so I could boost your company, Jason? What did I ever do to you to deserve this hatred and treatment?” “The abortions were your choice Mia. I didn’t force you. I only told you I wasn’t ready for a child.” He shrugged like there wasn’t a care in the world about what happened to me after this. Another bout of tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched Jason’s expression, a mix of guilt and regret, morph into indifference. It was like at this point he didn’t care what was happening. Anger boiled within me, “I can’t believe you would say this to me,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. Jason’s response was hollow, his apology ringing empty in my ears. “I’m sorry, Mia. It was a mistake. It meant nothing.” What blatant lies. His words did little to offer any solace. The trust I had placed in him was just shattered and this would cut deeper than any knife.Without another word, I turned and fled from his apartment. I stumbled blindly through the streets, until my Uber found me.