Chapter 3
963 Words
The days passed in a blur. Work had been keeping me busy, which was exactly what I needed. It had been almost two weeks since that night, and I refused to let my mind drift back to it. Or to him.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the memory of his dark, intense eyes or the way his lips felt against mine. I told myself it was just a one-time thing, a night of fun that should stay in the past.
Yet, every time I closed my eyes, I was right back there, lost in his touch.
"Earth to Catherine!" Nikki’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up from my laptop to see her standing in front of my desk, arms crossed, eyebrows raised.
"Are you even listening to me?" she asked, tilting her head.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Sorry, what were you saying?"
Nikki groaned, plopping into the chair across from me. "I was saying, we're going out again this weekend!"
I let out a small laugh. "Nikki, the last time I went out with you, I woke up in a stranger's bed."
"Correction," she smirked, "you woke up in a hot stranger’s bed after the best night of your life. Big difference."
I rolled my eyes. "Not happening. And honestly, I haven't been feeling well."
That part wasn’t a lie. I’d been feeling tired, nauseous, and just off for the past few days. At first, I thought it was just stress, but something wasn’t sitting right with me. The nagging feeling in the back of my mind told me this was more than just a simple stomach bug—but I refused to dwell on it.
Nikki’s playful expression shifted to one of concern. "Are you okay? You should get checked out if this has been going on for days."
"It's probably just a stomach bug," I reassured her quickly, not wanting her to worry too much. Knowing Nikki, she would go full-on mama bear mode if she sensed anything was really wrong.
"Are you sure, honey?" she pressed.
I forced a small smile. "Yes, Nikki, I’m fine."
She didn’t look entirely convinced but let it go. "Alright, but if you need anything, I’m here, okay?"
"I know. Thank you."
She checked her phone, and her face instantly lit up. "I have to go—Jason and I have a date tonight!"
I grinned. "That’s amazing, Nikki. I’m happy for you."
Ever since she met Jason at the club that night, she hadn’t stopped talking about him. Apparently, they’d been texting nonstop, and I was honestly surprised it took them this long to go on an actual date.
"Thank you, Cat! Alright, I’ll see you on Monday," she said, grabbing her bag.
"Love you, have fun!"
"Love you too!" she called out before closing the door behind her.
I sighed, leaning back in my office chair. Time to get back to work.
The Next Morning
A wave of nausea hit me the moment I woke up. I barely made it to the bathroom before throwing up everything I ate last night. My stomach twisted painfully, and I gripped the edge of the sink, trying to steady myself.
"Catherine!" I heard the front door slam shut, followed by Nikki’s hurried footsteps.
"In here," I called weakly.
Nikki rushed into the bathroom and squatted beside me, worry written all over her face.
"Oh my God, Catherine!" She pulled my hair back as I threw up again.
When I finally managed to sit back against the wall, breathless and exhausted, Nikki handed me a glass of water.
"How long has this been going on?" she demanded.
I hesitated. "For about a week now."
Her eyes widened. "And you didn’t think to tell me?!"
I sighed. "I was going to tell you today."
Nikki exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated but holding back. "Have you gone to the doctor?"
I shook my head.
"That’s it. Get dressed—we’re going to the hospital."
I hesitated, but I knew she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
At the Hospital
The drive to the hospital felt long, mostly because Nikki kept shooting me worried glances every few minutes. When we arrived, we walked up to the front desk.
"Good morning, ladies. How can I help you?" the receptionist greeted us with a polite smile.
"My friend needs a check-up," Nikki said, stepping forward before I could.
The nurse handed me a form to fill out, and once I completed it, we took a seat. Nikki squeezed my hand.
"Don’t worry, it’s going to be okay," she reassured me.
I nodded, even though the pit in my stomach told me otherwise.
"Catherine Jones? The doctor will see you now," a nurse called out.
"Can my friend come with me?" I asked, needing Nikki’s presence more than ever.
"Of course."
We followed the nurse into the doctor's office, where a middle-aged woman greeted us warmly.
"Good morning, please have a seat," she said, motioning toward the chairs in front of her desk.
"Thank you," Nikki responded as we sat down.
The doctor smiled. "What brings you in today?"
I took a deep breath. "I haven’t been feeling well for a few days now."
"Can you describe your symptoms?" she asked.
I listed everything—fatigue, nausea, dizziness. She nodded and stood up.
"I’d like to run some tests. We’ll have results shortly."
The next few minutes felt like a blur as a nurse took my samples and ran the necessary tests. Nikki held my hand the entire time.
Finally, the doctor returned, a file in hand. She sat down, looking at me with that same warm smile.
"Well, Catherine, we have your results."
I swallowed hard.
"Congratulations, Miss Catherine. You’re pregnant."
- Writer
