Little Being
817 Words
The first wave of nausea hit Selene before sunrise.
She barely made it to the bathroom before dropping to her knees. When it finally passed, she leaned against the cold wall, breathing hard, convincing herself it was the takeaway she'd eaten the night before.
It happened again the next morning and the morning after that.
By the end of the week, even the smell of coffee made her stomach churn.
Her friend, Nina, watched her push away another untouched lunch.
You've been staring at that plate for ten minutes.
Selene forced a smile. I'm just not hungry.
Not hungry? You used to fight me over the last piece of chicken.
I'm serious. So am I.
Nina reached across the table and touched the back of Selene's hand.
You're pale. You've lost weight, and you've been running to the bathroom every few hours. If you're sick, go to a hospital.
It's probably stress.
Stress doesn't make you look like you've seen a ghost.
Selene looked away.
There was no point pretending she had moved on.
Every night she still saw flashes of that hotel room.
A warm voice . A pair of tired eyes.
A rain-soaked window.
Nothing else.
His face refused to stay in her memory.
It was as though that night had happened inside a dream.
Nina opened her handbag, pulled out a small paper bag and slid it across the table.
Take this. Selene frowned.
What's inside?
Open it.
She did.
The pregnancy test almost slipped from her fingers.
Nina...
Don't look at me like that. I'm not saying you're pregnant. I'm saying you've ruled out everything else except the obvious.
Selene laughed nervously.
That's impossible.
Is it that obvious?
The smile slowly disappeared from Selene's face.
She counted the weeks in her head.
Then counted again.
Her heartbeat became uneven.
The private clinic was unusually quiet that afternoon.
Selene sat alone in the waiting area, twisting the strap of her handbag around her fingers while the pregnancy test remained hidden inside.
She had taken it twice.
Both tests had shown the same result.
She still refused to believe it.
The consulting room door opened.
Miss Selene?
She stood immediately.
The doctor greeted her with a reassuring smile before inviting her to sit.
After reviewing the laboratory results, the doctor closed the file and folded her hands on the desk.
Congratulations ,You're pregnant.
Selene didn't answer. She simply stared.
The doctor waited patiently, assuming the silence was happiness . Instead, tears slowly gathered in Selene's eyes.
Are you alright?
She nodded automatically.
Yes...
No...
I don't know.
The doctor softened her voice.
It's normal to feel overwhelmed.
Selene lowered her head.
You don't understand.
The doctor didn't press.
She explained the next appointments, prescribed vitamins, and reminded Selene to eat well and get enough rest.
Selene thanked her, though she barely heard a word.
She walked out of the consulting room holding her medical file against her chest as though it were the only thing keeping her upright.
She stopped halfway down the corridor.
One careless night had changed everything.
She rested a trembling hand over her stomach.
Baby , I don't know who your father really is... But I'll protect you No matter what happens.
The whisper disappeared beneath the sounds of rolling trolleys and distant conversations.
She took a deep breath and walked toward the exit.
She never noticed the woman standing beside the nurses' station.
The nurse had been watching her since she entered the clinic.
Neatly dressed in a crisp white uniform, Vivian Bradford wore a gentle smile that made anxious patients trust her the moment they saw her.
A silver name badge rested against her chest.
Vivian Bradford, Senior Nurse.
Another nurse walked over carrying a stack of patient files.
Mrs. Bradford, these need to be returned to Records.
Vivian accepted them with a practiced smile.
Thank you.
As she sorted through the folders, one name caught her attention.
Selene Hart.
Her eyes drifted toward the young woman walking slowly down the corridor.
Alone.
No husband.
No family.
Just a frightened woman carrying news that had turned her world upside down.
Vivian's fingers rested on the file a moment longer than necessary.
Then she opened it.
Her gaze moved across the page until it stopped on a single line.
Estimated Delivery Date.
She read it once . Then again.
A faint smile touched her lips before disappearing just as quickly.
Everything alright?
The nurse beside her glanced over.
Vivian closed the file without the slightest hint of hesitation.
Of course.
Just another patient.
She slipped Selene's file back onto the trolley and continued with her rounds as though nothing had happened.
Behind her, the automatic doors slid open.
Selene stepped out into the afternoon sun, completely unaware that someone had just taken an interest in her.
And somewhere deep inside Vivian Bradford's carefully hidden world...
Another plan had quietly begun.
- Writer
