“Is it something bad? Fuck, are you dying?”
I shake my head instinctively before realizing she can’t see me. “No, but I’m in shock.”
“What is it?”
“I’m p-p-pregnant.”
The silence falls on the line. It’s deafening, making my heart race even faster. I pull the phone to check to see if the call disconnected. But no—it’s still on.
“Seriously, Haisley, did you just say what I think you did?” Soph finally asks, disbelief evident in her voice.
The absurdity of the entire situation makes me laugh. A shaky, tear-filled sound leaving my mouth catches me off guard. “Yeah, I’m pregnant.”
“Are you still at the doctor’s office?” Soph asks.
“Yeah,” I mumble. “They need to do an ultrasound to see what’s up with my IUD.”
“Oh shit, I forgot you had that!”
“Me too. But somehow, this stubborn baby decided to make me a mom anyway,” I say with another chuckle leaving my lips. “They’re headstrong from the start.”
Soph snorts, and the sound is like a balm to my nerves.
“Wait a sec,” she says, and I can almost picture her narrowing her eyes in question. “Who’s the father?”
Shit. I was so in shock with the news that I didn’t even stop to think about that before. But there’s only one possibility.
My cheeks flush as I whisper, “Masked Man.”
The line goes silent again until Soph bursts into laughter. Her cackles are loud and unapologetic, a perfect reflection of her. “Fuck, H. I’m sorry for laughing, but your reply was pure gold in my eyes.”
“Tell me about it,” I say again, with the corners of my mouth twitching upward despite the situation I have found myself in. “Too bad I can’t writefirst name Masked, last name Manas a father on the baby’s birth certificate.”
“Well, it’s better than a blank space, I guess?”
“If you say so.”
“So,” she says, her tone turning serious again. “What are you going to do about the father?”
“Honestly, I haven’t thought that far. I only got the news before I called you. But it would make sense to at least try to find him. He deserves to know about the baby.”
“Totally. Do you still want me to come over? I’ll be there in fifteen.”
My throat tightens as fresh tears spring to my eyes in appreciation of Soph. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll need all the support I can get.”
“Say no more. See you soon.”
“Thanks, chica. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
The line goes dead, and I lower the phone to the table beside my other stuff. For the first time since hearing the news, I take a deep, shuddering breath and close my eyes, centering myself.
One step at a time, Haisley. Just one step at a time. You’ve got this.
Twenty minutes later, there’s a knock on the door, and a woman walks in. She’s dressed in pastel yellow scrubs with daisies, and her aura is very calming. I instantly like her. Behind her is Soph, who brings me peace with her presence.
“Miss Lavigne,” the woman says, glancing at the clipboard in her hand, offering me a warm smile after. “My name’s Holly and I’m here to do your first ultrasound scan. Your friend mentioned that you’d be alright with her joining us?”
