“No, we won’t.”

Her miscarriage had been tragic, but it had also been a blessing in disguise. I didn’t want to be bound to Wendy through a child. If I could excise her from my life with a sharp scalpel, I would, and I’d live with the scar, no matter how deep.

And it would be deep.

“Oh, we will. You can’t avoid destiny, Brad.”

“My destiny lies with someone else.”

“Daphne?” She shook her head. “There’s so much you don’t know.”

“I know everything.”

“About her year in London?”

I didn’t want to discuss Daphne with Wendy, but I couldn’t resist shoving it in her face. “She told me all about it.”

“Then you know she wasn’t actually in London.”

“As I said, she told me all about it.”

“That’s sweet. Really. But there’s no way she told you all about it. There are things even she doesn’t recall.”

“What the hell are you talking about? If you know something, you better fucking tell me.”

“Sorry, you set the rules, so you get to live by them. You said no more deals. You want to know the truth about your sweet little slut? You won’t get it out of me. Besides, it’s not my story to tell.” She turned and flounced toward the doorway. “Oh! Looks like you have another visitor.” Wendy walked away.

And Daphne stood in my doorway.

Chapter Fifty-One

Daphne

Nausea coiled in my belly like a snake. Slowly it wound its way up my esophagus.

Why was she here?

Why was I here?

Why was life so complicated?

Why couldn’t I just be happy watching the sun rise and set?

Why couldn’t Brad and I have the chance to get to know each other?

“Hey, baby,” he said. “Sorry about her. What are you doing here? Don’t you have class?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’m cutting. I… I need to talk to you.”

“Sure. Come in. What’s wrong?”

Oh, God. What wasn’t wrong? I was about to ruin this man’s life.

Positive.

The test had been positive.

Condoms are effective most of the time.

Most of the time.

Should I go out and buy a lottery ticket now? Of course not. I’d already used up my “one-in-a-million chance.” Though it was more like a three-in-one-hundred chance. Kathleen had informed me, after I nearly fainted with shock, that condoms, when used properly, were about ninety-seven percent effective. Had Brad used it effectively? How hard was it to use a condom correctly?

I walked slowly into Brad’s condo. “You’re alone, right?”

“Yeah. Sorry about Wendy, but she’s out of our hair now.”

I nodded. I didn’t care about Wendy. In light of my present situation, Wendy was the least of my worries.

“Can I get you anything? A drink?”

I nodded again. “Water would be good.”

“Sure. Have a seat.” He walked into his kitchen.

I looked around the living area. The leather furniture seemed to reprimand me. See us? See his good life? Don’t ruin it for him.

If only…

Kathleen had talked to me about my options. Abortion. Adoption. I didn’t have to become a mother at eighteen. Or nineteen. Technically I’d be nineteen when the baby came.

I understood all that. But this wasn’t just any baby. It was Brad’s baby. Brad’s and my baby. The man I felt in the depths of my soul was my destiny. The man who would be the father of all my babies.

Brad came back from the kitchen and handed me a glass of water. “Sit down, Daphne.”

Reluctantly, I took a seat on the leather couch that had been mocking me moments ago. He sat down next to me. I took a long drink of the cool water, letting it ease my parched throat.

How could I do this to him?

How?

And what if…

What if he wanted me to have an abortion? Could I do it?

I set the glass of water down on the end table and then turned to him, tears welling in my eyes.

He cupped my cheek. “Oh my God. What is it?”

I melted into him, and his strong arms cocooned around me. If only I could stay here, stay like this, protected within his embrace forever.

I sniffled into his shoulder.

I’d put this off long enough. My therapist wouldn’t have sent me off to college if he didn’t believe I was strong and capable, so I’d be strong and capable.

I’d look the man I loved in the eye and tell him the truth.

I pulled away and sniffled again. I met his gaze. “Brad?”

“Yeah, baby. What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I’m…”

“Yeah?”

“I just came from the health center. I went to get the pill so you wouldn’t have to use condoms.”

He smiled. “That’s sweet of you. So what’s wrong?”

“Turns out, we don’t need condoms anymore, and I don’t need the pill.”

“Oh?”

“I’m pregnant, Brad.”

He cocked his head, as if my words hadn’t quite registered.

“Did you hear me?”

“I don’t understand. I used a rubber.”

“I know. I told them that.”

“So how…?”

“No birth control is a hundred percent effective.”

“One time? After one time?”

I nodded. “I gave the health center your name and told them they could talk to you about it if you called them. I mean, if you want to be sure. I’ll do the test again if you want. I’m not lying.”

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