Unexpected

8. Freya

The following afternoon when Danny left for the gym, I sat Jo down and shared the news and for the first time she was speechless.
"Say something." I bit my thumb nail and curled myself further into the love seat. She finally looked at me and I can see the disappointment and shock on her face.
"What can I say, Freya? I'm so conflicted right now. I'm disappointed in you because how at your big age do you not know about contraception!?" She screwed her eyes closed as if wrapping her head around the situation was painful.
"I'm a fucking twat that's why. I was weak in the moment. Caleb's dirty talk was getting me ready to go again and all thoughts of safety went out the window." I covered my face to hide the shame.
"Been there but we both had sense for him to at least pull out." She raised a brow.
"Pulling out clearly didn't work for us because he did and I still got knocked up." I sighed.
"Honestly, I'm happy you had an incredible night because you needed a night of no responsibilities and to just be care free. Granted you were a little too care free. But a part of me also thinks this is wrong and I feel bad for Daniel. He loves you and something like this has probably messed with his head." She explains and I look down at my lap, picking at the rips in my jeans.
"Just when I thought things were changing for us." I whisper and feel a sneaky tear roll down my cheek. I wipe it away and hug the cushion.
"What do you mean?" She asks and sits up from her position on the couch.
"The day you told us about your date with Clay, before you came home he and I had a moment. Like we were about to kiss kind of moment." I admitted.
"What!? Fuck me and my timing." She yelled at the ceiling. "I want details, what lead up to that moment and has anything happened since then?" She asked, excitement laced in her words and I shook my head.
"He finally told me what had been bothering him and how much we missed each other. We hugged and it just felt different, intimate." I explained, finding myself smiling at the memory. "But I realise that moment will probably remain what it is, a moment. Now that I'm pregnant and Caleb will probably be involved everything is going to change, Jo and I won't lie to you. I am terrified." I confess.
"Do you want to be with Caleb?" She asks with confusion.
"No but he is the father and he deserves to know and have the choice of whether he wants to be involved or not. I can't deprive someone of that choice." I explain and she shakes her head.
"Of course he should know and the baby deserves a father. Two parents that will love it no matter their situation. But it is his child too and he better fucking step up or else I will give him my version of a hysterectomy which is a lot more bloodier and will guarantee he never penetrates anyone else let alone his hand ever again." An evil smile stretches across her face and I feel shivers down my spine. I've seen the movie Smile and she is literally giving the same energy.
"Well after that explanation I don't know if I should ask you to help me find him or not." I cover up my fear with a laugh and she sobers up.
"Of course I will help you. Just give me his full name and I'll have the info within two hours max." She grabbed her laptop from the coffee table in front of her and opened it up.
"I don't have much details besides, his name is Caleb, he is from Manchester, used to be a street dancer in High School and owns a garage that was passed down to him from his grandfather." I listed everything I could recall from that night and realise this is probably going to be more difficult than I thought.
"Okay but without his surname or an age this is probably going to take a lot longer." She confirms my suspicion. My shoulders deflate and try not to panic over the fact my child may not have a father because of this.
"Hey, don't worry. We'll find him." She smiles with a nod. I smile back and slouch back in my seat and revel in the bad feeling that this is not going to end well.

-♡-

It's been three weeks and Jo still hasn't been able to find anything. It has been stressing me out because why is it taking so long? Trying to focus on work and hide that I'm pregnant has been a mission in itself. I have curves and I have been bloated before but a pregnancy bump feels way different to that. Because of my paranoia I've had to purchase office appropriate jumpers just to hide it. My work colleague, Sandra asked how I was as I hadn't been in full time since I found out I was pregnant. She also commented on the oversized jumper and I waved her off and justified the new look by explaining after my birthday I am living by the 'new age new me' motto. I had also managed to convince my boss I needed half days this past month because my grandmother is sick and I have to travel to Birmingham to see her as the doctors have said she doesn't have long. Of course this is a lie I regret because touch wood my grandmother is as fit as a fiddle but I wasn't prepared to tell her the truth. Not yet anyway. I asked my boss what this meant for my training contract and she assured me that she doubts that the reduction in hours will impact on my practice and confirmed my qualifying date will not be affected because my history at the firm gives her confidence in me. So I signed my new contract reflecting this so I at least have it in writing. I will be back at work full time after next week.
Once I got home after a morning from hell at work, I quickly changed out my clothes and boiled the kettle to make my packet noodles. I've been craving them all day. I make myself two packets because one isn't enough anymore. I add my seasoning and settle in the lounge with my noodles and Tommy fucking Egan.

-♡-

Danny wondered home after three episodes and hasn't come out of his room since. It was almost 9pm and he hasn't eaten anything. I on the other hand had eaten half a pizza box to myself. Jo came home and devoured the other half before promising to give me an update on her search today.
I go to Danny's bedroom door and knock three times, "Danny, do you want anything to eat?" I ask and wait for a response.
He opened the door and held up a sandwich he must have brought home from earlier and I furrow my brows in confusion. "Why are you eating alone and in your room? I thought we all agree to keep food out of there to avoid mice! Come eat with us." I scold but he shakes his head.
"I'm good. I have work that needs to be done by the morning so..." He purses his lips and waits for me to leave. I nod and decide to leave him be as I walk back to the lounge.
He's doing it again. He's not avoiding me like he did a month ago but he's disconnected again. He's been keeping his distance from me ever since he found out I was pregnant. I want him to fucking talk to me instead of pretending I'm just a stranger every fucking time something happens. I am a hypocrit for saying he is a grown adult who knows how to communicate because I'm a grown adult who should know better and look at where I am.
My phone rings on the coffee table and read 'Mum' across the screen.
"Hey, mum. How are you?" I sighed and she let's out a half assed laugh.
"Long day?" She asks and I take a seat back on the couch.
"You could say that. I've had clients either complain about the social worker or fail to listen when I tell them I was about to go into a meeting and needed to cut the call. On top of that I am still catching up on work from last week because of all the urgent shit that came in today." I sighed after my rant. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to swear or take it out on you. I'm assuming you have called at this hour for a reason?"
"Honey, I am your mother. If you're not able to rant to me then who? Jo will just fuel your rage by making a suggestion that will certainly include violence and Danny will probably man-splain which doesn't help anyone." She laughs and I smile, feeling tears prick my eyes because I want to tell her everything so she can tell me what to do but I feel so ashamed and embarrassed that I push my feelings aside. "Anyway, the reason I called is because we have a date free to finally celebrate your birthday. Are you free on the 24th, it's a Saturday?" She asked and I can imagine her looking at the calendar on the wall in the kitchen with her reading glasses on then pushing them up to the top of her head waiting for a response.
"Actually I am so text me the details and I'll be there. Dress code?" I ask, already wracking my brain for nice outfits that will hide the bump.
"Casual but still something to signify it's a birthday celebration so maybe a summer dress?" She suggests and I feel relief wash over me. I have the perfect dress.
"Perfect. I'll see you then." I confirm.
"Great I'll see if Daniel is free too. Bye, honey."
"Mum-" I tried to stop her but the call got cut off. I called her back immediately but it went to voicemail meaning she was on another call. How did she call him so fast we just got off the phone? I hear his phone go off in his room and I refrain from standing outside his door to listen. I could have texted her not to ask him but it was too late since she's Speedy Gonzales and she will end up asking questions and I am not ready for that conversation yet.
"Okay so I have good news and bad news, which one do you want first?" Jo practically storms out her room and places her hands on the back of the couch behind me.
"Oh god, bad news first." I cringe and wait for whatever she's about to say.
"I can't find Caleb anywhere. Even my reliable source of information is coming up empty." She shakes her head in disbelief. "It's like he doesn't exist." She huffs and I feel that dreaded feeling again. "We do have one option though, but it is a long shot because ironically we'll be breaking the law." She cringes like she waiting for a bomb to go off.
"What is it?" I ask, I am desperate.
"We go back to the hotel and we find out his full details, contact information and everything." She explains it as if it's like riding a bike.
"They're not just going to give us that information, they'd be breaching GDPR!"
"I know but it's our last shot." She pleads and I sigh.
"Fine. We'll go tomorrow." I nod and she does the same before heading back to her room.
Well this will be interesting.

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-SasMaster145, 02.01.2024