"Yes, but it's your twenty first birthday. The age where you're given the key to life"
After a cathartic event takes place on the night of her twenty first birthday, Beverley makes an impulsive decision and has to adjust to the path she took whilst...
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It was around nine pm when the house was finally quiet.
Dad had retired to his study to occupy himself with some work while Gran was either in her room or in the living room watching sit-coms. It seemed everyone needed something to distract themselves from the mess I apparently created.
Since there was a calm in the storm, I decided to sneak out of the house and call an uber to meet up with Matthew at Hallingbury Bridge.
It felt safer to travel with an uber rather than driving my car. Last thing I needed was being questioned on my whereabouts by either Dad or Gran the moment they noticed that my car was gone. I wore my dark blue Nike sneakers, a pair of black sweatpants, a grey hoodie, light denim jacket and wore a black beanie over my dark hair.
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't nervous about the meeting. I was nervous about what Matthew had to say about the pregnancy. I was nervous about how he felt about the pregnancy and judging from his distant tone over the phone, it wouldn't be surprising if he wanted no part in it. The thought of it hurts but not surprising, nonetheless.
He was already waiting for me at his car by the time I had arrived. I paid and thanked the driver before I jumped out of the uber.
"You came with an uber?" Matthew asked as I approached him.
"Things aren't well at home. I'd rather not give my dad the impression that I snuck out to meet up with the guy who knocked me up."
"He knows?"
"My Gran was the first I told about it. I told my dad earlier today before calling you."
"I see."
I could tell there was more he wanted to say judging from his silence, but he seemed like he couldn't decide on whether he should or shouldn't. The way his jaw was clenched also seemed as though he was trying his best not to lash out at me.
"Matthew, if you have something you want to say, just say it." I said. "I know that you probably have a lot to say and that's the whole point of us meeting here."
A brief period of silence had passed. "Why did you lie?"
My eyebrows knitted together, confused by his question.
"When I asked you what was bothering you that time at the studio – why did you lie?"
"I never lied. All I said was that I didn't feel like talking about it yet." I answered.
"Okay, I get that. But why keep this from me, huh? You had every opportunity to be honest with me and tell me but you chose not to."
"This who issue was exactly what I told you back then – it was a lot to unpack. At the time I hadn't looked at the results nor did I take the pregnancy tests to confirm it until I got home."
