Wrong Girl

Chapter Nineteen

Samantha

"Y-you're pregnant?" I stammer, utterly unable to process the words she just said to me.

"I am." She says, smiling warmly.

She looks so content and graceful. She's almost glowing with happiness and it's enough to shatter my already broken heart.

"B-but how?" I falter. "When?"

"How do you think?" She rolls her eyes at me, struggling to conceal her absolute joy and elation. "And it must have happened a couple of weeks ago, on the night I just mentioned."

"The night he was drunk? Neither of you used anything?"

"No. We've never used condoms, I've always been on the pill."

"So how did it happen? How are you even pregnant?" I ask, struggling to understand.

"Well, I might have accidentally forgotten to take a couple of my contraceptives."

"What ?" I gasp in disbelief, fighting the overwhelming misery which is threatening to devour me at any moment.

"Ok, ok. I stopped taking them, alright? I know it's a terrible thing to do but I was desperate, Sam."

She jumps up from the sofa, making her way towards the patio doors which open out onto the back garden. The view is serene and tranquil. It's peaceful and calm, allowing the beholder to become entranced by it in an instant. I watch it happen to Rachel. She's captivated within seconds, completely absorbed by the spectacular landscape of the countryside where Audrey's house is situated.

"You deliberately got pregnant?" I prompt her, needing to uncover the truth.

"It's not like I thought it would happen straight away." She says softly. "It's just one of those things."

"But you had stopped taking the pills, Rachel. Which means you knew you could get pregnant."

"I thought it wouldn't happen for a few months. I honestly believed that we would be married by the time I fell pregnant. It's not my fault it happened the very first time."

"Rach, do you not understand the severity of what you've done? You went ahead and made this decision without consulting Zack first. He's your fiancé and you chose not to discuss this with him beforehand. What if he doesn't want to have a baby right now?" I enquire gently, reluctant to upset her or arouse her suspicion.

"Look, I understand that it's going to come as a bit of a shock to him but I know Zack. He's always wanted children and although this pregnancy wasn't exactly planned... I know he's going to be absolutely thrilled about it."

She drags her gaze away from the view, resting a delicate hand against her flat stomach.

"My God." I groan, raking my fingers through my hair, grappling with the knowledge that Zack's baby now exists inside her.

Their  baby.

"I've been so worried about you, Sam. I can't even imagine how you must be feeling right now. I know it must be so hard for you to hear my news and the last thing I want is for this baby to stir up all sorts of bad memories for you... about your own pregnancy."

"Rachel, I..."

"Please let me finish, Sam. I need to say this." She joins me back on the sofa, grasping hold of my hands. "I want you to know just how special you are to me and I'm determined that you're going to play such an important role in this baby's life. I truly mean it when I say that I want you to be involved in this, I really do. You're going to be an auntie!" She beams at me, unable to conceal her delight and exhilaration.