ALICE
I went to the doctors with mum yesterday and it still hasn't sunk in. I'm pregnant! I heard the heartbeat of something as tiny as a pea. They told me I was actually eight weeks pregnant already. I didn't really remember when my last period actually was, that look at the calendar just confused me. I'm not going to tell anyone yet, Aiden has to be the first.
I've still got to work on Monday, how will I keep it from Tracy? Plus Brian is back in the office. I was begging for my job just the other day but now I would have to tell them goodbye at some point. Should I be a working mum or stay at home? I'm not sure but for now I need to keep it a secret.
I couldn't call Aiden, I want to tell him in person. In the end I had to get mum to call him. I hope he doesn't get upset with me. I hover around mum as she tries to explain why I'm not talking with him without giving anything away. In the end she lies saying my throat hurts due to crying too much. When she hung up she just gives me a look, trying not to laugh.
"Hun what am I going to tell him tomorrow? You should just say it on the phone! Look at the state of you." She gives me a hug, "I'll make dinner, go and rest."
Mum's right, I don't know what I'm doing.
I didn't realise how tired I was, I feel like I've gone back to the time I had nightmares or whatever they were. Aiden had told me that the sleepiness then was caused by my energy being drained by the spirit of my family. Apparently that was the only way for it to power the visions. Mum struggles to wake me for dinner. It's funny how last week I had too much energy but now I can barely stay awake.
The days pass slowly, I hate that I have to go to work but I'm not losing my spot. I haven't spoken to Aiden yet but it was getting harder to find excuses. I'll have to talk to him tonight after work, we are meeting up tomorrow.
Unlike Aiden I won't be getting a lift. Actually my GUS had offered but I didn't want to wait until the evening. It's so hard to keep a secret, at least mum is supporting me. I know she can't really disapprove as she had me when she was much younger.
I'm physically ready to go to work today but mentally I'm too distracted. I hope I don't give anything away. I walk into the office cautiously. I don't want to get caught by Tracy, she will get me to talk, whether I want to or not. The coast is clear but ten minutes after sitting down I have to rush to the toilets. I spoke too soon about the morning sickness, I feel so gross now. I have to wash my face so I spend more time than usual leaving the toilets.
I'm just about to leave when Tracy comes in, I turn my back to her so she doesn't see my face. Surprisingly this actually works and she walks right past me. That's not like Tracy, she must be desperate. Back in my seat I get to work, it's almost relaxing. My mind clicks into full work mode and I forget all my worries, at least until lunch time.
I meet Tracy at the salad bar, we both change our minds at the same time. Something doesn't smell right, Tracy grins at me.
"Let's get a sandwich instead!"
It's probably the morning sickness right? Well I have that excuse but Tracy had the same reaction. I got a cheese and pickle sandwich, Tracy gets tuna and cucumber. That's weird, Tracy hates tinned tuna doesn't she? She's being strange, is that why she walked past me earlier? I point to her sandwich and she makes a disgusted face.
"What am I thinking?"
She laughs and shakes her head, picking up chicken salad instead.
It's started to rain when we leave so we end up going to the staff kitchen at work instead of the park. It's not always sunny. The staff kitchen is a bit tight but it will do. There's actually quite a lot of us squeezed in. We're not the only ones with sandwiches, it can't be because of the morning sickness then. I'll let Tracy off. For once someone else begins the gossip. Tracy is really off her game! It's actually a relief for me, she hasn't noticed anything.
"Most of you figured it out, I hope, they closed down the salad bar when I was at the checkout. Did anyone get through, don't open it! If you go back now you'll get a refund, the salad bar fridge broke down. It's better than suing them after getting food poisoning."
Andy was just in time, the new girl nearly opened hers.
A group of five in the kitchen quickly left, they wouldn't be getting much of a lunch break. Andy wrote it on the whiteboard, hopefully catching any stragglers. I think everyone will see that.
I haven't really gone over all of what happened with everyone at the office so Tracy finally snaps out of it and takes charge.
"Guys sorry I'm not myself today. We'll wait till everyone is here but we are having a full reveal of the adventures of Alice. Not in wonderland or through the looking glass but definitely just as strange. Look guys we haven't had a gossip fest for a while, we need this!"
Everyone tries to squeeze into the small room with some stuck in the corridor. Tracy ends up sitting on the draining board. One notable absence is Brian, he's still in his office.
"Alice will begin shortly but guys don't forget to eat, and make your own drinks. I'm not sitting here for your convenience, you know who I'm talking about!"
She looks at the tall Asian new hire, he looks away shyly. I think he has a crush on her, I'll ask about it later.
"Anyway you all heard Brian's version a while ago, but Alice was there, so her version should definitely be more fun! Newbies welcome to the true purpose of life! Gossip of course!
Tracy puts her hand palm up and motions for me to begin.
"Hi everyone, remember me! I've only been back for a little while but I haven't told you what really happened when I went missing. Brian probably told you about the car accident right? But I bet he didn't say that I was close to death! The driver didn't make it, just a sweet old man giving me a lift then boom!"
I add hand motions for effect. I'm enjoying this, even though I'm still sad about that old man, it's making me realise how strange the last few months have actually been.
"I have the scars to prove it but I'll only show you this one."
I roll up my sleeve to show my arm. The scar is quite faint now but it's very long. Gasps all round.
"So I was dying in a bush when I was rescued by my hubby Aiden! Of course I hadn't met him yet but he saved my life. The only problem was he'd never left this magical forest since he was eleven. Yes the forest is magic guys! When I woke up I thought I was dreaming. Also Aiden couldn't speak, who knew I was attracted to the strong silent type."
I'm getting some skeptical looks.
"Ok I admit it sounds a bit crazy but imagine this, the last thing you remember is being in a serious accident and you wake up on mossy ground surrounded by trees thousands of years old. And no, I don't have pictures, I didn't bring a camera with me. But I do have pictures of my Aiden! I'll show you what he looked like when we left the forest."
I had originally intended to just show Tracy, the police had taken them and given me copies. I pass them around. There's one of me and Aiden supporting each other, you can only see the shadow of the forest behind us. The other is of Aiden passed out.
"Also I didn't realise I'd just woken from months of being in a coma. Anyway Aiden was scared to leave the forest so when I was well enough, I just left. I didn't believe it was real so I just left him."
At this point I get emotional and Tracy has to take over.
"Sorry guys while Alice has a break, I'll tell you the other shocking news about Brian and Alice. I can tell them, can't I Alice?"
I nod, taking a tissue. I take a moment to calm down and start munching on my sandwich, I really need to eat after my morning sickness earlier. I'd been drinking ginger tea with loads of sugar instead of food. Tracy pauses dramatically until everyone starts leaning towards her.
"Well for those that don't know about this, there was a rumour about Brian and Alice dating before Alice went missing. He even confessed to her in front of everyone. I thought they were a cute couple. It just shows you how wrong you can be. It turns out, and believe me it hasn't been long since Alice found out either. It turns out that Brian who has good reason to be hiding in his office right now...."
Everyone starts glaring at her, I just grin.
"Ok I'll say it now! Jeez, no patience! It turns out Alice has a cool birth secret! She grew up not knowing her father, who died terribly when she was just a baby! Her father had run away from home with Alice's mother when they were just sixteen!
Romantic isn't it, anyway her father turned out to be Brian's older brother! So now you know to be nice to Alice cause she's actually working for her own family! Yep poor old Brian is Alice's uncle."
Tracy nudges me, seeing I've finished eating. I wash the last crumbs down my throat with a bottle of water.
"Yep, poor old uncle Brian. I wondered why I felt so comfortable around him."
Andy butts in at this point. No one else has shaken off their shock.
"Wait a minute. Does that make you some rich heiress? Sorry I shall politely address you from now on!"
I giggle as he'd put on a posh voice too.
"It's not like that guys, I'm happy to find my family but I will pay my own way. Isn't it amazing that I was working here so long, without knowing the company is run by my own family."
I think I've gone through quite a few cliche situations in the last few months, some scary and some fun. The only person who didn't seem like they were right out of a drama, was Aiden.
"Anyway I'll just add one more thing, Aiden doesn't look like that anymore, I'll get a better picture of him. Oh and did I mention he's my hubby! When I went back for him he proposed to me and we had an authentic oak tree wedding, look at my hair tie. Awesome isn't it, Aiden hand wove it."
I carefully untie the ribbon to show everyone but I don't let anyone touch it.
I quickly tie it back around my hair.
"That's it from me, top that gossip squad!"
It's actually a relief to let everyone know, I'm worried that some people will act differently but I can handle it. It's funny how my boring life has changed so dramatically, just because I decided to go on a mini holiday. Well there's more to it than that, but maybe I should be called Cinderella instead of Alice.
One of the new guys has to have the final word. The tall Asian man, I don't know his name yet.
"So Alice, you must be pretty popular to attract Brian. He used to be a bit of a player when I knew him in college. He probably doesn't remember me but he dated a lot of girls and they were all party girls."
Even Tracy frowns at him, he's ruining the vibe.
"For your information he thought it was love at first sight, And Alice is far from a party girl. Brian's pretty torn up about it, he's been one hundred percent decent about everything. He's definitely not the same as he was in college.
Well guys let's finish there, we have to digest that for a while. Let me know of any gossip and you, new guy, let's have a chat about Brian's secret past."
I knew she wouldn't stay mad at the poor guy. She almost makes me forget about her distracted start to the day. It's probably about my GUS, they are still avoiding each other.
It's been more than a two months since their drunken night together. Tracy insists nothing happened but by Sydney's reaction I'm not so sure. I've only been at work a few times but it seems quite silly. I should have locked them in a room together. I missed my chance at the party but it's gone too far.
I'll talk to her when I'm back from Devon. Work finishes with only a few people acting timidly around me, as if I was getting special treatment. Actually, I liked it the first few times but then it got annoying. Hopefully they'll forget about it by next week.
I walk away from work with a light step, tomorrow I will be back with Aiden. I can't wait to see him, I know it's only been a few days but it feels like centuries.
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