Vicky
The next morning I wake up in the same position I was in when I fell asleep, with my back aching in pain from being on the sofa. I get up and get myself sorted; just as I am about to start calling around for apartments, the door swings open and Alaina comes walking in with bruises and a black eye.
“LAIN! OH MY GOD!” I run over to her, taking her into a hug.
She smiles, and rubs my bump. “Vicky! This is your decision?”
I place my hand over hers. “It is, Lain. I want this baby, our baby. Only thing is, I don't know how I’m going to break it to him.”
She laughs while taking off her jacket. “Well, you had better do it soon, because we’re all back and he's on a mission to track you down.” Fuck! Shit! I drop my eyes to the floor as the realisation sinks in. “I know,” I sigh. Then anger takes over my body when I remember what exactly has happened. “I can't fucking believe it Alaina, you could have died! Tell me everything, right now.” After that phone call from Blake, all I have been thinking about is her; she is going to put me in an early grave with the worry she causes me. It’s probably a good thing that I never had any younger siblings.
“First, I need wine and pizza,” she replies.
I narrow my eyes at her, following her around the room. “Pizza? You hate pizza.”
“When you've had to go through not being, you would love all kinds of food, too.” I pull two glasses out of the cupboard, one wine glass, and the other a normal, boring glass— for me. Thirty minutes later pizza boy shows up with the goods, and we settle into the couch eating and laughing, just like old times. “So, talk!”
She goes into the gory details of her twisted life, from her life as a child, right up until she was kidnapped. I knew parts of her story, but not all of it.
“Oh my god, is Jesse going to be okay? I can't believe it; it's like I have a sign on my head that flashes ‘Use me to get to Alaina Vance’.” My self-esteem drops again.
“Don't be silly, he was working for my dad all along.”
I bite into my pizza. “I can't believe your father is some huge leader of the killer world, you're pretty badass! And your Mom is alive! That's so beautiful Lain, I'm so happy for you.”
I see her face light up, which warms my insides. “I'm really happy right now. Do you want ice cream?” she asks. I stop eating my pizza, even though it’s almost to my mouth.
“Ice cream?” I ask, with an eyebrow raised.
“Yeah, want some? I've still got some caramel in here somewhere.” She starts shuffling through the freezer, as if she hasn’t been fed in months. I go silent; I wonder if it is possible.
“Don't look at me like that; it's making me feel fat.” I laugh at her ridiculous comment. “When was your last period?” I ask her. She pauses, spinning around to me.
“What? I don't know; the night before I met Zane was when I finished, so over a month ago?” She whispers out the last bit in shock, “Fuck,” and with that single word I know, I just know that she is pregnant. “No way, keep your pregnancy bugs to yourself; I'm nowhere near ready for that shit.”
I laugh while standing and taking my plate to the sink. “Because of study? You finish up in two months, Alaina. You have a man that is head over heels in love with you. You could be worse off; for instance, having to drop school and hide the pregnancy from the Dad, because you know he never actually wanted you.” I say that probably with a little emotion, the whole thing is fucked up and I am feeling really insecure right now.
“Vicky, you need to speak to Blake. The way I see it; he does want you, just talk to him, please. And get a jacket.”
“Why?” I ask, putting another piece of this cheesy goodness in my mouth.
“I’m going to need a pregnancy test.”
On our way to the drug store, I pull my phone out and see a text from Blake:
Blake: I’ll come up later.
That is the shortest text he has ever sent me. I send a quick reply:
Me: Okay, see you then.
We pull up to the drug store, and Alaina puts the car into park.
“Can you go in?” She asks with pleading eyes. I laugh at her and shake my head.
“No, they will take one look at me and think, ‘well, isn’t it obvious’. Go in Lain, it’s part of the whole pregnancy sucks thing.”
She huffs and walks off into the store. Five minutes later, she comes back out with a pregnancy test and a bag of potato chips. I laugh as she gets back into the car.
“Don’t laugh at me, Abrahams.”
I hold in my breath to calm my giggles as she pulls out, and we make our way back home.
Never let you go