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For a second, Aurora wanted to tell him she might be pregnant. To make him stay for a few more days. But she was tense about how he would react. And what if it was for nothing and she wasn’t even pregnant in the end? She would die from embarrassment.
Aiden kissed her, holding her close to him. She loved when he held her. It made her feel safe, something she missed in her life. The feeling of being safe and wanted. Aiden made her feel so many things she never thought she would feel. Aurora prayed hard that Aunt Katie had slept and wouldn’t come outside.
When they broke apart after a few moments, Aurora wanted to cry. Instead, she just smiled at him and just said goodnight. They embraced again and then Aurora left.
On the way back, she stopped at the local pharmacy to pick up a pregnancy test. She had to get this over with or she wouldn’t be able to sleep all night. She just hoped she wouldn’t run into someone she recognized. Thankfully, Richard, the owner, was not there. His assistant was at the counter, probably a new one, because she couldn’t recognize him. He seemed to be a high-school kid. Richard would have recognized her because she was there almost every week to pick up her father’s medication.
She quickly bought the test, passed a smile to the boy assistant and left. As she walked home, she could hear the waves crashing against the shore. Her brain that seemed to be in knots before seemed to relax a little. The ocean always had that effect on her.
Aurora was resilient. She had made it this far alone. As long as she could remember, she had taken care of herself. She could do it now too.
When Aurora reached home, her father had already gone to bed. She made her way to the bathroom. Once inside, she opened the pregnancy test and read the instructions. Aurora really wished she had a female friend by her side. She might have even called Trisha if she was still in town. But now, she was miles away and it would seem weird.
Aurora took the pregnancy test, her heart pounding and palms clammy with sweat. The instructions had said she had to wait two minutes before the results showed up. She opened the windows in her bedroom and sat on the windowsill as she waited.
Finally, she looked at the test. Deep down, she had a feeling that it would show this:
Positive.
Chapter 8:
Aurora had always loved the sound of the ocean waves splashing against the shore at midnight. It brought a feeling of relaxation and peace, as if all was right in the world. For some reason, Aurora couldn’t sleep. It was a week after Aiden had left and she had found out that she was pregnant. The days had passed by quickly and slowly at the same time.
Each morning, when she woke up, for a moment she forgot she was pregnant. It was only when she saw herself in the bathroom mirror that she remembered what her life was like now. She was carrying Aiden’s baby.
She had gone to work as usual, acting normal. Not as if she had completely changed in the past few weeks. At home, she mostly stayed holed up in her room. Only talking to her father at dinner time. She wasn’t sure if her father had noticed a change in her or even if he had, maybe he assumed she was worried about her career.
Aiden had been surprisingly good at communication. He had called her when he had landed in New York and she could already hear the hustle bustle behind him. They had video-called every night without fail and Aiden took the initiative for that. He had shown her his penthouse, and even though Aurora knew he was rich, she was only coming to realize how much. His routine was really busy so he only called her late at night before he was going to sleep.
Aurora missed him a lot. Ever since he had left, she felt a void inside of her. She had gotten used to his touch. His voice and presence had calmed her. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to tell him she was pregnant but still the fear stopped her.
Maybe he would ask her to have an abortion. She didn’t know if he wanted to be a dad and she didn’t bring up the topic because she felt it was too soon in their relationship. But she had to make a decision soon. She had to find the right time to tell him.
Aurora had to figure things out for herself.
She got up, weaving her way through the dark to the kitchen. She was careful to watch her steps on the staircase. Unwillingly, she was developing a bond with her unborn baby. She was being careful of what she ate and did throughout the day. She drank a glass of water, hearing the waves. The night was calm, having no idea about the emotional turmoil inside her.
Aurora took out her phone, scrolling through social media aimlessly. All of her high-school friends were married now or had good careers. Some even had kids. Ignoring the pang of loneliness, Aurora decided to check her email.
The first email was from New York Times magazine. Her heart stopped. She had mailed them a proposal piece just a week ago. She had been accepted. They were offering her a job as junior writer in their office. Aurora had a week to decide if she wanted to accept. The email came attached with the formal congratulatory remarks and job description.
Aurora’s mood instantly changed. Finally, she had gotten an answer. It seemed like all her hard work had paid off. She was proud of herself. She had never felt this happy in her life. Now, she had something to look forward to. A job in New York! Her dream job. This is what she had worked so hard on for her whole life.
Quickly, she dialed Aiden’s number to give him the good news, forgetting that he would probably be asleep. Aiden answered just as Aurora was about to hang up.
“Aurora?” His voice was groggy, being woken from deep sleep. It sounded really hot and Aurora felt a rush of longing for him. She wished he was here.
“Sorry for calling so late. I have to tell you something,” Aurora said, barely containing her excitement and happiness.
“What happened?” Aiden was awake now, his voice less sleepy.
“I heard back from the New York Times!” Aurora squealed. She didn’t care if she sounded like a kid. She was happy.
“That’s great news, Aurora.” Aiden was happy for her, she could tell from his tone.
“I can’t believe it,” Aurora said.
“Your hard work paid off, baby.”
