His Unexpected Baby by Jamie Knight

Chapter 14 - Cece

In my apartment, getting dressed for the day, I look at my reflection in the mirror as I fix my hair. My phone rings. I silence the call and ignore it. It's Ben. He's been calling nonstop, and I keep ignoring his phone calls. There is no way I am talking to him. I can't believe I got so caught up in the idea of having a family that I got carried away with my boss. How could I have been so careless and desperate?

After I'm dressed, I grab my purse and walk outside. I'm on my way to the coffee shop to beg for my job back. I need the money now more than ever, considering all that has happened. My boss, Tracey, is pretty understanding, and I'm really counting on her generosity today. I still haven't given up on my college goals. That's all I have left in my life right now. I sigh as I try not to think about what could have been. I can't afford to be emotional again today.

How could I have made such a stupid mistake like this? I think about it the whole walk over there. I arrive at the coffee shop to see an entire crowd of people waiting to be helped. My boss Tracey is behind the counter, trying to work as fast as she can. I take a deep breath and realize it is now or never. I walk inside and try to get her attention by waving my arms. She finally notices me and gives me a signal to wait. I stand in the corner of the coffee shop and wait for her. Things haven't changed too much here. That's good. Hopefully, I can pick up a few extra shifts. Nothing will compare to what I was earning taking care of Katie, though. Still, I'm not about to give up on my goals. Besides, I'm no stranger to hard work.

After the crowd has died down a little, she walks over to me. “What can I do for you, Cece?” she asks tiredly.

“Well, I'm here to ask for my job back. I understand if you have already hired someone else, I just thought I'd try,” I explain, deciding to be truthful.

She looks around at what's left of the crowd. “Can you start right now?” she asks.

“Yes, of course!” I reply, relieved.

“Good. Welcome back.”

I take my usual place behind the counter and begin serving customers. It's nice to see I haven't lost my touch. The overflow of work is my only distraction from Ben, and I eagerly lose myself in it.

Another large crowd hits us during lunchtime. I wonder what the cause of all this is? I look in the window and see a sign advertising a new drink. No wonder we are so busy. Just when I think I'm going to get a break, there is more work to be done.

When I have a moment, I glance at my phone. I see more missed calls from Ben. I don't have time to let it bother me. I slip the phone into my pocket and get back to work. I can't afford to lose focus now.

When I'm finally able to catch my breath, it's almost closing time. Thank goodness the workday is pretty much done. I spent the whole day on my feet. The last of the customers are taking their coffee to go.

“I'm so glad you came back today. I really needed the help,” Tracey tells me.

I'm having a hard time concentrating on what she is saying. I don't feel right. In fact, I feel kind of faint as I grip the countertop for support.

Tracey turns around as she finishes wiping a table and notices me. “Cece? Are you feeling all right?” she asks with concern. She has always been very caring and motherly. I need that right now.

I have to admit what I'm going through. “No, I think I might be pregnant,” I say, covering my stomach with my free hand. “I’m feeling faint.”

“Oh, my goodness! Well, come with me,” she says, grabbing her purse.

I lean on her for support as we walk to the drug store across the street. My boss leads us down the aisles until we find the pregnancy tests. She buys one for me, and we go back across the road to the coffee shop. Once we are inside, she flips the sign to closed.

“Go ahead. No one is here,” she says.

I take the test and go into the bathroom. I kind of already know, but I need to be sure. I take the test. Afterward, I sit nervously on the floor, waiting for the results. My stomach turns. I don't know if it is from morning sickness or anxiety. This is probably the most stressful time in my life. I keep glancing at the time on my phone, but the minutes seem to take forever to change.

Time is up. I take a deep breath as I stand up, feeling the knot in my stomach growing. I look at the test because I know I can't put it off any longer. The results are positive, just like I expected. I sit back down. I feel like I'm going to faint.

What the hell am I supposed to do now? I can't tell Ben that I'm carrying his baby, nor can I go back to him. I try and take some deep breaths to calm my nerves since I feel so lost and confused right now.

Throwing the packaging from the test away, I get up and pace. What I really need to do is get home. I'm so damn tired from work. Now I'm emotionally drained from everything that has happened. I just want to rest and tune everything out for a while. I'm going to have a lot of thinking to do about this baby, and I wanted to be well-rested when I do that.