Kat sat on the toilet, with tears streaming down her face, holding a pregnancy test, staring into space. She could not believe the result. Her mind was already full of thoughts about the consequences and how she was going to cope.
"Kat!" She could hear Stacey shouting her name from outside the bathroom door, "Kat are you done? We're gonna be late on the stall!"
"in a minute!" Kat yelled back. She quickly wiped the tears off her cheeks, got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She threw away the test and put on some red lipstick to touch up her make-up.
…
"Listen Stac, could you watch the stall for a bit? I've got some errands to run… about some new stock…" Kat lied, as both her and Stacey stood by their stall.
"Yeah it's alright," Stacey agreed without arguing.
"Cheers," Kat said as she took her money pouch off her waist and handed it to Stacey.
…
"I've heard loads about false positives and negatives, I just want to confirm it, that's all…" Kat argued with her doctor at the surgery.
"It's alright Mrs Moon… well a more accurate measure is a blood test or better yet, when was your last menstrual period?" the female doctor with a stethoscope around her neck, questioned her behind the desk.
"I don't know… now that I think about it, maybe a month, maybe two…" Kat tried to remember, and then she suddenly realized it was well before she split up with Alfie.
"Right, so you're about 8 weeks?" the doctor said as she looked at her desk calendar.
"I still want the blood test, and please if it comes back positive, while you're at it, could you write me a referral to a clinic or something? I don't want this…" Kat explained.
"Mrs Moon, let's not rush things. I know this is entirely your decision to make, but do the blood test first and take some time and think about what you really want…" the doctor tried to explain.
"Listen, just because you have one of them doctor things round your neck, doesn't mean you know what's best for me, alright? I am 45 years old, I have a four-year old toddler and baby twins, I've split up from my husband and we're living with my nan, cousin and her little girl… do you want me to list you more reasons why this is all wrong?!" Kat raised her voice.
"Calm down Mrs Moon, I realize there is enough on your plate already, but this is a baby we're talking about, not a piece of furniture you want to get rid of… that's all I can tell you… now it is entirely up to you…" the doctor replied.
Kat just looked away.
…
Later that night, Kat had just put down the twins and Tommy to sleep. She walked into the kitchen and started clearing up the place a bit.
"Kat…" Stacey walked into the kitchen, "is this yours?" she asked Kat as she held the pregnancy test in her hands and showed it to Kat.
Kat looked up, then away again, "What? Don't be daft!" Kat tried to hide the truth.
"Well I know I didn't do one, and I don't think it's nan's… and if it's not ours, then how did it end up in our bathroom?" Stacey asked confused.
Kat just kept washing the bottles, saying nothing.
"You can't be serious… you're pregnant?!" Stacey said in a low tone.
"I don't want to talk about it, alright?" Kat told her as she dried her hands.
"How did this happen, Kat?" Stacey asked surprised. Even though Kat didn't give her a straight answer, she knew it was true.
"I thought you knew how…" Kat uttered, folding up blankets.
"I know, I meant when? You and Alfie have been split up for a couple of months… does Alfie know?" Stacey tried to solve the puzzle.
"No!" Kat tried to raise her voice but not high enough because of the twins, "and don't tell Nan either!"
"Why? Why do you want to keep it a secret from everyone? Even Alfie?" Stacey asked again.
"I'm not gonna tell him, alright? It's none of his business," Kat uttered.
"Why? Of course it is, if it's his kid! That is… is it? Or maybe that's why you don't want to tell him!" Stacey replied.
"Of course it is! But it doesn't change anything, I'm not gonna tell him and that's that!" Kat told her.
"I realize you're still mad at him, but he has a right to know Kat… why do you want to hide it?" Stacey tried to get answers.
"Because I'm not having it, that's why!" Kat yelled as she stormed out of the room, leaving Stacey stunned by the news.
Duff Duff :)
Next time: being pressured by Stacey, can Kat really keep the truth from Alfie?
