"No no no, your wrong. The test is wrong." Connie protested loudly enough for everyone outside of the cubical in close proximity to hear. She turned from looking at Charlie to look down at her belly that didn't show any signs of pregnancy. "I can't be." she said quietly this time more of a statement to herself rather than for Charlie. She re-read the notes that Charlie had given her, it did indeed say that she was pregnant. Connie felt another hit of nausea flush over her, Charlie wasn't quick enough to grab a bowl so instead she was sick in the only direction possible which was unfortunately all over Charlie's shoes. Apologising wasn't the first thing on Connie's mind instead her mind was racing from one thought to another. How was she going to cope with a baby, she was struggling to cope as it is. How was she going to cope with work and a baby? Her mind then went to the all important question, who was the baby's father? Again another wave of sickness came, this time Charlie was on hand with a bowl which she filled in no time.
"You think your finished now?" Charlie asked sympathetically with which Connie replied with a small nod of the head. He took the bowl out of the cubical but was back within seconds. In the meantime Connie had lay back onto the bed. "I'll do another test just to be sure." Charlie stated. "Do you want a few minutes alone?" he asked, again only receiving a nod in reply. "Ok. I'll not be far so shout me if you need to. And Connie everything's going to be ok." with the last bit he gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder before exiting the cubical and closing the curtain behind him.
"It's got to be a mistake." She whispered to herself. "Please god let it be a mistake."
Charlie made his way to the nurses station, to say he was surprised by what had unfolded was an understatement. Connie was always so in control and usually so careful so for her to be in this situation had taken him aback. He'd got Connie to provide him with a sample of urine moments after he'd taken a sample of her blood so with that he made a call and ushered the doctors to provide him with the results as soon as possible. As he was on the phone he noticed Rita staring at him waiting for him to finish. As soon as he put the phone down she was there in seconds.
"How is she?" Rita asked with a deeply concerned expression on her face. She didn't particularly like Connie but she wouldn't wish for her to get seriously ill.
"Sorry Rita I've got to respect the patients privacy I can't tell you anything." Charlie answered not at all feeling guilty for not being able to answer her question.
"Charlie come on. I don't need to know what's wrong with her just whether she's alright or not." she certainly wasn't one to back down and she wasn't going to now either.
"Rita not now ok. Now is not the time. I'm sure when she's ready she'll talk to you herself." Charlie replied a little more forceful this time. All he could think of was the situation Connie was in, what was she going to do? Would she keep the baby or choose to have an abortion. What about Alex, he must be the father she'd not been seeing anyone else that he was aware of. He couldn't wait for the urine results to be brought up in their own time so instead he dashed off down the corridor and downstairs to retrieve them himself picking up a pair of scrubs and some wipes to get rid of the sick Connie had kindly coated him not long ago. Rita stood there alone as Charlie dashed off without a word just wanting answers that would help settle her mind and let her know that she had not caused this sudden sickness that Connie had developed.
It wasn't long before Charlie was back in the cubical that Connie occupied with the results in his hands.
"Do you want to read them first or should I?" Charlie asked apprehensively. This was the moment of truth, the result that could have a serious impact on Connie's life and the way she currently lived it. Connie stared at the paper that he was holding. Who would have thought that words on a piece of paper could scare someone so much. Again her mind was racing a hundred miles an hour coming up with every eventuality. She finally plucked up the courage to answer him.
"I'll read them." She said with an outstretched arm. He placed the paper into her shaking hand, she knew deep down what the result would be. Blood tests are one of the most accurate tests for pregnancies as a Doctor she knew that but she clung onto that little chance of it being wrong. She unfolded the paper and scanned it intently reading every single word twice. Her heart sank when she saw that word she knew was going to be there. "Positive." she said with a quiet shaky voice and a quivering lip. She looked up to Charlie tears brimming in her eyes. "It's positive." She said again before breaking into an uncontrollable sob.
"Hey, hey. Shhh..." Charlie spoke soothingly enveloping his friend into a warm comforting hug. "It's not that bad." he stated "Your going to be a mum again." Once she'd controlled her sobs she pulled away from him slowly. "Are you going to tell him?" Charlie asked taking a step back after releasing her from the hug. Connie wiped the tears from her face and stared down at her feet at the end of the bed.
"It is Alex isn't it?" Charlie asked verifying who he was talking about. The question sent shivers down her spine. Of course she prayed that Alex was the father (even though he was a criminal) but she didn't know for certain that he was as there was a chance that the scumbag in prison that had raped her was the father. Charlie stared at her expectantly scanning her eyes for some sort of inclination. When she didn't answer he dragged a nearby chair close to the bed, he sat on it and took her hand in his own.
"There's something wrong Connie I know it and it's not the shock of the pregnancy. You've been acting strange ever since Prison. What's happened?" His voice was soft and comforting to hear, she had to tell him. She took her attention away from the end of the bed and looked into Charlie's warm inviting eyes.
"Something did happen in Prison." She stated slowly, she hadn't told anyone apart from the woman officer in the Prison and her therapist. She paused a few seconds unsure as to what to say, Charlie nodded indicating for her to continue. "I was...I..." she couldn't seem to be able to form the words, those haunting words that she never thought she'd have to say she was a victim to.
"You was what?" Charlie asked slowly he could feel the emotions repelling off of the woman that lay next to him. She removed her hands that'd he'd taken in his own as a sign of comfort and rubbed her eyes as the tears began to creep up on her again.
"I was raped Charlie." she said furrowing her eyebrows and looking directly into his eyes which became fiery as soon as the words left her lips.
