Part XIV: Emily's Horrible Secret
The illness that I had didn't get much better as a month passed. Mrs. Lovett insisted I saw a doctor. I kept putting it off as much as I could. I never like doctors and I wasn't planning on seeing one anytime soon. After another few days, Mrs. Lovett was finally able to get me to go.
"It'll be all right Emily. He's just going to see if he can help you." She'd said to me as I walked out the door.
I came to the office where Dr. Miller had his practice set up. When I walked in, I was greeted by a man with a round face and warm brown eyes. He wore a large smile on his face and his gray mustache was as wide as his grin.
"May I help you?" He asked me calmly and politely as his eyes peered at me through his small, round spectacles.
I couldn't help, but return the kind man's smile as I spoke to him.
"My name is Emily Welsh. My guardian believes that something may be wrong with me." I replied.
"Well, let's have a look at you then Miss." He said with a smile taking me to the back room in the office.
After a few tests, he'd come back with a smile on his face.
"You're perfectly fine Miss Welsh. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you."
"That's wonderful Doctor!" I said.
"Yes and I'm pleased to announce that you're going to be a mother."He said.
I stared at him for the longest time. I was pregnant? How could that be…? Mr. Todd and I – it was an accident! This wasn't meant to happen! It couldn't happen, he wouldn't like it, and he'd kill me and the child.
"Are you alright?" Dr. Miller asked me.
"Yes. Thank you so much." I said paying him and leaving in tears.
I walked down Fleet Street slowly, not wanting to get to the shop, to see Mr. Todd, Mrs. Lovett, or Toby, or to raise a child in this hell hole of a world. I walked in the pie shop and Mrs. Lovett looked at me.
"Well?" She asked me.
"He said that I was healthy. Nothing's wrong with me." I lied.
"Oh, that's odd." She said to me as she started another sheet of pies.
Lying worked, but how long would it continue to work? When I get bigger and closer to my due date, which I still didn't know, and when I come home with a baby, what would I say then. I walked into my room and sat on the bed. I looked down at my stomach. I never noticed how big it got and I placed me hand on it. It was hard and firm and I couldn't help, but let out a real smile at the thought of the human being in my stomach.
I decided that some things would be better left unknown, this being one of them. I knew that this child was going to be the blessing that I'd been wanting. I would protect it with my life, but that was going to be harder than I thought.