Chapter 18 – One Month Later
One Month later…
It is one week before Christmas…Abby has recovered from hypothermia and not to forget, the turbulent week she had, Her life has been looking on the bright side in previous weeks and She is back at work as normal. Neela is now lodging at her apartment and Carter still away in Africa. Will things stay on the positive side for her?
"Morning Neela" Abby said walking to the dining room table in her long john top and her hair is messy, the definite got out of bed look, desperately in need of grooming. She picked up her cigarette packet and lighter. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. She picked up the newspaper and strode in to the lounge area towards the window. Abby pushes the window up to open it and sat on the sill to let the smoke blow out in to the fresh air.
"Have you turned up the heating?" Abby asked frowning in puzzlement, flapping her top to cool off.
"No" Neela replied pouring a kettle of hot water into the two mugs. "Why?"
"I dunno, its just feels rather hot in here"
"Maybe you're coming down with something" Neela walking towards Abby with a mug in her hand. "Sorry it's tea, we're out of coffee"
"That's ok, I'll get some more from the Jumbo Mart when I finish work" Her cheeks sucked in when she took a drag of the cigarette and blows out the smoke. Whilst reading the newspaper, Abby takes a sip of her drink and nodded her head looking impressive "Mmm nice tea"
"You're welcome" Neela said walking towards Abby and probed an electronic thermometer in her ear
"Jeez! Neela what the hell are doing?" She jumped, startled by her roommate's actions
"Checking your temperature" Neela answered looking serious and pouting her lips, concentrating on the reading the digits "We don't want you to be sick again"
"God… I don't know who's worst, you or my mom!" She said jokingly
"98 F, You're fine"
"I feel it"
"Did you get your mail on the table?" Neela pointed at the table, on her way back to the kitchen.
"Nope" Abby took one last draw and stubbed the cigarette end into the ashtray. She marched herself to the dining room table and picked up an envelope addressed to her. Postmark reads 'Minnesota'.
"Hmm I know what this is," Abby said inserting her finger in to the corner of the envelope and ripped the flap open. She is right; it is an invitation for her. The card is cream colored with raised gold ink print. It reads:
----------
Mr & Mrs Robert Wyczenski
request the pleasure of the company of
Dr Abigail Lockhart and Guest
at the marriage of their daughter
Rachel Jane with Mr Thomas Krane
at St Paul's Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota
On Saturday 14th February at 1 pm
Reception: The Plaza Hotel, Plaza Boulevard, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
R.S.V.P.
Note: A discount on rooms booked for the night at the hotel.
--------------
"I'll take a guess that's an invitation to your cousin's wedding?" Neela asked buttering her toast.
Abby nodded in response.
"You want some?"
"No thanks" Abby replied putting her hand on her stomach to rub it. "I feel a bit sickly"
"Are you sure you're ok?" She asked looking at Abby, taking a bite of her toast. "So did you and Rachel get on well?"
"Oh yes, we used spend most of the summer vacation together when we were about 5 or 6, it was great especially getting away from Mom and Dad's constant bickering"
"I can imagine"
"Auntie Dorothy and Uncle Bob are the nicest people you'll ever know, I think they were only people ever spoilt me" Abby leaned her backside against the back of the sofa, folding her arms. "Sad thing is… I never got to stay with them again after my father left because I had to look after mom and Eric"
"I'm sorry"
"That's life" Abby shrugged her shoulders, looked down to read the invitation again. "Valentine's day? What a unforgettable date to married!"
"Mmm Valentine's day, that day doesn't mean anything to me" Neela said looking glum
"You will meet someone one day" Abby said walking to the kitchen area and stuck the invitation on the fridge with a novelty magnet. She turned round and grinned at Neela
"I think you and Ray should get together, you make a cute couple" Abby joked, purposely to wind her friend up.
"Ha ha!" Neela gave out a forced laugh and stormed off to the bathroom.
"Oops I must have hit an nerve end," she said huskily, pulling a face gritting her teeth. Abby reached over the kitchen surface to grab a pen from a pot at the windowsill. She walked across to the calendar hung up on the pantry door, she paused to realise that she doesn't have the next year's calendar yet. So she squiggles in the December notes section to remind herself and then look at the rest of December's dates. She puts her finger on today's date - 17th, she then ran her finger up the calendar and stops on the day with a red ring round it - 9th.
"Oh my god!" Abby gasped putting her hand on her month, She had just realised that December 9th was her period due date and she hasn't had it yet. She dropped the pen on to the floor and staggered to the table; she sits down with her hands resting her head, then covers her eyes, muttering to herself
'This can't be happening' shaking her head 'No no I expected this, I knew this gonna happen, no-no I don't know for definite yet, I mustn't get worked up'
Abby pulled her hands way from her eyes and started tapping her finger on the table to control her nerves. Her lips are quivering and her eyes are red, welling up with tears. She takes one big hard swallow…