Chapter 31 - For Better or For Worse?

"Hi there" Abby walked in and threw her keys on the table.

"Hi" Neela replied lazing on the couch under the quilts covers watching daytime TV.

Abby pulled her bag over her head and hung it on the coats stand. Shed her coat off and puts it on a hook above the bag. She walked to the kitchen area.

"How did you get on at the prenatal care?" Neela asked with her hand wrapped round a mug.

"Fine, the baby's due on 21st August" Abby said picking up a glass from the cupboard and walked to the sink to turn on the cold-water tap and filled the glass. She took a long drink.

"My…! Pregnancy sure does make you thirsty" She muttered to herself.

"Have you had any cravings yet?"

"Nope, not yet but I've gone off coffee big time!" Abby said leaning back against the sink with her hand holding the glass, resting it against her chest. Then her eyes searched at Neela "Don't tell me you haven't got up yet?"

"I'm on nights tonight so I am not rushing about" Neela said, pressing the remote control button to change channels.

"Looks like that I may need to buy a new couch after when you find someplace else!" Abby laughs and pauses as something has dawned on her. "I must make that call to book the hotel room" Abby reached for the phone on the wall, she grasped the air, noticed that the cordless phone wasn't there. "Neela have you seen the phone?"

"Yes I was using it earlier but I have forgotten where I have put it?" Neela got up to shake the quilt and ruffled the cushions. "So you are still going to Minnesota alone?"

"No, Susan is coming with me" Abby replied bending down looking under the table.

"Oh? Well suppose she could do with a break, she looks really stressed lately," Neela said on her all fours looking underneath the couch. "Still no sign of the phone" She muttered to herself tucking her jet-black hair behind her ears when she stood up straight.

"Yes she is… back in a sec" Abby walked into the bathroom and shuts the door behind her. She opened it again quickly. She is standing there with the cordless phone in her hand, pulling her face with disgust "I hope you haven't had a 'dump' whilst you were using the phone?"

Neela laughed with a guilty conscience.

"Eww Neela!" Abby winced tossing the phone at her and walked back into the bathroom again.

"Good Afternoon Plaza Hotel, How I may help?"

"Hello I would like to book a room with 2 singles on 13 and 14 February please?"

"Ok, would you like to hold while I check the availability"

Abby puffed out her cheeks waiting for the response. She can hear the receptionist taping away on the PC.

"Yes there is rooms available for both nights"

"Oh thank you, I would like to go ahead booking the room please and erm… I see there is discount for guests attending the wedding there"

"Would you like to confirm whose wedding it is please, it's just to stop people conning their way of getting cheap rate!" The receptionist laughed out and Abby mimics her.

"It's Rachel Wyczenski and Thomas Krane's Wedding"

"You get your discount!" She bursts out with excitement. Abby arched one of her brows and forcing out a laugh.

"I would like to pay by card please" Abby asked, pulling the plastic from her purse.

There is a knock on the door and Neela gets up to answer it. An unexpected person has turned up. It's Jake. Abby is trying to read her numbers of the credit card. The brunette spun on her heels to look at the direction of the door and sees Jake, she started to stutter with distraction from his surprise turn up.

"Oh sorry I'll read it out again" She said trying concentrate reading out the numbers on the card.

"Thank you, we will send you a confirmation letter by post, thank you for your custom is there anything else?"

"No but thank you, bye" Abby puts the phone down on the table and turned to her guest clasping her hands together. "Jake, what brings you here?"

"Hi I just wanted to drop by to say goodbye before I head off to San Francisco"

"Bye" She replied subtly waving at him.

Jake's blue eyes widen and bursts out with laughter at Abby's response.

"Well what can I say?" She shrugged "All the best"

"Thank you" Jake smiled looking at the brunette in admiration "I erm see you are having a baby, you look beautiful when you're glowing"

Abby nodded and looked down to avoid eye contact.

"So it's 50/50 chance that the baby could be mine?"

Abby looked up at him and shook her head with disagreement "No… no Jake we were being careful"

"Were we?"

Abby almost replied but stopped with her mouth open "What do you mean, were we?"

"I think I'll take that shower" Neela said getting up from the couch and rushed to the bathroom. They both watch her leave.

"Well I recall couple of occasions that we didn't use protection"

"What! When?"

"One example, remember that night we went to Bobby's party?"

"Yes it was a good 'Craic'" Abby replied imitating Jakes Irish roots by saying in Gaelic 'a good time' and he lets out cute chuckle. "But I was knackered, sober, and you were quite drunk"

"Well…it was in the middle of the night"

Abby frowned trying to recall the event. "And?"

"I woke up a bit sober and got a bit frisky, I asked you if I could you know" He said tilting his head to one side a few times like a rocking mode trying to imply what he is saying. "You were half asleep, you muttered yes"

"Huh! I can't believe you took advantage of me while I was asleep!"

"I did asked and you said yes! Otherwise I wouldn't have bothered rolling on top of you"

"And you didn't use protection then?"

"No, I realised that after a few minutes so I presume that you were on the pill, so I carried on"

"What? I can't fucking believe that I'm hearing this! Why do you guys always presume?" Abby said rubbing her head thinking can things get worst "I came off it months ago because I wasn't in a relationship then I met you and I didn't think we would last long so I didn't bother"

Abby's chest started to heave, she doesn't know whether she wants to burst out in anger or burst into tears. She walked away with her hand on her forehead and paced round the couch and nearly stumbled over Neela's quilt, half sprawled out on the floor. Abby tuts to herself with her foot tangled in the material. She headed to the window and pushes it open for some air. She felt suffocated with her persistent problems with overwhelming consequences attached to them. With her eyes closed, she take in a deep breath with her head hanging out overlooking the street, her lungs tingled when she fills it with the freshness of Chicago's winter air. Abby's bottom lip started to quiver; she is trying to withhold herself from crying.

"Oh god, how am I going to tell Carter? He is right; about what he said and didn't mean it 'I have doubts' too right I have doubts myself! I can't believe what mess I am in, I go at all lengths not get pregnant in my adulthood, then it happens it's like having men queuing round the block claiming it's theirs, even Luka could come along and says it his, even though we broke up 5 years ago. Oh stop it Abby! I'm being over the top with my silly thoughts, my stupid hormones!"

"Well the damage is done" Abby said looking down with her eyes following a car passing by.

"Here is my new contact details" Jake walks behind Abby and gave her a piece of paper. "I hope we can keep in touch, I am happy to do a DNA to see if the baby is mine, I want to know so I can help with the support and be part of it's life ok?"

"Thank you" Abby moved her head back inside the apartment and looked down at the paper "I know this is a silly question, are hoping it is yours or not?"

"Yes I hope so…" Jake grinned; he walked back to the door and looked down where his hand is resting on the door handle. "I miss you, I'm sorry I didn't workout between us, maybe we kinda rushed into things"

"I've…erm… kind of… missed you" Abby stuttered with a brave little smile knowing she can melt with those eyes of his. "I am sorry too, I was confused"

"I've got to go, I have a plane to catch, and I'm running late as it is" Jake leaned over to plant a kiss on her lips and whispered, "You take care of yourself"

Abby watched the door close in front of her. She stands staring in silence with sadness all over her face. How does she manage to keep her sanity together?