Chapter 17: Pain

John couldn't believe. When he thought everything was fine.

"Kem is pregnant?"

"Yes. When were you going to tell me?"

"I didn't even know"

"You didn't? I know what's happening here" – I looked at him with tears in my eyes – "You got her pregnant to break up with me"

"No, I didn't even have sex with her"

"Oh please! You want me to believe this? And explain to me how she got pregnant?"

He stayed quiet and I sighed. John controlled himself to not smile to not hurt me anymore, but I noticed.

"Oh, so you're happy?"

He didn't say anything.

"Oh, ok. Yeah, I should go"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug.

"No. Please, stay. Stay"

"I really have to go"

"Please Abby. Stay here tonight. I need you"

He run his hand on my arm and I closed my eyes for a moment.

"I can never say no to you" – I smiled – "Ok, I'll stay"

He smiled and pressed his lips against mine tightly. I put my arms around his neck and we continued kissing, this time more passionately. He picks me up and takes me to his room. He gently lies me down on the bed and gets on top of me. Then he looks straight on my eyes before kissing me again. Half of an hour later, I was lying next to him and his arms were involving me. In the morning, he woke up and smiled by seeing me. Then he kisses my hair and caresses my belly.

"I love you Abby. I always did. I can't stay away from you"

He caresses my arm.

"I love you too John"

He jumped.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not much"

I turn to him. We face each other for a moment and then smile to each other. Then we got closer to each other and kiss intensely. And we pull away after several minutes.

"I couldn't be more in love with you"

I laughed.

"Please"

"I mean it"

I stared at the eyes that were a few centimeters above mine and smiled.

"Really?"

"Totally"

"Good"

"Because I… I am blindly in love with you"

"You are?" – I looked at him with a serious face.

He took a while to answer.

"Are you? I really need to know. You said the same thing 2 years ago and you ran away"

"Yes… I am. I am" – He smiled at me – "I am"

"I knew… since the moment you went to Africa, that that wasn't the end. I knew we'd be together in the end" – I smiled but quickly turned serious – "And what are you going to do about Kem?"

His smile faded away. He hadn't thought about it.

"Did I tell you that I'm blindly, totally and completely in love with you?" – He gave me an awkward smile and looked at me – "I'm going there. I need to be sure that I'm the father. But it's impossible, since I haven't slept with her"

"You're going to Africa?"

There was a tone of disappointment on my voice. And on my face too.

"I am, but I'll be back soon. Like I said, I can't stay away from you. Don't worry. I don't feel anything for her anymore. I never felt anything for her. I was just trying to replace the empty space that your absence made to me"

I smiled.

"You're special, you know? You're special to me. You changed my life in ways you don't even know"

"John…" – I started, but I was so amazed with what he had just said that I couldn't continue.

"And if you ever doubt about it and doubt about my love, I'll be the most romantic man on this world to have your love back. And I'm not kidding"

I had her eyes watered and I put his arms around his neck. And slowly one gets closer to the other and we end up kissing each other intensely.

15 days later…

"Hey Neela. Have you seen Abby?"

"Yes, I think she's in the lounge"

"Ok. Thanks"

John heads to the lounge and finds me crying.

"What happened?" – He asked with a tone of worry and a look of worry too.

"Nothing. It's just…" – I wiped away my tears – "Probably it's the hormones of the pregnancy"

He didn't believe me.

"Are you sad with me leaving?"

I looked deeply in his eyes.

"I am. And I'm scared of you leaving me again"

"Oh Abby…" – He offered his hand to me and I took it – "I won't leave you. I promise. In fact, you could go with me"

I laughed dryly.

"And meet Kem again? No thanks"

"Ok. I'll be back in one or two days. I swear"

"I know. Think about me"

"And can I not think?" – He smiled – "You're everything that's on my mind. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 12 months a year"

He puts out his arms and I hug him. He slowly gets closer to me and kisses me for several long minutes. I take him outside the hospital, where we kiss each other for long minutes and intensely many times again.

"I love you"

"I love you too. Come back soon"

"I will. Take care. And take care of our kid"

"You too"

John kissed her fiancé's belly and said.

"Don't push too hard. Be nice to mommy"

And then he kissed passionately her fiancé's mouth. He got in the cab and I turned to go back inside.

"So, he already left?"

"Just did"

"And the baby?"

"It's fine, but I am definitely going to abort it"

Susan looked at me in shock.