379 Clarity in the Chaos
379 Clarity in the Chaos
(Winona)
Lisa picks up, her face flooding my screen. The worry on her face is evident, her eyes scanning mine.
“Winona! Did you do it? Did you take the test?” she asks.
I swallow, unable to find the
Words. With a shaky hand, I hold the test up to the screen, showing her the
two unmistakable lines, bold as anything.
It’s confirmation of a reality I barely dared to believe possible,
Lisa’s jaw drops. “No fucking way… You are pregnant?” Her voice softens with something between awe and disbelief.
I nod, feeling everything crash over me. “I can’t believe it either, Lisa. It’s all a blur. There’s so much, too much.”
Lisa’s face lights up briefly, but then her expression shifts, her mind clearly racing. “This is… complicated?”
“Complicated,” I repeat, the word tasting bitter on my tongue. “More than complicated, Lisa. This is… a disaster. What if…” My voice catches, but I force the words out. “What if it isn’t Jayden’s? Why does it even matter if I lose it anyway?”
Lisa takes a deep breath, nodding slowly, her gaze steady on mine. “Alright, first things first, Winona. Breathe. You’ve been through worse than this. We’ll take it step by step, like always.”
Her calm tone anchors me a little, and I let out a shaky breath, focusing on the logic she brings. “If only I knew what the first step is.”
“Confirmation, babe. You need a real blood test to confirm the pregnancy and…” she hesitates, then pushes forward, “and a paternity test. That’s just common sense here.”
I swallow hard, feeling the enormity of her suggestion. “A paternity test. So early? Won’t Jayden need to know?”
“Remember when Gus knew Jayden was the father of Henry and not Lance? Ashlyn was barely pregnant. There are ways to do this from your blood test, DNA, and you need that answer as soon as possible.”
Lisa’s right. This is bigger than just me; it’s about the family Jayden and I have built, the trust we’ve painstakingly pieced together.
“God, Lisa,” I murmur, pressing a hand over my stomach. “I know I have to know, but… what if it isn’t his?” Her expression softens, and she shakes her head gently. “You can’t go down that rabbit hole yet. Law of averages says Jayden is the father. And if that’s true, then the details of hall pass week don’t matter.”
“But if it’s not…” I can barely bring myself to say it.
Lisa’s gaze sharpens. “We’re not thinking like that right now. Firstly, you need medical confirmation of pregnancy and how far along you are. Secondly, establish Jayden is the father with DNA/Thirdly, I’m getting on a plane to come help you sort through all this as soon as I can.”
My heart swells at her offer, the relief so strong it brings tears to my eyes. “You’ll really come?”
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379 Clarity in the Chaos
+25 BONUS
“Of course. You’re my best friend. You’re not doing this alone.” Her voice is unwavering, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
I wipe away tears, my mind spinning with a mixture of gratitude and fear. “But what if… what if he asks about hall pass week, Lisa? What do I tell him? I don’t even know what he’ll think. If he even suspects…”
Lisa cuts me off with a gentle but firm voice. “Babe, you don’t have to tell him every detail unless it comes down to it.”
“We promised, no lies.”
“If this baby is his, then he doesn’t need to know about any other possibility. Not unless you want him to. There’s no sense saying anything if it doesn’t even matter.”
The thought of keeping secrets from Jayden makes my stomach twist. But Lisa’s right, I know she is. There’s no point if it turns out to be his child.
This alone is enough to deal with right now.
“I feel like I’m being dishonest not telling him” I say, voice still shaky.
“Winona. If the baby’s his, then it’s his. That’s it. That’s the story, no questions needed. But if you find out otherwise, then we deal with it. One thing at a time.”
The practicality in her words is comforting, a stark contrast to the chaos in my mind. “You’re right. I’ll get the tests, keep calm, and stay healthy. One step at a time.”
“Good,” she says, her smile warm and encouraging. “Now, promise me you won’t let this get you all worked up, not until you have answers. You need to get onto this right away.”
“I promise. I’ll find a way to get the tests done discreetly. I have to go under Judy’s radar.”
“Who do you trust over there?”
“Only Viktor so far, but he’s in London with Jayden for the next two days.”
“Can you call him, you only need a name of a doctor.”
“Yes. I can and I will.”
“Perfect,” Lisa replies, leaning closer to the screen. “And Winona, listen. You’re going to get through this. No matter what the results are, we’ll face it together. I’ve got your back.”
Tears blur my vision again, and I can only nod, overwhelmed by her loyalty. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
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