Three Months Later
“Congratulations, you’re pregnant.”
The young, slender gynecologist sits across from me, shuffling through the papers with my test results in her hands.
The news hits me like a ton of bricks. I haven’t been with my boyfriend for that long.
“This is unexpected,” I say, feeling my world turn upside down. “We’ve been careful.”
This was just a routine check-up. I hadn’t been worried about anything, though, oh my God, I can’t even remember the last time I had my period. The past few months have been so stressful and hectic that I completely stopped keeping track.
“Well, these things happen,” the doctor glances at me. “Maybe the condom wasn’t reliable. It’s different for everyone. Some struggle to conceive for years, while others get pregnant on the first try.”
She smiles as if this is good news for me. I’m not against having kids, but not like this, out of the blue. And I’ve only been dating Roman for a few months.
“What am I supposed to do now?” I ask, more to myself than to her. “I’m swamped at work. This isn’t the right time for a baby.”
“The situation can’t be changed,” she frowns, picking up the ultrasound image. “You’re not considering an abortion, are you?”
Her smile fades. She realizes this pregnancy wasn’t planned or particularly wanted.
“Of course not. I just don’t know how my boyfriend will react.”
Roman is a good guy, but he might not be thrilled about this. Honestly, I’m not over the moon either. This pregnancy ties my hands. I can’t afford to lose my job right now. And how am I supposed to raise a child with no money? I’ve got nothing saved up.
“This responsibility falls on the father too,” she looks at me seriously. “So don’t take it all on yourself. Tell him, don’t delay. And come back to register for prenatal care. You’re already twelve weeks along, after all.”
“Okay,” I mumble, still in a daze, and then her words sink in. “Wait, what? How many weeks?”
“You’re twelve weeks pregnant. It’s surprising you didn’t notice the missed periods.”
“That’s impossible. Roman and I have only been intimate for a month.”
The doctor reviews the papers again and looks up at me. Her skeptical expression tells me she doesn’t believe me.
“Then think back to who else you’ve been intimate with, because the test results don’t lie.”
I frantically search my mind for any possible explanation. How could this be? It has to be some kind of mistake.
“But there hasn’t been anyone else. Not for over six months.”
I fall silent as I finally remember that one fateful night I wish had never happened. And the timeline matches. About three months ago, I fell for Stan Malinowski’s charm, a decision I quickly regretted. And now, here’s the consequence.
This is a nightmare. My world is crumbling into tiny pieces and falling into a deep abyss. Oh, what’s going to happen now? How am I supposed to live with this?
“I take it you know who the father is,” the doctor says with an unpleasant smirk.
She probably thinks I’m some kind of reckless woman. But I don’t have time to care about her opinion. I’ve got a massive problem growing inside me.
“I do, and I’m certain he won’t want this child—or me, for that matter.”
The doctor’s smile vanishes. She must realize just how complicated my situation is.
I leave the gynecologist’s office in a fog. I don’t see or hear anyone around me. I drift forward like a sleepwalker, barely breathing.
Pregnant by Malinowski—that’s the only thought spinning in my head.
After that night, we never even had a proper conversation. I returned to work after the weekend, and he acted like nothing had happened. Oh, I was so angry with him then. I couldn’t even bear to look at him. And when I later saw him chatting sweetly with Marina, I was deeply hurt.
Since then, I stopped talking to my friend and pushed the boss out of my mind.
But now, fate has decided to mock me with this cruel surprise.
“Sophia, I’ve been calling you, but you didn’t hear me.”
Tonya, my roommate, grabs my elbow, and I stop in my tracks. We came to the clinic together for check-ups, but I completely forgot about her.
“What’s wrong? You’re so pale,” she peers into my face with concern. “Did they find something? Are you sick?”
“Tonya, I’m pregnant,” I say, my tongue feeling numb.
“Wow, that’s huge news,” her eyes widen as she covers her mouth with her hand. “What are you going to do? Will you tell Roman?”
“I’ll tell him. He deserves to know. I’ll have to have a serious talk with him today.”
I plan to be honest with him because there’s no point in lying. Roman will eventually figure out the timeline doesn’t add up and start suspecting something. And it’s not in my nature to lie about something like this. This isn’t his child, and it’s not his problem to solve. Most likely, after our conversation, he’ll leave me. Why would he want to be with a woman who’s pregnant by someone else?
Tonya and I head to the bus stop. It’s lunchtime, and the streets are nearly empty. We board an empty trolleybus and ride home. I stare out the window, lost in thought about what to do next.
“Are you going to keep it?” Tonya asks quietly after a long silence.
“What?” I don’t immediately understand what she means.
“The baby,” she leans in and whispers, as if afraid to say the word aloud.
“Most likely,” I shrug casually. “I know it’s going to be incredibly hard, but I don’t want to have an abortion. I’m afraid I’d regret it later if I did.”
“That’s the right choice,” my friend perks up, placing a supportive hand on mine. “You can’t get rid of a child. It’s your own flesh and blood. And I’m sure Roman won’t turn his back on it. Sophia, I promise I’ll help you however I can.”
“Thanks, Tonya. You’re the best friend I could ask for,” I smile at her.
She doesn’t yet know what I know. Roman has nothing to do with this baby. So, I’ll be on my own.
Suddenly, I feel like I can’t breathe. The trolleybus is stiflingly hot, and nausea hits me hard. I’ve never felt like this before. I jump up from my seat and rush to the door, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Are you okay?” Tonya follows me, rubbing my back.
As soon as the trolleybus stops, I bolt out like a shot. I gulp in the fresh air, and the nausea slowly subsides. It’s autumn, but this week the sun has been scorching relentlessly.
“I’m feeling better now,” I reassure Tonya, who stands beside me, looking worried.
“Let’s head home. We can grab some ice cream on the way,” she suggests.
We’re two stops short of our destination, so we decide to walk the rest of the way. We buy ice cream and finish it by the time we reach our apartment.
Tonya and I aren’t locals; we rent a one-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the city. It’s run-down, with old furniture and no renovations, but it’s cheap, so we don’t have to spend our entire salaries on rent. Tonya works as a waitress at a nightclub and sends part of her earnings to her family. I’ve been able to save a little myself. I had a dream of saving up for my own place. But today’s news has shattered all my plans.
We head straight to the kitchen and cook lunch together, then enjoy the meal. Satisfied, we move to our room. I sprawl out on my narrow, creaky bed and watch as Tonya starts getting ready for work.
“Tonya, are there any extra waitress shifts at your club by any chance?” I ask.
“Why do you ask?” she turns around, surprised, as she ties her wavy dark hair into a high ponytail.
“I need a side gig. I’m going to need a lot of money soon, and once the baby comes, I won’t be able to work at all. I need to build up some savings.”
“Why do you think you’ll be on your own?” she doesn’t understand my mood. “This is Roman’s baby too. He has to help you. And in the best-case scenario, he should marry you.”
“He doesn’t have to,” I prop myself up on my elbows, meeting her surprised gaze. “Because this isn’t his child. And I’m going to tell him that today.”
Now Tonya is stunned. She abandons her hair and comes over to me, sitting on the edge of my bed.
“Did you cheat on him?” she asks, breathless.
“No. I’m twelve weeks pregnant, and back then, I wasn’t even dating him. So, I can’t count on Roman.”
“Then who’s the father?” Her eyes widen, and she pales as if this disaster happened to her.
“Remember I told you about the night I spent with my boss at the company party? Well, this is the result.”
“Oh, Sophia. You’re in deep trouble,” she sighs, pressing a hand to her forehead. “How did this happen?”
“It just did,” I press my lips together. “So, if they need extra waitresses for side shifts, let me know.”
I only found out about my condition today, and I’m already planning months ahead. That’s how I’ve always lived—controlling everything in my life. Except this pregnancy came as an unplanned shock.
“Maybe don’t tell him the whole truth,” a sly glint appears in her eyes. “Let Roman think he’s the father. It’s not your fault things turned out this way.”
I’m taken aback. My kind, always-honest friend is suggesting I lie about something so serious.
“Tonya, the timeline doesn’t match the time we’ve been together. And I’m not going to deceive him. I don’t want to live my whole life worrying the truth might come out. I don’t need that kind of stress. I’ll manage on my own somehow.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” she nods in agreement and turns back to the mirror.
I know Tonya wants the best for me, but lying isn’t the answer.
Later, she heads to work. I wait until six o’clock, when Roman gets off, and prepare to go see him. I’m bracing myself for a tough conversation. Roman won’t be thrilled about this news.