At Her Beck And Call

6. Positive

Harrison was an observant man, even whenever he acted nonchalantly. He couldn’t help it. It was just a habit of his. And he was particularly observant of those he cared about somehow.

When he bumped into Mandy on his walk, he was pleasantly surprised even if it might have not shown on his face.

He couldn’t help but look at her dumbly even as she greeted him coolly. All he could do was nod at her.   

What’s wrong with you? He asked himself. Ask her why she wants the divorce. Get closure.

He then grabbed her wrist as she was about to leave. She stopped but didn’t care enough to turn around.

Was the sight of him repulsive to her? The thought unnerved him more than it should for some unfathomable reason. He should treat her as any sane man would his cheating wife. Instead he found himself asking her the dumbest question ever, “I remember a time when you claimed to love me, why does it seem like you cannot even stand the sight of me now?”

She freed her hand of his hold and answered him matter-of-factly, “Love is a fickle emotion. It comes and goes.”

 “Is it now?” He scoffed, mostly at himself for his weakness.

She had a pregnancy test on her, and he was partly sure the baby wasn’t his, otherwise she would have told him, wouldn’t she?

The thought of her being another man’s partner made him see red but he tried to reign in his anger.   

She heaved a sigh and then told him haughtily, “My friend is waiting for me. I need to get going.”

“Sam?” He couldn’t help the anger from seeping into his tone.

Foolish, foolish you, he admonished himself. 

“The one,” she shrugged.

He had a choice to make – stay and fight with her or let her be since she had made her own choice by filing for a divorce – and he made his decision on the latter rather than on the former.

He wasn’t one to make scenes. The tabloids would have a field day. And he reasoned he shouldn’t upset a possibly pregnant woman. 

Deep down, he knew he was just scared. Scared he might get affected by her words and go back on his decision – leaving the marriage quietly.

Making a fuss just wouldn’t do. Being ridiculed in the society was not on his to-do list. Yet, it seemed like Mandy had done great at that very task.

Getting entangled in an affair was an easy task. Hiding from the public opinion, however, wasn’t.

Regarding some matters, he could care less about what they thought of him. But where Mandy was concerned, he couldn’t help but care.

How lucky! He told himself sarcastically. How utterly pathetic!  

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **  ** ** ** **

Mandy walked briskly to Samantha’s apartment. And it was all she could do not to stomp her feet all the way there. She was that annoyed and then some – admittedly more at herself than at Harrison.

How could he scorn her so? Why would he stop her to talk to her, only to walk away without a word afterwards?

Harrison has always been a cold man, she told herself. Why would he change now?   

But what he did – the way he treated her coolly, indifferently – hurt and annoyed her both in equal measures. Therefore, as she calmed down slightly, and her heart bled, she steeled her resolve to be firmer the next time she met the man.

She opened the door of her best friend’s apartment, schooled her features into a small smile, and then went in.

Her smile dropped all too soon when she saw how pale her friend was. Samantha was laying on the sofa, her face covered with sweat, her body a trembling mess.

Mandy rushed to her side. “Are you okay? Should I call for an ambulance?”

Sam groaned in response, seemingly just coming to.

“Of course I should call for one… what am I thinking?” Mandy carried on her monolog.

Just as she grabbed her phone, Sam shook her head and uttered but a few words, “I’m okay. Just give me the test first.”

“Are you sure?” Mandy continued fretting.

Her friend let out an “Uh-hum” at that.

Mandy handed Sam the bag and, soon enough, the latter was on her way to the bathroom.

Mandy waited anxiously for her friend to come out.

She stood frozen to her spot at first, and then started pacing the living room, unable as she was to take the pressure head on.

When Samantha emerged from the bathroom, she was even paler than when she had first gone in. “It’s positive,” she told her bleakly.

“Oh, maybe it’s just that one test, S. Maybe you should do another one,” Mandy’s heart started thudding loudly in her ears, and she the oxygen grew rarer.

“Out of the five tests you’ve brought me, I used five,” she deadpanned. “And they are all f*****g positive.”

Mandy grimaced a little bit. Her best friend wasn’t one to swear usually. But it seemed like today was to be the exception.

“I am f*****g pregnant, M,” her tone was half angry, half sad and resigned.

“How about you take a seat and carry on swearing?” Was Mandy’s attempt at lightening the mood.

Sam merely glared at her.

“Please,” she went on.

It was then that her best friend dropped herself on a nearby chair. “I hate kids. How am I supposed to raise one?”

There was distress, sadness, and also fear in her tone.

So, she’s keeping it? Mandy thought to herself.

“We’ll figure it out, together,” she then told her placatingly. “Like we always do.”

“Will we?” Sam let out sarcastically. “I don’t recall having the best childhood. How can I possibly be a decent mother?”

“You will be a fabulous mom,” Mandy assured her in a comforting tone.

“I wonder,” her best friend told her. “I wonder.”