You Are My Star

Chapter 15 You're Pregnant

She had hoped to eat the wonton Fiona cooked for her...it was a mere fantasy now.

She was sitting in the investigation room at the police station. Dazzling white light was pointed at her eyes.

Nancy was a little disappointed. She probably wouldn't have the chance to eat wonton again for the rest of her life.

Fiona was dead, and she was dying. Was that what they called black humor? The heaven dangled false hope in front of her, and then took even that away.

"Miss Roberts, we have evidence as well as eye witness against you. Do you confess to the murder?"

Nancy looked up: "Who is the witness, Rachel Black?"

The policeman nodded: "Miss Black saw you push Fiona down from the roof."

Nancy nodded. She was not surprised.

"And the evidence?"

"There were only three sets of footprints on the rooftop. Yours, Fiona's, and Miss Black's. Miss Black doesn't know the victim; only you had the motive."

Nancy lowered her gaze: "Officer, if I plead guilty, what will be my sentence?"

"First degree murder, death penalty."

"shooting?"

"No. Injection."

"Will it hurt?"

"No, it's very humane now. The process will be painless."

Nancy nodded. She seemed pleased with the answer: "That's good. Painless."

"So you confess to the murder? Then sign here."

Nancy didn't take the pen: "Can you wait for three days?"

The policeman was confused: "Why wait for three days?"

"I'm probably, just probably, pregnant. Three more days and I'll find out."

The policeman was right; everything was more humane now, even for crime suspects.

She spent three days at the police station. And on the third day, escorted by a policewoman, she went to the hospital for her last test.

The doctor was startled when he saw her with the policewoman: "Is everything alright, Miss Roberts?"

Nancy replied with a smile: "Everything's fine. I just came here for my pregnancy test."

The doctor didn't buy it, but he arranged the test anyway.

Nancy's hands were shaking while waiting for the test results.

The policewoman felt bad for Nancy. She offered her a cup of hot water: "Here. This will keep you warm. You haven't eaten much these three days."

Nancy smiled warmly at her: "Thank you. But I can't drink anything hot."

"Why?"

"...It hurts." She pointed to her chest: "Every time I drink hot stuff, this place hurts...badly. It made me want to kill myself, but I can't."

The policewoman asked with a frown: "How come? You have stomach illness?"

"Lung cancer. Terminal." The doctor came over handing her the test results: "Miss Roberts, I don't know if I should congratulate you. You're pregnant."

Nancy's head shot up, thrill and fear in her orbs: "Are you sure? I'm really...pregnant?"

"Yes I'm sure." The doctor said: "But it also means, if you want to keep this baby, you'll have to give up your life. You'll lose the best timing for chemotherapy, and you'll only have...nine months left."

Nancy's face glowed with happiness. She took the test results and read it carefully.

When she saw the word "positive", her whole demeanour softened.

She beamed at the policewoman beside her: "See, you won't need to have me executed. I'll die right after giving birth to the baby. It'll save you the cost of IV."

The policewoman's eyebrows shot together: "Miss Roberts, now that you're pregnant, you can make bail according to the law. If you can gather any evidence that can prove your innocence, it'll help with your trial..."

"That won't be necessary." Nancy cut her off, holding on to the test results like her life depended on it: "Nothing else matters anymore."

With this baby, she already got everything she hoped for.

"Auntie, auntie, are you here to see the doctor again?"

Nancy turned around and saw the little boy she met last time. He seemed happy to see her: "Auntie, my mom told me I should say thank you after you paid for us. I came to the gate everyday, but didn't see you."

Nancy crouched to his level before patting his head: "It's probably my last time here."

"Auntie, are you cured?"

Was she cured? No, but Nancy didn't want to see the boy disappointed: "...Yes. I suppose you can say that."

The little boy looked happy for her. He grabbed her hand and announced: "Auntie, let me sing you a song, as our goodbye gift."

"Okay."

The boy straightened up his little chest and sang, as if this was something very very important to him: "Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are...”

After the song ended, the boy asked, a little sadly: "Auntie, is my singing bad? Why are you crying?"

Nancy wiped the tears off and beamed at him: "You sang very well. I just felt sorry that I can't see you again."

"I'll never forget you, auntie. You're a really nice person."

Nancy wanted to say something else, but before she could, her cellphone rang up.

It was an unknown number: "Hello?"

"Miss Roberts, this is Jack, Mr. Jones' lawyer. Mr. Jones has received the divorce papers. Please come to the Registration Office, so we can wrap this up.”