PREGNANT AFTER ONE NIGHT STAND

“I really didn’t expect this,” he said with a smile. I responded with a nervous chuckle. This unexpected encounter, the first time since high school, was truly surprising. Even Henry forgot to greet my boss, Krystal.

“If I had known you were here, I would have accepted the job offer without hesitation,” he added.

“You caused quite a commotion earlier,” I said, not lying about that. Henry forgot to greet my boss and openly said he was lucky to be able to meet me here, working under the same banner, and he even stated that he would give his best to always stay here as long as I’m here.

Cheeky!

“You look even more beautiful, Anya.”

“The Cheeky one is at it again.”

We laughed.

“How have you been?” I knew from his tone that there was a lot implied. Perhaps because we were once close, and well… I can’t deny that I occasionally feel a longing when I remember the memories with Henry.

“I’m doing well. And you?”

“Well… as you can see, I’m doing well and healthy. SunCity has made me a sane person.”

“Successful too. But seriously, I thought you’d be running a motorcycle or car workshop or something. Not getting involved in the IT world. It’s not like you, Henry.”

He laughed. The laughter that used to accompany me during our grey and white days, still the same. Since then, I’ve admitted that Henry Malverick has a captivating face. And now, with age, it’s not just captivating but enchanting. Especially with his tall figure dressed in a sleek blazer that I’m sure is from a top brand.

“I’m confused myself. I never expected to be interested in this.”

The restaurant staff interrupted. Henry had kidnapped me right at lunchtime, claiming that he needed a chat, which I knew was just an excuse.

“He still likes salads,” he protested against the menu I ordered.

“Eating vegetables is important.”

We spent a lot of time chatting, especially about our high school friends. A had succeeded with his bakery here, which I didn’t even know. Or B, who used to be religious and calm, but ended up becoming a thug deeply involved in the drug world. Henry said that B had been caught several times with drugs in his pocket. Astounding. That was shocking, to be honest.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

And then there were others from our school days, some married, some with children, and some who suddenly went back to being single. Our lunch was filled with these discussions, and reminiscing about old times with our high school friends injected a positive energy into me.

“You, on the other hand, don’t play much on social media.”

I moistened my throat with the strawberry juice I had ordered. “I do play, but in moderation. My boss is strict.”

Henry laughed. “Yeah, I can tell.”

“How’s your grandmother, by the way?” I enjoyed the juice but suddenly stopped. There was a significant pause before I decided to lift my gaze and lock eyes with Henry. He seemed to be waiting for my response.

“She passed away before I had a chance to make her happy.”

Henry had a similar reaction. Surprise was clearly written on his face, but he quickly changed his expression. I was sure he didn’t look away from my gaze.

“I actually had a specific mission when I went to Washington DC.”

I furrowed my brow. What does Henry’s mission have to do with Nek Sumi’s existence?

“I wanted to prove that I could make you happy.”

My brain suddenly went blank.

“Do you think there’s a chance for that?”

***

“Anya, what do you want to eat?”

I knew Cedric had asked that question several times, but not a single word escaped my lips. Honestly, I was delighted to meet Henry. Maybe because our parting was purely mutual. It wasn’t about hurting or leaving each other; it was more about wanting to prove to ourselves that we could make it.

Henry in his own way, and me in my own way. Perhaps.

I’m not the type of person who enjoys snooping around and trying to find someone’s whereabouts through their social media footprints. No, I’ve always believed that if one day my longing for Henry were to come true, it would come true. We would meet again, regardless of Henry’s condition when the day arrived.

Maybe God was being kind today. I was reunited with him. But what about me?

“Joice?”

I turned to Cedric. “You’re so noisy. It’s giving me a headache,” I said curtly. My words seemed to silence Cedric. He was now just quiet, enjoying the congested traffic ahead. The rush hour was crucial for workers struggling on the roads.

“Cedric, I want KFC.” This spontaneity surprised even me. As our car passed by the famous fast-food restaurant, the aroma of fried chicken and fries suddenly overwhelmed my senses. Not to mention the sweetness of their soda and float. Oh my! I suddenly felt hungry.

Cedric tapped the brakes a bit, probably because I felt the car slow down a little. “But it’s one-way, Anya.”

“Turn around.”

“It’s jammed. But we just passed there.”

“Fine, just park in front.”

“For take-out, right?”

I looked at Cedric with a silly expression. “Dine-in, please. I don’t want to take KFC home.”

“Let me turn around for a moment. I’ll check if there’s parking,” Cedric said, glancing around to see if there was an available spot.

“It’ll take too long. I want it now.”

I could clearly hear Cedric let out a soft sigh. “Okay.”

“This isn’t for me, it’s for your child.”

Damn it! I misspoke!