A Twist of Life

 A month has almost passed since Robert had left, and Nerissa was barely starting to go back to her normal life. Getting over the pain of losing someone she though it was always gonna be there was really hard and painful. She was sure that she couldn’t trust any other guy ever again; she was tired of not being able to sleep because she would just cry most of the nights, and she started to get distant from her friends and family and didn’t want to live at all.

But now that she had forced herself to go on with her life, she felt better and she felt stronger than before. Her mother was really worried about her.

“Honey everything will be ok” She comforted her, kissing her hair.

She walked straight to the kitchen and grabbed breakfast.

“Today is cloudy outside, we should go take a walk after we eat” Tess told her.

Nerissa looked outside. “Yeah maybe we should” She said trying to make her voice sound a little more cheerful.

Tess looked at her that she kept grabbing her stomach while she was eating, and she had been doing that for the last couple of days.

“Does your stomach keep hurting honey?” She asked her.

“Yeah, but it’s just like this every time I’m near my period date, I’m sure it will go away soon”

“But it didn’t happen to you before, that’s strange don’t you think?” Tess asked.

“Kind of, but I’m just gonna wait a couple of days more mom, and if it’s not my period then I will go see a doctor”. Nerissa said as she kept eating her breakfast.

As any  mother, there was something inside Tess that was telling her something was not right with her daughter, but since Nerissa was starting to talk more and smile more, she didn’t wanted to attack her with so many questions. Instead, she took her outside for a walk at the park and she waited to see if her daughter shared something with her on her own.

It was indeed a nice quiet morning, they were the only ones at the park, and they were walking just like two friends. Tess was thinking how to ask her daughter more about what was bothering her so much, while Nerissa was thinking about what was going on with her health. She thought that maybe all the depression she had felt had affected her health, she was feeling really weird sensations on her body, suddenly among the thoughts going on in her mind at that moment, she thought, about that night she spent with Robert, they haven’t use any kind of contraceptive. Now she felt scared to think about a possible pregnancy, not only for the fact that she was probably never going to see Robert again, but for how her mother would react when she find out and when she knew who the father was. Her mother immediately noticed her face turning a little pale.

“Honey are you ok? You look so pale” She said looking at her.

Nerissa just looked back at her and she was like in a shock for a few seconds, which altered her even more.

“Nerissa! Are you ok? Talk to me!” Tess insisted while she shook her shoulders a little.

Nerissa quickly shook her head “Yes I’m fine mom, I was just thinking about…stuff” She said.

“You’re starting to worry me about the way you behave honey, I think we should see a doctor immediately” Tess said.

“No mom, I’m fine, really” She said trying to sound convincing.

“Whatever you say Nerissa but if you don’t feel better in a few days I will take you to the doctor ok?” She told her.

“Yes mom, I know” She replied.

When they walked back home, Nerissa went to her room and called Hazel. After all she was the only one who really knew what had happened between her and Robert.

“Hazel I think I might be pregnant” She nervously almost whispered.

Hazel remained in silence for a few seconds because she just couldn’t believe what she was telling her.

She laughed a little, thinking that it could be a joke.

“Hazel don’t laugh, I’m serious!” Nerissa said.

“Come on you can’t be serious! A pregnancy would just change your life like forever!” She said.

Nerissa sighed and looked down “I know, that’s why I am so scared to even find out”.

“Well but if you really think you could be, then you should go to see a doctor” Hazel replied.

“A doctor, are you crazy! That means my mom would want to come with me and then if I am she is gonna find out and she is gonna kill me!” Nerissa said.

“If you are pregnant, she will find out sooner or later anyways, I mean you can’t just hide a pregnancy, can you?” Hazel said.

“What am I gonna do Hazel, please you have to help me!” Nerissa asked her almost crying.

“I’m gonna get you a drugstore pregnancy test ok, and let’s hope that’ll help us while we figure something out” Hazel told her.

“Yeah, thanks” Nerissa replied.

“I’ll see you this afternoon then, is your mom gonna be there?”

“No, I think she will go out to visit a friend so we’re gonna be alone”

“Perfect! See you there!” Hazel said.

“Ok, thanks a lot Hazel” Nerissa said, felling a little bit more relieved.

Later in the afternoon Hazel came to her house with the pregnancy test. They were both sitting on the floor of the bathroom, waiting for the results. Nerissa just kept her face hidden between her knees as she was very nervous and Hazel was just nervous as well and she was trying to keep it cool so she wouldn’t scare Nerissa more. When the time finally passed the alarm they had set went off making them jolt a little. They looked at each other at the same time and none of them dared to stand up and look at it.

“Can…can you do it?” Nerissa nervously asked Hazel.

Hazel didn’t say a word and she slowly got up from the floor and hesitatingly walked to grab the test. She took a deep breath and then looked at it.

Nerissa covered her face with her hands and closed her eyes.

“And?” She nervously asked Hazel.

Hazel looked at Nerissa with a serious look on her face.

“You are” She softly said.

Nerissa slowly took her hands away from her face and looked up at her.

“What?” She asked as she wasn’t sure about what she had said.

“You are pregnant Nerissa” Hazel said.

Nerissa was in complete shock, she couldn’t say anything, she couldn’t think of anything, she just couldn’t believe that, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Hazel sat down next to her and just hugged her without saying anything else.