Chapter 5

"Hey mom." I finally had the guts to pick up the phone to call home. I was presently sitting on my bed, my legs tucked under me with a pillow pulled closely towards me.

"Hey baby." She greeted back, I could already imagine the large smile on her face because I rarely called home. "How are you? How is New York treating you?" She asked and I could hear voices at the other end of the line. Probably my cousins.

"I am good. Fairly." I answered  her questions already fidgetting, not knowing how to bring the topic up. How do you fucking tell your mom, you're pregnant! I am officially dead.

"So, what's the matter? Why are you calling?" She chuckled, "you rarely call, well, unless you need something." 

I sighed, "I-uh- I need to talk to you about something."  I wiped my already sweaty hands on the pillow.

"Okay, I am listening." I already knew I have her full attention, "did something bad happen?" Her voice got louder and I'm sure the others- aunts and uncles were already probably evesdropping.

"Can you get away from the others?" 

"Okay, sure." When I heard a door close from her end, I took in a deep breath and then exhaled. 

"I'm pregnant." Straight to the point.

"Excuse me?" I heard her annoyed tone already.

"Mom, I can explain. You have to-" 

"No, no, no, young lady do not tell me what to do! I knew I should not have left you alone with Joe in New York!"

"Joe has nothing to do with this!" Why did she bring Joe into this?

"I knew she is a bad influence! qu'est-ce que tu t'es fait?" (What have you done to yourself?" 

Yes, I am french. 

"maman je peux expliquer ce qui s'est passé." (mom I can explain.)

Wait, what? No I can not explain! Why did I say that??

"Good, be here in Paris on Saturday. I'm booking your flight for you." She said and hung up.

At least that went better than expected. 

Now we are both annoyed, she should not have brought Joe into this or whatever happened. Even though Joe was the one who insisted on us going to the club, I was the one that made up my mind on following her. Myself and my parents first moved here when I was sixteen years because my dad got a job in New York and he did not want to leave both us with his family. I don't know why, don't ask. So, I met Joe my second week of school and at that time I had only one friend, Peter. He is also presently in France now with his wife and two kids. Ever since then we have been best of friends and inseperable. We all went to the same college but obviously different courses. When I decided to go to college here mom and dad moved back to Paris, well, that was after a lot of arguments and rules. 

Joe has always been the most outgoing one out of both of us. Well, initially it was Peter, but the he moved away not before telling Joe to make me come out of my shell. I mean, I'm already out of my shell! The day mom met Joe she pulled me to the side to only start saying she does not trust her I get her concern but Joe has been my friend since we moved here and she has helped me a lot of time. 

The rest of the day was boring as usual. I cooked lunch, tried to write a chapter for my book and then when it was time to cook dinner I cooked it, ate mine and left Joe's own for her on the counter. Joe came back from work but by the time she was already around I had already slept off with a bowl of ice cream next to me.  Don't blame me, ice cream is bae.

"So you plan on going on Saturday?" Joe asked on Thursday morning as we both prepared breakfast. I told her the part where I informed my mom on my pregnancy but did not tell her where she said Joe is a bad influence, who would do that? 

If I did tell her, which I am not going to do, she might behave like what I said didn't get to her. But since I have been her bestfriend for a long time, I know that will hurt her badly. She might behave like she doesn't care sometimes, but she really does.

"Yeah, I am." My mom already sent my ticket yesterday evening.

"I can come if you want?" 

"No, I'm fine."

"Jake came by today in the office, and he asked after you."

"Did you tell him?" I asked her as I stopped chopping the onions.

"No." She shook her head, "but I think he really wants to speak with you." 

"I don't want to see him. I'm not ready." 

"He told me it's something about what happened the other night, between you two."

I sighed as I poured the onions into the steaming sauce, "maybe when I come back from  Paris." I shrugged.

"I hope you give him a chance to explain what happened."

I nodded my head.

"He is a good guy."

But will he remain that good guy when he finds out I am pregnant? With his child? Is he even ready to be a father at all??

I can't just barge into his life because he got me pregnant, what if he has a wife somewhere- I hope not though. Cause that will be bad.

What will be will be.