4. A Family Reunion.

Lily's POV:

"Well, well, well, look who just thought of coming back home unannounced?" My stepmom opened the door with a lackluster smile.

I hesitantly stepped inside my childhood home with my huge suitcase clasped in my hands and a mix of emotions overwhelmed me as it hadn't been an easy day – losing my job and being rejected indirectly for the second time by the father of my unborn child had taken a toll on my spirit. But returning to the only place I could call home brought a glimmer of hope.

"Hey Mom, " I forced a smile while I looked at the floor.

"No, no, I'm not your mother. Call me Diana," she kept glaring at my bulging stomach with a raised eyebrow…I wrapped my arms around me because I knew she was judging me.

"I apologize, Diana," I murmured and she scoffed while pointing at my stomach.

"Is it me or have you gained weight around your stomach?" She narrowed her eyes at me, I glanced down while I chewed on the inside of my cheeks.

Oh crap! please don't say pregnant... I fidgeted.

"Hey Mom, can you please lend me 500$," Brie my stepsister stormed into the room, she immediately stopped when she saw me and twisted her lips.

"Hi fatso," she gave me a bug-eyed stare.

My heart sank as I was rudely greeted by my stepmother Diana and stepsister Brie, both wearing smirks that made my skin crawl. They wasted no time in mocking my bulging belly, a cruel reminder of my current circumstances. However, amidst the hostility, there was still a glimmer of warmth waiting for me.

"Where is Dad?"I kept avoiding eye contact with them and Brie stepped closer to me and poked my belly with her phone. She gasped.

"Oh, my goodness Mom, Prefect Lily has a paunch now," she giggled.

I stepped back to avoid her touching me some more… Besides I hated being poked at with a phone…

"That's what I said when I saw her. She looks like a pregnant cow," Diana snickered, her daughter joined in teasing me.

"No Mom, she actually looks like a baby pregnant elephant," they both chuckled, my heart sank deeper into my guts… This right here was the first reason I left home the first chance I got because of their torment…

My birth mother died during childbirth hence I got no real love from my mother, and my dad Mike Conner thought it was best to marry again so that I received my mother's love but he was wrong.

From the first time I learned how to talk and walk, Diana conditioned me to fear her and her daughter Brie who was older than me, hence I learned to keep my mouth shut and let everyone walk over me because I did not like confrontations.

"But wait a minute, why are you home?" Diana asked after she finished laughing at me, I swallowed nervously.

"I came to see my dad," I stuttered faintly and I heard Brie scoff in the background.

"He is my father too," she murmured and I pursed my lips as I tried to hide my true emotions.

"Mike honey, please come in here," Diana called to her husband.

My father, Mike Conner, wheeled out on his electric wheelchair. The physical impairment he had after a horrible car accident two years ago hadn't dampened his spirit, and when he saw me, tears welled up in my eyes.

"Lily," he smiled with open arms, I ran into his lap, embracing him tightly as we both shed tears of relief, sadness, and hope.

"Oh Dad, I missed you so much," my sobs grew louder, and Dad patted my back.

"Oh honey, I'm right here," he said and I looked at him, tears blurring my sight.

"You look thin," I chuckled lightly and his face controted.

"You look fat," he teased and the tears trickled down my face while my body shuddered… my pregnancy secret was eating me from the inside and I didn't know how to break the horrible news to him…

"I know," I sniffed while my lips quivered.

"Oh so touching," Diana interrupted my moment with Dad whom I hadn't seen since after the accident, and we broke off the hug.

"Sonia, " Diana yelled and a woman dressed in a maid's uniform swiftly appeared.

"You called, ma'am," Sonia looked at me with an unrelenting stare. I swallowed slowly.

"Get her bag and take it to the other bedroom we don't use," Diana instructed her helper, Sonia immediately got my bag and took it away.

"Excuse me, honey, I'm off to the shop," Diana walked out of the house and her daughter followed her.

I sighed softly as I looked back at my poor dad who must have been suffering the the hands of these two ungrateful idiots…

"Now tell me, what brings you back home unannounced?" Dad's voice boomed, and my body hitched while I contemplated how to break the news.

I forced a smile," Nothing, I just wanted to see how my favorite person in the world is doing," I lied and he arched his brows.

"Me, favorite person when you hardly called when you were in the big city," he rolled his eyes playfully, I couldn't help but smile.

"Oh Dad, I really did miss you," I sat on his paralyzed legs and hugged him tightly, never wanting to let him go because for a split second, I felt safe and all my problems disappeared temporarily…

***

Later that night after dinner, as we all gathered in the living room, a feeling of vulnerability settled over me. But I mustered up the courage to share my tragic story with the only family I had left.

"So wait a minute, you are not fat but pregnant from a one-night stand?" Diana and Brie found amusement in my struggles, their laughter a painful reminder of the lack of support from them. But my father, listened and empathized, offering me solace in a sea of my turmoils... He maintained unblinking focused eye contact with me.

"You are so stupid Lily, how can you expect a stranger to accept your pregnancy from a booty call?" Brie got up from her seat with a smirk, her eyes glued on her bright phone screen," Oh Mother excuse me because I don't think I can sit here and entertain Mother Teresa's petty stories," she snickered and walked out of the living room.

Diana got up too," I always knew you were doomed, so sorry to hear about your predicament." she looked down at me with a sneer, I knew she was faking sympathy because of my father's presence.

She left Dad and me in the room... He hadn't said much but I could tell he was really sympathetic with my misfortune.

He wheeled closer to me and touched my hand, "Go get some rest, we will figure out this tomorrow," he said and turned around, and wheeled out of the room leaving me alone once again.

I sighed heavily as I held back my tears. How did I even end up here when I had vowed never to return? I got up from my seat feeling exhausted from the emotional roller coaster I was going through, and I retreated to what used to be my bedroom, only to find it converted into a storage room.

What the hell is wrong with Diana?

The sight shattered my heart into a million pieces but I still went ahead and cleared a small corner, finding some peace in the space I managed to carve out for myself, and cried myself to sleep…

When morning arrived, Diana barged into my makeshift room, demanding that I undertake all the household chores since I had returned home and that I needed to keep busy around the house rather than sitting and gaining weight.

Though I felt defeated, I knew I had to comply to avoid her bossy-nagging...

Oh my goodness, what did I do to deserve such a life?

Despite being four months pregnant, I took on the tasks willingly, not wanting to worsen the strained dynamics in our already complicated household.

Once the chores were done, I prepared breakfast for my father and myself. We enjoyed the meal in his room.

My father had always been supportive, hence he looked me straight into my eyes with concern etched into his face.

"Honey, what are you going to do next with your life?" He asked. But with an air of uncertainty, I confessed that I was taking things one day at a time as I didn't know what the future held anymore.

"Oh honey, it's okay, this is just a hiccup and you will get through it," Encouraged by my father's warmth, he tried to entice me to work in his store, which, he disclosed to be mine in his last will in testament.

I heaved a sigh with a smile…"Oh Daddy, thank you but..."

Though tempted, I was hesitant to challenge Diana's authority at the said store hence I declined the offer.

"if you say so, but just know that you have something to fall back on if you want," he reassured me and I smiled at him, grateful for his kind gesture but challenging Diana in my state was a big NO for me.

As we continued to catch up with what I had missed when I was away, my father shared a lighthearted joke about Diana's poor work ethic, and we both burst into laughter.

Then, as if on cue, my baby began kicking, reminding me of the precious lives growing inside me.

I gasped while cradling my belly. "Daddy, they are kicking," I said in amusement and he reached out.

"Let me feel my grandchildren," I watched as my father felt their movements, his joy mirroring mine.

Suddenly Diana stormed into the bedroom with a deep frown.

"Lily, can I have a word," she said, stepping out of the room.

I smiled at Dad, "Excuse me," I carried the plate of leftovers, and stepped outside the room and Diana's face was deepened with a scowl.

"Lily, have you done everything I told you?" She snapped, and my body hitched.

"Yes, I did everything you asked," I stuttered nervously. She sneered.

"By fattening yourself alone?" She pulled a sour expression on her face while glaring at my stomach, " So tell me who is making my lunch?" She tilted her head to one side with narrowed eyes.

I frowned. Was it lunchtime already?

"You did not say anything about lunch," I answered back and she stepped closer to me and flipped the plate of leftovers to the floor, I gasped at her behavior.

What was her deal?

"Now listen to me you little slut, go to the kitchen and make me lunch now," she said between gritted teeth, my heart skipped a beat as she looked scary to respond to.

I bent over, and picked up the mess she had created before heading to the kitchen… Diana was super intimidating, hence I dared not to stand up to her because I knew the consequences that followed.

Sleeping on an empty stomach. And I didn't want that for my growing baby….

A few minutes later, I was done making Diana a plate of instant noodles with eggs, I was ready to walk out when suddenly I bumped into Brie, I stumbled dangerously backward with the plate of food and luckily I didn't spew anything.

"Watch it," she snapped.

"Excuse me," I walked around her only for her to stop me mid-way to the dining room.

"Lily, I'm hungry too, make me something to eat," she demanded and I scoffed because I had enough of mother and daughter demanding me to do everything for them when they could do these things alone.

I turned slowly to face her and forced a smile, "Get it yourself," I said under my breath and she frowned.

"Lily, are you talking to me like?" She took a step closer, closing the gap in-between us, my heartbeat increased while I huffed and puffed.

SLAP!

She gave me a hot slap across my face, I stumbled dangerously until I fell to the floor, the food spattered all over me…

What!

How dare she? I coiled my hands into fists while I looked at her with burning fury, but that's all I could do. Give her a hot stare.

"What is going on there?" Diana yelled from the dining room.

"Nothing mother, " Brie responded while looking down at me with a smirk.

"Now clean this up and get two plates of food to the table now," she spat and left me alone. Warm tears trickled down my face…

Was this how I was going to live the rest of my life? Serving Diana and Brie at their bark and call... My hands trembled while I imagined a life full of misery.