The Other Side

Chapter 4

“I’m pregnant, Mom.”

Those words didn’t sound right. They still sounded alien to Charli. But it was true. The two lines on the pregnancy test that lay on the coffee table proved it.

“Are you sure?”

Charli closed her eyes and huddled against the cushions, clutching one to her chest.

“I was supposed to havev my period two weeks ago. I took two tests and both of them are positive.”

She had been feeling sick for three weeks now and had put it down to food poisoning or a stomach bug. She had to keep running to the toilet moments after she had eaten and it was draining her, emotionally as well as physically. A few times the thought she might be pregnant had crossed her mind but Charli had dismissed it. She got contraceptive injections. She couldn’t get pregnant with that, surely.

But then she had remembered that she had forgotten to take her latest injection, which should have been a week before she had s*x with Mark. With everything that had been happening she hadn’t realized she had forgotten to book an appointment to refresh it. So there was a chance she was pregnant.

And she was. The evidence was glaring her in the face.

“That’s brilliant.” Her mother sounded surprised but delighted. “Congratulations. I bet Andy’s pleased.”

“That’s the point, Mom. Andy’s not the dad.”

“What?”

Charli bit her lip. She didn’t know what her mother would say about what she did but she knew it wouldn’t be good. While Atalya Fraser was a level-headed woman she still carried certain principles. She had eased up on s*x outside marriage but getting pregnant when she wasn’t in a relationship was still a big no-no.

“Let me explain before you have a go at me.” Charli swallowed and braced herself. “I ended it with Andy six weeks ago. I caught him having s*x with Kim.”

“Oh, honey.”

Atalya knew about Andy’s previous affairs and had urged Charli to leave him. Charli was grateful her mother didn’t berate her and say ‘I told you so’. She didn’t need that right now.

“The problem is…I had s*x that night with somebody else. Unprotected s*x.”

She heard the audible groan.

“Charlotte.”

“I know, I know, but I couldn’t stop myself. I was hurting and I wanted to see what it was like to have s*x with the guy.”

Charli stopped herself, cringing at how bad an excuse that sounded. She had been brought up better than that.

“Who was it you slept with?”

So far Atalya hadn’t berated her and for that Charli was grateful. But she didn’t let her guard down yet; she could get attacked when she least expected it.

“Mark Hildenstern.”

“I didn’t think you knew him.”

“I met him about a week ago. But I didn’t sleep with him until after I ended it with Andy.” Charli added hurriedly. “I’m not a cheater, Mom.”

“I know you’re not.” Atalya sighed. Charli recognized it. Her mother was disappointed. “I’m not happy with how long it took to end things but I am glad you ended things with Andy. Matt told you to end it years ago when you caught him cheating the first time.”

“I know he did.” Charli closed her eyes. She wished her brother was there; she needed someone to lean on right now. “But I was too stubborn to do it.”

“Good thing you have now.”

“It doesn’t feel like it. Andy keeps calling me, sending me texts and emails trying to talk to me. He hasn’t got the message that things have ended between us.”

The last email she had received that morning had shaken Charli but she wasn’t going to let her mother know; it wouldn’t do to worry her. Atalya was a formidable woman but a massive worrier.

“He’ll get the message eventually.” Atalya said firmly.

“Andy’s not the same person you knew when you first met him, Mom. He’s not rational anymore.”

If his last email was anything to go by.

“Have you told the father about the baby?” Atalya asked.

“No.” Charli felt like a coward. She was still trembling. “It’s taken me two weeks to get the courage to talk to you about it.”

“Well, you’re going to have to tell him, honey. Even if you don’t end up together, he has a right to know that he’s going to be a father. It’s up to him if he wants to be part of the baby’s life or not.”

Charli knew her mother was right. Mark did need to know.

Kissing her teenage crush and having s*x with him had sent Charli into a tailspin. Mark was a vigorous yet attentive lover. Charli couldn’t remember the last time Andy had sent her into org*sm after org*sm before coming back for more. It had been an incredible night. Until Charli woke up the next morning and realized what she had done. Embarrassment had sent her running with her tail between her legs.

Now she was suffering the consequences.

*****

“Mark.”

Wiping his face with his towel, Mark turned. Charli was standing behind him, looking awkward. She was wearing a pale yellow dress with a white cardigan and white sneakers. A white flower was in her hair. She hadn’t looked lovelier.

“Charli. Hey.”

His co*k perked up, as did his heart rate, which was already beating fast as he came down from the intense training session Stephen had put him through on the court. It was a rather hot day and the heat hadn’t done Mark any favors. The amount of sweat he had pouring off his body made him look and feel like a drowned rat.

He had been exhausted and looking forward to a long hot shower. But seeing Charli had made his exhaustion disappear and he was mentally thinking of other things. Mainly taking Charli into his arms and kissing her.

He had missed her.

But the expression on her face kept him at arm’s length. She wasn’t happy about something.

Charli bit her lip, wringing her hands in front of her.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t be bothering you.”

“You’re not bothering me.” Mark grinned. “I’m glad to see you.”

“You are?”

“Of course I am.” Mark frowned when Charli didn’t smile back. Then he noticed that she was pale and looking thinner than before. “What’s the matter? You don’t look very well. Are you ill?”

He reached out to her but Charli stepped away.