RENT A HEART

EVE's POV

Seeing Chris smile so brightly again made my heart swell with happiness. Even though he did his best to mask it, I'd noticed the persistent gloom clouding his face for the past few days, and I'd been wracking my brain trying to figure out the cause.

Thankfully, all of that was in the past now. We'd cleared the first hurdle , convincing his father to agree to the surgery and now the most crucial step was for the surgery itself to be successful. I trusted my father to do everything within his power to ensure that outcome.

As I basked in the beautiful scene unfolding before me, the easy camaraderie between Chris and his father, the shared laughter, the palpable sense of hope, my phone chimed, disrupting the moment.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hello, Ma'am. This is Dr. Winifred. Your test results are in, Ma'am. You can come over to the office and pick them up if you aren't busy," the doctor said, her tone professional and detached.

"Alright then. I'm on my way," I replied, and hung up. Turning to Stephanie, I subtly gestured for her to come outside with me. She immediately picked up on my cue and followed.

"What's up?" she asked as soon as we were out of earshot.

"Come with me. I need to pick up a lab report," I said simply, hoping she wouldn't bombard me with questions.

"You had a lab test? Are you sick?" she asked, her brow furrowing with concern. I just shrugged, avoiding direct eye contact.

"I just felt a little lightheaded this morning, actually, it's been happening on and off for the past week. So when it happened again today in front of Chris, he insisted we see a doctor. They drew my blood for analysis," I explained, trying to sound nonchalant.

I watched as she nodded attentively to everything I was saying. But then she abruptly stopped mid-stride, her eyes widening and locking onto mine, a look of stunned realization spreading across her face.

"What?" I asked, growing tired of her sudden antics.

"What if you're pregnant? I mean, you guys have been having sex, right?" she blurted out, her voice a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

"Ewww, Stephanie! Have some shame! There are just some things you don't ask about," I said, my cheeks flushing crimson.

"Oh, but did the doctor recommend a pregnancy test?" she pressed, ignoring my protests. Sighing, I nodded reluctantly.

"Then there's a real chance that you are!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "When was the last time you saw your period?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation. And that's when it hit me – I hadn't had my period this month.

No way, I told myself, trying to dismiss her theory. It'll still show up. It can be late sometimes, that's all.

"Last month," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

"Okay, what about this month?" she persisted.

"It's still on its way… Stephanie, please, enough with the questions. I don't think I'm pregnant," I said, my voice edged with exasperation.

"If you say so," she said, chuckling softly, a knowing glint twinkling in her eyes.

We reached the doctor's office, and I went inside while Stephanie waited outside, pacing anxiously.

"Ah, thankfully you were still here! Please, sit down," she said, gesturing towards a chair. I sat down, my heart pounding in my chest. She retrieved a white envelope from her desk and handed it to me.

"Should I open it here?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"If you want," she said, smiling warmly. I found her smile unsettling, for some reason, but I pushed the thought out of my mind.

"Alright then, I'll take it with me," I said, thanking the doctor and hurrying out of the office.

"So… what did the doctor say?" Stephanie asked as soon as she saw me, her eyes wide with anticipation. But I just waved the envelope in front of her face, unable to muster the courage to speak.

She took me by the hand and led me to a nearby bench, gently urging me to sit beside her.

"Have you opened it?" she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

"No. Why?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"What are you waiting for? Open it, then!" she urged, her voice barely audible.

To be honest, I was terrified to open that envelope. What if Stephanie was right? What if I was pregnant? This was definitely not the right time, not with everything that was going on with Chris and his father at the moment. The timing couldn't be worse.

I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my racing heart, before tearing open the envelope. We both leaned in, our eyes scanning the contents of the lab report.

To be honest, it was filled with complicated medical jargon, but one phrase stood out, emblazoned in bold letters: Pregnant - Positive.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I read those words, a strange mixture of disbelief and trepidation washing over me. Stephanie, on the other hand, shrieked with excitement, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"Congratulations, girlfriend!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me in a tight, enthusiastic hug.

"We need to see the doctor and confirm this, just to be sure," I said, finally finding my voice, though it sounded distant and detached even to my own ears.

"You're pregnant, girl! But come on, let's go see the doctor and get the official confirmation," she said, grabbing my hand and practically dragging me back towards the doctor's office.

We knocked and entered, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Please, can you explain to us what this report means?" Stephanie took the lead, her voice brimming with barely contained excitement.

"Well, it says exactly what is written in there, Miss Mikleson. You are pregnant, four weeks pregnant, actually. Congratulations!" the doctor said, beaming at me. Even she seemed happier than I was.

"Thank you so much, Doctor. So, what's the next step?" Stephanie asked, her enthusiasm seemingly boundless.

"Well, she needs to come back with her partner for an ultrasound to see how the baby, or babies, are developing, and, of course, the sex, if she wants to know. But most importantly, she needs to register for antenatal care," the doctor said, offering a warm smile. I just nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the information.

"Congratulations once again," she said as we turned to leave.

"So, are you going to tell Chris? Surely you're going to tell him, right? He could use some good news right now," Stephanie said, her voice softening with concern.

I tucked the envelope containing the lab report into my bag, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. We walked towards the elevator, and I pressed the button to ascend to the private ward.

"Baby, I've been looking all over for you! Did you go somewhere?" Chris asked, enveloping me in a tight embrace as soon as I stepped out of the elevator. His arms felt strong and comforting around me, and I instinctively clung to him, drawing strength from his presence. I held onto him for a long moment, savoring the feeling of security, before finally letting go.

"Are you okay, love?" he asked, looking down at me with a worried expression. I managed a weak nod.

"Are you sure?" he pressed, his gaze searching my face intently.

"I'm fine, baby. I'm okay, I promise," I said, trying to reassure him, and myself.

"Alright, good. Let's go in," he said, taking my hand in his. We walked into the room, where his father lay sleeping peacefully. As we entered, Stephanie winked at me knowingly, a silent promise of continued support. I just rolled my eyes playfully at her, trying to lighten the mood.

I learned that during my absence, they had prepped Chris's father for surgery. He would be going into the operating theater in just a few hours.

I noticed Lexi and my brother, Cole, seated in a quiet corner of the room, engaged in a hushed conversation. In Lexi's hand, I saw my brother's handkerchief, which she was nervously twisting between her fingers.

Something is definitely going on between those two. I can almost guarantee it, I thought to myself, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

Chris led me to a different sofa inside the room, where we settled down to wait. I had already canceled all of my appointments for the day, knowing that I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else anyway. My mind was too preoccupied, too filled with swirling thoughts and anxieties, especially about the pregnancy.

I was still lost in my thoughts when the door opened, and my mum and my twin brothers, Mason and Romeo, walked in, laden with food flasks and bags filled with snacks and other comforts.

"Mum!" I called out, my voice filled with relief, and went to greet her. She embraced me tightly, her arms enveloping me in a warm, familiar hug. I was taken by surprise by her show of affection "This must be traumatizing for both of you," she said softly, her voice laced with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked, gently pulling away to look at me, her eyes searching my face for any sign of distress.

"I am now," I said, my voice thick with emotion. Truthfully, her presence did make me feel better. Her calm demeanor and quiet strength were a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. She went ahead and hugged Chris too, offering words of encouragement and assuring him that everything would be fine.

We all settled in to wait, the hours stretching out before us like an endless, dark road. A few hours later, Chris's father was wheeled towards the operating theater. It was going to be a long and arduous night. Father had estimated the surgery to take at least eleven hours, a grueling marathon of skill and endurance.

He went in exactly at six in the evening and wasn't expected to be out until around five the next morning. It was a long, tense vigil as we all waited, our silence punctuated by whispered prayers, anxious glances at the clock, and the shared hope for good news from the operating theater.

Just a few minutes past five in the morning, the soft "ding" of the theater doors signaled that the surgery was over.

We all surged to our feet, our hearts pounding in unison, and rushed towards the elevator door, our eyes fixed on the opening.

The doors slid open, and my father emerged, his face etched with fatigue but his eyes shining with a quiet satisfaction. However, Chris was only concerned about his father and immediately asked:

"How is my father, sir?", Chris asked anxiously