Chapter 6. Richard

Zazi

I was on my way to Desmond's house, in deep thought and not looking in the direction I was heading when I was hit by a car for being in the wrong lane.

*****

"Doctor is she going to be okay"? Richard expressed his panic to the doctor.

"She will be fine." The doctor said, "It was just a car jolt that scared her." 

My lone silent prayer at the moment was for my baby's safety in my womb. Even though I don't know what Desmond's response will be, I believe nothing should happen to my child.

A few hours later….

"Mr Richard, she's fine now, and so is the baby; nothing happened to the baby," the doctor tells Richard. 

"She is pregnant?" Richard was shaken as soon as the doctor told him about my pregnancy. 

"Yes, she's four weeks pregnant," the doctor says before leaving the ward. 

Richard turned towards me, and our gazes connected.

"I am sorry for the way things ended between us," he told me, his countenance confused.

Why are you apologizing? Whatever happened was in the past, and we have both moved on, Richard.

"You made your choice when you went about sleeping with my best friend Gloriah, so apologizing to me now means nothing to me," I said 

"Yes I know I f**ked up but I looked everywhere for you after that day but I was told you started working somewhere else" 

"Your pregnancy, how come the father wasn't there when I saw you earlier?" he inquired, pointing to my stomach.

"That's none of your concern, was that why you almost killed me?" I probed him.

He responded with guilt and avoided making eye contact with me. "I apologize. "I just wasn't looking at the time the accident occurred." 

"It is alright; you do not need to apologize. I wasn't looking in the direction I was going to as well," I said to him.

A few minutes later, the doctor entered. 

"Miss Zazi, you are free to go now," the doctor stated. 

"Ok, doc thanks" 

"Can I drop you off?" Richard asked me.

"No, I'll take a taxi," I replied.

"Getting a taxi will be stressful for you especially now that you have been discharged," he said. 

I didn't have the strength to argue with him, so I let him take me to Desmond's house. 

On the way out of the hospital, I was feeling hungry.

"Richard can we go to any eatery nearby, i am so famished," I told him.

"Okay, let's go. "I have one in mind; it's not too far from here," he replied.

We went to a restaurant not far from the hospital. We were led in by one of the guards at the entryway. The restaurant is large and popular with the wealthy, but I didn't expect Desmond to be among those who visit the restaurant.

We took a vacant place near the restaurant's door and ordered our food. The waiter approached to collect our orders. 

Desmond and his fiancee, Sophia, stepped in as we were waiting for our food. He immediately recognized me and approached my table, where I sat with Richard.

"For weeks you have been absent from your job with no prior excuse as to why you left, and I find you here with a guy," he shouted angrily to me, glaring at Richard. 

Sophia was standing next to Desmond, shooting daggers at me with her gaze. 

"Perhaps she's fleeing from her sins," she continued mockingly.

I glanced at her with tears in my eyes, "Mr Desmond, I will drop by your house soon, we need to talk" I sounded official and prepared for whatever came my way.

But Sophia interjected, "You can say whatever you want to him here; your services as a maid in the house are no longer required," she scornfully reminded me.

Desmond defended me, saying, "Sophia shut up; she works for me, not you." 

"Whenever you are ready, drop by the house and if you don't see me, then wait till I return," Desmond remarked to me.

After Desmond and Sophia caused the scene, they departed our table. Richard's calm demeanor indicated that he was uncomfortable with the entire situation.

"You work for them?" he inquired.

"Yes I do" 

"Does he know about the pregnancy?" he inquired.

"Yes, he does, and that is why I am visiting him after this meal," I told him. 

"Please forget about me. What have you been up to all this time?" I try to catch up with him for old-time sake.

"Your relationship with Gloriah is still going on?" I asked him.

"It was only a fling, nothing more. I don't love Gloria; she seduced me," he said. 

"I see no reason for explaining all of this to me, since we have both moved on," I told him. 

We stopped talking about the affair he had with Gloria. Our food came and we ate in silence. 

After the meal, I told Richard to take me to Desmond's place, which he did. 

When I arrived at Desmond's residence, I found him in his living room, working on his laptop.

"How is your boyfriend?" he asked.

"Richard is not my boyfriend, but rather an ex. And he has nothing to do with why I came here," I told him.

"So tell me why you're here," he prompted, touching his laptop buttons. 

"I am four weeks pregnant," I said, avoiding his gaze.

"And the reason you are telling me?"

"You are the father, and I feel you should know about it"

"And you consider me the father of your unborn child because we had s*x just once? "You must be joking," he remarked, smiling arrogantly at me.

"I'll be marrying my fiancee soon. He informed me, "I don't need any scandals right now." 

"My father has already disowned me for becoming pregnant by my boss, and he said he can't father the mother of a bastard," I explained, ignoring his puzzled expression.