8 Chapter 7

After work, I headed back home and found Erastus, Rose, and Katie already at my house. I was so excited about today. During our conversations in the kitchen, I realized that Erastus dragged Katie and Rose here yet they didn't know why I invited them over and I decided to tell them together with Evan. We finished cooking dinner and Evan was still not home. I tried calling him a few times when I went up to my room but he was not picking up. My friends made the table by the time I came back downstairs.

That was the same time Laura came home from a friend's house. "What is the occasion? Can I quickly go freshen up, I won't be long," she asked with a huge grin on her face. I let her go because it seemed like she wasn't the only one running late. A part of me was still hopeful that Evan is going to show up and everybody else was seated in the lounge, drinking wine while we wait for Evan and now Laura as well.

After a few minutes, Laura came back down but still no sign of Evan. "Liz, I could hear your phone ringing when I was taking a shower, so I decided to bring it along. Looks like dad was calling," she said handing my phone over. I went straight to my voicemail and found a message from Evan. A part of me was hoping that he was calling to let me know he was running late. I played the message;" Lizzy, baby I am so sorry but I can't make it to dinner anymore. Nathan and I are working late because we are chasing a deadline. I am sorry and I will make it up to you whenever I can. I will see you soon and I love you." he said in the message. I was here kicking myself that I believed that he would come for dinner. I closed my eyes for a while just to open them and realize everyone was looking at me.

" Let's go ahead and eat dinner guys, looks like Evan won't be joining us today," I said heading to the dining room. Honestly, I don't even know how I managed to get that whole sentence out because I was hurt and disappointed yet I didn't want them to notice that I was. That's why I was the first to leave the lounge because looking at them will show that I am trying to be strong at the moment. This was supposed to be our moment, a happy moment but he just couldn't make time to be here. I planned everything out that I was going to surprise him with the good news but turns out there won't be a surprise tonight. I sat down and everybody joined one by one. Erastus keeps looking at me yet saying nothing at all. He probably thought I would lose it or break down in front of them, but I am too stubborn to do that.

We started eating and discussing how Katie's wedding plans are coming. Katie already chose me to be her maid of honor which I am super grateful for but I am always busy with work so I only help her out with the planning whenever I can.

My phone rang and everybody stopped eating looking my direction. Turns out it is Nathan calling, who is with Evan at the moment so I picked up and put I am on speaker. "Hi, Nathan!" I said enthusiastically. "Hey Liz, I am so sorry for ruining your dinner but it's urgent and it's work-related. Mind if I talk to Evan? He is not picking up my calls." ha asked. Part of me was praying that I heard wrong. "Isn't he with you? I thought you two were working late today?" I asked. I seriously don't even know why I asked because I knew very well that I wouldn't like it. "No. He left early because you two had dinner plans. Suzan came by, so he decided to drop her off and come to you. I am sorry, but we are not together at the moment. I felt like I could feel my blood freezing in my veins and since I broke before, this time I don't know if I even have a heart that can be broken at the moment. I can't find words to reply to Nathan who I know is still on the other side of the phone. Erastus got up, took the phone, and said, "Look Nathan, Evan never made it home for dinner, he said you two are working late." before he hung up. He lied to me again and I fell for it. I don't even know why he said he will come when he knew he will not try to show up. I was crushed, and these are usually the moments where I drink and forget about my problems for a while and take care of them the following day.

To my surprise everyone has stopped eating, just staring at me. I picked up the bottle of wine in front of me wanting so much to drink before Erastus jumped out of his seat and took it from me. "Did you already forget you are pregnant?" he asked without even considering that we were sharing a table with people who I didn't tell the truth to yet. "So that is what this dinner was all about? Congratulations Liz." It was Katie who decided to congratulate me now. Her timing could not be so wrong. Just as I am complaining about Katie on the inside, Rose did the same. I said Thanks and left them in the room and went upstairs because I was one congratulation away from crying. I decided to take a shower, that way I can cry and no one would even know that I cried. I stood in the shower for a while and let it all out. I put on my robe and went back downstairs. I remembered that I left my friends without saying a word. They weren't here anymore, but they cleared the dining table and left me a note. I went into the kitchen and found Laura there seated on the counter and busy on her phone. "Was making some hot chocolate, want a cup?" she offered. I offered and sat on one of the stools. She brought me a cup and sat back on the counter. "I am sorry daddy ruined your dinner. But I am excited that I am getting a little brother," she said. "How do you know it's going to be a boy?" I asked her. "I don't know, but I can hope, right? I want a little brother," she said as she took my mug to the sink for washing. We talked for a while until she decided to go to bed since she has school the following day.