CHAPTER 30: THEN

I was at work, but I still constantly thought about Kate, it was currently afternoon, so I took some break and scrolled my phone, found her and called her,

 "hey..," she responded after some seconds of ringing.

"How are you feeling, have you taken anything?"

 "I am fine, just a little tired..," she just stated, breathed a little and.., "Please come with milkshake, and at least buy a fridge, the water is too hot for me to drink."

"Of course, I will inquire the price..," I stated.., and she hanged up.

I never knew if I had enough money to buy a fridge, I was saving up to at least pay for the health insurance for her, she needed it better, the government provided free fee for maternity, but I would be safe if I took her to a more private and well catered for hospital, additionally she was a student, and I used to here, the nurses there sometimes are not quite loving to the young mothers.

As I thought, I remembered my anatomy book she was reading, and suddenly took it off my bag pack and checked the page forty or something but it was either fourty or fourty one, and it was perfectly.., well of course it was about the female reproductive system and its reaction to pregnancy and everything. So I thought, maybe she wanted to know more about herself in her new state, I also needed to read now much.

"Gravid uterus, I can see you holding up, to the news of becoming a father quite good." Dr Kingstone stated right behind me, surprising me, as he was not available, he just arrived, I was called by the cleaner who cleans the chemist.

"Doctor, Good afternoon."

"Afternoon, my boy.., how is your girl holding up."

"She has been a little sick and tired, throwing up much in the morning, craving some nasty things, like tea with no sugar and milk, brown bread.., but daa.., (he hated curses)., but she, she is really making me nervous.., the vomiting."

"How many weeks is it?"

 Honestly I did not know, if I said I did not know the old man would really be sad and surprised, how many weeks has it been God? I questioned myself, trying to remember that day, but I just got the news when Funky came,

"I don't know.., am not sure."

"What?.., does she not visit the clinic?"

"No, she.., we haven't discussed that yet."

"You haven't? Next time, come with her to the school hospital, I will be there." He stated.

I can't take her to Doctor Kingstone, he should not know my secrets, but he alone, he, is the only person I would trust at the moment. No one else knew about Kate, but I wondered how long it has been, well we.., when did it happen, was it before exams? Was it after exams? My mind was already forging things, I was not sure, I just, I just laid her and forgot everything, I wonder if she knows, so I texted her,..

 'how many weeks old is it?' I just needed to be sure,

"Doc, does the vomiting stop?"

"Yea, after three months or four, however it does depend with a person, every lady is built different.., and what is your plan with the baby and the child, you are now heading to the third year of your schooling, are you ready?"

I was at work, but I constantly thought about Kate. It was currently afternoon, so I took a break, scrolled through my phone, found her number, and called her.

"Hey," she responded after a few seconds of ringing.

"How are you feeling? Have you taken anything?"

"I am fine, just a little tired," she said, breathed a little, and added, "Please come with a milkshake, and at least buy a fridge. The water is too hot for me to drink."

"Of course, I will inquire about the price," I stated, and she hung up.

I wasn't sure if I had enough money to buy a fridge. I was saving up to at least pay for health insurance for her; she needed it. The government provided free delivery, but I would feel safer if I took her to a more private and well-catered hospital. Additionally, she was a student, and I had heard that nurses at public hospitals sometimes aren't very kind to young mothers.

As I thought about it, I remembered my anatomy book she was reading. I suddenly took it out of my backpack and checked pages forty or forty-one. It was about the female reproductive system and its reaction to pregnancy and everything. I thought maybe she wanted to know more about herself in her new state. I also needed to read up more now.

"Gravid uterus, I see you're holding up to the news of becoming a father quite well," Dr. Kingstone stated, surprising me from behind. I thought he wasn't available, but he had just arrived. The cleaner at the chemist had called me.

"Doctor, good afternoon."

"Afternoon, my boy. How is your girl holding up?"

"She has been a little sick and tired, throwing up a lot in the morning, craving some odd things like tea with no sugar or milk, and brown bread. But the vomiting... it's making me really nervous."

"How many weeks is it?"

Honestly, I didn't know. If I admitted that, he would be disappointed. How many weeks had it been? I questioned myself, trying to remember that day. I just got the news when Funky came.

"I don't know. I'm not sure."

"What? Does she visit the clinic?"

"No, we haven't discussed that yet."

"You haven't? Next time, bring her to the school hospital. I will be there," he stated.

I can't take her to Dr. Kingstone. He shouldn't know my secrets, but he is the only person I trust at the moment. No one else knew about Kate, but I wondered how long it had been. When did it happen? Was it before exams? After exams? My mind was already fogging things up. I wasn't sure. I just, I just laid her and forgot everything. I wondered if she knew, so I texted her, "How many weeks old is it?" I just needed to be sure.

"Doc, does the vomiting stop?"

"Yes, after three or four months. However, it depends on the person. Every lady is built differently. And what is your plan with the baby and the child? You are now heading into your third year. Are you ready?"

Dr. Kingstone always asked peak questions that I don't know if he knew, but they were not, I guess, meant for a young youth like me. I had no plans, honestly. The child was something that I was still bargaining on; it was something that still felt not even slightly real to me.

The doc, my boss, needed answers. He drove a big Tesla car today, one I had never seen him with; maybe that's why I did not notice he was around. He, of course, thought I should have me figured out.

"I will… I will finish the course and maybe look for a job," I stated, which made him make a big snort, making me thank God there was no customer.

"A job, boy, and what will the child and the mother be eating?"

"She will… I will be working here."

"I know… I pay you a little, but Hayzen…," his voice became slightly slow, as if apologetic, and it was actually the first time he referred to me by my name. "Hayzen… a family, having a family is not feeding a toy your parents bought for you imagining it to be a child, no… a family is a huge responsibility, especially for fathers. Do you love her?" he suddenly asked out of the blue.

"Yeah, I do… I have never been quite as sure as I am with her."

"That's a relief… what about her to you?"

"Yeah, she does. I believe she does."

"Does she tell you 'I love you' all the time?"

"No…," I laughed at that because it just felt corny telling Dr. Kingstone about teenage love. "I just feel it, the way we talk, the way we just do things… I believe she… she's… of course, she is carrying my child." Dr. Kingstone just observed me as I finished and nodded, as I always did when I finished talking.

"She has a friend, Funky… you know him. He's the only hinder. He was asking me to recommend him for a job… I don't know if you can help him."

"The friend?" Doc asked.

"Yeah."

"…No, I want intellectuals and hard workers like you in my office of work. Next semester, you shall work full-time here, and I will add you as my partner in this business. At least now you can start here before you get your doctor license… and what do you plan to major in?"

"No… I am not sure."

"Don't you have anything figured out??" he stated, made a snort, and left the chemist as I attended to some of the customers who were eyeing us.

"Apologies for the delay," I stated to them as I heard their requests.

'Are you doubting it's yours?' the text stated, and I almost froze wherever I stood.

"Painkiller, doc," the customer added, and I gave him some painkillers, prescribing them for him, although my head was barely in it.

"I don't understand your writing, doctor. Can you explain?" the customer stated highly, and I scratched my head, focusing my attention on him.

"Just take it once a day. If symptoms persist, please consult a doctor."

"Aren't you a doctor?"

"Yeah, I meant it would be better not buying, well, we can find a much stronger… other opioids, but you will have to untighten your pockets a bit." I just stated. I never indulged in much conversation with customers before.

"Why would you sell me something that is not helping?"

"I am sorry. I… what is your exact symptom? As you told me, you have a slight headache. I believe that is enough."

"Headache and I am…," he tried speaking but stopped right when another customer chimed in.

"Please sit there. I will be with you in a minute… headache and…?" I stated slowly so that the other does not hear, and I felt Dr. Kingstone needed to do something about this chemist. He needed to at least make it some hospital. Buying drugs over the counter was something I never prescribed to anyone… and as I was listening to the patient, my phone started buzzing profusely, and Kate's name, 'Love' with a heart emoji, popped up. I could not take it as I was really trying to listen to this patient who wrote the symptoms on paper. 'Headache, diarrhea, rashes around the man area,' and I found this interestingly seeking.

"Have you seen a doctor?"

"I am seeing you."

And again, my phone started buzzing. This was the third time, and the patient eyed me as I checked my phone. He had muttered something else in between, and I did not listen. That's unprofessional, I know, but I was getting anxious about why Kate was ringing my phone non-stop. It just could not stop. It was on silent, but the buzzing was still there, on the table next to where I calculated my sales of the day.

"I think, honestly, your condition is better off if you seek service in a... there are drugs I would... I..." The phone buzzed again. It was hard for me to concentrate.

Kate had this effect on me, that I would leave anything hanging for her. Dr. Kingstone was still here, so I excused myself and went to call him outside where he was chatting with his fellow age-mate men, who were doing various activities in the town center. I came in with him, as I let him take care of the man. He sure had either some herpes disease or something to do with a sexually transmitted infection. That is if he sure was having the rashes, but sometimes they do happen in case one does not shower much or shares innerwear with someone. My head was not in all that; my head was all in talking to Kate.

And I rang it now. The first time, it took me to voicemail.

Second, voicemail.

Third, voicemail.

And suddenly I became restless, and my hand started shaking involuntarily as my eyes started welling up with painful fears.

Funky... I don't have his number, so I called Billy. I'm sure he did have his number. I was nervous for sure.

But I tried again the fourth time, to Kate. No answer. Voicemail..,

So, Billy.