In The Heights

She felt sore underneath. It was like someone was trying to rip here apart through her genitals. She knew they had swollen by how uncomfortable she felt there. 'What had happened?' She asked herself. She couldn't recall anything. 'Had someone tried to rape me or got away with it?' She looked at the sheets beneath her. She couldn't recognize them. They were not her bedding. To talk of it, where was she? She rose up from the bed and realized she was butt naked. 'Where are my clothes?' she panicked. She drew the sheets to cover her body. That's when she felt another pain course through her body through her nipples.

She raises the sheets to get a look at them and saw the marks on her chest. Her nipples were glowing pink as fresh flesh. A baby could not have than that and with the pain searing through her genitals, she realized she had done something bad. It was like someone had inserted a log through her vagina. She couldn't even place her feet down to stand up or walk. She felt like she had been ripped into pieces. She feared for her life. She wasn't going to drink anymore. How many men had made their way with her?' she asked no one in particular. 'God!' she cried out clutching her bird nest hair. Did they use protection? Maybe one of them had HIV.' She began to hyperventilate.

Jordan couldn't say she didn't enjoy that though. To her, it was the best sex ever. Her first had been horrible. She had it with a jock from high school she was crushing on. At that time he had bangs which she loved. Eek. His penis wasn't that big. Just the size of a pencil if you asked her when she compares with this hole in her. Even that, she wasn't orgasmic like this. It was sloppy and he hadn't penetrated fully with that tiny stick of his.

Only God knows what made her do it with him. She remembers giving him a blowjob as a finishing touch and hadn't screamed her lungs out like this one. Safe to say, she hoped it was just one man she had it with. And even the damn roach had left her here all by herself. She would castrate him if he left the bills for her to pay.

Jordan notices the wardrobe and scurried closer to find something suitable. She got an ash pair of sweatpants and a green oversized hoodie. Now she had to get out of that place and never to be found again. As the elevator descended, she noticed that she was in a hotel. And that she had been at the penthouse suite. She runs her face. Goodness! She needs a good scrubbing. Her body was itchy and yuck….

She strode through the doors of the lobby as if she lives at the hotel afraid that someone would call her to ask of her ID. With a bowed head, she successfully escapes the walls of the grand hotel and its security. She looks across the street at the La Palma Club's bill board gazing in a trance at where it all began. She shakes her head sadly then puts the hood on and tucks her hands in the hoodie pockets. She began to walk away.

Next Four Months

Nelly groans and grunts in annoyance when someone tries to take the pillow from under her head. She had crushed at Jordan's place after a bad day. Her boyfriend had broken up with her at the same time her elder sister had lost her baby. It was a big blow to her family especially their mother. They had all expected her coming and were very excited. They had even named her before she was born. Frances Spencer. That was the name they had decided on. After the very same woman who was most excited for the coming of her grandchild. It was a time of morning for the Delamoores and Spencers. Jordan and her family included. They try to move on but that feeling of a lost beloved still hovers in the atmosphere.

"Wake the fuck up, Nelly!" Jordan screams in her ears causing her to screech.

"The hell, Jordie." Their names rhymed. She tries to take back the pillow from her grip but is unsuccessful. Not giving up, she draws up the blanket on her covering her head. Jordan throws the pillow away somewhere far then peels of the blanket of her body.

"Jordie!"

"Nelly." She mimics her shrill voice.

"Oh come on!" Nelly throws her hands in the air, exasperated. "Can't I get some peaceful sleep on this couch?"

"No." Jordan says as she folds the blanket. Nelly was lying in a repose form on the couch. "You need to go get ready for work." Jordan was out of her pajamas and ready. She wore a blouse with blue jeans and white air max.

"Urgh! Who even created work."

"I believe that's a stupid question which doesn't require an answer." She retrieves the pillow then take them inside the bedroom. They had had a movie marathon and fallen asleep as it went on. "But this same work you are complaining about pays all your bills and keeps a roof on your head and-"

"Blah, blah, blah, I get it. I'm going." Nelly huffs then moves to the bedroom while Jordan goes to the kitchen to whip up breakfast for her. Ever since that night, Jordan has been thoughtful and wouldn't do anything that would remind her of that time. She finally was able to get rid of that horrible pain and was disappointed she never got to know the person she had it with though she does not care anymore. It didn't matter now. It was just a brief fling she advised herself. A past time. But that fueled her manic thirst for crazy stories.

Now she needed to make sure Nelly was okay then drop her off at her workplace then go to hers. She has been under the weather lately and didn't know the cause but she blamed it on food poisoning. Recently, she has been trying Nelly's frantic eating habits and was beginning to see the consequences catch up to her. She would never receive food or recipe advice from Nelly ever again. She noted to herself. She empties from her stomach the pancakes she had gobbled this morning into the kitchen dust bin. She was reaching for the baking soda for waffles when she felt the surge climb up her esophagus.

This was the second time in a row this morning. She had vomit sessions since Monday and today. Just puking out whatever she eats.

"What's going on, Jordie?" Nelly pops up in her bathrobe. She was here for an extra toothbrush. Hers had fallen in the water closet.

"I am never listening to you about recipes ever again." Jordan sneers through the pain, wincing. Nelly gives an innocent smug smile then shrugs.

"Never asked you to listen to me." She rolls her eyes. "When you know you've got digestive issues." Jordan glares up at her. Silently praying that she shut up. " But you decided not. So I have nothing to say to you." Jordan wished she could shoot her in the forehead with the Beretta in her compartment box beneath her bed then bury her corpse in a twelve feet hole. Nelly regards the murderous look in Jordan's eyes then fake shudders. She winks after taking the brush then walks away. Leaving Jordan to her misery.

It was twelve in the afternoon. She has been at the office for four hours now. She felt the surge again. She began to mutter cusses towards Nelly. The pain had been docile for a moment. Why did it come back again? She groans. She would have to visit the doctor. She picked up her phone to make a call.

"Nelly ? Meet me at chipotle." She doesn't wait for her to complain then cut the line. She notifies her cabin mate that she was stepping out. He simply nodded as if he hadn't heard.

Nelly sat munching her tacos when someone slumps on the seat adjacent her. She didn't need to raise her head from her food to know who that was. She calls for the waitress.

"What's it that you called me from work?" Nelly grumbles. "I was busy."

Jordan narrows her eyes. " Don't act like you didn't need the escape." She snaps. Nelly huffs then continues with her food.

"Have you eaten lunch yet?" She asks when the waitress arrives. Jordan shakes her head. "ok then , I'll order-"

"No!" Jordan screams afraid for her life drawing attention.

Nelly chuckles." It's not like I'm going to order poison?" She raises an eyebrow. "Don't you trust me" Jordan maintains the raised brow. "Ok. Just once. Let me order for you."

"Fine. Just once." She agrees. " Don't let me down." Nelly squeals drawing attention again.

"Sorry." She squeaks.

"I'm going to see a doctor," Jordan began after she swallowed the morsel in her mouth. "And I need you to accompany me." Nelly looks at her worriedly.

"Is it that serious. God, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you." She began to tear up.

"it's okay, Nelly. I just feel that there's more to this food poisoning that's why." She ran her hands through her hair tousling it. She was getting frustrated by the constant emptying of her stomach. She bet that even after this meal, she would bring it all back but in a liquidized mushy form.

"Alright. Then I'll follow you." Nelly sniffs. "You don't have much of a choice." Jordan nods not in the mood to argue with her.

"That's why I called you here." She was nervous. "And also I needed my friend."

"And this your friend is with you all the time." Nelly covers Jordan's hand on the table with her own rubbing it gently staring into her eyes. This time she notices her paleness and the bags under her eyes. Why had she not seen it? She asked herself. She had been taking care of her shit that she forgot to reciprocate it. She felt guilty. She even ate that horrible food that she prepared.

"Oh Jordie honey!" She exclaims wanting to cry.

"No dear. I'm all right."

City General Hospital

"Are you sure it's Dr. Minton instead of Menthol?" Jordan asks for the umpteenth time.

"Yes." Nelly drawled.

She had smoke coming out of her ears. Her soul bubbling with indignation. The intensity of the annoyance on her face grew. But Jordan took no notice. They make way to the receptionist.

"How can I help you madams?" The reception nurse greets looking up from her computer.

"We have an appointment with one Dr Minton?" Jordan says unsure, "At eleven?"

"okay let me check." Nelly had called two days ago to book an appointment with a Gynaecologist.

"You are up in a few minutes. Second floor, third room to your right." She says then return back to her computer. They ascend the stairs slowly. They were nervous. They knock on the glass door and enter when they hear a come in.

"Please have a seat." The doctor gestures the two white short swivel chairs. They do as told. "What's the matter, Miss Rivers" Jordan tells him all that has been happening to her. She couldn't wait to be relieved of this pains. "okay Miss Rivers, let's conduct a blood test to confirm your suspicions. Before that, I need to give you a scan to check what's bothering you there. What do you say?"

"Sure. Certainly." Jordan agrees.

"I'll need you , Miss Delamoore, to sit by her side. While I take the scan." He puts on his gloves then power up the machine by the bed at the far end of his office. "Miss, I'll like you to lie down on the bed then raise your shirt to underneath your breast." Nelly helps her to raise the shirt giving the doctor much space to her tummy. He applies a clear liquid which Jordan found out to be cool on her tummy and abdomen. Nelly watched fascinated. He moves a tube on her tummy being quite specific at certain places. The two women watch not knowing what to do. Their gaze fall on the screen seeing nothing in the black and white dots. But the doctor had a frown etched in his face.

"As I suggested, Miss Rivers, a blood test would solve our problems so kindly head to the laboratory on the third floor. A nurse will escort you there." The said nurse comes and takes her there while Nelly stays behind and begins to flirt with the doctor.

Jordan returns to a giggling Nelly and a small smile on the lips of the doctor. "What's going on in here?" They had taken a sample of her blood. She had thought she would die of the depletion. The doctor clears his throat while Nelly burns with embarrassment.

"Noth-Nothing." She stutters with red cheeks. Jordan returns to her former seat. "The nurse said the results will be ready in thirty minutes." With that she took out her phone, opened Instagram and began scrolling.

Thirty minutes later, the nurse brings the results. The doctor paid much attention to the folder for a while to the extent that anxiety began to crawl up on them.

"It's good news as I suspected." The doctor began scaring them out of their reverie.

"Good-Good news?" Nelly asks.

"I don't have food poisoning?" Dr. Minton chuckles.

" No that's not it." He shakes his head smiling. "You are three months pregnant."

A memory flickered through Jordan's mind . She remembered the Zeus who hit on her.

She began to hyperventilate.