Unexpected News

It was a quiet morning in Raelynn's small, cluttered apartment. Raelynn sat at her dining table, her chin resting on her hand, staring blankly at the clean white sheet of paper before her—the check. It had been sitting there for two weeks, untouched. She thought about cashing it every single day, but always found a reason to wait.

She sighed, her brow furrowed in thought. The check felt like a taunting reminder of that strange, confusing night at the Grand Crystal Hotel. The memory of waking up naked in that luxurious room, completely out of place, still sent a shiver down her spine. She barely knew the man she'd spent the night with, and yet here she was, staring at ten thousand dollars he'd given her.

"Staring at it won't make the money come," Zara's voice broke the silence.

Raelynn turned to look at her best friend, who was standing by the small kitchen counter, pouring coffee into a chipped mug. Zara had stayed the night at her place, sprawled out on the couch after a long heart-to-heart the evening before. Raelynn had finally told her everything about that night, about the man, the check, and how strange it all felt. Zara hadn't been thrilled, but they both agreed there wasn't much to be done about it now.

Zara carried her coffee to the table and raised an eyebrow as she focused on the check. "Seriously, Rae, are you gonna cash it or just keep having staring contests with it?"

Raelynn sighed again, running a hand through her messy hair. "I don't know… It feels weird, you know? I mean, ten thousand dollars… for one night."

Zara shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. "It is weird, but it's also ten thousand dollars. You could pay off your rent, buy some decent groceries for once, maybe even fix that leaky faucet that's been driving you insane."

Raelynn chuckled, but her gaze remained fixed on the check. "Yeah, you're right. I was actually planning on cashing it today."

"Finally," Zara said, smiling. "About time. Want me to come with you?"

Raelynn glanced at her, relief washing over her at the offer. "Would you? I just feel like I need moral support for this. I mean, what if the bank thinks I'm some kind of scammer walking in with a ten-thousand-dollar check like this?"

Zara rolled her eyes. "You worry too much. They won't care as long as it's legit. We'll meet after my class, okay? At the park near the preschool. I'll be done by noon."

Raelynn nodded, feeling a bit better now that they had a plan. "Thanks, Zara. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably keep staring at that check until it magically cashes itself," Zara teased, flashing her a grin as she finished her coffee and grabbed her bag to head to class.

Later that afternoon, Raelynn and Zara met at the small park by the preschool, just like they'd planned. Raelynn waited on a bench, feeling a bit nervous but committed to the plan.

Zara appeared, waving as she approached. "Ready to get that money, girl?"

"Let's just get this over with," Raelynn said, standing up. Her palms were a little sweaty as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder, but having Zara around made her feel less nervous.

They walked to the bank together. As soon as they got there, the bank was packed with people going about their business. People lined up in front of the tellers, while others sat waiting in chairs, filling out forms.

Raelynn and Zara joined the line, which was longer than Raelynn had hoped for. She shifted from foot to foot, feeling slightly claustrophobic in the crowd. As they waited, Zara made small talk, trying to keep the mood light, but Raelynn couldn't shake the strange feeling creeping up inside her. It wasn't just nerves anymore. She felt lightheaded, like the room was getting too hot, and the noise around her started to blur into a distant hum.

"Are you okay?" Zara asked, noticing Raelynn's pale expression.

"I… I don't know," Raelynn murmured. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus, but the edges of her vision started to blur. Her head was spinning, and the room tilted slightly. Her heart raced as the world spun around her.

And then, everything went black.

The next thing Raelynn knew, she was opening her eyes in a hospital room. The harsh white lights above her made her squint, and she felt groggy, like she'd been sleeping for hours. The scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, and she became aware of the beeping from a heart monitor beside her.

"Rae?" Zara's voice broke through the fog in her mind.

Raelynn turned her head slowly, wincing at the slight ache in her temples. Zara was sitting next to her bed, looking both concerned and relieved.

"What… what happened?" Raelynn asked, her voice hoarse.

Zara sighed, leaning forward. "You fainted at the bank. Scared the hell out of me, to be honest. They called an ambulance, and here we are."

Raelynn blinked, trying to process what Zara was saying. "I fainted? Why? What's wrong with me?"

"The doctor hasn't come in yet, but I'm sure it's nothing serious," Zara said, reaching over to squeeze Raelynn's hand. "Maybe it's just stress. You've had a lot on your mind lately."

Raelynn nodded slowly, trying to calm the slight panic rising in her chest. Maybe it was just stress. After all, it wasn't like her life had been smooth sailing lately. Between losing her job and that whole ordeal at the hotel, she hadn't exactly been in the best place emotionally.

Just then, the door to the room opened, and a doctor walked in, holding a clipboard. She was a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a calm demeanor.

"Miss Moore, how are you feeling?"

"A little dizzy, but okay," Raelynn replied. "What's wrong with me? Why did I faint?"

The doctor glanced at her clipboard before looking at Raelynn. "Well, it does seem like stress could be a contributing factor. However, there's something else I need to talk to you about."

Raelynn felt her stomach knot at the doctor's tone. Zara sat up a little straighter, her face tense with anticipation.

The doctor looked directly at Raelynn. "The fainting could be related to the fact that you're pregnant."

For a moment, the room was completely silent.

Raelynn blinked, her mind racing to catch up with what the doctor had just said. Pregnant? Her?

Next to her, Zara's eyes widened in shock. "Wait—what? Pregnant?" she blurted out, her voice a mixture of disbelief and surprise.

The doctor nodded calmly. "Yes, Miss Moore. You're pregnant. It's not unusual for early pregnancy symptoms to include fainting spells, especially if you're under a lot of stress."

Raelynn's heart was pounding in her chest, her mind spinning. Pregnant? That couldn't be right. She hadn't even thought about the possibility, hadn't considered that after that night at the hotel… Oh god, it was possible.

Zara let out a nervous laugh, still staring at Raelynn in disbelief. "Oh my god. I thought you fainted because you were too nervous about getting ten thousand dollars."

Raelynn barely registered Zara's words. Her hand moved instinctively to her stomach, resting gently over her flat abdomen. A baby? Her baby?

She looked at the doctor, her voice rising slightly in panic. "Wait, are you saying that there's a baby inside me? That I'm actually pregnant?"

The doctor nodded again. "Yes, that's correct. I understand it might be a shock, but I recommend scheduling a follow-up appointment so we can monitor your health and the baby's development. Stress can have an impact, so it's important to take care of yourself."

Raelynn's hand remained on her stomach as she stared down at it, her mind racing with a million thoughts and feelings. She felt like the world had just shifted beneath her feet, like everything she knew had changed in an instant.

Zara was still staring at her, wide-eyed. "Rae… this is huge. I mean… wow."

Raelynn simply nodded, her fingers pressing against her stomach. She felt a weird blend of fear, confusion, and something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Her whole life had just turned upside down in the span of a few minutes.

A baby. Her baby.