let's light up the sky ☆

Chapter 8

Fair heads up: this is one of the few chapters that goes way longer than the others. Hunker down, grab a snack or beverage of your choice, and enjoy the next 3,800 words!

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Glendale, California

April, 1999

The second pink line fading onto the test made Sofia feel fear, panic, uncertainty, and a little bit of guilt.

The guilt was all for Giannis. He was only 23 and living his best life on the road, how could he handle that and being a father? Sofia had no idea when she would even tell him about it. He was still on the road for another week and a half. She didn't know if she wanted to save it until then or tell him over the phone. There was a good risk that it would probably ruin the rest of his tour.

The young couple didn't yet have a place of their own, but they were working on it. Giannis's music career was budding and Sofia dedicated her time to her part-time bookstore job and grad school applications. They had a long way to go before having enough for a place of their own and living independently. 

Giannis's extra music money was, for now, used to help out his parents. The Manikases had a comfortable place for the three of them. It wasn't a large house by any means, but it was a massive improvement from the family's first apartment in America. His parents renovated the basement into a little studio apartment for him to have some agency. 

Sofia came over so often that she had her own small closet in the corner. This was the room that Sofia and Giannis shared whenever he was home from tour. He'd be gone on months-long periods on the road, so the time they managed to get together was precious.

Their last morning together six weeks ago might have been a little too precious. Sofia stopped at the pharmacy on her way home from work. She pushed down her embarrassment as she slipped the box of pregnancy tests in front of the cashier. Her baby-faced appearance at 23 only made matters worse. The rest of her drive home was silent as she prayed for her parents not to be home yet so she could take the test in peace.

Anahit was sitting in the living room after her school day was over. Sofia scuttled by her and hoped that her 13-year-old sister wouldn't think anything of it. "Well hello to you too," Anahit called out. She glanced up from her math homework long enough to notice Sofia in the room.

She was at a loss for words as the second pink line betrayed her. In six years of dating, Giannis had never mentioned wanting to become a father. There was no real reason to do so at their age. If it was meant to be, then it would have worked itself out on its own. There was a part of her that wanted a little family with him, but only if he wanted it too. She could never imagine forcing him to do anything that would make him miserable.

She sat and sulked in her room upstairs. The front door opened and she heard the distinctive sound of her father's keys on the doorside table. "Sofia?" he called out. "Are you here?"

"She's been in her room all day," Anahit responded. Sofia rolled her eyes. She knew that Anahit meant nothing about it, but she wished she could have stepped out on her own.

Ohan and Yerana came home from work together and brought an order of Thai take-out for dinner. The strong smells of garlic and cooked onions triggered Sofia's nausea before she'd even come into the room. She took a heel turn on the top step and bolted for the nearest open bathroom.

"Are you okay?" Ohan asked, waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

She took a shy glance at the floor, caught her breath, and then lost it again as her honest tears began to flow. "I'm so sorry."