Start Again | Forbidden Book 2

1. Our Secret

After a week in Tanzania, Olivia and Lewis left their camp to go hiking for a couple of days in Rwanda in search of gorillas. It was exhausting, but also incredibly rewarding. Olivia kept taking moments in between their hike to admire the place where they stood. It was a once in a life time experience, and she was glad she was having it with Lewis, who always seemed to understand her completely and enjoy the little things in life, like this time in the jungle.

After two days of trekking, they finally found them. The gorillas were relaxed and free in their natural habitat. Olivia, Lewis, and their guide sat very still behind some bushes to not scare them away. Liv had a huge smile on her face, she turned to look at Lewis who seemed completely amazed and in a trance from their sight. Olivia reached out with her hand and squeezed his arm excitedly, not wanting to move too suddenly or make a lot of noise. Lewis turned to look at her beaming, he was glad she had come to Africa after all. 

That night they made a small camp on their way back from their two day hike, it would take them probably another day and a half to go back the way they came, and then they would head to Kenya. 

They were making a bonfire in the center of their camp, their tents surrounded them when their guide Ade came out of his tent "you guys did fantastic out there today. I brought this to celebrate" he said as he handed them over tiny little bottles of white rum, one to each of them 
"cheers everyone" he said with a smile as he took a sip from his own miniature bottle.

"Cheers mate, it was truly incredible" said Lewis with a smile as he sipped from his bottle.

"I still can't believe we were actually there, just chilling with the gorillas" said Liv with a smile, remembering the day but not drinking from her bottle. 

They had some dinner by the bonfire and once they were done Ade stood up to head inside his tent "Well guys I'll see you tomorrow morning, I'm gonna head in now" he said with a smile.

"Good night Ade" said Liv smiling.

"See you tomorrow mate" said Lewis.

After about half an hour later Lewis got up "we should probably put the fire out and go to bed too" he said. Then he reached out with the remainder of his small rum bottle to clink bottles with Liv "bottoms up".

He finished the last sip of his drink and he realized Liv hadn't drank anything, in fact her bottle remained closed "you never let anyone shot by themselves" he laughed "what? Are you pregnant or something?" he joked.

Olivia sat in front of the fire in silence, she looked up at Lewis who stood next to her. She stared into his dark eyes that always seemed to understand what she was feeling. The silence was slowly drowning out his laugh and turning his amused expression into one of confusion. 

"Wait, are you?" he said quietly as he sat down next to her, the concern was obvious on his face.

There was another long silence. Olivia shook her head as she looked straight at Lewis "I don't know Lew" she admitted "I'm late" she shrugged.

Lewis thought back to more than a week ago when Liv didn't want to drink in Tanzania either "How late?" he asked.

Liv hesitated for a moment "Like.. two weeks and a half? Basically the whole time we've been here".

"Oh my god" said Lewis in shock turning to look at the fire. After a moment of silence he said "We need to get out of here"  he stood up abruptly and started looking around, like he didn't know where to start.

"What do you mean?" asked Liv confused.

"Liv I didn't know you were pregnant! I wouldn't have brought you here if I knew, it's so dangerous! You should see a doctor, you need to get checked out, maybe we could get a helicopter to pick us up?" he started rambling clearly nervous. 

"Woah, Lewis, stop" said Olivia as she stood up and grabbed him by the arms, making him stop moving and forcing him to look at her "I don't even know if I'm pregnant, and I'm not leaving" she said looking straight into his dark eyes.

"But Olivia you should see a doctor" Lewis urged her.

"What if I'm just late? And we leave this once in a lifetime experience? I mean what we saw today Lew it was incredible" she said whole heartedly "I'm not leaving until we finish the trip" she insisted.

"Last I checked it's not normal to be more than two weeks late" Lewis said quietly.

"Lewis, we are staying" she said standing her ground, still holding on to his arms.

He looked into her dark eyes, she was being stubborn but Lewis could see behind her eyes that she was actually terrified. Of being pregnant? Of seeing Max again? Of facing reality? He didn't know, but he let out a sigh and said "Okay Liv, we are staying".

Liv let out a sigh of relief and a smile formed on her face as she let go of his arms "Thank you" she said.

However Lewis still didn't look his best, he sat back down, still shook from the news. Liv sat next to him "Does Max know?" he asked as he turned to look at her.

Olivia's eyes went wide and she shook her head "No! Nobody knows, just you" she said. A small smile formed in Lewis' lips "Please promise me you won't tell anyone" she said "I know you have been talking to Checo, but don't tell anyone, I just don't know what to do" the dread was clearer on her face now.

"Well Liv I know you are mad at Max, and rightfully so, but this surely changes things doesn't it?" asked Lewis with a pained face.

Liv's brow furrowed "It changes nothing" she said decidedly "he betrayed me, stabbed me in the back and pretended like nothing had happened" she said getting riled up "Even if I am pregnant, it changes nothing".

"But Liv you have to tell Max" Lewis insisted. 

"I will tell him when I'm ready to tell him" she said "and right now I don't want to talk to him, or see him Lew. So you cannot tell anyone about this" she said with a pleading note.

Lewis conceded, he would take Liv's secret to the grave with him, he just couldn't say no to her. Especially when she looked like she needed him so much. In that moment she had no one, just him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in "I won't tell a soul Liv, I promise. You'll figure it out, I'm right here".

Olivia rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his torso, feeling his warmth, it was so calming. "Thanks Lew, I knew I could count on you, it truly means everything to me" she let the relaxing energy of Lewis calm her down as he stroked her arm with his hand, trying to comfort her. 

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Short chapter

Book 2 begins let's fucking gooooo

and thanks to everyone who commented about my surgery, I'm doing soo much better today ❤️ so I couldn't help but write a small chapter.

What do you think of Liv keeping this a secret and deciding to stay in Africa?

Any thoughts on what will happen next?