Rice, Rice, baby

Chapter 17

"Olivia... You are pregnant."

"What?" Madders says. "That it's not possible, there must be a mistake. Right, Liv? Liv?"

"I gotta go" I blurt out before getting up from my chair and running away.

This can't be happening to me. This can't be real. It just can't. I must be dreaming, or maybe unconscious because I hit my head with something or...

"Olivia, stop!" Madders says, suddenly showing up in front of me and making me clash against his chest. How did he do that?

"I can't" I whisper.

"Olivia, Liv... What is going on? Is what the doctor said true? Are you..."

My only reply is a nod.

"But, how? I mean, I know how, I just don't understand... When? And most importantly, with who?"

"Declan" I whisper again.

"What?"

"Please lower down your voice, James" I say, wiping away a tear. "I don't want anyone finding us here."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But Liv... Dear God, Liv" he says before hugging me, the feeling of his arms around me making me start crying like a baby, my whole body shaking. "It's ok, it's ok" he says while caressing my hair. "It's gonna be ok."

"It won't, James. I'm pregnant from a guy who doesn't love me and who plays for the team my dad hates the most. This is the end."

"It isn't, Liv... Liv, look at me" Madders says, cupping my face and forcing me to look at him. "This isn't the end. Because you have me and Kennedy, and we will take care of you. Now and I always. I am your older brother and you are my little sister, remember? And I am the annoying kind of brother, which means that I won't be leaving you alone. Ever. I am here for you and we will go through this together, ok? We will make things work out" he says, wiping away some of my tears.

"Ok" I reply before hugging him and starting to cry again.

He has to be right. This can't be the end, things will work out. They have to.

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"Liv, what do you think you are doing?"

"Uh?"

"Give me that" Madders says, snatching from my hands the box I'm carrying. "You should not be carrying or lifting heavy weights, remember?"

"It's just a box with paper cups, James. Relax" I chuckle.

"I don't care. You need to be careful, especially during the first months."

"Shhh!" I tell him when some Tottenham staff members walk past us.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Where were you taking these?"

"To the kitchen."

"Ok, let's go" he says, starting to walk while I just sigh.

He's been offering to drive me to work or back home every single day, texting me to ask me how I'm feeling, how I've slept, if I'm already craving something and I need it... When he said that he was going to take care of me like an annoying older brother, he wasn't kidding.

"Now you have him carrying stuff for you too?" Alex laughs when he sees us.

"I lost a bet and I have to be his slave."

"A bet about what?"

"Something stupid. This way, Madders" I say, opening the kitchen's door. "A bet? What the fuck, James?"

"It is a good excuse, isn't it?" he shrugs. "Anyway, how are you feeling today? I was busy earlier and didn't have time to text you."

"A bit better. When I woke up I still felt like I was going to throw up, but it only lasted a few minutes and it hasn't come back. Yet."

"Let's hope it keeps improving, these first months are the worst. Kennedy's nausea was so bad with the twins. She... Holy shit. What was that noise?"

"The cafeteria" I say, quickly running outside and finding Alex on the floor. "Oh my God, are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah" he says, getting up with Madders' help. "I think there was water or maybe coffee on the floor and I slipped."

"Are you sure you are ok? The noise was so loud."

"I'm fine, Liv. That was because I tried to hold onto something, grabbed the trays, and they fell with me."

"Do you want me to call one of the team's doctors? I'm sure they won't mind checking you."

"I'm fine, Maddison" Alex insists. "Just my ego is bruised. Maybe my butt too."

"You are lucky it was just us and that the whole team wasn't out here" he chuckles.

"I wouldn't see the end of it if that had been the case" Alex replies, trying to smile. "Anyway, I'm gonna go sit down for a bit if you don't mind."

"Are you sure you don't want one of the doctors to check you?" I insist.

"I'm fine, Liv. Don't worry" he says, giving me a weird look I don't understand and slowly walking away.