If This Isn't Love

62: JANUARY 2023: A Close Call

"What does it say?" Megan gasped, peering anxiously over Selina's shoulder. They huddled around Luisa, who clutched the pregnancy test strip wrapped tightly in toilet paper, her eyes averted.

"I can't bear to look," Luisa whispered, dread etched on her face.

Selina let out an exasperated sigh. "Lulu, we can't help you if we don't know what we're dealing with. I know this is terrifying, but all we can do today is find out if you're pregnant. The paternity questions will have to wait."

Megan chimed in, her tone reassuring. "Hey, it's not the end of the world. The test might not even be accurate yet. You haven't missed a period."

Luisa bit her lip, uncertainty clouding her eyes. "You're right. It just feels like I'm standing on the brink of a decision that I can never take back."

"Please, let us see," Selina said gently. "You don't have to look; just let us check it. I promise we'll face whatever happens together. We're here for you."

"Absolutely, Lulu. After all these years, we would never leave you to handle this on your own," Megan chimed in, extending her hand. "Now, please, just give it to us."

With a heavy sigh, Luisa reluctantly passed the wad of toilet paper to her friends. They turned away, huddled together, and examined the pregnancy strip.

"Luisa!" Selina gasped, her voice tinged with disbelief. "It's negative!" She quickly spun around to face her friend. "It's really negative." She paused, the weight of the moment settling in. "But before we celebrate too much, remember: it could still be too early for a completely accurate result. The box did say it's more reliable after you've missed your period, and you said you haven't."

Luisa shook her head minutely, but a faint smile began to form on her lips. "But that's good news, right?"

Megan placed the pregnancy strip on the counter, her expression cautious. "For now, I suppose. If you're still feeling unwell later and end up missing your period, you'll need to retake the test."

"I know," Luisa replied, her voice hesitant. "That was a close call. But for now, I'm just relieved that it's possible I'm not pregnant. That means I won't have to have that conversation with Jin about Charlie and me." She tossed the tissue into the trash can and followed her friends back to the living room, their earlier tension slowly lifting.

Megan and Selina sank back onto the sofa as Luisa settled into the armchair across from them.

"Forgive me for asking," Megan started cautiously, "but why did you let Charlie go in without protection?" She gasped as Selina immediately slapped her arm.

Luisa frowned, a mix of frustration and sadness in her expression. "It's not like I wanted to get pregnant. That night was one of those awful moments when I found myself drowning in grief over... well, over Seokjin's betrayal. Even after four years, the sadness would sometimes flood over me, and all I could do was cry myself to sleep."

"And Charlie took advantage of that, didn't he?" Selina interjected, her voice tinged with disapproval. She reached for the pitcher and poured herself another mimosa, her eyes narrowing. "He's always been such a weasel."

Megan raised her glass, signaling for Selina to pour her another drink as well. "I get it, though. When the person you've loved and idolized for so long betrays you in the most painful way, you seek someone else to help you feel special again. When a guy cheats, it robs you of your self-worth, and then you start looking for validation from someone else. Unfortunately, we often make really poor choices in those moments. Trust me, I know."

Luisa tucked her legs beneath her. "I guess that's how I felt. For all those years, I wondered why I wasn't enough, why he couldn't stay faithful to me. I hated feeling undesirable, and then Charlie showed up, repeatedly telling me how sorry he was for what happened between us and how much he wanted another chance to make things right."