Unexpected

Chapter 5

WEEKS: 29-34

I had been great at avoiding Jordan for days and days. We didn't go out to eat and I pretended not to be home every time he wanted to come over. I was going to have to see him the next day because we had another appointment, and he wasn't happy about me avoiding him for weeks. The truth was, I really needed those days to relax, and as the days turned into weeks and I realised I was nowhere near being ready to give birth to a child, anxiety kicked in and I couldn't bear to look into his face. Even Eva had yelled at me for giving Jordan the cold shoulder, but I couldn't help it, it was my defence mechanism!

So, eight weeks in and my belly was a tiny bump – kinda like if I had had a bigger meal. I was blotted, constipated, not sleeping... Yep, not sexy at all, not comfortable either. I was waking every hour or so to go pee, my back hurt, my breasts were getting bigger and sore, and my mood was awful.

Daddy was quiet across the table. He was reading his newspaper as usual, while eating a bit of food now and then. I was sure the best was to wait until my twelfth week to start telling people, but it still made me feel like I was being deceitful.

"How... is everything, dad?"

"Fine, fine. Same old." He shrugged, turning the page on the newspaper "With you?"

"All good. I took a couple of weeks off work to rest."

"Oh? I didn't know that, I thought you were too busy to pop by." He looked surprised, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, fine." I assured him quickly, his blue eyes staring into mine "Just wanted some time to rest."

"Where did you travel to this time?"

"Oh, nowhere. I just stayed in" I shrugged.

Benjamin Conrad didn't have one of the most successful real-estate businesses in the country by being stupid. He frowned deeply as he stared at me. The wrinkles around his eyes were more obvious like that. Yep, he was definitely suspicious.

"What do you mean, you stayed in? Violet, are you ill?" He muttered, suddenly turning as pale as a corpse "You're not ok. What's happening?"

"Calm down, dad." I muttered, blushing "I'm fine, really."

"You're not fine. You've been moody and a quick trigger; you haven't even tried the wine! Every time we meet you look pale or worse, a sick shade of green. I've been trying to let it go and decided that if it was something serious, you would let me know... But it's been weeks and you haven't said a thing!"

I rubbed my eyes at that. Shit... I was going to have to tell him, wasn't I? I set the napkin over the long table, walked across it to the other end taking my chair with me. I sat next to my dad and held his hands – they were shaking. The last time I had seen him like that was when mom and my brother Sam had died.

"Daddy..." I started, with a heavy sigh; his blue eyes were terrified "Nothing is up. Well... nothing bad at least. I just... wanted to wait to tell you, but I hate seeing you like this."

He waited. A tiny frown was set between his brows.

"I'm... pregnant, Daddy."

Benjamin was quiet for the longest time. His eyes were a bit wide, his mouth set in a harsh line, and his hands tensed around mine.

"I'm having a baby. You're going to be a grandad" I continued; ok, either he was going to start yelling, or I was walking away because I had no other ways of telling him.

His hands left mine and I prepared myself for the yelling and the disappointment. I actually closed my eyes when he moved back. I felt his arms coming around my shoulders, as he held me tightly to his chest. I heard him cry in almost silence, and felt his shoulders shake. I found myself tearing up as well, but with a smile, as I hugged him back.