19. Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen
Tasha
The plane touches down with a soft bump, and I let out a deep sigh. As I step off the plane, the heat of the desert wraps around me like a blanket.
I walk through the airport quickly. Outside, near the pickup lanes, the desert air is warm and dry. It’s such a stark difference from the biting cold of Chicago.
I roll my suitcase out to the curb, scanning the sea of people’s faces, when I hear a familiar voice call my name.
“Tasha!” Jasmine waves frantically at me, her bright smile a beacon in the chaos. I run toward her, and the moment we embrace, it’s like the weight of the last few days starts to lift.
“God, I’ve missed you,” she says, squeezing me tight in her thin arms.
I blink back tears, overwhelmed with relief to see my best friend. “I missed you too, Jaz.”
We hop into her car, and she drives down to The Strip. I can’t help but marvel at the scene before me. Neon lights flash in every color imaginable and towering buildings with their extravagant facades reach for the sky.
The desert stretches out beyond the glitz and rocky mountains surround the valley. Its vastness is a stark contrast to the bustling city.
We finally pull into her apartment complex and Jasmine shows me around her place. It’s a cozy two-bedroom with an office she says doubles as a guest room.
“I’ve got a bed set up for you,” she says. “Stay as long as you need.”
Later, as I lie in the unfamiliar bed, staring at the ceiling, I place a gentle hand over my belly.
Am I doing the right thing?
The question lingers, heavy and unanswered, until I drift into a fitful sleep.
The next morning, I wake up to Jasmine shaking my shoulder gently. “Rise and shine, new mom. We’ve got a doctor’s appointment to get to.”
"What!? How did you get me an appointment so fast?"
"I worked some magic connection, hun," she says with a wink.
It’s my first doctor’s appointment, and I feel a mixture of nerves and excitement as we drive to the clinic. It’s a feeling that doesn’t resolve as we enter and sit down.
Jasmine squeezes my hand reassuringly as we sit in the waiting room, her presence like an anchor in a storm.
When the nurse calls my name, I’m taken into a small, sterile room.
The doctor, a kind-looking woman with silver hair, introduces herself. “We’re going to do an ultrasound today just to check on things,” she explains with a warm smile.
I lie back against the table, the cold gel making me shiver as it touches my skin. Jasmine holds my hand softly, and I focus on her comforting presence as the doctor moves the receiver across my belly.
The dark screen flickers to life, showing the hazy image of what’s inside me.
“Okay, let’s take a look here…” the doctor murmurs, her eyes widening slightly. “Oh, wow. Congratulations, Mom. You’ve got not one, not two, but three little ones in there.”
My heart stops. I nearly leap from the table.
“Three?” I gasp, staring at the screen. The tiny shapes dance on the monitor, three little heartbeats flickering together. Dread and excitement twist together inside me like a tornado. I can barely breathe.
“Oh my God…I don’t…I don’t know how to handle this.”
Jasmine squeezes my hand, her eyes wide with amazement. “You’ve got this, Tash,” she whispers, but all I can feel is panic.
We leave the doctor’s office, the world around me spinning like I’m on some sick carnival ride.
Triplets. I’m having triplets.
I clutch the ultrasound photos in my trembling hands, my mind racing a mile a minute.
How am I supposed to handle three babies on my own?
As soon as we’re outside, I collapse onto a bench, my breaths coming out in shallow gasps. Jasmine quickly wraps an arm around me, pulling me close.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” she soothes, rubbing my back. “Breathe, Tasha. Just breathe. It’s going to be okay!”
Tears spill over, and I bury my face in my hands. “I can’t do this, Jaz. I’m so scared. How am I supposed to take care of three babies? I can’t even take care of myself right now.”
Jasmine’s voice is steady. “You don’t have to do this alone. Brody needs to know. He deserves to know.”
I shake my head with assurance, my throat tightening. “No, Jasmine. He’s already got his perfect life. I’m not going to mess that up for him. He said I was a complication. Well, I’m making things simpler for him by leaving.”
“But, Tasha… he’s their father,” she presses. “He has a right to be involved, to help. He has a duty to take care of them, at least financially.”
I look away, unable to face her. “I can’t, Jasmine. Not right now. It’s too much. I just… I can’t now.”
She pulls me into a tight hug, her breath warm against my ear. “Okay, okay. We’ll figure it out. But you don’t have to decide everything today.”
The drive back to Jasmine’s apartment feels surreal, like I’m trapped in a dream I can’t wake up from.
The city zooms past us in a blur of neon lights and billboards advertising everything from casinos to quickie weddings. I was excited to be here yesterday, but now it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under me.
Swinging between fear and the faintest flicker of hope, my thoughts are a tangled mess.
“I’ve got to work a double tonight,” Jasmine says as we pull up to her place. “I’ll be back late, so don’t wait up. Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge.”
She pauses, glancing at me with concern. “And hey, my credit cards on the counter. Get yourself something good to eat. Just don’t go over a hundred, okay?”
“Thanks, Jaz.” I force a small smile, nodding as she grabs her keys and rushes out the door. The apartment is quiet again, the silence pressing in on me.
As soon as the door clicks shut, all the strength I’ve been holding onto crumbles. It’s like the floor has fallen out from under me, and I’m free-falling into a dark abyss.
I drop to my knees, sobs ripping out of me in harsh, uneven gasps. The reality of it all slams into me: the pregnancy, the triplets, the fact that I’m alone in this.
“What am I going to do?” I whisper to the empty room. I clutch my stomach, feeling the swell that’s barely there. Tears, hot and relentless, stream down my face.
For the first time ever, I truly feel the weight of my decision to leave Brody behind.
And I’m not so sure it was the right one.
I sit on the edge of the bed, my phone trembling in my hand as I call my mom.
I don’t know why I’m doing this. Maybe I’m desperate for some kind of support, for someone to tell me it’s going to be okay.
But the moment her voice crackles through the line, I regret calling her at all.
“Pregnant?” she spits, her voice dripping with disdain. “Let me guess, you slept with your rich boss to get knocked up on purpose. You’re a gold digger.”
My heart twists painfully, but I swallow back the tears. I don’t even try to argue, there’s no point.
This is the woman who never believed in me, who’s always assumed the worst.
“Thanks for nothing, Mom,” I manage to choke out before hanging up. I stare at the phone, my vision blurred with unshed tears.
What did I expect? A warm, supportive pep talk? I know better than to hope for that.
I press my hand to my belly, feeling the tiny flutter beneath. “I promise, I’ll never be like her,” I whisper fiercely. “You’ll never feel unloved, not for one single second.”
Resolution washes over me. My children won’t grow up with the same bitterness, the same coldness that I experienced. They deserve better, and I’m going to give it to them.
Hours pass, the apartment eerily quiet except for the ticking of a clock.
I’m curled up on the couch, trying to figure out my next move, when my phone rings. It’s Jasmine.
“Tasha! My boss just told me they’re looking for another bartender at the club. You interested?” Her voice is filled with excitement.
I’m paralyzed for a moment. I can’t even imagine myself bartending in a nightclub, all swollen with triplets.
But what choice do I have? I need a job. My savings won’t last long, and I refuse to go crawling back to Brody for money.
“I don’t know, Jaz,” I start, my voice wavering. “I’m a mess right now.”
Jasmine doesn’t let me spiral. “No, don’t do that to yourself. Look, it’s decent money, and you’re in Vegas now. You’re doing this for your babies. You’ve got to do whatever it takes.”
I take a deep breath, the reality of my situation setting in. I made this choice. I came here to stand on my own two feet, to start fresh. “All right,” I say finally, straightening my shoulders. “I’ll meet with him. I’ll do it.”
“Perfect!” Jasmine yelps. “He can see you in an hour. I’ll text you the address.”
I catch a cab to the club, nervously scrolling through cocktail recipes on my phone, trying to memorize the basics. The Strip whizzes by, all flashing lights and glitz, a chaotic assault on the senses.
The cab pulls up to a massive, glittering resort that towers over the street, the marquee flashing with images of shows, slot machines, and half-naked dancers.
Stepping out, my heart pounding, I walk through the resort into the dark, pulsing nightclub. The thumping bass vibrates through my chest as I navigate the maze of velvet ropes and slip past the line of patrons waiting to get in.
The manager, a large, burly guy with a buzz cut and a tight black shirt, greets me in his office. The room is dimly lit, the scent of expensive cologne thick in the air.
He’s clearly all business, asking rapid-fire questions about my bartending experience, and somehow, I manage to keep up.
“All right, I like you,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “You’re hired. Come back tomorrow night for orientation.”
He tosses me a uniform: tight black shorts and a low-cut tank top.
I stare at it, wondering how the hell it’s going to fit when I’m seven months pregnant.
Jasmine finds me as I leave the manager’s office, her smile wide. “Congrats, girl! Let’s get you home.”
The drive back to Jasmine’s apartment is filled with a heavy silence. I can see the worry etched on her face, but she’s trying to play it cool for my sake.
I stare out the window, watching the neon lights blur past. Finally, I break the silence, my voice cracking. “I should’ve come with you in the first place, Jasmine. Maybe if I had, none of this would’ve happened."
Jasmine scoffs, shaking her head. “Tasha, are you crazy? Do you know how many women would kill to sleep with someone who looks like Brody Thorne? You got lucky.”
I let out a bitter laugh, wiping away the tears that won’t stop falling. “Yeah, I’m real lucky. Pregnant with triplets and completely alone.”
“Listen to me.” Jasmine pulls the car over and turns to face me, her eyes fierce. “You’re not alone. I’m here, okay? And those babies in your belly? They’re a blessing, Tasha. They’re going to be so special. You just have to see it.”
I’m not quite ready to believe her, but she grabs my hand and squeezes it. “Everything happens for a reason,” she says softly. “We’re all here for a purpose. Those babies, they’ve got a purpose, Tasha. Maybe you don’t see it now, but you will.”
Her words, as corny as they are, seep into my heart.
For the first time in days, I feel a tiny flicker of hope.
I don’t know what the future holds, but maybe, just maybe, there’s a reason for all of this.