4. Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Elsie
March 7 — 9 Weeks 5 Days, Kumquat
N ausea is relentless today, and I want to murder everyone more than usual.
It’s like my doctor’s appointment triggered the symptoms everyone talks about having in their first trimester. Or maybe I was just ignoring the signs. But now, my body is overly sensitive, and my head is achy. However, it’s the inability to keep food down and sensory overload that are killing me.
“Oliver!” I call out from my corner office. “Do we have more ginger ale?”
My overly chipper assistant with fashionable silver hair pops into my doorway with a hesitant expression on his face. “Morning sickness?”
I nod as much as I can without gagging.
“I’m sorry. Pregnancy is a bitch.” He says with all the confidence of a man with three kids already.
Oliver has been with me for the past five years and has become like family.
So, when I came into the office this morning after my doctor’s appointment yesterday, looking distraught and overwhelmed, Oliver dragged the news of my pregnancy out of me, and he’s been fussing ever since.
It’s sweet.
It also makes me want to scream.
“I suspected something when you did not return to the office yesterday and went radio silent. Chandler gave me these ginger chews last night.” He says quickly as he rushes off to his desk. I hear him rustling around before his footsteps announce his return. “They’re supposed to work wonders. Xe got the recommendation during our most recent pregnancy. The first two kids were a breeze. But, of course, the symptoms were awful this last time.”
I try to smile in thanks, but the truth is that every act of kindness and support grates against my belief that I should be able to do this on my own.
That’s what I had planned, after all.
“I don’t know how you did it so young.” I marvel as he hands me a can of ginger ale and a bag full of what looks like candies. “You’re what, 30?”
“Yeah, but it was really our only option, given that xe’s ten years older than me. It needed to happen sooner rather than later.” He shrugs. “I was ready to start a family.”
I crack open the can of ginger ale, taking a few slow sips between deep breaths to calm myself .
“I understand.” I sigh, thinking of my struggles for the past two years. “Biology waits for no one.”
“It was right for us. Our first child was a little bit of a surprise, but I was ecstatic when xe told me the news every time.” Oliver says with a smile before he grows quiet. “When are you going to tell him?”
I sigh, regretting telling him the truth about how I got pregnant versus rolling with the lie of using IUI. “I’m not sure how to.”
“You’ll have to do it sometime.” He says gently. “And soon.”
“I know.” I straighten myself at my desk. “I’ll do it this weekend. I just need some time to wrap my head around the idea.”
“I get that.” He says, a knowing silence growing between us.
“Did you send out the reports for tomorrow’s Board meeting?” I ask, desperate to change the subject.
“Yes. I sent those out this morning. They are in your inbox.” He says.
“Thank you, Oliver,” I say calmly.
“Of course.” He replies with a smile before leaving me to work.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t give less of a fuck about the report for tomorrow’s Board of Directors meeting. I try, I really do. But my eyes just scan the same phrase over and over, still not absorbing anything.
Finally, there’s a knock at my door, and a friendly face appears in the entryway.
Selene Solis de Estrella and I met at The Playground Club about a year and a half ago. We hit it off as friends immediately.
However, it took about three months before I fully learned the extent of her background in technology development. Once I did, I stole her from her former employer and made her my Chief Technology Officer here at Coral Crude .
The petite woman with wavy brown locks and a round body and face, similar to my shorter version, always manages to brighten even my worst days.
They say, “don’t work with friends”, but she’s one of the few people genuinely capable of making me feel anything close to joy.
She’s infectiously cheerful.
“Alright, Se?ora Presidenta, time for lunch.” Madam President. She says, casually strolling into my office. “Otherwise, you’ll get hangry and turn poor Oliver into an ice sculpture with your freaky ice queen magic.”
I scowl. “I’m not an ice queen.”
“You don’t really get a choice in what the staff calls you behind your back, Elsie.” Selene giggles while fiddling with my perfectly arranged bookshelves.
“Do they really call me the ice queen?” I ask, rising to fix the mess she’s made.
“Oh, don’t take it personally. Everyone in the industry thinks of you that way. They’re all terrified of you.” Selene tosses all this out casually before turning to me with a wide grin. “It’s what makes you a badass CEO and why absolutely no one fucks with you.”
Seeing my stricken face, Selene’s victorious smile drops.
“Oh, Presidenta. It’s a good thing!” President . She says in a cheerful tone as she marches over to my pile of bags to grab my purse.
We’ve had this conversation several times now: how the world perceives me as cold and unfeeling. She’s right, though. I can’t help how others see or think of me.
“Plus, you have your friends from The Playground. You don’t need the approval of others.” She continues.
“They’ re club friends.” I protest.
“Yeah. They’re people who get you, have similar values to you, and don’t judge you for who you are.” Selene says reassuringly. “Though, I will say, whatever you and Marshall got up to a few weekends ago? It’s made you... warmer or something. You’re happier when you’re well fucked.”
I scoff, trying to hide my rising panic at the mention of Marshall. “I would hope so.”
“It’s true!” She cries. “Nothing like a good steamy fuck to thaw out the ice queen.”
“No comment.”
“Oh. You’re definitely commenting at lunch. You’ve been holding out on me, and after whatever went down at my engagement party with our fuckboy dragon, Mr. Law? I want the tea .” She says, pushing me out the door in front of her. “So, we’re going to lunch at that steak place with the filet mignon you love, and you’re going to tell me all about your ‘arrangement.’ Right?”
“Fine. But no to the steak. I can’t stand the smell right now.” I acquiesce.
“Okay…” She says, drawing out the vowels. “But you’re paying.”
Her confident strides down the hall leave me hurrying to catch up with her.
“Well, that doesn’t seem fair.” I toss out when I meet her at the elevator.
“Life’s not fair, Presidenta.” She throws over her shoulder as we enter the lift. “It’s your hot gossip tax. And it’s time for you to spill .”
“Fine. But you have to promise to keep this to yourself.” I tell her, but she just rolls her eyes at me. “ I mean it, Selene.”
Her brow furrows, and there’s a moment of silence before she speaks. “Sure. I promise.”
“Thank you.” I sigh in relief.
Selene regales me with a few work-related topics on our drive over to the restaurant, but she mostly tells me about plans for her upcoming wedding. Soon enough, we’re seated at one of our favorite places, but she wastes no time jumping into what she really wants to know once we’ve placed our orders.
“Spill.” She commands, delicately laying her napkin in her lap. “What happened with Marshall?”
I hesitate, not sure how much I want to share with her right now.
I settle on a partial truth. “We slept together. That’s all.”
“Nope.” She scolds as the waiter places our starter salads before us. “No holding out on me. I want the full details.”
Forking a bunch of lettuce and shoving it in my mouth, I ignore her question for a minute .
“Elsie,” Selene says, warning in her tone.
I slowly chew, and when I’m done, I take a sip of water.
Folding my hands in my lap, I look at her.
“I’m pregnant,” I state.
“What? Oh! Congratulations!” She exclaims. “The last round of IUI worked?”
“Not quite…” I take a deep breath. “The weekend of your party…”
“Oh. My. Goddess.” She gasps. “Marshall?”
I nod and reach for my fork to take another bite.
“Have you told him yet?” Selene asks.
“Not yet,” I mumble around a bite of salmon.
“Shit. He’s like, what? 29?” She says with a heavy sigh. “How do you think he’ll react?”
“That’s the problem… I don’t know how he’s going to react.” I put down my fork. “But no matter what happens, I’m prepared to have this baby and raise them. Whether he wants to be involved or not.”
“Well, whatever happens, Gunnar and I are here to support you.” She goes quiet and then smiles at me. “I’m happy for you, Elsie. You’re going to be a fantastic mother.”
“Thank you,” I reply with a grin.
“Now, chow down. You’re eating for two!”