5. Chapter 5
Chapter 5
C HAPTER FIVE
RORY
The next month went by in a blur. Luckily, Rylan stayed away but the texts were still a bit much. He was persistent and stubborn. Callie knew everything now and she apologized a million times, blaming herself for not noticing. I didn't blame her though. Rylan was very good at lying. It was how I didn't notice his cheating for three years.
But he was out of the picture now, and it was time to focus on what was important. My club.
"You're looking chipper today," Vivian, my assistant, commented as she stepped into my office.
"Hmm," I mumbled, pouring myself a glass of orange juice.
Club shifts didn't work like normal jobs. Ember’s has very few people come in during the day, usually day drinkers or people who just wanted to get away. I came in to make sure things were running smoothly and the inventory was checked.
But the real job usually started at night.
I had spent the entire day at my desk, in a small office space I set up at the back. The walls were painted a pale-yellow color. I had nothing in it besides my chair, desk, a large cabinet at the far wall, a small freezer and a book shelf. I invested heavily in soundproof walls so the music in the club didn't affect my concentration.
My desk was a mess. Papers and documents were spread out all over it. My laptop was open in front of me and a couple of files lay to the side. I sipped on my orange juice, my gaze on the screen as Vivian took her seat on the chair across from me.
"We just got a new delivery of liquor," she said. "Twenty bottles for the week."
"We ran out early last week and had more people who drink it on wild nights. I don't think twenty bottles is going to be enough," I said.
"I'll let them know."
"How's the whiskey holding up?"
"Pretty well," she answered.
I tapped my chin. "Get a couple more bottles of that too," I said, taking another sip and grimacing immediately.
The orange juice tasted weird in my mouth, almost as if it had gone bad. I glanced at it, frowning. Had I bought expired juice?
I picked up the carton and turned it over, studying the date. The expiry was still a few weeks away. Maybe it had just gone warm. I sighed and set down the empty carton on my desk.
I stood. "I have to go out front to discuss the art of settling bar fights between drunk people with Jake," I said. "Last night was a mess. I can't believe he-"
My stomach churned suddenly. I swallowed, trying to control the wave of nausea that rose in my stomach.
"Are you okay?" Vivian asked, frowning.
"I-"
"Rory?"
I ran over to the small door in a corner of the office, which led to a bathroom and emptied the contents of my stomach in the toilet.
"Rory!" Vivian yelled, rushing over and pulling up my hair.
She rubbed my back, and I retched again, spilling more bile.
"I think you should go home and rest," she said. "I can handle the place."
I shook my head. "I'm fine," I said. "I don't know why-" I heaved and vomited into the bowl again.
"You're clearly not fine," Vivian said, her voice worried. "Come on. Let's get you to the doctor."
"I'm fine," I insisted. "I think the orange juice was bad."
Vivian handed me some toilet paper as I stood. I wiped my mouth and flushed the toilet. My eyes burned and my throat felt scratchy.
Vivian narrowed her eyes at me. She was younger than me, but she had a lot of attitude and sass. It was why I had hired her in the first place. In a club like Ember’s, we faced a lot of drunk customers who tried to take advantage of the fact that we were women. I needed someone who was bold and would be able to fight them off.
"You look like you've been sick for a while," she said.
I raised a brow. "I do?" I asked, glancing at myself in a little mirror set above the sink. "Maybe it's a stomach bug. I've had a few of those before."
"Okay well, I think you should take it easy tonight. I'll explain the art of settling bar fights to Jake," she said. "You go lie down. And maybe eat something healthy for once. I'll see you tomorrow."
She was already pulling me out of the bathroom. I didn't even get the chance to say anything. I watched as she packed my things into my handbag and then handed it to me. "Get home safe," she said, handing me the keys.
I rolled my eyes and let her push me out the door. We stepped into the corridor and headed outside. The club was going to open for the night in about an hour so a lot of staff were running around, trying to get things done. Jake was at the bar, cleaning the counter with a rag. He looked up at us.
"Hey Rory," he called. "What's up?"
"The boss isn't feeling so good tonight," Vivian responded for me. "She's heading home."
Jake's brows furrowed. "Anything serious?"
I smiled and shook my head. "Nah, I'm fine," I said. "I probably just need a nap and some chicken noodle soup. I'll see you guys later," I said.
He nodded. "Take care of yourself."
"Thanks," I turned to Viv. "You're in charge tonight. I want a report of everything that goes on in the club, and if any assholes try anything, call me immediately."
She grinned. "Got it."
I left the club, feeling a bit woozy. My feet carried me all the way to the parking lot where I kept my car. I pulled out onto the road and began to drive. I didn't live far from Ember’s. It was just a fifteen-minute drive and I reached my apartment building. I parked in the parking lot and grabbed my bag and keys.
On the way up, I pulled out my phone and dialed Callie's number. It was a Friday night.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hey, what's up?" I asked. “Are you busy?”
"Well, I'm studying for a test next week," she said.
"Wanna come over?"
"Aren't you working at the club tonight?" she asked.
"I got a stomach bug," I said.
"Oh no," she said. "Is it serious?"
"No, but I need company," I said.
"I'll be right over," she said before hanging up. I smiled at the screen for a moment before unlocking the door to my apartment and stepping in. I was so tired, and all I wanted to do was shower and change.
An hour later, the doorbell rang and I stood, pulling on a black hoodie. I had just showered and put on a pair of pajamas and was in the middle of watching random music videos on the TV. I walked over to the door and opened it. Callie stood there with a smile on her face.
"Hey," I greeted, opening the door wide and letting her walk in.
She walked in with a bounce in her step, holding up two large paper bags. "I got you some chicken soup," she said. "And pasta from your favorite restaurant."
"Aww," I cooed, reaching for the bag and heading to the kitchen. Callie followed after me. "You're the best."
"I know," she said.
We opened up the bags and took out the containers, setting them on the counter. My stomach growled as I stared at the food.
We grabbed the plates and headed out to the living room. There, we set the plates on the coffee table and began to eat. I took a bite of the pasta, closing my eyes as I relished the taste.
"Oh, I love this song," Callie said, sitting down and facing the TV.
I opened up the bowl which had chicken soup in it and sniffed it. The smell made me feel nauseous so I placed the bowl aside. I decided to take a bit of the pasta instead.
All of a sudden, my stomach churned. My body tensed and I pressed a hand to my mouth.
"Are you okay?" Callie asked.
"Bathroom," I mumbled.
I jumped up and ran to the bathroom. I closed the door and knelt over the toilet, puking. Callie burst into the bathroom, her eyes wide with panic. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice high.
I coughed and gagged, throwing up.
She knelt beside me and grabbed my hair, pulling it back. "Do you want me to call a doctor?"
I shook my head. Once my stomach was empty, I sat back and wiped my mouth with a tissue.
"Fine, but at least drink some water."
I rinsed my mouth. Then I opened the door and walked out.
"Is it the food?" Callie asked, staring at her bowl in the living room "It tasted fine to me."
"I don't know," I said. "The orange juice at the club was the same too. I puked the minute I drank it."
"Orange juice?"
"Yeah," I nodded, heading to the living room.
“Damn,” she said. "Are you pregnant or something?"
I froze. Pregnant? No. That was...when was my last period again?
I tried to remember when I had last gotten my period.
Callie gasped. "Oh my God, it was a joke, but are you?"
"I don't know!" I said, panic rising in my chest.
"When was your last period?" she asked.
I snatched my phone from the couch, swiped it open and hurriedly opened my period app. "I’m...late."
Callie's eyes widened. "Are you sure?" she said, heading to my side.
"Yes, yes," I said. "I'm two weeks late."
I looked up at her, my hands trembling. This couldn't be happening. My gaze shifted to the bag of pasta and the container of chicken soup on the coffee table.
"Oh shit," I muttered, sinking down into the couch.
"Okay, don't panic," she said. "I'll head to the store and get you a test...or five, or ten."
She grabbed her purse and before I could say anything else, she was gone.
I laughed at myself in the silence of the apartment. Callie was acting more like the big sister in this situation while I felt like I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
My head fell into my hands and I groaned.
This could not be happening.
A while later, Callie rushed back into the apartment, carrying a bag with her. She shoved it at me. "Take all of them!" she said.
"Okay," I said, picking it up.
She led me to the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
"I'll wait here," she called out.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my hands trembling as I ripped the package open and read the instructions.
It was simple enough. All I had to do was pee on the stick and wait.
I peed, washed my hands, and then placed the stick on the kitchen sink. Then I did the same for the rest.
"How many minutes?" I muttered as I read the pack again. I had to wait for a few minutes for all of them.
I sat on the toilet seat, tapping my foot against the floor. I couldn't be pregnant. What was I going to do with a baby?
A baby.
The thought had never crossed my mind. Not ever.
"Rory?" Callie called from outside.
My heart was racing. I had no idea what I was going to do. "Come in," I said.
She opened up the door, peeking inside. "Are you done?"
"I'm too scared to look."
"Here," she said, extending her hand. "Let me."
She picked up the tests one by one, studying each of them.
"What do they say?"
I saw the moment Callie's body went rigid, the moment her eyes widened. She was looking at one of the sticks.
"Callie?" I whispered.
She handed the stick to me. I stared at it.
Pregnant.
I stood as we stared at the others. All five of them read the same.
"I'm pregnant," I said, laughing. "I'm...pregnant."
Callie nodded. "You're pregnant."
I covered my face, letting the stick fall onto the floor. "I'm going to die."
"You are not going to die," she said, rubbing my arm. "Come on, let's sit down."
We headed out of the bathroom.
"What do you want to do?" she asked. "Do we call Rylan? I know you two aren't talking right now but-"
"Why the hell would I call Rylan?" I asked.
Callie blinked at me. "Is he not the father?"
Rylan and I hadn't had sex since before the breakup and I had my period after that. A cold wave of realization washed over me.
Rylan wasn't the father.
I turned to face the TV screen. They weren't showing music videos anymore. There was an interview going on and I shivered when I saw the men on the screen.
‘No Limit.’
The guys were sitting in a row. In the middle was Raphael, his legs crossed in front of him as he flashed an easy smile at the interviewer. My stomach churned again, my heart pounding.
"So, Raphael, this question particularly is for you," the interviewer said.
"Rory?" Callie called but I ignored her.
"After the release of your upcoming album, what does the future look like for you?" the interviewer continued.
Raphael licked his lips. "Well, that's easy. I just want to keep making music. My focus has always been on creating a connection with people through music. For the foreseeable future, my only focus is doing more of that," he said, his eyes dark. "I'm excited about it."
"Rory? Are you in shock?" Callie asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Raphael," I muttered.
Raphael was the father.