Her words mean so much to me I almost choke up, but then I remember why we're there. "Where is she?"
"They ran away," Angela mutters. "I don't know where. But I'm warning you now, Dexter Booth. You don't get to break that girl's heart. And you'd better take care of the kid if it isn't gone already."
"What?" I grunt. "The fuck are you talking about?"
Her words wake up Oakes too, and he grabs her, demanding, "What kid?"
"You don't know?" Angela smiles blissfully with the knowledge none of us have. "Your precious Pandora is pregnant. Congratulations, Dexter Booth. You'll be a daddy soon enough."
7
Pandora
"Are you sure this is the right address?" I ask again.
We stand in front of a huge holiday home. It's utterly secluded—in fact, the cab driver refused to take us all the way up here and stopped at the caretaker's cottage a mile away from it. After the long trek uphill to reach the cottage, I'm freaking exhausted, and the last thing I need is for Alli to tell me she made a mistake and we're at the wrong place.
"This is it." She smiles as she heads to the porch, lifting up a flower pot and producing a key out of nowhere. "Oh, good. The key was hidden in the same place."
I furrow my brows. Did she actually bring me here without knowing whether the key would be there?
"What is this place?" I wonder out loud as she unlocks the heavy front door, decorated with stained glass like you'd see in a church.
"It belonged to my father," Alli explains. "I don't think my... uncle uses it at all. We came here a lot when I was a kid. It hasn't been in use since."
We enter the house. The furniture is covered in white sheets and the place looks deserted. I cough when Alli pulls a sheet off the couch, sending dust flying into the air.
"It'll need a good scrub and clean," she goes on. "But we'll be safe here. No one will think to look for us in this place."
I don't know whether that's comforting or scary, but I nod my approval anyway. I help Alli remove the rest of the sheets from the furniture. The place is actually quite okay—a little outdated, but nice enough.
"There's a caretaker, too," she says. "Although I think he hasn't been in here. But he took care of the property, and he still lives in that shed we passed. We can get anything we need from him."
"Great," I mutter, groaning when I feel another cramp in my stomach. "Fuck."
"Sit down." Alli makes me sit on the floral couch. "I'll try to get the generator going so we'll have water and electricity."
I nod, watching her leave the room and feeling utterly miserable.
Did I really do the right thing when I left Eden Falls?
I can't stop the thought from entering my mind. I keep wondering whether I should have left in the first place. Not my mother's home—I knew I had to leave that place, knowing what she had tried to do. But Father wouldn't have tried to make me lose the baby. He'd be proud. He'd place me on the highest of pedestals and the baby wouldn't be in danger.
But by abandoning ship, I risked the baby's life. And if it hadn't been for Alli's quick, smart reactions, I wouldn't be pregnant anymore.
We saw a doctor in Stormcliff, who confirmed with an ultrasound the baby was unharmed. It was also the first time I finally saw the little bean in my uterus, confirming what I knew already—I was pregnant, and in a few short months, I'd be a mother myself.
"Thanks." I gratefully accept the glass of cold water from Alli and take long, deep gulps of the liquid. The water clears my head, leaving behind a determination to make things right, and return to Eden Falls and my Father. "I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Go ahead." Alli sits down on the couch cross-legged, pulling a pillow into her lap and beaming at me.
"I want to go back home." I watch her face for a reaction, but her smile remains frozen on her face. "I need to tell Dex what's happening. I need to go back to my father and tell him what Mother tried to do. I need to be somewhere where I can... work on my life."
"And you think going back to your father's house will accomplish that?" Alli's question sends a pang of guilt through me.
"Well, I can still be independent," I try to defend myself.
"In Eden Falls?" She laughs out loud. "Yeah, good luck with that."
I watch in disbelief as she stands up and walks over to the window. She opens the floral curtains and light spills into the dusty room. "No, no, I don't think that's a wise decision at all, my dear Pandora. I think you should stay right where you are and figure out your life, not run back home with your tail between your legs."
"Well..." I bite my lower lip. "Dex would be happy to see me."
"You mean your murderous ex?" she asks, shaking her head. "I don't think so."
"He's not a murderer," I mutter, remembering the newspaper headlines we saw on our way through the Eden Falls train station. Dex has been discharged.
"Just because they don't have enough evidence doesn't mean he didn't kill that Lai guy," Alli insists. "Is that really the kind of person you want in your baby's life?"
"He's the father," I murmur.
"Is he though?" Alli cocks her head to the side before sighing and sitting on the sofa next to me. She pats my knee. "Didn't you tell me yourself he might not be the father? That you have no idea who it is? That there are freaking four other guys who could've fathered this kid?"
"I..." I chew my bottom lip, burning up with shame. "I hope it's Dexter's..."
"Well, hoping for something doesn't change the facts." She smiles patronizingly at me. "Stay here with me, Pandora. I'll help you figure everything out."
"But I could just explain to Dex that-"
"You fucked all those guys and one of them may have knocked you up?" She shakes her head. "And how do you think he'll take that, Pandora? Murderer or not, this Dex guy is volatile and dangerous."
I'm rendered speechless, and I stare at my hands folded on my lap without replying.
"I'm here for you, P," Alli says. "I'm the only one you have now. The only person you can trust. You can't even trust yourself, can you? You get all these silly little ideas in your head. You need me to tell you why they don't work, don't you?"
I shrug noncommittally, and Alli squeezes my hand again.
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. And I know you feel like you owe me from protecting your baby. So do this for me. Stay here and let's make sure you give birth without Eden Falls watching every fucking contraction. Stay with me and let me take care of you, so nobody can hurt you or this baby." She puts her hand on my stomach with a sweet smile. "That's all I care about, P. You and this baby. Making sure you're both okay. Then you can go back, I promise."
I look up into her eyes, finding myself nodding just to shut her up. She's annoying me, but I can't disagree with her. And she's been right in the past, so I really should listen to her advice and just do as she says.
"Alright," I finally manage. "We can stay here for a while."
Alli claps her hand with excitement, but I hold a hand up, not quite done with what I wanted to say.
"As long as there's a doctor in the area that will make sure everything's okay."
"Oh, there is." She beams. "There's a doctor in a town close by, and he even does home visits."
"Great," I reply. "Although I have no problem going into town. I'd appreciate the social aspect." I laugh nervously, hoping I haven't offended her. As wonderful as Alli is, I'm sure we'd drive each other crazy in this house with only each other for company for months.
"Really?" She cocks her head to the side, shrugging. "Well, whatever you want."
"Wait." I tug on her sleeve when she tries to get up. "You don't think I should see a doctor?"
"Of course I do." She pats my hand. "I just think you should take advantage of the home visits. I mean... You don't want someone in Eden Falls recognizing you, do you? They'd tell Dex—and everyone else. Your father. All the other guys. And no offense, but you're already showing a bit. If you start appearing all over t
own with a huge belly, everyone will find out. Is that really the best? For them to find out through someone else?"
"I guess not."
"No, it isn't. So let's do the home visits. I'll make the caretaker get us everything from town. And I'll have the doctor come by every two weeks."
"But..." I glance at her. "How will we pay for all that?"
"I have a few tricks up my sleeve," she winks.
"But we don't have any money."
"We don't need money." She spreads her legs, making me flush when I realize she isn't wearing any underwear. "Why else would God bless us with these?"
I'm so shocked I can't even manage an answer. I'm not sure I should assume, but I can't help it—is she paying the doctor the old fashioned way?
"You'd really do that for me?" I ask before I can stop myself.
"For you and the baby," she nods gravely. "I love him already. And I just know it's going to be a boy." She grins.
"I love you, Alli," I mutter, taking her hand in mine. "Thank you for everything. Seriously. What would I do without you?"
"Be very very lost," she laughs. "It's okay. I'm here for you."
She sets off to the caretaker's cottage, making me wonder whether she'll use the same powers of persuasion on him as well, to make sure we have groceries.
I'm so lucky Alli came into my life.
Without her, I'd be totally lost.
"Where are you going?"
I turn over my shoulder, my hand lingering above the door handle. "Oh, hey, Alli. I was just taking the trash out."
"No." She practically runs toward me and wrestles the trash bag out of my hands. "You need to rest. I'll take this out. Don't worry."
She pushes past me out into the cold, and I bite my lower lip before walking over to the sofa. I sit back down, telling myself it's nothing.
Alli just wants to help. She doesn't have an ulterior motive. Why would she? She didn't even know me until a few months ago. She's my best friend. The only person I can trust completely. Sometimes even more than myself.
She wouldn't keep me cooped up in this house on purpose. She's just doing this to protect me and the baby.
I tell myself it's nothing. I glance through the window and see her outside, stuffing the trash can. I barely get a minute to myself these days. Alli goes out once weekly to get groceries from the caretaker, and my next doctor visit is fast approaching. I'm planning on doing some research while Alli's gone. And just as it happens, her weekly trip that takes all of forty-five minutes is scheduled for tonight.
For the rest of the evening, I keep up pretenses, and wave Alli off when she leaves. But the moment she rounds the corner, I'm back on my feet.
There are a few bedrooms in the house, and Alli and I have each got one. She doesn't like it when I come into her room, which has left me suspicious. But tonight's my chance. I can see what she's trying to hide so much. Why she always flinches when I appear in her door frame.
I think of her leaving with her basket tote and me waving her off.
She'd feel so betrayed if she knew what I was doing. But I can't help it. I need answers.
Minutes later, I'm digging through her room. I look under the mattress, under the bed. I check all her drawers. In the end, I find my answer hidden in plain sight.
I'm assuming there are three sizes of them, each labeled with a trimester. The first and third are there. The second one is missing.
I stare at the fake pregnancy bellies in disbelief. Why the hell does Alli have these? What could she possibly need them for?
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
I startle at the sound, then turn around to face Alli.
She's dressed just as before, still holding the wicker basket. But now her hand is resting on her stomach. Her belly has expanded in size. It looks just like mine.
"What the fuck?" I hiss. "I should ask you the same thing."
Her lips thin out as she wordlessly puts her basket down. She closes the door and turns the key in the lock.
"Oh my God," I whisper. "Please tell me there's a reasonable explanation for all this, Alli."
Her back is turned to me. I watch her shrug off her jacket and get the belly off. When she faces me again, her face is a picture of innocence.
"Of course there is, silly," she grins. "I've been wearing these so nobody suspects you're up here with me. Don't you think people would get suspicious if I started buying baby formula and didn't look pregnant at all? Everyone knows everyone in Eden Falls, you told me that yourself, P. We can't risk the guys finding out about you. They'd take the baby from you."
I want to believe her so much, but something in her story doesn't quite add up. I feel sick to my stomach as I follow her with my eyes.
"But you shouldn't go through my stuff, Pandora. I don't do that to you either," she says firmly.
Because I tell you everything like a naive fool, I think. Because I don't keep filthy little secrets. And you just might be doing that...
"Of course," I reply with a smile. "I'm sorry, it must be the hormones. I'm going crazy."
"Understandable." She smiles coolly.
"So, are you going to get the food?"
"I'll go when you're sleeping," she replies. "Wouldn't want those hormones kicking in again. You need supervision. And I'm here to help. Anything you need."
She pulls me in for a hug. Her nails dig into my back.
"Anything for that baby," she whispers in my ear. Her words send a shiver down my spine.
8
Pandora
"But at the beginning, you said a doctor would come by every two weeks."
"God, P, you're really starting to whine a whole lot." Alli sighs and places a bowl of oatmeal on the table for me. "I told you, the guy is busy with appointments in town."
I stare at the bowl, my appetite waning.
"Maybe we should go into town then." She looks like she's about to speak up, but I hold up a palm to stop her. "Please, I know what you're going to say. But I need a proper medical exam. I need to know the baby's okay, and nothing bad's going to happen. I'm getting paranoid. Think of the baby's safety."
"Fine," she hisses, rolling her eyes. "I'll call the office. I'll get him to come by this week."
I knit my brows together. "Your phone works here?"
"The caretaker’s phone does work, he's a little lower in altitude than us," she replies smoothly after a barely detectable pause. "I told you, there's no service up here."
And I believed her. That is, until I traced the wire for the home phone and found it had been snapped in two.
"Of course," I smile stiffly. "Let me know when he's coming. I have a lot of questions."
"Just ask me, P." She smiles wide, motioning to the pile of baby books she's been studying non stop. You'd think she's the one giving birth, not me.
"But you're not a doctor."
Her smile fades instantly. "And you're not the first mother in the world."
"Well," I shrug. "I am about to be one, though. And you aren't."
She seems pissed off, but she just smirks and heads into the other room.
I groan, palming my growing belly. We've been stuck here for a month now, and I'm getting more and more symptoms from the pregnancy. Whoever said this was a wonderful, magical time, was either lying or severely delusional. For me, it's been nothing but all-day sickness, swollen ankles and awful fatigue.
I guess in some ways I am lucky I have Alli. But then why do I keep feeling like a prisoner in this house? And why does she control everything? She even has me tracking my water intake, and she brought me natal vitamins, for God's sake. All acts that could be perceived as sweet and caring, but she somehow makes them seem the opposite of that.
When I met Alli, I was so desperate for an emotional connection, for a friend, I didn't see any of the red flags.
But the more time I spend in her company, the more I'm noticing all the subtle little things that seem... off with her.
Later that evening, she
triumphantly tells me the doctor is coming the next day. I'm relieved. I tell myself I'm being paranoid. She's not a bad person, she's just doing what she thinks is best for me and the baby.
She does really care about the baby.
Sometimes... almost too much.
We're sitting at the dining table that night and digging into the dinner she's prepared for us. That's when she brings it up.
"I was hoping you could sign something tonight." She takes a sip of her juice and gives me an expectant look.
"Oh? Sign something?"
"It's just a simple will," she waves her hand dismissively.
"A will?" I knit my brows together. "Why on earth would I need a will?"
"What if you die in childbirth?" she contests.
I laugh. "I'm sure I'll be fine."
"These things happen." She shrugs. "All I'm saying is, God forbid something happens, you need to be sure your baby's taken care of. If you died, it would go to the father. You really want this kid growing up with one of those guys? Three perverted fucks, one dead guy—so fuck knows who'd get him then—and one murderer."
"Dex isn't a murderer," I hiss for what feels like the millionth time.
"Sure, P," she rolls her eyes. "You keep telling yourself that..."
"You don't even know him." My voice is dripping with ice. "You've never met Dex."
"So? The facts don't lie."
"He didn't kill Lai."
"Then who did?" She challenges me with her stare, but I hold her gaze defiantly.
"Maybe it was my father," I offer.
"Doubt it."
"What about one of the other guys?"
"They'd never hurt Lai," she huffs.
"You don't know them," I remind her again. "You don't know any of these people."
She just stares at me with that infuriating smile plastered on her face. If she wasn't so hearstoppingly pretty, her face would almost look frightening with that expression.
I throw my paper napkin on the table as I get up and mutter, "I'm going to sleep."
A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Elite of Eden Falls Prep Book 4) Page 5