Page 15 of Savage Redemption

“Prove what?”

I spin around. My dad’s in the open doorway, a quizzical expression on his handsome features. He advances on us and slings a casual arm around Eva’s shoulders. “What do we need to prove?”

Eva looks to me and mouths ‘we love you’.

I crumble. The tension and fear of the last few weeks, the last few years, overwhelms me. My knees buckle, and my dad has to dart forward to catch me.

“What the…?” He sinks onto a sofa, taking me with him. “What’s happened? Are you ill?”

I shake my head, sobbing. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay. Whatever it is, we can fix it.” He rubs slow, soothing circles between my shoulder blades, just like he alwaysused to when I was little. When I fell off my bike, or my pet chicken died.

Eva perches beside us, but she remains silent. She leaves it to me to tell him.

“I’m pregnant,” I wail. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it…”

“I know,” he murmurs. “I know, it’s all right.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You know? How do you know? Did Eva…?”

“No, I suspected. I heard you throwing up. And you suddenly didn’t like coffee.”

“What?”

“Not much by way of evidence, I admit. But I suspected. So, I was right?”

I can only nod. “Are you angry?”

“Disappointed that you took this long to tell me, perhaps. But not angry. And now it’s out in the open, we can decide what to do. Together.”

“D-do you want me to have a termination?”

“That’s one option, I guess. It’s not too late.”

“I could have it adopted. Like I was.”

He furrows his brow. “Not a choice I’d favour. This is entirely different. You have a family who love you, who’ll be alongside you whatever you do. If you want to terminate the pregnancy, you can do that. We’ll understand. Or if you want to keep your baby, you can do that Your choice, sweetheart.”

“I…I need to think.”

“Then do just that. Take your time. Meanwhile, can I arrange for you to see a doctor?”

“A doctor? Why?”

“To make sure you’re okay. And it might help to talk to someone else, a professional.”

I nod and sniffle. Seeing a doctor is no big deal. “All right, I can do that.”

By the timeEva and I arrive at the clinic I’ve made up my mind. It was a no-brainer really. I never wanted the termination, and when the doctor suggests it, I politely decline her offer. “I’m keeping it.”

Eva squeezes my hand by way of encouragement.

Doctor Murgatroyd unleashes her stethoscope. “I see. Right. Let’s have a look at you, then.”

The next sixmonths or so pass in something of a blur. Mine is a trouble-free pregnancy. I enjoy rude good health throughout, eventually giving birth to an eight-and-a-half-pound baby girl.

“Ooh, she’s the very spit of your father,” croons the midwife. “Look at those dark eyes and her lovely thick hair.”

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