Page 58 of Wicked Arrangement

“Um, sure,” I reply distractedly, racking my brain and wondering how this could have happened.

“Alright, that’s all booked in for you Kimberly, can I help with anything else,” he asks, oblivious to the fact that I’m about to freak out.

“No, thanks Mr. Green,” I reply, turning and heading toward the exit.

How the hell can I be six weeks late for my contraceptive injection? I always set reminders in my diary. But of course, that was all on my old phone. And with everything that’s been going on it just slipped my mind. It’s at this moment, I realize with dawning horror another thing I’ve missed. My period. I haven’t had one the whole time I’ve been staying with Yaroslav. I’m at least two weeks late.

Is it possible? Could I be pregnant with Yaroslav’s baby?

I need to take a pregnancy test and find out for sure, the sooner the better, but I don’t want to get one here, not from Mr. Green. He might be kind but he’s also rather conservative and a bit of a gossip, everyone would find out in a flash.

As I head outside, hurriedly walking in search of the closest, anonymous CVS, my phone rings. Almost by divine coincidence, it’s the one person I can confide in calling, my closest friend.

“Amelia, I’m so glad you called,” I answer, sounding a little out of breath I’m so flustered.

“Coulda fooled me, I’ve not heard from you in ages, I thought you’d forgotten all about me, now you’ve gotten yourselfa rich boyfriend,” she replies, her tone implying she’s only half joking.

“You’re right, I’ve been a terrible friend. I’m sorry I’ve not been in touch more,” I reply honestly.

“Oh, that’s okay, I’m just teasing. With a man like Yaroslav, I can’t blame you for being distracted. Are you at his house now? What’s it like? Where is it? How are things going with him? Tell me everything,” she asks excitedly.

“Things are… complicated,” I explain, not knowing how much to tell her but desperately wanting my friend’s support.

“Complicated how? What happened?”

I decide not to go into any of the mafia things and stick to the current, easier-to-explain issue at hand. “Well, I just found out that I’m six weeks overdue my contraceptive injection, and two weeks overdue my period,” I admit.

“Oh my god, do you think you’re pregnant?” she asks excitedly.

“I don’t know, I haven’t taken a test yet, but yes, maybe,” I say, the truth finally starting to sink in.

“Well, that’s one way to lock down a rich man, Kimmy!” she says jovially, “What did Yaroslav say?”

“He doesn’t know yet… it wasn’t planned. And I most certainly wasn’t trying to lock him down. It will be up to him how much he wants to be involved,” I say, remembering how he said that, in this eventuality, he’d want full custody.

“You’re not thinking of getting rid of it, are you?”

“No, of course not, I could never do that. But aren’t we getting a bit ahead of ourselves here? I don’t even know for sure if I am pregnant yet,” I say, trying to be the voice of reason, even though the more I think about it the more certain I am.

“Well then, what are you waiting for? Where are you? I’ll come to meet you, and we can take the test together,” she asks.

“Thanks, Amelia, but I think I need to do this alone.”

“Nonsense,” she starts. I don’t hear what else she has to say because it’s at that moment I spot Yaroslav’s sister, Marta, coming out of a nearby store.

“Sorry Amelia, I’ve got to go, I’ll call you soon and tell you how it goes,” I say, hanging up the phone amidst her protests and dashing across the street.

“Marta!” I call out.

I’m not sure why I’m approaching Yaroslav’s estranged sister, but right now, she seems like my best bet to find out more about him and to decide what the hell kind of family I might be bringing a child into.

She turns and her face breaks into a warm smile as I approach her, “Kimberly, what a wonderful surprise. Is Yaroslav with you?” she asks, looking around hopefully.

“No, sorry, it’s just me. How are you?” I ask, praying she isn’t in a rush to be somewhere.

“I’m good, thank you, it’s great to see you again. Would you have time to perhaps grab a coffee somewhere?” she asks, looking at me hopefully.

I try to hide my joy that she just suggested the one thing I was nervous to ask. “I’d love to.”

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