Prologue

To say that I was in shock would most likely be an understatement. All I could do was sit there in tears as the doctor stepped out to give me a moment. I felt like she had just told me that the world was about to explode, in fact, I probably also looked like she had. Confusion and fear clouded my mind.

This wasn't possible. It just couldn't be!

The pamphlets in my hand screamed otherwise, and the doctor's words still echoed loudly in my head.

My hand awkwardly hovered over my flat belly and a fresh wave of tears streamed from my eyes. It took me what felt like an eternity to regain my composure; it was like trying to grasp at straws.

When the doctor returned, I could see the concern in her eyes. "Is there anyone I could call for you, Ms. Warren? Will you be alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I said a little too quickly, "I'll just call someone if I need to, thank you."

Hesitantly, the doctor nodded, "Well, you can go as soon as you feel up to it. You have options, ok? Try to just sleep on it and think things over. Just call me if you need to."

"Thank you, Dr. Patrick," I replied shakily, getting up to leave.

The moment I stepped out the door, the tears returned. By the time I reached my car, I was bawling.

When I had decided to make the appointment with my doctor, it was because I had been feeling dizzy. It had started a few weeks earlier, while I was on an extremely crowded bus. I thought my mild case of claustrophobia had suddenly worsened, making it harder to breathe and sending my head spinning. It had only lasted a short while, but it was quite unpleasant. I noticed it a second and third time, both while I was in a crowded elevator. Again, I chalked it up to my claustrophobia.

The fourth time, I was at the mall when it hit me. This time, it was a bit stranger, because, while the mall was fairly crowded that day, it was hardly anything like a crowded elevator or bus. It simply didn't make sense.

The final straw had been just a couple days earlier. I was in the nearly empty hallway at work, when I was struck with the strangest feeling. The dizziness set in, and suddenly, I was hit with a wave of nausea. I knew I looked pale and ill when my friend suddenly became full of concern, asking if I felt alright. Next thing I knew, she quickly lowered me down onto the ground in time for me to faint. It was then that the thought had vaguely crossed my mind, but I dismissed it because I had taken cautionary measures to prevent this very thing.

So how could I be pregnant?

Better yet, how was I going to tell him?

I had a fleeting thought to call my big sister or my best girl friends, but I wasn't sure if I could handle the burning shame I felt at the prospect of telling them the news. Then, I thought about calling the one person who would probably be as shocked as I was.

As though he had read my mind from wherever he was at that moment, my phone began to ring. Of course it was him. I hesitated for a moment before hastily pressing the ignore button.

It felt like my world was ending.

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A/N: Haven't done much writing in a long time, but this is my new pet project. First chapter should be up soon.