Cold Showers novel Chapter 8

"I was going to stay mad at you forever if you didn't show up tonight." Grace, Jayda's mom smiled before pulling her daughter into a hug.

"Good evening Mom." Jayda chuckled.

"I missed you, Princess" Grace mumbled before she pulled away from the hug.

"Mom, I'm 29." Jayda groaned playfully.

"I'm aware. Even when you're 90 you will still be my little princess." Grace smiled.

"You look different." Her mom commended her.

"Mom, I'm still the same. I think what makes me look different is because the last time you saw me I was an associate and now I'm a partner."

"No, not that. There's this spark in your eyes and I think you've lost a tiny bit of weight. But thank God you're here for the weekend. I will make sure I feed you well."

"Where's Dad?" Jayda asked as she reached for her luggage.

"Your father is in with your brother and nieces," Grace replied as they made their way into the house.

"Aunt Jayda." Two voices screamed and hugged Jayda's legs tightly.

She crouched towards her brother's daughters and showered them with hugs and kisses.

"I missed you guys." She said.

"I missed you too." four-year-old Katie said.

"I lost my front tooth, aunt Jay." five-year-old Olivia announced, showing the evidence that she lost her front tooth.

Jayda drooled over her nieces for a while before saying hi to her Dad, Lucas, her brother and his wife Christine.

They had a sumptuous dinner after which they made a toast to Jayda on becoming a partner of Saunders and Co.

~~

As soon as Jayda walked out of the adjoined bathroom all dressed up for bed, her mom walked into the room with a blanket.

"Thanks, mom." She accepted the blanket and placed it on the bed.

"You're welcome. Debbie told me you haven't been feeling too well lately."

Jayda grumbled and sat on the edge of the bed. "She's my pupil, she is meant to be loyal to me and not run off telling my mom everything that's going on with me. What else did she tell you?"

Grace took a seat beside her daughter. "She didn't tell me anything else. Just that you're sick and you refused to go to the Doctors. So do you mind telling me about it?"

"There is nothing to worry about, mom. I've just been feeling stressed lately but I'll be fine."

Grace intertwined her right hand with her daughter's left ones. "Remember the first thing I told you when I saw you tonight."

"You said I had a spark in my eyes which is very strange because there has been nothing exciting in my life recently. Well, except for my promotion. You also said that I've lost a little weight," Jayda said. Her mom nodded.

"I made your favourite for dinner and you didn't eat much. My eyes were on you all through. It was as if you were forcing yourself to eat the little you ate. And you only had a few sips of your wine. Is there anything I need to know?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.

Jayda was starving as at the time she got to her parents' place but immediately she set her eyes on the food, her appetite went flying out of the window. She knew her mom would not be happy if she said she wasn't hungry so she did her best to eat the little she ate. Even the wine tasted bitter, that was why she didn't drink much.

Grace was a retired nurse. She retired far too early, at the same time her husband, David, stepped down from the family business for their son to take over. They worked their asses off in their prime and decided to retire early to spend time together and travel around the world.

"I've been feeling a bit weird nowadays." She confessed.

Jayda spent the rest of the weekend bonding with her family. She appeared to be fine in front of everyone but when alone, she replayed the conversation she had with her mom.

She couldn't be pregnant. At least not now and most importantly, not for the number one person she hated in the world.

On Sunday evening, after saying goodbye to her parents, brother, sister in -law and nieces, Jayda made her way into her car. She finally gave in to her inner voice, pulled up at a pharmacy to pick up some pregnancy tests, then made her way home.

After getting settled and picking out her work outfit for the next day, Jayda reached for the tests and crashed on the sofa in her bedroom. With her heart beating twice faster, she went over the instructions with shaky hands.

She stared at the tests, thinking about how her life was going to change when she saw the results. It was either for good or for bad.

Reluctantly, she rose to her feet and made her way to the bathroom. She read the instructions one more time and then took the three tests. She placed them on the counter and sat on the edge of the tub.

She fiddled with her necklace and prayed for the results to turn negative. She was truly not ready to become a mother.

After a while, with the remaining strength left in her, Jayda reached for the sticks and took a look at them.

Her heart sank...

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued to stare at the three positive tests she was holding.

"No... No... No... Please no.... No... It was just a one-night thing please...nooooo.." She sobbed. Her legs gave up and she landed on the bathroom floor.

She couldn't believe she was so stupid to let this happen. All her life she had been termed brilliant, smart and intelligent. But she failed to apply common sense by insisting Sebastian wore a condom.

She took some after pills and that kept her wondering what went wrong too. She never knew the passionate night she had with Sebastian would go a long way in affecting her entire life.

Jayda cried and cried until she had no more tears to shed. She sobbed until her head started aching.