I turned off my phone and closed my eyes.

Could that friend have been Arlene?

I shook the thought away. Impossible. Arlene's married now, I reminded myself, trying to push down the lingering doubts.

A month passed, and I still hadn't found the courage to tell Donovan about the pregnancy. But today, it seemed like my secret was going to come out whether I was ready or not.

I was in the bathroom, hit by another wave of nausea. It was the third time I'd thrown up today. Unfortunately, this time, Donovan barged in, slamming the door open, catching me mid-vomit.

"Clara!" He shouted, gripping my arms tightly, forcing me to face him. "Why are you vomiting?" His voice was already harsh, the fact that he didn't know anything yet.