CHAPTER 25
Joanna
While I knew Libby had a point in suggesting that I should tell Anderson about my pregnancy sooner rather than later, it was far easier said than done. As the days went by, I still couldn’t work up the nerve. His calls remained unanswered, and my resolve continued to waiver.
“Talk to him,” Libby had said to me one day after she’d returned from work. “He asked me about you today, you know. He’s worried. I can tell.”
“I’ll tell him soon,” I’d said, although I had been saying that for several days already.
The next thing I knew, Sunday evening had arrived and I had Libby’s house to myself. Her cousin had come to town, and the two of them were going out to dinner and catch up with each other.
“You’re welcome to join us,” Libby had offered. “It’ll be fun, and it’ll do you some good to get out the house.”
But I’d turned down the offer, not feeling in the mood to socialize. “I think I’m going to do it tonight,” I told her. “I’m going to call Anderson. Maybe invite him over so that we can talk. Is that all right?”
“Yes!” Libby said. “In fact, I’ll even stay out. I can crash at the hotel with my cousin to give you two some privacy.”
“Thanks, Libby. I owe you big time.”
Yet as the evening wore on, the only call I had succeeded in making was to a Chinese restaurant to order some chicken-fried rice and eggrolls.
It’s still early though, I told myself. I’ll wait until the food gets here, and then invite him over to eat.
I sat on the couch, staring at Family Feud reruns and trying to collect my thoughts. Growing antsy, I began to pace the floor, trying desperately to find the right words to say when I called Anderson.
“Anderson, I’m pregnant,” I practice out loud and then shook my head, knowing I couldn’t spring into such a major confession right from the start. I’d have to work my way up to it.
Besides, I knew that when I called, the first thing he’d want to know was why I’d been ignoring him…
I continued pacing the floor, my mind running wild as I envisioned all the possible scenarios that could happen.
Would he be happy to hear from me, or would he be angry? Would he agree to come see me, or would he demand I just told him over the phone, right then and there, what was wrong with me?
Would he be happy about becoming a father, or would he panic and try to worm his way out of it?
Had he talked to Tobias at all since the gala?
The doorbell rang, catching me off guard and making my heart leap to my throat. I let out a long breath. “Goodness, Joanna, get a grip,” I said to myself. I reached for my wallet and headed to the door, my stomach growling despite the ridiculous amount of ice cream that I’d eaten over the past few days.
“How much?” I said, as I opened the door.
I looked up, stopping dead in my tracks. My blood turned cold and my stomach dropped as if the floor beneath my feet had suddenly disappeared.
I wanted to believe that I was dreaming, and this was only a nightmare that I would wake up from at any moment…
But I already knew that wasn’t the case, and that Zander really was standing there in front of me on the porch, sloppy drunk with a bruise across his left cheek. His eyes were glassy with intoxication, but that didn’t prevent him from sneering, proud to have successfully tracked me down.
“Told you I was coming, didn’t I, love?” he said.
Survival instincts finally kicking in, I quickly moved to slam the door in his face. My mind raced with what I needed to do, like lock the door and call the police…
But even in his state of drunkenness, he was able to react quickly enough to grab the door and force his way inside.
“Did you really think you could get away from me?” he spat, painfully grabbing my arms.
I twisted, panicking and trying to free myself from his grasp. I kicked him in the shin with every ounce of strength I could muster, catching him by surprise.
“You bitch!” he yelled, momentarily releasing my arm.
I turned to run, but his hard and heavy footsteps followed closely behind me. A scream got stuck in my throat.
And just as I reached the edge of the steps, he lunged forward me, sending me crashing down. My body exploded in pain as I landed roughly on the steps, right on my stomach. The wind was knocked right out of me.
“What did I tell you about trying to run from me?” Zander bellowed.