Chapter 32

Mariah

 

“Congratulations,” Matthews says, coming up to me and giving me a hug. Several other people from the office are also giving me their congrats, for closing on the paperwork and finalizing the sale of Wesley’s house.

I still can’t believe I did it, so fast and so well. My dad would be impressed – but I try not to think about him right now.

It’s a whole party, with cake and alcohol and other refreshments. They’ve even set up some decorations, jut for me, and I’m touched.

“Congrats,” Kristy says, but in a sarcastic way, as she raises her eyebrows over at Wesley and comes over to a table where they’ve set up a cake for me.

She’s always hinting that I’m with her or that I want to be – she just doesn’t know how right she is, and I hope it stays that way. She sniffs her nose at the cake, but doesn’t take a piece. I think about jokingly asking her if her strict diet allows for her to have one bite, since it is carrot cake, after all, and carrots are the one thing I’ve ever seen her eat.

I decide not to rile her up with any jokes, though. She’s jealous that I was able to sell the house, and I guess I can’t blame her. She’s still working the reception desk phones and subjected to gross jokes from some of the realtors. Meanwhile, I’m living the dream, selling a house for over a million and a half dollars.

It’s not like it’s my fault – I would hire Kristy if I was in charge, because I think she does a good job and has a lot of gumption. But I’m not in charge, and they haven’t promoted her, so she hates me for it, instead of the Powers That Be.

I don’t really have time to think about any of that, though. I’m busy trying to avoid the flirtatious eyes that Wesley is giving me. If he’s not careful, then soon our cover will be blown. And there is so much on my mind right now that I don’t know if I can deal with any more stress.

Sometimes I feel like Wesley wants us to get caught. I too fantasize about what it would be like to have a normal, out in the open relationship with Wesley, but I can’t help but think of the real world consequences and how it could end up biting us in the ass.

I’ve been grateful for Wesley for providing me with a place to live, and paying all my bills for me. He says it’s just temporary, until I sell the house, and then I’ll be more than capable of standing on my own two feet, although he wants me to keep living with him – and I want that, too.

He has no idea what sort of dilemma my success in selling the house poses for me, though. I still haven’t told him my real reason for wanting to do it in the first place – or who my father is. Not only that, but I haven’t found the courage to ask him or anyone in HR to change the name on my paychecks, so I have no idea how I’m going to cash them, let alone this big commission check that’s about to be coming my way for selling this house.

I’ve been living on my meager checks and tips from the diner, as well as Wesley’s cash and credit cards. He hasn’t seemed to mind – he has plenty to spare – but there’s the little problem of how I’ll ever get to this money that I’ve legitimately earned on my own, without telling him I’ve been keeping this huge secret from him this whole time.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. How in the world did I end up in this situation? By not telling the truth, that’s how. And now, I don’t know how to fix it.

I’m tired of lying to him and I just want to come out with the whole entire truth even though I’m worried about how he’ll react. Suddenly, I feel like I’m about to hurl the piece of celebratory cake I just ate, all over everyone in the world.

What in the world? Maybe there’s something bad about the cake. But no one else looks sick. Maybe I’m getting a stomach bug.

“Excuse me…” I say to Kristy, as I hurry off to the bathroom.

I barely make it to the toilet before I’m throwing up all over the place. I’m not the throwing up type, even when I have a stomach bug. But now, I can’t seem to stop hurling.  Something is definitely out of the ordinary.

I think about the date, and start counting backwards in my head. When is the last time I had my period?

Shit.

I haven’t had it since I met Wesley. And we haven’t exactly been super careful. Sure, during the few times he didn’t use a condom, he pulled out, but I know from health class that it isn’t a surefire method. I used to think they were just trying to scare us when they said that.

But now, as my stomach churns even more, I begin to realize that I might have another secret I’ve been accidentally keeping from Wesley. And it’s because I didn’t even know, myself.

 

 

***

 

I hurry out of the bathroom, hoping I can sneak out of the office without anyone seeing me. I need to go take a pregnancy test, pronto. But, I’m out of luck, because people are gathered in the lobby and see me.

“Oh, there you are, Mariah,” Kristy says, with fake concern in her voice. “Are you okay? You disappeared on us.”

The look on her face says she’d only be too happy if I got sick or died. I’m in the middle of thinking how to answer her when Wesley comes up, carrying two champagne flutes.

“I’ve been waiting for the guest of honor,” he says, with a twinkle in his eyes.

Shhhh, my own eyes implore him. They’re going to know we’re together if you keep doing things like this.

“Here you go,” he says, handing me one of the glasses. “Cheers. To your big sale!”

I look at the clear liquid, knowing I shouldn’t drink it. Plus, my stomach feels queasy at just the thought of it. I have to make up some excuse and get out of here, quickly.

“Thank you, Mr. Drive,” I tell him, doing my best to sound professional. “But I have to leave.”

“Leave?” he asks, looking confused. “The office is throwing you this party…”

“I know,” I tell him, regretfully. “And I’m very thankful. But I’m not feeling very well. I think I ate something bad, and… I also have to go get ready for the closing that’s coming up.”

“Oh, Mariah,” he says, waving a hand dismissively. “I know you’re a hard worker and we appreciate that, but you’ve worked hard enough on this deal, and certainly deserve a little relaxation and celebration before jumping right into the closing. That can wait…”

But I’m already headed out the door, trying to tell everyone else goodbye and thank you on my way. I can tell from the look on everyone’s faces that they’re confused, but I’m propelled by a strange momentum to leave the office and try to figure out what I’m going to do to try to straighten out my convoluted personal life as soon as possible.