Rhapsody (Part 2 of Medley).

96: LIFE IS A ROLLERCOASTER.

Jasmine's voice on the other end of the line sounds raspier than normal and her uneven breathing (that she's evidently still fighting to control) tell me she's been crying for quite some time before she picked up the phone and dialed my number.

Was she working up the courage to call me and deliver bad news?

I want to think she just got into an argument with Kai and she's calling for advice or emotional support. But the mention of my father's name confirms it can't be that.

What should my father have called to tell me?

"They haven't told you yet?" Jasmine said.

Who is 'they'?

My mind goes to a dark place right away. And the name that I'm afraid to say out loud is my brother's. I know my father is okay because she said he should have called me, so my fatalist nature automatically assumes something is wrong with Stefan.

I can't have something bad happen the day after the happiest day of my life

"Jazz, I'll be there in a few hours, okay?"

After explaining, she's too distressed to hear me through the tears, so I speak loudly and slowly to make myself clear.

When I tell Harry, he asks me to wait until after his show so he can come with me since he has a day off tomorrow, but I convince him to join me there in the morning. I persuade him by calling my doctor in Baltimore and setting an appointment to confirm the pregnancy. He wants to be there for every important doctor's appointment and none more so than the first one.

"Are you okay? Will you be alright? I don't want you to worry about anything, no matter how big or small." Harry says during our goodbyes before I leave for the airport.

"I'm... okay. I just need to digest things, that's all. But no one is dead or injured, so I'll be fine. I promise."

"Mmkay. Just don't let anyone or anything stress you out, you hear me? Take good care of our girl and I'll see you tomorrow."

He kisses the top of my head and hugs me tightly.

"What makes you so convinced we're having a girl?"

"I just know."

Harry shrugs his shoulders while I walk away and blow him a kiss.

On the plane, I have time to think about what the news that Jasmine dropped on me like a bomb mean. How will that affect my life? How will it affect theirs? Is it a bad or a good thing? Do I even have a right to have an opinion? Why is it so hard for Jazz to accept it? Am I for or against it?

In those five hours, I make up my mind.

As that Ronan Keating song says:

"Life is a rollercoaster
Just gotta ride it."

I don't know all the details yet, but what I do know is that I have to talk to my father first and hear it from him. Jasmine's determination to close herself off to anyone looking to make her see things differently will interfere with my own feelings. She's being extremely emotional about it while I try to remain logical.

"H- hi- hiiii Emi!"

My dad's panicked expression when he sees me walking through the kitchen door is priceless.

"Hi, dad!" I reply naturally.

I'm already enjoying his reaction, but I don't want him to be scared of talking to me later.

With the time difference from coast to coast and the five-hour flight, I catch him in the middle of making dinner.

"I wasn't expecting you to visit for a few more weeks..."