Healing (Discontinued)

c h a p t e r • 21

Dinner with the family could only have been described as absolutely chaotic, especially with my friends there. So many better and organised outcomes could've resulted from the news but no, everyone just decided to make all the bad mistakes during that hour. Needless to say, I regret everything.

Come to think of it, walking through the door of my old house almost tearing up in front of everyone at the sight of our dog, DJ, should've been an obvious sign this trip back home wasn't going to go as smooth as I had hoped. I went to my room and cried silently after seeing DJ. As if that wasn't already a bad start, I left the picture of my ultrasound back at my dorm so, I had no proof whatsoever to my parents, that I was, indeed, pregnant. Thankfully, Ryder kept his copy in his wallet — which by the way, made me feel all sorts of unexplainable emotions.

6pm rolled around and most of the friends and family were already here. Keyword; most. Ryder's motorbike was apparently faulty and he almost got into an accident. He didn't explain the details but he showed up to dinner looking all bruised and battered. By then, I was already panicking because Ryder had been late — which is something I should already have been used to — but he texted me, telling me he'll come over earlier than the rest to help calm my nerves. His excuse was that stressing out was bad for the baby.

Either way, everyone was seated on the dinner table not long after — Kyle was starving and moody — as the waiters started to bring in the food. My friends and family chatted amongst each other as they ate, while my nerves were going haywire, trying to find the perfect time to announce the news as Ryder held my hand throughout this nerve racking experience.

Dessert time rolled around and as my dad mentioned my lack of participation in the conversation, I was already to tired to even function that I didn't even comprehend the words that rolled out of my tongue and echoed throughout the house.

"Pregnancy makes you act all sorts of ways."

The entire table went dead silent, and the only thing that made me realise what I had just said or done, was the slight squeeze I felt on my hand. There was no turning back, now, the cat was out of the bag, I couldn't alter time but I could confront this. Confront your problems not run away from it.

"I was wondering when you were going to announce it. Honestly, if you still hadn't said anything by the end of the dinner, I had this slideshow —" Kyle was cut off abruptly by an astounded dad.

"Lili, you're joking, right? That was a joke — how are you—" His eyes travel towards Ryder then stopped in realisation; that's when it all went wrong.

He stood up in shock, his chair falling behind him and accidentally knocking off one of the maids who was carrying a tray of fancy ice cream, that had splattered all over the expensive carpet. Dad panicked even more and apologised, mixing up his words as he stammered.

"Shit — my apologies. Oh, Ella, your carpet is pregnant— I mean, damaged. Your carpet— God, why is no one else reacting to this!" He exclaimed exasperatedly.

The chorus of 'we know' echoing on the dinner table filled me with so much shock, especially that mom and Mrs. Ryder had also found out. Mr. Ryder looked the most confused I've ever seen him. He had a frown on his face, one of confusion instead of anger — thank God.

"Mom! I told you not to tell anyone!" Kyle whisper-yelled to mom who guiltily shrugged in return.

What made everything worse, honestly, was when Ryder was taking out the ultrasound picture but a condom popped out along with it, causing a loud silence in the room, once again. Except this time, even I was silent and had no idea what to say. Ryder tried to play it off by fake coughing and grabbing the condom, stuffing it in his wallet as he tried to revert everyone's attention to the ultrasound picture.