City of Delusion

"Well, Miss... you simply have a cold. Nothing too serious. Just get plenty of rest and drink plenty of liquids."

"Do I get any antibiotics to take? Or anything you'd suggest?"

"Well, I wouldn't suggest you take any medication of any sort. Your child might not take it well. You just need rest."

I laughed, "My child?"

The doctor looked at me. "Yes, did you not know?"

"Know what?"

"You're pregnant. I would say about six months. We were able to conclude that it is possiblyy twins, although we cannot be sure without the proper tests."

I gaped at him. "Is this joke of some sort? Did Joe put you up to this?"

"No, Miss. You are pregnant."

I stared down at my stomach. I'd gained a few pounds, nothing too major. And there'd definitely been no signs of me being pregnant. Could he be telling the truth?

"This isn't something that happens very often, but it is seen in the medical community. There are simply some women who don't know until they go into labor. Because you are having twins, I would suggest you take vitamins. I know you probably haven't been doing this already, so start now..."

After the doctor gave me advice on what to do, I slowly walked out to the waiting room.

Patrick and Joe jumped up upon seeing my blank expression.

"Hey babe, what's wrong?"

I looked in Patrick's eyes, not sure how to say it. He was holding my arm, as if he were afraid I would fall at any moment.

"Joanna, what's wrong?" There was worry in the voice. I didn't recognize it; I was too busy trying to process my thoughts.

"Patrick..."

"Yes?"

"I'm pregnant..."
I looked up into his eyes. He stared back in shock, neither of us knowing what to say.

I woke up from my flashback/dream, unsure about what had happened. After a quick survey of the room, I remembered where I was.

With Patrick.

I sighed and got up, throwing my hair into a ponytail with a random rubber band I found. I walked downstairs, only to see Patrick still sleeping on the couch. Not wanting to wake him, I walked into the kitchen. There didnt seem to be much in the fridge, so I grabbed a bowl of cereal. I was halfway through it when the doorbell rang. I ran to get it, opening the door to see Andy.

"Hi Andy."

Andy peered at me. A mixture of recognition and surprise crossed his face.

"Joanna?"

"Yep."

I stepped to the side and let him in. When we'd closed the door, he hugged me tightly.

"It's been so long," he let me go and smiled. "Are you okay now?"

"I guess..."

"It looks like it," he smirked at my "outfit." I blushed a bit.

"No, no, no."

"Whatever you say." He walked into the living room. "Hey Pat! Why didn't you tell me Joanna was here?"

Patrick groaned and turned over in his sleep, trying to escape Andy's voice. Andy began beating him with a pillow.

"I'm up, I'm up. Damn."

Andy walked back to foyer, producing a bag of food I hadn't noticed before. He smiled sheepishly as he held it up.

"I didn't know you were here, so..."

"It's fine. I ate some cereal."

He and Patrick went into the kitchen and started eating. I decided to explore the house. I went back upstairs, barely hearing the muffled voices of Andy and Patrick as I went. I ventured past Patrick's room, opening the door across from it. Bathroom. I walked down a bit more and found another door. I tried to open it, but it was locked. I walked down some more and found a study. There was one more room at the end of the hall, but it was mostly bare with a few boxes inside. Being curious, I walked over to one of them and opened it. The first thing that stared up at me was a picture in a frame. It was of me and Patrick, both of us smiling from the booth we were sitting in. Next to us, Pete held his thumbs up in victory, Joe made a face and Andy laughed.

"All right. You guys dragged us here for a reason. What's so important that we have to celebrate?"

Pete and Andy stared at us, waiting for a response to Joe's question. Joe already knew, but was simply playing dumb so that Patrick and I could revel in our news. I looked over at Patrick, who grinned back.

"You tell them."

"No, you."

"I insist, Pat."

"Aww... I'll say it," Joe replied, exasperated. Turning to Pate and Andy, he blurted out our news.

"They're pregnant."

Patrick and I beamed at that. Andy and Pete smiled at us.

"Really?" Pete asked in disbelief.

"That's awesome," Andy said, high-fiving Patrick.

"Yeah."

"I get to be an uncle?"

"We all get to be uncles, Pete. Stop trying to be special."

"Woo! Now I'm a dad and an uncle!

"Shut up, Pete."

"Damn, I'd never know you were pregnant. How many months? Two? Three?"

"Try six."

"Whoa. Is that normal?"

"Doctor said that it's a normal condition, although it doesn't happen often."

"Who cares about the technicalities? Let's celebrate!" Joe produced a camera from his pocket and waved down one of the waitresses to take our picture.

"Say cheese."

"Macaroni!"

"Joanna?"

I turned quickly to see Patrick leaning in the doorway. I put the picture back and closed the box.

"Sorry, I was just..."

"It's fine. Just came to say that I'll be here all day. I asked the guys to push recording back to tomorrow or the day after. They agreed."

"Is that why Andy came over? You were going to record?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry... for everything."

If looks could kill, I'm sure I would have died right then and there. As soon as I'd uttered the last word, Patrick had shot me the dirtiest, most murderous look I had ever seen. I gasped at how angry he was.

"I- I-"

"Don't ever say that again," was his only reply before he walked out. I followed him, wondering what I had done to coax this behavior out of him. He went into his room and started rummaging through his drawers.

"Patr-"

He threw a piece of paper at me. "There's your answer."

I picked it up and looked at the words scrawled on it.

Patrick,

I don't know how I could ever make you understand how much I apologize for ruining your life. I know that you just wanted to be with me and I wanted to be with you, but after this, I don't know how I can go on with you. When I look into your eyes, all I see is shame and disappointment on my part. If I could ever relive this again, I would do it in a heartbeat, so that I would be able to give you the happy ending you deserve.

Sorry... for everything.

Love always,
Joanna

"Patrick?"

I looked up to see that Patrick had left. I ran into the hall, just in time to hear the front door slam. I sighed. He'd left.

I was alone in this house, this hellhole of memories for me to find. The warmth it had held the day before was gone.

Damn the world.