Being in your head is one of the worst things that can happen to a person. You end up seeing faults where there are no faults. You end of convincing yourself that no-one cares, you become very depressed and you can't stop hurting. Those were the things I had to deal with.

There was this sinkhole in my stomach, a very horrible feeling that refused to leave me alone since that dinner two days ago. All my years of insecurity came crashing back. I couldn't stop thinking of the events that led to the feeling. Being seen as a broodmare, a means to an end, an accident, a nuisance.

Everytime I looked at Keith, all I thought was what if he was part of Amanda's big bad plot? What if his niceties was all part of the game? What if I was just a game to him?

I wasn't strong enough to bear knowing that the man that had been so nice to me, the man that made me feel so comfortable around him was just playing with me. I was scared of finding out that he didn't like me, that he still just saw me as one disgusting fat fool that was just a means to an end.

I couldn't count the number of times I cried within those two days. I even hated myself for being such a cry baby. It was so frustrating, knowing that it doesn't take much to make me cry.

I then remembered his compliment. I'd rather watch us go at it than watch an interracial porn. Meaning that he was just setting for what I had to offer not that he was really into me.

Sighing once again, I looked up when Keith came into the sitting room. "Are you okay?" he asked for the third time that morning and as usual, I nodded. He had to travel for something, he must have told me what but I had been too distracted to even know what he said he was traveling for. He left about 30 minutes later and I dragged myself to the kitchen to look for something to eat. Pulling out the frozen chicken in the freezer, I waited for it to thaw instead of just warming it and then went to my room while eating it on the way.

It was roughly two hours after eating the chicken that I felt my stomach turn. I felt nauseous and before I could even understand what was going on, I threw up.

An hour later, what started off as a minor stomach twinge became the most painful stomach discomfort I ever experienced. Apart from the pain, I still vomited like three more times even though I had nothing left in my stomach. My throat felt raw and my body was covered in sweat.

I had to call Avery because no one else came to my mind and by the time he got to the house about two hours later as a result of traffic jam, I was a crying mess.

"Danica! Danica where are you?" I heard him shout from downstairs but I was too weak to even say anything. All I could do was cry and hope I'd lose consciousness because I was in too much pain.

"Shit" he muttered when he came into the room and saw my position.

"Come on let's get you downstairs and into the car." was all he said as he closed my open laptop and picked up my phone and put it in his back pocket before pushing my duvet off me. Helping me out of the bed and helping me put on my flip-flops, he made me leaning into him for support. Midway downstairs, another wave of stomach ache hit me and I just felt like I couldn't move anymore as I burst into fresh tears.

"Come on sweetheart. I can't lift you, so you really really have to try. If I could, we wouldn't still be here. So just try." His words fell on deaf ears. If I could do it, I would have done it but I had to wait until it loosened up a bit before we continued. When we finally got to the car, I threw up again and started apologizing when I heard him whisper oh fuck before throwing up too. I felt horrible. Avery could never stand being around vomit, not because he didn't feel bad for the person but because the disgust of it all also made him vomit too.

The trip to the hospital had been a really long and painful one and I was subjected to all test possible but when they inserted the IV, it didn't even take up to five minutes before I fell asleep.

I woke up to a familiar voice and when I opened my eyes, they met with familiar green eyes.

"I'll call you back later." he said as he disconnected. "Hey you."

"Hi. What are you doing here? You should be in....I can't remember where you said you were going to." I said as my eyes slid close again. I felt so lethargic.

"That's because you weren't paying attention to anything I said—" he replied as he reached for my hand that had the IV."—Your friend Avery called and told me you got admitted so I had to come back. You were asleep when I got here. They gave you something to make you sleep."

I smiled a little but the smile left my face immediately I remembered Avery.

"Avery..."

"Went to drop his car off at the car wash. Something about vomit."

"I...really have to call to apolog..." was all I managed to say before blacking out again. When next I woke up, it was 3:30pm. My stomach ache was almost gone. It wasn't like it was before,

Seeing my phone on the desk, I picked it up and dialled Avery's number and just then, he walked in.

"Hey sicko." he joked lightly and I replied with a small hey.

"I just dialled your number. I'm really sorry for making you throw up and messing up your car." I said and he waved it off, saying it wasn't my fault. I asked him if he'd seen Keith and he said no. When he left to get the bottle of water I had requested, the doctor came in.

"It's good to see you awake and not in pain Mrs James." she said in a friendly voice and I smiled back.

"So from the test results that came in, you have gastroenteritis that is the stomach flu. It's not a big deal but the dehydration that could come with it isn't good for a pregnant woman and her baby. You were dehydrated when you were brought in, that's the essence of the IV you have in now. I suggest you watch out for the things you eat. It can easily affect not just you but your baby and like I already said, the dehydration that comes from the diarrhea and vomiting isn't good for either of you, so I suggest you—" I cut her off.

"Wait.. What? You did not just say pregnant."

"I did. Your urine test came out positive. Because of how severe your pain was we had to take all tests necessary just to be on the safe side. We were surprised to see that little detail and it's a good thing we did find out early because we almost used a medication we're not supposed to give to a pregnant woman."

Oh God. Oh God. Oh no. Shit! It's not possible. There has to be a mistake somewhere. A misdiagnosis of some sort because I cannot be pregnant. It's not even possible.

Those were my thoughts as the doctor rambled in the background. All I heard her say was so you have to be extra careful when it comes to what you put into your mouth and avoid drinking just any water because you're thirsty and cook your meat well. I was lost in my thoughts.

"Are you okay?" she asked as her forehead creased in worry and I nodded numbly.

"You'll be discharged soon. Your symptoms have already improved. Just stay hydrated and watch out for the things you eat and you should be good to go." I nodded again. Just when she was about leaving the room, I asked if she could keep the pregnancy part to herself, just in case Keith asked her what was wrong with me because I wanted to tell him myself and she smiled and said yes before leaving.

I was too numb to even cry as usual. Not wanting to deal with anyone or anything at that moment, I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep when I heard footsteps outside my door. I knew it was Avery by the smell of his cologne. I heard him drop the bottle of water on the table and he left immediately because he thought I was asleep. All I could think about in my mind was how fucked I was. I chuckled darkly when I remembered what my mother in law called me at that dinner two nights ago. Broodmare.

Guess you were right Amanda. I ended up becoming your broodmare after all.