"The exact same reaction your sister had, I expected you girls to be surprised, not petrified." She laughed.

"I didn't know you were coming mom."

"That's why it's a surprise P." She shook her head in an exasperated manner. I smiled and approached her, hugging her tightly and inhaling the familiar scent of cinnamon and vanilla.

"I've missed you mom." I exhaled.

"I've missed you more baby." We pulled apart. She studied my face closely and smiled. Her expression suddenly changed and she crossed her arms over her chest, staring at Cece and I pointedly, "Now what secret are you both hiding?"

"Secret?" I laughed, "what secret? There's no secret, right Cece?"

"None at all. We love the surprise mom but you should have called. We would have come pick you up from the airpot. What if you got lost or something?" Cece continued and mom took a seat on the long couch before lifting her hands up dismissively.

"Calling would have ruined the surprise. It shouldn't be much of a surprise anyway. I did tell you girls I'd be coming. And I managed, finding my way well on my own, didn't I?"

"You did." Cece smiled and perched on the arm of the couch.

"How's dad? And how was your flight?" I sat next to mom.

"Your father is fine. He misses you both a lot but someone needs to hold down the forte over there. He's really into gardening these days or at least he thinks he is. In my opinion, he's just making a mess of our entire frontyard. Anyway, my flight was good, no turbulence and I slept through most of it." She stretched a bit. I laughed imagining dad mixing dirt and planting flowers around.

"How is work P? I hope you don't run into that ex of yours often?" She frowned at the last part.

"Barely even see him," I chuckled indifferently. Cece started clearing her throat and I viciously glared at her over mom's head.

"That's good." She nodded then mistily smiled at both of us. "Look at my two babies, all grown up. You have both been through a lot and I'm so happy to see smiles on your faces."

Mom gestured to Cece who shifted from her position, till she was next to mom and side hugged her. Mom put her other arm around me as well and I enjoyed the comfort of my mother's hug while also thinking of the fairly big secret(s) I was keeping from her. She would sooner or later discover but later was best.

"She can't know I'm pregnant, not yet! And she certainly can't know I was working directly under Will until two days ago or that he's the father!" I whisper yelled to Cece minutes later in the privacy of my room.

"She's definitely going to find out P, she's not a dunce!" She whisper yelled back.

"What are you two in here whispering about?"

Our heads simultaneously turned to the door to see mom standing hands akimbo. "Nothing." We answered simultaneously.

"The food's getting cold, we should eat." Cece said.

"Yes, let's eat please." I smiled. Mom gave us one last doubtful look before proceeding to the dining table. We followed behind her. This was going to be a long visit.

The next morning I was throwing up my insides, at the smell of eggs, down the toilet. I sat back in a hunched position and sighed. Pregnancy was crazy. Cecile and mom were currently in the kitchen dealing with breakfast and setting the table. I really believed I could keep this from mom for the rest of the time she'd be around. My belly wasn't showing yet afterall. Cece thought I was crazy.

I flushed the toilet, washed and rinsed my face and mouth before exiting the bathroom and joining them at the table.

"Are you okay P? Your face is all red." Mom asked.

"I am." I nodded pulling my hair back and sitting next to Cece. "The air is really humid this morning."

"Okay. Here, have some eggs." She scooped eggs unto my plate and a sudden wave of nausea hit me. I closed my eyes and breathed out.

"Thank you mom but I don't want any eggs today." I shook my head.

"What? But you love scrambled eggs."

"I'm fine with just toast and sausages." I passed my plate to Cece and focused on the sausages instead.

"It's understandable," she said, "pregnancy tends to make you lose taste for even your favourite foods."

"I mean, I can't even stand the smell of-" Cece's leg kicked mine underneath the table and my eyes widened in realisation. "P-pregnant women?" I backtracked gulping.

"Did you forget I was a midwife before I had you girls?" she dropped her cutlery, "I know morning sickness when I see it. Did you really think you could hide it from me?" Her eyes stared at me incredulously.

"I told you so." Cece whispered from beside me but I couldn't respond being under mom's intense scrutiny.

"Now can you tell me why on earth you are knocked up without a ring on your finger or a partner in sight?"

"Mom, please."

"Don't you mom me," she warned sternly, "who and where is the father? It didn't work out? Was it a one night stand? Explain it to me Ophelia."

I turned to Cece for help but she only shook her head sympathetically. I was twenty seven, pregnant and at the mercy of my mother's glare.

"The father is..."

"Is who?" She pressed adamantly.

"...William." I deflated.

"William?" Her face first scrunched up in confusion then in the next moment, her eyes widened in recognition, "that William? The ex who is your boss? The one you don't see often?" She fired and I quietly nodded.

She sighed deeply, "well, where is he then?"

"It's complicated."

"Dear God. You two will be the death of me." She pushed her chair back and stood up.

"I'm twenty seven mom, is it so bad that I got pregnant?"

"Exactly Ophelia, you're twenty seven not seventeen. You're not a teenager anymore. I thought you would be smarter at this age!" Shaking her head, she left.

Tears brimmed my eyes.

"I'll go talk to her. She's just confused and worried." Cece stood as well and I dejectedly nodded. This was so not how I planned for the day to go.

By noon, mom was officially giving me the cold shoulder but Cece assured me she'd eventually come around. I knew she would but her reaction still hurt. The door bell rang but my mind, far away, hardly took note of the noise and actions that followed till mom's loud words broke my reverie.

"Ah, the baby father is finally here."

My eyes flew open seeing a confused looking Will standing on the other side of the door while my mom stood, staring at him expectantly. I hastily reached the door. Will's eyes immediately washed over me and stopped short on my belly.

"B-baby f-father?" He stuttered.

"He doesn't know you're pregnant?" Mom turned to me, surprise and indignation clear on her face.

"I told you it was complicated mom!" I shot at her.

"What the hell is complicated about it if he doesn't even know you're pregnant Ophelia?" She shot back.

"Mom, stop it." I gritted my teeth.

"Cecile! Get your bag we are going out!" She yelled ignoring me.

Cecile appeared a minute later but paused and looking at us, knew the current situation wasn't good. Mom was first to leave and Cece followed behind, leaving only Will and I in the apartment.

"You're pregnant?" William still seemed to be in shock. I would be too.

"I can't do this, not today either." I shook my head.

"You weren't going to tell me?" He frowned and my eyes frosted over.

"I was going to tell you, you jerk! I was going to tell you that night before you started spewing all that nonsense about everything being a mistake. Do you even know how that made me feel?

There I was, considering-" I stopped, noticing my voice going shaky. "Look Will, I'm exhausted right now. I vomit every morning, I can't stand the smell of eggs, my mom is acting like I'm a fucking pariah and you standing there only worsens things for me, so please, can you just leave?"

He sighed, "I will but I want you to know that I made the mistake. I keep making the same mistake and I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

I closed my eyes and waited to hear the door shut before allowing the tears to finally drop from my eyes.

Hours later, mom and Cecile returned and I sat upright from my curled position on the couch.

"Where is he?" Mom looked around.

"I sent him away hours ago."

"You sent him away?" She stared at me in disbelief.

"Yes mom."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to talk to him."

"You didn't want to talk to him? Then why Ophelia? Why are you pregnant for him? Because the problem isn't being pregnant. It is being pregnant for an ex who cruelly broke your heart! Also, you directly worked under him as his PA? What happened to the sales analyst position? Why did you lie to me?"

I glanced at Cece accusingly. "She pried it out of me but it was necessary."

"I'm the one in this situation mom, you think I don't ask myself the same questions everyday? I don't have it all figured out mom, I'm confused too and I would love just a little support from you right now, not judgement or anything else but support, just a little." My eyes watered for the umpteenth time today.

"Do you like him that much?"

I looked away.

"Your sister just spent the last two hours pleading your case. She said it's complicated between you and him but she believes it can still work out and even if it doesn't, then that's fine too."

I smiled gratefully at Cece.

"I'm only worried about you P. I don't want you crying over that boy again or any other man infact. I just want you to be happy. And of course, you have my support, you're my daughter and this is my grand baby. I want you to do what you believe is best for you but you have to be smart about your decisions so you won't get hurt again P."

"I know mom and I'm trying my best here, I really am." I whispered. She came closer and hugged me tightly. We maintained our position for a while before separating again.

"How far along are you?" and that was how we got into a long discussion of the infinite dos and don'ts of pregnancy.

***

Sunday afternoon, I was lounging on the couch watching TV alone because Cece and mom had gone shopping without me since I was feeling sick and mom had advised me to stay at home.

My phone started ringing and I wondered if it was Will. He hadn't called since my outburst yesterday. Maybe I'd finally scared him off. That thought wasn't so comforting. I sat up and found my phone among the throw pillows and saw it was a number I wasn't familiar with.

I answered and waited for the caller to speak.

"Hello, is this Ophelia Dunhamels?"

"Yes, this is she. Who is this?"

"This is Detective Shaun from NYPD. I interviewed you nearly two months ago concerning the murder in your former apartment."

It quickly clicked.

"Good afternoon Detective. Is there a problem? Has the murderer been caught?" I sat up straighter.

"Yes, we've apprehended Elise Lynette's murderer."

"Oh, that's wonderful news." I smiled feeling instant relief.

"But there's something else."

"What is it?" I pressed each syllable.

"What I'm about to say might be shocking but while we were searching through a database hitlist we found on the killer's system, we saw various pictures of people and one really stuck out." There was a pause before the, "it was a picture of you."

***